That is some pretty good jazz pop, a good whole level above many offerings, right here.
Marie Goudy’s Paloma Sky is a jazz-pop quintet from Toronto. Hold On To Me is the band’s debut album, and it’s a delightful stylistic achievement. You’ll hear a little of every element more or less associated with the great jazz family, including blues, swing, Latin and funk, in sunny arrangements featuring the playful trumpet of leader and composer Marie Goudy, the pleasant voice of Jocelyn Barth, and the fertile, lively accompaniment of Stu Harrison’s piano, Nick Arsenault’s bass and Andrew Scott’s drums. Montreal’s Elizabeth Shephard also produces the arrangements. Ten tracks and as many original compositions that flirt with jazz harmonies framed in an elegant simplicity by more pop affects. Goudy claims influences such as Stevie Wonder (yes), Kenny Wheeler (everyone in Canada does) and Maria Schneider (Mmm, maybe). The idea here is that of a jazz for the masses that isn’t looking for any technical brilliance, but rather the pleasure of listening by intelligently summoning and mixing several jazz tropes, all in an attitude of deliberate emotional simplicity that’s very pop. Let’s not deny ourselves the pleasure: in this genre, it works really well.
Marie Goudy – trumpet, voice
Jocelyn Barth – voice
Stu Harrison – piano
Nick Arsenault – bass, voice
Andrew Scott – drums, voice
