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Sweet Whispers: Celebrating Sarah Vaughan Image
Metascore
84

Universal acclaim - based on 4 Critic Reviews What's this?

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  • Summary: The latest full-length release from British jazz artist Zara McFarlane was produced by Giacomo Smith (who also played clarinet and saxophone on the album).
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Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 4 out of 4
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 4
  3. Negative: 0 out of 4
  1. Jun 21, 2024
    80
    Her church-music youth fuels the gospel-y gallop of Great Day, a rhythmically jagged urgency drives Obsession, and McFarlane’s own hymnally reverential Sweet Whispers closes out a fine reminder of both her own open-minded musicality, and her model’s precious legacy.
  2. Mojo
    Jun 21, 2024
    80
    McFarlane inhabits her songbook, eking out fresh meanings and truths. Unashamedly old-school backing from a core quartet of Giacomo Smith (sax), Joe Webb (piano), Ferg Ireland (bass) and Jas Kayser (drums) plays to her storytelling gifts. [Aug 2024, p.84]
  3. Jun 21, 2024
    80
    More than just a standards or tribute album, Sweet Whispers reveals just how stylistically broad-minded Vaughan was, a compelling trait McFarlane carries forward with passionate aplomb.
  4. Uncut
    Jun 21, 2024
    80
    Accompanied by a swinging combo in which double bassist Ferg Ireland, pianist Joe Webb and Giacomo Smith on clarinet/sax are outstanding, she captures Vaughan’s depth of expression with perfect control, but proves she’s more than just a talented imitator by authoritatively stamping her own considerable personality on a stark, radical take on “Inner City Blues”, very different from Vaughan’s 1973 version. [Jul 2024, p.38]