Ian Shaw - Drawn to All Things - Mojo

For years now, Ian Shaw has been topping Britain's Best Jazz Singer polls. An ardent believer in all things Joni Mitchell, it was only a matter of time before he delivered his versions of the Joni songs he deemed most suitable for reinvention. An emotional, expressive interpreter with the ability to explore every aspect of both lyric and melody, he's at his most creative on ballads like A Case of You and Stay In Touch, the basic rhythm section sometimes cushioning solos by guest guitarist Jim Mullen and horn men Guy Barker and Nigel Hitchcock. There's also fun to be had - Talk To Me jumps happily, Chelsea Morning appears in breezy guise, Harlem in Havana is a basis for scatting between Shaw and Lea de Laria, while Night Ride Home finds Claire Martin stepping up for duet duties.