(January 31, 2023) Legendary singer Jean Carne fully embraces her jazzy side on “Give It Up,” her new single on the Society Hill Record Label. Carne always brought an element of jazz to her vocals. She possesses a five-octave range, and her phrasing means that she could sing anything from standards to the material that Norman Connors or Gamble & Huff gave her back in the day. That’s when she made classics like “Valentine Love,” and “Don’t Let It Go To Your Head.”
The jazz stylings of this tune announce themselves early with a piano riff and saxophone solo dancing between the steady beat laid down by the acoustic bass and Carne’s scatting. Vocally, Carne’s phrasing and range remain impressive. She caresses the lyrics and takes a conversational tone as she encourages her potential love interest to ditch the hesitation and embrace taking the relationship to the next level.
Jazz is a very democratic art form that involves an ensemble of incredibly talented musicians who know how to make their individual statements in a way that contributes to making a singular piece of art. That can be heard in the how movements that would sound discordant in lesser hands synchronize together on “Give It Up.” Check out Jean Carne on “Give It Up” here.
By Howard Dukes