Track Listing

1. Blur  4:34

2. Bring Me Back To Life  6:12

3. My Poor Hands  6:49

4. Pretty Soon  5:03

5. Will I Ever  3:53

6. You And I  5:41

7. For Good  4:11

8. This Fear  4:02

9. As If  3:28

10. 5 out of 10  5:00

11. Not Enough  4:42

12. Too Tight  4:36

13. Wackadoo Blues  6:09

14. Sometimes I Feel  4:36

15. Wackadoo Reprise  1:38

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 More info

Sometimes I Feel is the astonishing second CD release from outstanding vocalist Alison Wedding. This CD, her Jazzhead debut, is the follow up to her lauded release The Secret (Best Australian Jazz Vocal Album, Bell Awards 2004). Alison Wedding has always been a singer. But it was not until high school in Dallas, Texas that she discovered the world of jazz. Fascinated by the harmonies, chord progressions and rhythms, Alison devoured the music of the world’s great horn players and singers. Her early influences included Ella Fitzgerald and Sarah Vaughan, and horn players such as Chet Baker, Miles Davis, Freddie Hubbard and Michael Brecker.

With her mentor, Dave Alexander, and through attending Jamey Aebersold summer workshops, Alison began to explore improvisation and today it is one of her great strengths. "It was the best learning experience being thrown into small ensembles with horns - I was expected to perform like one."

Alison studied jazz at The University of North Texas under Paris Rutherford and began singing professionally toward the end of her university studies. Her hunger to learn led Alison to Florida and, eventually, to the US West Coast, before heading to Australia, where she now resides. These travels presented a myriad of opportunities including singing backup vocals with Dianne Reeves, Diane Shuur, and the late Joe Williams and a guest spot recording with Andy Summers. These experiences exposed the young singer to a broad range of musical styles and expressions.

Sometimes I Feel embraces the styles, influences and emotions of Alison’s journey. The singer cites the greatest challenge of this project as being that of incorporating all of these broad elements whilst creating a continuum and a cohesive album. Enter the band - Sam Keevers (keys), Ben Robertson (bass), Stephen Magnusson (guitar) and Dave Beck (drums). Supported ably by these incredibly versatile musicians, Alison embraces the samba feel of Pretty Soon, the swing of Wackadoo Blues, the soul of For Good, the R&B of My Poor Hands and everything in between. Hours of practise and performance with these players have created an environment and familiarity that have given Alison the confidence to fully express the emotions embodied in her work.

“More than anything, I have wanted this recording to be honest, true, and to touch people. I have taken risks but I am letting people in.” 

" An American singer who settled in Melbourne a few years back, Alison Wedding won the Bell Award for Best Jazz Vocal Album of 2004 with her debut CD, ‘The Secret’. Her new album is less overtly jazz-oriented in style and instrumentation, so may take some getting used to for fans who expect to hear a singer swinging through the standard repertoire. Even so, it confirms her reputation as a jazz singer of genuine talent. Wedding wrote all 15 songs on the album, focussing on relationship issues. Some feature her adventurous, well-controlled, wordless solos, but most feature her greatest asset, the ability to deliver lyrics with disarming emotional honesty. She enjoys spirited accompaniment from keyboardist Sam Keevers, bassist Ben Robertson and drummer Dave Beck, but it is guitarist Stephen Magnusson whose imaginative touches give proceedings a real lift."

 – ADRIAN JACKSON The Bulletin NineMSN February 21, 2006 .  

 You can visit Alison's website  or e-mail her at aliwedding@jazzhead.com