Christel Alsos
Closing the distance
Columbia
Norwegian jazz pop has been a rich vein of creative gold in recent years, with artists like Bol, Solveig Slettahjell, and Susanna & Magical Orchestra making stellar records. Add Christel Alsos to the list of ladies who deliver the goods in this genre. Her debut album "Closing the distance" is first-rate. Alsos has a soft, slightly husky voice that grows on you throughout this record. Her band plays with a level of sophistication you can feel, and the string arrangements are flawless. The closing tune "Still" may well be the single most intimate performance I've heard on record this year. The lyrics are strong and the music is poignant, timeless and deeply resonant. Alsos is more than just a "promising new talent" - she's already come through with one of the year's most quietly captivating, mature works of introspective songcraft.
- Kevin Renick