Dream of Life

Thank you Adelaide Cabaret Festival for this gem. An album launch for the always engaging and highly professional Emma Pask with her simply brilliant band.   However, to the coy and reserved Adelaide audiences - provide a little colour and noise when invited… and at a jazz music event!  It is a given that we holler and cheer and celebrate the verve of live music and the artists delivering it, having been denied this pleasure for the ‘pandemically’ compromised period we have been through.

At the start, ‘Smack Dab In The Middle’ (Charles E. Colhoun) heralded a perfect introduction to this singer’s genius vocals, genuine delivery, perfect and intricate  scat expertise plus gutsy low notes, and inspirational piano and bass solos (Kevin Hunter and Brett Hirst).  At the beginning of ‘If I Were a Bell’ (from Frank Loesser’s Guys and Dolls) Ms Pask was in perfect pitch, briefly minus any accompaniment, and it was clear that the synergy on stage was next level.  Dr Kevin Hunt gave the first of many blistering piano solos with dazzling improvisational jazz flare.

Introducing her new album, Dream Of Life, Ms Pask mused about the song choices being a little like a bower bird collection of favourites including those that connect to her heart and soul and convey story through fine lyric content.  She was also able to proclaim proudly (and rightfully so) that the album just this week premiered at No 7 on the ARIA jazz and blues charts.  Track three is a take on a Beatles’ number played at Pask’s parents’ wedding and was apparently one of John Lennon’s personal favourites.  ‘Here There And Everywhere’ launched softly with only elegant, spare piano accompaniment but swelled to include bass and drums with some very sexy time signature shifts. Pask’s vocals range from husky growls as needed to crystal clear high notes with phenomenal control and precision.

Another song of the musicals genre was Harold Arlen and E.Y. Harburg’s ‘The Eagle And Me’ from 1944’s Bloomer Girl.  Arlen and Harburg are responsible for many movie musical successes including The Wizard of Oz.   After Arlen's death, Irving Berlin said at a tribute: "He wasn't as well-known as some of us, but he was a better songwriter than most of us and he will be missed by all of us”.  Berlin’s ‘They Say It’s Wonderful’ from Annie Get Your Gun was an ode to love still to be discovered with sensuous vocal slides and some well-placed vibrato.  Also showcased was the sublime subtlety of jazz drumming at its best with Tim Firth’s impeccable technique on show.

In 2015 while visiting Brazil during the Carnaval do Brasil, Ms Pask met and was struck by the artistry of singer Marcos Sacramento at an out of the way live music venue and the song ‘Cai Dentro’ by Baden Powell and Paulo César Pinheiro came to her attention.  Sung in Portuguese, this was a fun, rhythmic, and allegro Latin interlude that again exhibited this singer’s range and flawless technique.

The album’s title track ‘Dream of Life’ (Luther Henderson and Carmen McRae) was delivered by Pask with only a tender piano accompaniment.  Written when McRae was only 17, the song was recorded by Billy Holiday in 1939.  Moving to a more contemporary sound, and a true Australian standard, Pask sang ‘Heading In The Right Direction’ (Garry Paige and Mark Punch).  Made famous by Renée Geyer in 1975, this emotive work was performed by Pask as homage to two close musical colleagues who have now passed from this life, and once again, the depth of emotion was palpable in both vocals and presence with perfect musical accompaniment.

Each song, well-known or not, was presented with Emma Pask’s individual style and dedicated artistry and only made more impactful by the presence of such a magnificent group of musicians.  Finishing with a laid back, gutsy blues song, the audience was obviously not ready for the evening to end.  Teddy Edwards’ ‘Don’t Touch Me’ was released in 1960 then famously recorded by US vocalist Barbara Morrison in 1996.  Wryly introduced as a sort of ‘theme song’ for the last few years of Covid-related artistic and social drought, Pask spoke of meeting Ms Morrison and the encouragement she received from the revered artist.  This was an epic finish to a polished and dynamic set with Pask taking her voice to glorious, belted heights. 

The entire production was the total package with staging, lights, and sound engineering to the very highest standards.  Catch any performance by the talented Emma Pask and her band whenever you can and definitely buy the album.  You won’t regret spending time with the woman described by James Morrison as “the greatest gift to Australian jazz vocals in the last decade”.

Lisa Lanzi

Photographer: Kurt Sneddon