This impeccable phrasing, this comforting tone, this delicate momentum and this swing that harkens back to the beginning of the last century: Susie Arioli is a recognizable sound signature. It has been a long time since she knew how to make all the borrowings she makes from the past her own.
The distracted ear will judge that its youngest, Embraceablewhich arrives nine years later Spring, only follows in the footsteps of the previous ones. This is not wrong, but it ignores a major change: no Susie Arioli record has left so much room for the piano until now.
We hear about Springof course, but here, it is much more than an accompaniment instrument, it is a pivot. Embraceablea record made up of covers (Cole Porter and the Gershwins, among others) and compositions by the singer and her former accompanist, Jordan Officer, indeed allows us to hear some very beautiful voice-guitar-piano exchanges.
The latter, touched by Paul Shrofel, sometimes even brings a discreet touch of modernity to the whole. Adding a little organ on 500 Cigarettesin the tradition of western swing, and crystalline percussion also gives substance to this record co-produced by Stéphane Grimm.
There is nothing revolutionary here, but anyone who has already listened to Susie Arioli’s records will find a renewed swing on this one. All this without disturbing the subdued and outdated aspects characteristic of the universe of the Montreal singer that we have always received like a balm on the course these days.
Extract of It’s Alright With Me
Jazz swing
Embraceable
Susie Arioli
Blu Dog Media