The best things in life are not always free but usually very simple, self-baked bread with butter for example, the first strawberries in spring, spending some quality time with someone who only have eyes for you or speaking about music, a great voice plus an accompanying quartet of piano, drums, bass and guitar.
And that's just what Michelle Walker gives us with her debut album Slow Down. We all know the songs since Michelle concentrates on jazz standards with a few covers of contemporary pop songs and one original composition.
Even though I'm not the greatest fan of cover versions, I must admit, that it works very well on Michelle's debut. And since it may be difficult to come up with 15 original songs for your debut album, it's alright to record covers. This approach sounds great especially in an intimate setting with Wayne Wilentz (piano), Marc Blackwood (bass), Jim West (guitar) and Dave Cosby respectively Justin Lees (guitar).
What do we get on Slow Down? Great reinterpretations of classic songs like Nature Boy, a swinging version of Pennies From Heaven or Gershwin's Summertime amongst others. But also some more obscure songs like Time After Time (not the Cindy Lauper song), Be My Baby or Sometimes I'm Happy.
What really makes this album special are the cover versions of the contemporary pop songs. Michelle does a terrific job with her versions of Sade's Kiss Of Life and Elton John's Your Song (yes, the old chestnut...I've never been very fond of Elton's music but this version adds something new to the song and gives it a different dimension). Both songs are just Michelle singing and Dave Cosby playing guitar.
The title track, Slow Down, was written by Michelle and it's a fine midtempo jazz song that makes you wonder why she hasn't recorded more of her own stuff. But then this is only her debut and Michelle shows enough potential for a promising future, that may see her name among already established singers like the Cassandras, Diannes, Carmens or Nnennas of the jazz world.