Almost In Your Arms Claire Martin

• 1I Feel A Song Coming On03:26
• 2This One's From The Heart04:51
• 3Almost In Your Arms03:28
• 4Apparently, I'm Fine02:39
• 5Bitter With The Sweet03:12
• 6The Art Teacher04:17
• 7Train In The Desert04:01
• 8This House Is Empty Now04:53
• 9Water and Salt03:25
• 10September Song03:22
• 11Do You Ever Wonder04:44
• Total Runtime42:18

Info for Almost In Your Arms

"Almost in Your Arms" is a captivating album by Claire Martin, released by Stunt Records. This enchanting collection of songs showcases Claire Martin's exceptional vocal talent and her ability to interpret jazz standards with elegance and emotion.

In 2023, her previous album, ‘I Watch You Sleep’, was an orchestral celebration, with pianist & arranger Scott Dunn, of her close friend Richard Rodney Bennett, the legendary composer-pianist-singer. Prior to that, in 2020, a collaboration with big band arranger, trombonist, Callum Au, called ‘Songs & Stories’, featured jazz standards and Songbook classics; and the year before, in 2019, she released ‘Bumpin’’ with a quartet led by Scottish guitarist, Jim Mullen, highlighting the compositions of Wes Montgomery.

Before these three recordings for the Copenhagen-based label, Stunt Records, her outstanding recording career was equally eclectic and varied – including collaborations with Kenny Barron, Bill Charlap, and Martin Taylor; a series of celebrated duo recordings with Richard Rodney Bennett; and projects featuring the BBC Big Band, the BBC Concert Orchestra and The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.

However, To this exemplary trio, Claire has added a number of superlative guest musicians: Swedish saxophonist, Karl-Martin Almqvist; American vibes player, Joe Locke; British guitarist, Mark Jaimes; the pianist Nikki Iles, here playing accordion; and a vocal from US organist/pianist, Charlie Wood – plus the producer, James McMillan, on trumpet, flugelhorn, keyboards and programming.

So, on ‘Almost in Your Arms’, in addition to the inspiration created by recording once again with her trio of leading Swedish musicians, and her starry list of guests, Claire’s innate enthusiasm for fresh stimulus and intriguing contrasts was invested in assembling a selection of material which she, with the assistance of James McMillan, found strong personal resonance with.

The songs Claire has chosen further indicate her wide-ranging interest and knowledge in the many sub-genre areas of popular music and jazz.

The album opens with a sparkling version of the up-tempo, timeless, songbook classic, ‘I Feel a Song Coming On’, written by Jimmy McHugh with lyrics by Dorothy Fields and George Oppenheimer, for the 1935 movie ‘Every Night at Eight’.

The Hollywood connection continues on track two, but jumps forward forty-six years, to Tom Waits’ often overlooked soundtrack to Francis Ford Coppola’s ‘One From the Heart’. This engaging, off-beat ballad, full of distinctive Tom Waits’ imagery, is a personal favourite of Claire’s. The original recording of ‘This One’s From the Heart’ was a duet between country singer, Crystal Gayle, and Waits – and here the respective parts are marvellously delivered by Claire with guest vocalist, Charlie Wood, who brings his blues-soaked US intonation to this different, jazzier interpretation. Claire adds: “Charlie Wood agreed to join me on this duet and took my breath away. He sings with such soul and warmth. I’m very proud of our version. Adding the brilliant Swedish saxophonist Karl-Martin Almqvist was the cherry on the cake!”

On track three, Claire remains in the world of movies with her take on the warm ballad, and album title track, ‘Almost In Your Arms’ – written by Jay Livingston and Ray Evans for the 1958 film ‘Houseboat’, starring Sophia Loren and Cary Grant. Sung by Sam Cooke, in the background to a dance-floor scene, the song received an Academy Award nomination. Claire’s version gives it more pep – lighter, jazzier, more swinging – and a masterclass in flowing phrasing.

Claire explains that ‘Apparently, I’m Fine’ is an original composition by James McMillan and myself and was inspired by something James heard someone say. We both thought it was a good song title and my story is about the end of a relationship where you would expect to be heart-broken and shattered, but instead, upon reflection, you are actually feeling pretty OK! Maybe you’ve dodged a bullet after all.” A poignant, introspective but clear-eyed mood is created, with a skilfully restrained trio accompaniment and with Nicki Illes’ accordion subtly enhancing the second half of the song.

‘Bitter With the Sweet’ is one of Carole King’s less well-known and less covered compositions and Claire was delighted to discover it. She particularly relates to its sagacious, philosophical message. This is an energetic reading, underpinned by funky bass lines and percussion and a delightful piano solo from Martin Sjöstedt, building into a punchy brass arrangement.

There follows another of Claire’s favourite songs: ‘The Art Teacher’ by Rufus Wainwright, who she rates as “one of the most important and interesting songwriters of our time”. It is a highly unusual, if not unique, composition for a jazz singer to choose, but Claire ingeniously adapts the original to her own style, whilst preserving the wistful, lonely and longing atmosphere of the ‘confessional’ lyrics, based on details related to the composer by a friend. Claire adds: “I love the story of this piece and between us we have brought our own jazz flavour to a classic Wainwright song. To have the amazing Karl-Martin Almqvist feature on saxophone is a total joy for me as he is without a doubt world-class, and his playing always goes straight to my heart.”

