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Between the gentle sconces of Norah Jones and the meandering
musings of Tift Merritt lies the music of Kate Schutt.
Her debut record No Love Lost is a perfect clash of silky-sheeted
jazz and rustic folk-pop. Produced by Schutt and with all music written
by Schutt, No Love Lost is the next stage for standard jazz.
Her vocals are accessible while having the ability to command the
attention of large crowds. Her songs incite a comfortable setting
for one to sit beside oneself, and listen to the ramblings about everything
that has been held inside and needs to be let out. The music is rustic
and chic, polarized qualities that come together in agreement on Schutt's
record.
The flaccid saxophone swirls of "Mary" give the melody
lift off from its folk-pop base, and the orchestral tones in the backdrop
of "How Much In Love" deliver soft floating silhouettes
across the standard jazz lexicons. "Peter Please" has a
catchy groove relatable to Tristan Prettyman with quaint vocal
subtleties, intricate chord turns and twisting saxophone wires. The
details of the tune are sophisticated without over indulging in the
artistic swipes. "Wrecking Ball" has fun-filled sprees while
"Raining" emits a bluesy atmosphere. The calm tempo of "Calamity"
is ruminating like watching reflections move across a lake, and the
folksy grooves of "Two Halves" contain bluesy smoke rings
that bend to Schutt's vocal commands easily. The upswings in "The
Young" are lounging and Schutt's rendition of Sheila E.'s
pop song "Glamorous Life" puts a new twist on the number
with jazz-pop clamps and bossa nova acoustics.
Kate Schutt's debut album No Love Lost is a descendant of
Duke Ellington's jazz, but takes it a step further into a modern
age right beside Norah Jones. Coming from Canada, Kate Schutt shows
that folk and jazz unions grow north of the American border, and can
have a worldwide appeal that attracts people outside of the jazz clubs
and coffeehouses.
-Susan Frances
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