Album Review: Capturing Clouds from Tamuz Nissim

Album:  Capturing Clouds
Artist:  Tamuz Nissim
Label:  Street of Stars Records
Website:  www.tamuzmusic.com

A prolific vocalist at scatting, singer-songwriter Tamuz Nissim knits, kneads, and entwines a significant performance on her latest release Capturing Clouds.   Her high flying vocals mould freestyle formations through the tracks, wielding a saber-swift slashing that makes brisk incisions along the melodies progressions.  Her vocals rivet and ripple with an agility that is uninhibited, showing a spirit that is unchained.  These traits are best heard in "What A Pair" and "On the Sunny Side of the Street."

Displaying a graceful vocal stride flickering gingerly along the title track, Nissim expresses an inner serenity that seeps into the listener's soul.  Moving along, the bopping beats lining "Like Someone in Love" put a sunny lift in her vocal swagger, which slows to a gentle trundle along "Saturday Sun" as Nissim's vocals brighten the somber atmospherics.  Her treatment of "I Don't Wanna Grow Up" is playful and free, bringing out a youthful spree in her presentation.  It becomes clear to the listener that she is to jazz vocals what Regina Spekter is to sonic pop.

George Nazos' lacy guitar strings opening "Ray of Hope" exude an angelic whisper that rustles softly around Nissim's lilting vocals as she intimates, "I want to be younger with dreams that aren't broken / to belive in love / I want to be bolder and speak of my truths / without caring what if or who /  I still wish to change / but then my voice is breaking / and darkness covers / but then I remember / that you are still here / my ray of hope."  Her vocals resonate with the expressive voicing of a troubadour telling a story about a love whose light may have dimmed but is still glowing.  Her troubadour style vocalese gives "Here Comes the Sun" a freshness that would make its writer George Harrison of the Beatles admit something magical happens to the melody with this woman's dulcet touch.

Capturing Clouds is the 4th solo disc from NIssim and presents many significant performances from her.  There is an equal measure of jazz vocal influences and Nissim's instincts for shaping her vocals independent of her influences.   A recipient of the America-Israel Cultural Foundation Grant, Nissim's vocals were made for live performances.

Musicians:
Tamuz Nissim - vocals
George Nazos - guitar
Harvie S - bass
Tony Jefferson - drums

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Album Review: This Could Be The Start from Linda Purl

Album Review: The Ways In from James Zollar

Album Review: Globetrotter from Luca di Luzio