Moonray - James Hudson - Review

by Andy Harrison—

Vocal jazz has been on the wane in recent years - as contemporary musicians veer either towards the bleeding edge of avant-garde jazz or the J Dilla-inflected stylings of jazz rap, the moody vocalists and smooth records that once were the standard bearers of popular jazz music fade from view in a genre that seems increasingly unfriendly to the music of Mel Tormé, Dinah Washington and ol' Blue Eyes himself.

Enter James Hudson. An up-and-coming vocalist out of the UK taking cues from the likes of Chet Baker, Kurt Elling and Diana Krall, Hudson is a student of the game, so to speak. A graduate of the National Youth Jazz Orchestra, Hudson's intonations, phrasings and vocal timbre are demonstrative of his love of the sound and history of vocal jazz, loyal to the traditions of the genre while still daring enough to avoid becoming sclerotic altogether. "On a Clear Day," a cover of Burton Lane's Broadway classic and Moonray's opener , is an ideal showcase of Hudson's strengths. Smooth and precise in his enunciation and tone, Hudson plays smartly off the backing strings and Tom Walsh's colorful playing on the trumpet, complimenting his melodious solo with a smoky and subtle performance worthy of applause.

"Hudson... uses his wide range for an immediate shot to the heart, imbuing his performance with an emotional maximalism that tugs at the heart strings..."

Hudson approaches this collection of songs not as untouchable standards, music beyond remove that can't be experimented with, but with a sense of creativity and playfulness. Compare his take on "The Nearness of You" to, say Norah Jones. While she performs with a forlorn and subdued romanticism, Hudson (backed only by a spirited vibraphone) uses his wide range for an immediate shot to the heart, imbuing his performance with an emotional maximalism that tugs at the heartstrings. The sheer variety of instrumentation on display here, with daring additions of musical color to songs that could use it, speaks to Hudson's willingness to step outside of the typical mold of the jazz vocalist, all while keeping a certain fidelity to the strength of the original arrangements and his own performance.

Moonray is a stellar collection of standards in a style of jazz that doesn't get enough love these days. As younger artists increasingly move away from the popular jazz of the last century, Hudson has the gumption to give it a vitality and dynamism that can keep it going for another hundred years. If you think vocal jazz is a staid style of music that fit only for your grandparents, listen to Moonray and see for yourself a genre that still has a few tricks left up its sleeve.

AAF Rating: 5/5 trumpets

AAF Top Picks:  On a Clear Day, That's All, The Nearness of You, Sunny