CD-Charts Position 1
Average Rating:

.

Distances

by: Norma Winstone

Release Date March 24, 2008
Accompanied by piano and clarinet or sax, Norma Winstone has created an album of rare beauty. Spare yet sensuous, "Distance" showcases perfectly her rich, expressive voice conveying warmth and sadness within an instant over an eclectic mix of originals and covers of songs by Cole Porter, Peter Gabriel and Erik Satie.

The opening "Distance" is the highlight as a wonderful vocal realises the imagery of birds "turning on heights of invisible air". Winstone is a grossly underrated lyricist and throughout the album, the beautiful tones of voice, piano and reeds enhance the predominant lyrical theme of the passing of time. In "Ciant" Winstone sets a lyric by Pier Paolo Passolini to a tune by Satie and, like all the best covers, radically ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 2
Average Rating:

.

Amoroso ... Only More So

by: Norma Winstone, Stan Tracey, Bobby Wellins

Release Date July 02, 2007
I love this cd because of the uniqueness of Norma's singing.
We all know most of the songs but the way she sings them always takes us by surprise, one never guess how she is going to sing the next line.
She could be the Monk jazz vocal equivalent.
Sure she does not have perfect pitch, but in this context it is an asset.
The band is incredible, Stan Tracey deserve to be known by all jazz lovers.
An cd to cherish, I just wished that cd 2 had a few extra tunes.

CD-Charts Position 3
Average Rating:

.

Like Song Like Weather

by: Norma Winstone, John Taylor

Release Date October 26, 1998
The Taylor/Winstone collaboration once again create a magical, highly original sound. The two complement one another, each surpassing all expectations. The album shows off Winstones pure tone and terrific range. She approaches songs with her ever avant-garde style, creating classics out of unheard songs which deserve her treatment. 'Strange Meadowlark', 'Alice In Wonderland' and 'Ladies in Mecedies' are favourites, however all the songs on this superbly crafted album are worth just as much a listen. The unique use of silence distinguishes the duo from any other around today. A duo creating astonishing results.

CD-Charts Position 4
Average Rating:

.

Somewhere Called Home

by: Norma Winstone, John Taylor, Tony Coe

Release Date September 22, 2008
The Taylor/Winstone collaboration once again create a magical, highly original sound. The two complement one another, each surpassing all expectations. The album shows off Winstones pure tone and terrific range. She approaches songs with her ever avant-garde style, creating classics out of unheard songs which deserve her treatment. 'Strange Meadowlark', 'Alice In Wonderland' and 'Ladies in Mecedies' are favourites, however all the songs on this superbly crafted album are worth just as much a listen. The unique use of silence distinguishes the duo from any other around today. A duo creating astonishing results.

CD-Charts Position 5
Average Rating:

.

Somewhere Called Home

by: Norma Winstone

Release Date July 01, 1988
The Taylor/Winstone collaboration once again create a magical, highly original sound. The two complement one another, each surpassing all expectations. The album shows off Winstones pure tone and terrific range. She approaches songs with her ever avant-garde style, creating classics out of unheard songs which deserve her treatment. 'Strange Meadowlark', 'Alice In Wonderland' and 'Ladies in Mecedies' are favourites, however all the songs on this superbly crafted album are worth just as much a listen. The unique use of silence distinguishes the duo from any other around today. A duo creating astonishing results.

CD-Charts Position 6
Average Rating:

.

Manhattan in the Rain

by: Norma Winstone, Tony Coe

Release Date June 29, 1998
THanks to Tony Blackburn for introducing me to a Norma Winstone track. I duly ordered the CD and was stunned by this ladie's vocal dexterity. Here is the voice as instrument with clarity throughout. I recommend it for the track 'Two Kites' alone. This is a rarely heard Joachim number with a fabulous piano part.

CD-Charts Position 7
Average Rating:

.

Azimuth/the Touchstone/Depart

by: Azimuth, John Taylor, Norma Winstone, Kenny Wheeler

Release Date March 24, 2008
THanks to Tony Blackburn for introducing me to a Norma Winstone track. I duly ordered the CD and was stunned by this ladie's vocal dexterity. Here is the voice as instrument with clarity throughout. I recommend it for the track 'Two Kites' alone. This is a rarely heard Joachim number with a fabulous piano part.

CD-Charts Position 8
Average Rating:

.

The Heart Is a Lotus

by: Michael Garrick, Norma Winstone

Release Date May 02, 2005
If you've been collecting this fascinating wave of 60s/70s British Modern Jazz reissues, you'll be familiar with mid-60s Garrick albums like "October Woman" & "Black Marigolds." They mostly feature concise compositions for small groups but by 1970 Garrick (like Westbrook & