This is the third studio album by the Danish jazz singer, saxophonist and songwriter Mads Mathias – earlier work was I’m All Ears (2021) and Free Falling (2012).
It takes no chances with outrageously unfamiliar fare. Opening creamily with Billy Joel’s ‘Just the Way You Are’ from 1977’s The Stranger the sax solo is a bit weedy (clearly he is no Phil Woods) but the vocal is lovely – if you like Jamie Cullum or Peter Cincotti then this generous slice of softly sung jazz is up your street.
An album not for cynics it’s not particularly hip but nor does it try to be. But it is appealing. I like the arrangement of Bruno Martino’s ‘Estate’ largely because of the guitar comping and truncated soloing of Pelle von Bülow who elsewhere works with the likes of harmonica ace Mathias Heise.
Other musicians on the album are pianist Peter Rosendal, double bassist Morten Ankarfeldt and drummer Espen Laub von Lillienskjold. I liked Rosendal a lot on Mette Juul’s ‘Be a Blessing to Someone’ a previous track of the week on marlbank, reviewed above. His touch on this new album is just as empathetic and subtle.
Choosing ridiculously familiar material like ‘Fly Me to the Moon’ done not at all exuberantly like Frank Sinatra and actually quite poignantly isn’t jarring.
I think I liked the treatment of Leonard Bernstein’s ‘Some Other Time’ best. But Ian Shaw did a far lovelier live at Ronnie’s version of it on Ghostsongs in the 1990s and of course one looks to Tony Bennett with Bill Evans for an even more definitive studio reading. Mathias’ isn’t in the same league at all as any of the above. But it’s not bad. Born in Silkeborg, Denmark in 1981, the 45-year-old grew up in a musical environment. He interestingly spent part of his childhood in Tanzania later studying at the Rhythmic Music Conservatory in Copenhagen where Django Bates used to teach.
Do we really need a new treatment of ‘The Girl From Ipanema’ and ‘Moon River’? The latter is quite fetchingly rendered incidentally. The jury’s still out on the ubiquitous Brazilian classic putting in an appearance.
But why not: let’s be charitable as we are in Ally McBeal territory, you know the TV show when the assorted yuppies at the end let their hair down at a little night spot and typically Barry White or someone appears as they dance the night away.
Mats is no Barry White – I’d go for marvellous Marvin great at the Flamingo recently far more as he has a deeper voice – but what I mean is it’s feelgood and harmless. Nevertheless the A&R choices on the album are too safe and familiar. That said like that most inoffensive of domesticated mammals the alpaca, Just the Way You Are is extremely hard to dislike and is quite lovable in places. Would I go to see the Dane live for shear pleasure – never mind the flockers. Binge watch some old Ally McBeal, get over yourself magic grandpa and head down to hear the Dane.
- Mads Mathias plays Pizza Express Live on Dean Street, Soho on 3 October