A Jazz Singer Tackles Erik Satie

the encounter leaves both standing and listeners in stunned appreciative silence

Grafting lyrics onto instrumental classical music has a rich history of success in the pop world. Most listeners happily hum Elvis and Perry Como tunes like "It's Now Or Never" and "Hot Diggity, Dog Diggity..." not having a clue about from where they originated.

"Jazzed up" versions of popular songs are a well worn path down which many jazz arrangers and singers go. Here, jazz singer Tessa Souter does something far more audacious, adapting five Erik Satie pieces—themselves well off the beaten musical path—and through her lyrics, makes them her own. Such adaptations often produce an uncomfortable fit.

These feel custom tailored as you'll immediately discover on the "what was I thinking?" regret song opener, with music by Satie (Gnossienne No.1) and words by Souter, deceptively titled "A Song for You". It's a gift you'd rather not open other than as an observer. It's direct and pointed and not at all imbued with self-pity, with lyrics and music that will immediately draw you into the singer's rueful reverie, featuring an arrangement by Luis Perdomo that effectively buoys the danger.

Souter began working on lyrics to that song after hearing a scat solo version by French vocalist Anne Ducros, but her words weren't working so during the pandemic she began writing lyrics to what would become (on this vinyl version) side 2's opener "Rayga's Song"—dedicated to her newborn— with lyrics set to Satie's "Gymnopedie No. 1" familiar to all reading this. When you hear it your brain will be primed for David Clayton Thomas to offer a giant "hey" that thankfully never arrives. Songs to newborns can often be eye rollers, especially to the unsentimental (guilty) but this one is just sweet enough.

Satisfied with that, Souter set about producing an album of Satie adaptations, releasing this album in 2025 unaware that it marked the centennial of Satie's death.

It's not all Satie though, she covers the familiar "If You Go Away" music by Jacques Brel, lyrics by Rod McKuen, and French singer songwriter Léo Ferré's "Avec le temps", which takes break-up to the limits of tragedy and deep regret. On "Mood" Souter sets lyrics to Ron Carter and Miles Davis's "Doom Mood" on the album E.S.P. that capture the music's feel and express a sense of grasping for what's unattainable. The annotation intimates that Wayne Shorter's tune "E.S.P." is also on the album, but it's not. Perhaps the digital version includes it?

The small combo arrangements for Piano (Luis Perdomo), Bass (Yasushi Nakamura),Trumpet, Flugelhorn (Nadje Noordhuis) and Soprano sax (Steve Wilson) are deftly drawn by Souter, Luis Perdomo, and on one tune, by Billy Drummond, well-known audiophile master drummer and Souter's husband, who of course also plays drums throughout. The music making throughout is smartly sympathetic to the lyrical cause, with Steve Wilson's soprano sax moments especially supportive.

Aaron Nevezie recorded the music at The Bunker Studio (which he co-owns) with Souter's vocals recorded by David Darlington at Bass Hit Studio. The recorded production in this consistently outstanding sounding venue is as intimate and direct as the music. Souter's voice is unadorned by reverb and as you'll hear she doesn't need any cover. The same is true of the instruments. The result is a natural sounding, intimately pictured sonic production that moves you with uncommon ease into the created space, where you're sure to often spend a provocative and enjoyable 40 or so minutes with a gifted, spellbinding, vocalist and lyricist.

You can stream this on Tidal, Spotify and a few others services, but for some reason no Qobuz. You'll want the vinyl though, which is available for purchase on Bandcamp. Highly recommended.