‘Train In the Desert’ was written by LA-based, award-winning singer-songwriter Mark Winkler, a dear friend of Claire’s, who has provided her with several songs in the past. This is a new one she picked out while on a visit last year. Claire explains: “The story of ultimate revenge is not a subject I have approached before, but I knew I had to sing it. Joe Locke is fabulous as the narrator and soloist.”

The extraordinarily gifted combination of Burt Bacharach and Elvis Costello composed the next track, ‘This House Is Empty Now’, for their 1998 album ‚Painted from Memory‘. A consummate haunting piece of song-writing, and a sad exposition of reminiscence and longing, given here a soaring, emotive, vocal performance.

Singer-songwriter Ty Jeffries wrote ‘Water and Salt’ for his alter-ego, onstage chanteuse persona Miss Hope Springs. Claire says she “…fell in love with it immediately and knew I had to sing it. I tried to approach it with a very Peggy Lee 1950’s feel. Ty’s lyrics are smart and sassy and I’m so happy to have added it to my repertoire.” A snappy arrangement featuring cool muted trumpet motifs.

The penultimate number on ‘Almost in Your Arms’ is ‘September Song’ – written by producer-musician James McMillan with the Oscar-winning lyricist, Don Black. A magnificent, evocative melody with, naturally, exceptionally well-conceived words. It sounds as if it’s been a long-established Songbook standard. James adds trumpet accompaniment and an inspired solo – while Claire’s vocal, as so often, draws just the right balance of emphasis and emotion from the lyrics, somehow combining immaculate musicality with an almost conversational tone. She notes: “We changed it slightly from the original by turning it into a waltz….it is an honour to sing any lyric penned by Don Black. I don’t do enough slow waltzes and I’m thrilled to add this original to my song list.”

The final track on the album is a second Mark Winkler song: ‘Do You Ever Wonder?’ – which Claire describes as being: “….about reflection and looking back. In my mid-fifties now, I feel I can really do that…. ‚We didn’t know how good it was‘ – I think we all can empathise with that lyric. I’m proud to sing Mark’s songs and champion his songwriting on my recordings because he really understands my style and this song suits me to a tee.”

It seemed fitting to examine each of the tracks on ‘Almost in Your Arms’ consecutively – as they form an incredibly well-curated selection of songs, all of particular significance to Claire Martin, with invaluable input from James McMillan, and with the brilliant, intuitive accompaniment of her Swedish trio, and the spectacular contributions of her special guests. A truly international array of musicians with music written by a truly international array of song-writers – assembled in Quietmoney Studios in Hastings, on the Southcoast of England, for the recording sessions.

Claire Martin has been singing professionally since she was 19 years old, and has performed all over the world, across the past 37 years, even if that is hard to believe. She has won more awards and prizes than there is room to list here. Perhaps, to put it simply, some artists just keep getting better. Listen to this astounding album, if proof were needed.

Claire Martin, vocals
Martin Sjöstedt, piano
Niklas Fernqvist, double bass
Daniel Fredriksson, drums & percussion
Guest musicians:
Karl-Martin Almqvist, saxophone
Joe Locke, vibraphone
Mark Jaimes, guitars
Nikki Iles, accordion
Charlie Wood, vocals
James McMillan, trumpet, flugelhorn, keyboards, programming

Produced, engineered and mixed by James McMillan at Quiet Money Studios, Hastings
Recorded January 24th-26th 2024
Mastered by Michael Scherchen at The Mix Factory

Claire Martin
has established herself as a tour de force on the UK jazz scene. She has enjoyed worldwide critical acclaim and gained many honours, including eight British Jazz Awards, during a career of over three decades. In 2018 she was the proud recipient of the BASCA Gold Badge Award for her contribution to jazz and was voted Jazz Vocalist of the Year at the Parliamentary Jazz Awards in 2022. Claire became a professional singer at nineteen and signed to the prestigious Glasgow based Linn Records in 1990, Claire has since released twenty albums with the label, collaborating with musical luminaries including Martin Taylor, John Martyn, Stéphane Grappelli, Kenny Barron, Sir Richard Rodney Bennett and Jim Mullen on many of these recordings. She has also recorded three albums for the Copenhagen-based Stunt Records, including the highly praised ‘Songs & Stories’ album with Callum Au in 2020. Claire has performed worldwide with her trio and, until his death in 2012, worked extensively with the celebrated composer and pianist Sir Richard Rodney Bennett in a cabaret duo setting both in England and the US where they played to sell-out houses at venues. Claire has appeared as a featured soloist with the Hallé, the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, the RTÉ Concert Orchestra, the Royal Northern Sinfonia, the BBC Big Band and the BBC Concert Orchestra. She co-presented BBC Radio 3’s flagship jazz program ‘Jazz Line-Up’ from 2000 to 2017 and interviewed many of her musical heroes, including Pat Metheny and the late Michael Brecker. At the Queen’s Birthday Honours in June 2011 Claire was delighted to be awarded an OBE for services to Jazz.

This album contains no booklet.