Back in April, I posted about Duncan Lamont, a wonderful British tenor saxophonist who also was an elegant and prolific songwriter. He composed a song a day well into his 80s, and a majority of them were beautifully crafted. His best known is probably Pretty People, which now is a standard and has been recorded by dozens of vocalists. Singers Nancy Marano and Frank Holder both recorded tribute albums to Lamont. Now we can add another.
British vocalists Esther Bennett (above), Sarah Moule and Daniela Clynes have just released a five-song EP entitled The Songs of Duncan Lamont. The tracks were recorded a few years ago, when Lamont was still with us and played behind two of the singers on four songs.
As Esther notes, "We originally intended for this to be a full album with three tracks from each of us and the group. Sarah and I each recorded three but with the arrival of the Covid-19 virus, recording studios closed and, unfortunately, Daniela was unable to record hers."
The songs are I Told You So, Pretty People, Stark Reality, There Ain't Nothin' Like the Blues and A Great Day in Harlem. [Photo above of Daniela Clynes]
Here's the personnel on each song:
I Told You So and Stark Reality — Sarah Moule (vcl), Simon Wallace (p) and Duncan Lamont (ts). Recorded on October 17, 2017.
Pretty People and There Ain't Nothin' Like the Blues — Esther Bennett (vcls), John Crawford (p), Simon Little (b), Mark Fletcher (d) and Duncan Lamont (ts). Recorded in November 2018.
A Great Day in Harlem — Esther Bennett, Sarah Moule and Daniela Clynes (vcls), Simon Wallace (p) and
Duncan Lamont Jr. (ts). Recorded in November 2019.
Oh to be in London listening to this music live. One day. Sigh. [Photo above of Duncan Lamont Jr., left and Duncan Lamont]
Duncan Lamont died in 2019.
JazzWax tracks: You'll find The Songs of Duncan Lamont here and here.
JazzWax clips: Here's Sarah Moule (vcl), Simon Wallace (p) and Duncan Lamont (ts) recording Lamont's Stark Reality, with an introduction by the composer...
And here's Esther Bennett singing There Ain't Nothin' Like the Blues, with Duncan Lamont Jr. (ts), Terence Collie (p) and Paul Michael (b) at the Bulls Head in Barnes, London, last October.
