(Vocal Jazz) Karen Lane - Once In A Lifetime - 2009, MP3, 320

KAREN LANE originally from Perth Western Australia, moved to Sydney in 1990. Her initial grounding was the graveyard shift in seedy Kings Cross, with 10 piece original soul funk band, The Hard Word. Her first foray into Jazz quickly followed with the formation of The Eclectics, a sophisticated lounge trio playing standards. She won coveted slots, including headline at 1993 Western Australia's York Jazz Festival, and support for the elite British jazz pianist, Julian Joseph, during his 1994 Australian tour, at Sydney¹s premier jazz club the Basement.
In 1993 Lane formed her first original band Deluge and between 1994 and 1997 established her song writing and band leading credentials culminating in the debut of her original acid jazz band, Substance, at the prestigious Bacardi Club for the 1995 Sydney International Arts festival. During this period she also wrote and produced music for a NIDA (National Institute of Dramatic Art) dance production “Appetite” which was featured at the Melbourne International Arts Festival. From her experience as one of the few song writing and band leading females in an Australian music scene dominated by mass marketed, made to order young popstars, Lane conceived the idea that became Bloomers, an independent recording project for women singer songwriters. She secured government funding and recorded 17 women from around Australia. The Bloomers compilation CD was released with considerable national print, radio and TV coverage in August 1998 through Roadshow/Warners music.
In 1997, before Lane relocated to Singapore she recorded her original album titled “Sheherazade 1001 nights”, and was subsequently invited back to Australia to perform at the 1998 Go Girl! Festival celebrating International Women¹s Day, to a 10,000 strong crowd in The Domain¹ Sydney. In Singapore Lane worked extensively singing sessions, writing and performing in various jazz clubs and hotels including the renowned Raffles Hotel.
Since moving to London in 2000, Karen has established a UK audience and released two UK band albums 'Once In A Lifetime' in 2002, and 'Taste' in 2004. A favourite choice for Michael Parkinson’s BBC Radio 2 programme, with the recommendation “A lovely singer Highly Recommended”.
After appearing successfully as a duo with Paul Malsom, the UK guitarist, at The Sevenoaks Festival, Karen and Paul decided to record an album of their favourite songs. The result was ‘I Can’t Help It’ that was released in 2006 on the '33' label. The album features their cover of Bob Marley's song 'Is This Love', which is popular download on iTunes.
Karen's latest album is called “Beautiful Love” and was released in June 2009 on Smash Digital. It features some of London's finest musicians including: Tom Cawley, Andy Hamill, Nic France, and talented French saxophonist Robin Fincker, along with Australian musicians Dave Colton and Julian Ferraretto.

Arriving in London through Perth in western Australia, song stylist and singer/songwriter Karen Lane serenades her listeners with a light, expressive, but highly personal voice that delivers each tune with coquettish emotion. She's like a child caught with her hand in the cookie jar and getting away with it coyly with a wry smile. She possesses a built-in sense not only of melody and lyricism, but for the rhythmic feel of the music. Listen to a rather misnamed "Till Death Do Us Part," a catchy tune with a calypso beat where her second voice fades in and out with Robin Aspland's Fender Rhodes. Dave Colton's guitar makes "Lullaby of Birdland" one of the swingier cuts on the CD. On the other side, there is a good deal of pain and heavy breathing leading into her version of the classic "On Green Dolphin Street."
This is a prime example of the images a singer with an expressive voice can create. Here in one's minds eye, there's a picture of Lane not only swaying vocally, but bodily as well. On this cut, the vibes of Milo Fell carry the main instrumental load. For her first album, she has wisely hooked up with some of London's young modern creative jazz, blues, and rock musicians. Aspland has worked with Claire Martin and Van Morrison, and sax player Derek Nash with the Peter Green Splinter Group. Lane and her cohorts have succeeded where many have tried and failed, bringing together elements of jazz and contemporary pop in a way that is mature and well constructed rather than shallow and contrived. Recommended. (Dave Nathan)

Karen Lane vocals
Dave Colton, guitar
Robin Aspland piano
Fender Rhodes, Jeremy Brown bass
Rod Youngs drums
Martin Shaw trumpet
Phil Peskett piano
Milo Fell percussion
Sam Burgess bass
Simon Pearson drums
Dave Jones bass
Josephone Knight cello
Laura Melhuish violin
Derek Nash saxophone