Jazz vocalist, Rachel Thorne may want
to sing A Good Man is Hard to Find,
but in the case of pianist, composer and teacher, Mike Dooley, she needs look
no further. As the opening, and title,
track to the second album from the duo outfit, In2Deep, Thorne and Dooley swing
along together nicely, in a relaxed laid-back style that’s thoroughly engaging
and entertaining.
In a set of 14 Dooley originals,
there’s sentimentality, humour, wit and fun that steps right out there. It’s hard for the girl to resist taking her
good man’s hand to sway and swing around the lounge room floor.
There’s a tongue-in-cheek duet, Strawberry Jam, a heartfelt Hopefully, and a bossa Moonrise, evoking thoughts of beachside cocktails
in a warm tropical paradise, the moon rising romantically from behind a calm,
glistening sea.
If boogie and blues are your bent,
In2Deep has got them covered; there’s a swinging My Baby Likes to Boogie and a convincing 12 Bar Blues.
But In2Deep are not alone on this
album; there’s a great line-up of musos who fill out the sound with bass, brass,
reeds, and drums & percussion (the great Gary France gets a gig). There’s even a violin and viola. The orchestrations are thoughtful,
beautifully balanced and get right into the mood of every track.
The CD cover takes a minimalist
approach, with just a few notes from Thorne and Dooley, all the credits and the
track listing. But it’s cleverly
designed so it conveys the style of the music – always with a smile.
Available through various online stores.
