'Evidence'
The Idea of North (ABC Jazz)

Modern jazz vocalisation evolved from Eddie Jefferson through to Lambert Hendricks & Ross, Manhattan Transfer and the more recent Nylons and Take 6. Following the tradition is Australia's premier a cappella quartet The Idea of North. Trish Delaney-Brown (soprano), Naomi Crellin (alto), Nick Begbie (tenor) and Andrew Piper (bass) are jazz graduates of Canberra and Adelaide conservatoriums, who possess eclectic musical tastes. Their latest CD, Evidence, certainly displays an impeccable standard of musicianship, with flawless harmonies and crisp production.

James Morrison, who has championed the quartet, features on a couple of tracks,

 

arranging and writing lyrics for the Thelonius Monk title number (drummer David Jones also features) and playing mellow flugelhorn on a dreamy version of Gershwin's But Not For Me. Showpieces are probably Sister Sadie (by Horace Silver) and the sprightly opener, Jobim's No More Blues, a Dizzy Gillespie-Lalo Schifrin '60s interpretation that Crellin arranged for vocals. These awesomely skilled musicians are also out to entertain, as Andrew Piper demonstrates with his cheeky arrangement of the Stevie Wonder hit Isn't She Lovely. -- Mike Daly

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