Beverley Beirne’s voice is so rich and indulgent it should come with a calorie warning.
The Yorkshire based Jazz singer was raised on a variety of jazz and 80s pop and those influences seep through on her new album ‘Jazz Just Wants To Have Fun’ (JJWTHF) produced by Grammy-winning and Emmy nominated producer Jason Miles.
Beverley puts her own spin on 12 classic 80s hits from the brilliant opener ‘Come On Feel The Noise’ originally performed by Slade (Frontman Noddy Holder made an appearance at the album launch at Ronnie Scott’s) to the moody ‘Ghost Town’ by The Specials, the salsa driven version of ‘Cruel Summer’ by Bananarama (ideal for this heatwave with a cocktail in hand), the blues-drenched ‘When Smokey Sings’ and ‘Girls Just Want To Have Fun’ which is as far from the Cyndi Lauper version as you could possibly get.
But seriously, who is complaining? Beverley turns all these original songs upside down on their head and then some – it is gloriously refreshing.
Beverley’s playful personality and extraordinary charisma really shine through this album.
It will appeal to fans of Jazz and those looking for something a bit mellow and different. My 5-year-old son absolutely loves it and we listen to the CD to and from school which eases my stress levels which other drivers tend to elevate…
‘Jazz Just Wants To Have Fun’ can’t help but put you in a finger clicking, toe-tapping kind of mood with the aforementioned calorific combination of rich vocals and textured orchestration particularly the sleek sax and rippling piano solos which make an appearance on almost every track.
Beverley comments on her new album, “Why tackle the 80s? I love the music, yes, but I was there! I know these songs, I know the era, I don’t have to imagine any of it. I lived and was brought up in the post-industrial town of Halifax, West Yorkshire. There was on one hand a depressed air about the town, but on the other a sort of bloody-minded determination to have a good time anyway. Life’s short.”
Neon Music had the pleasure of attending Beverley’s album launch and live performance at Ronnie Scott’s recently and she really lit up the room.
She loves what she does and it shows – her charm and enthusiasm coat you like a second skin and the title of the album perfectly encapsulates what her music and what she is all about – enjoying life, loving music and having fun.
For an uplifting little tonic I suggest you buy, download, stream – however, you want to do it just listen to ‘Jazz Just Wants To Have Fun’.
‘Jazz Just Wants To Have Fun’:
Arrangements – Beverley Beirne and Sam Watts
Vocals – Beverley Beirne
Piano – Sam Watts
Bass – Flo Moore
Drums and Percussion – Ben Brown
Guitar on ‘Cruel Summer’ – Romero Lubambo
Guitar on ‘Girls Just Want To Have Fun’ – Dean Hammond
Organ – Jason Miles
Find out more about Beverley Beirne here.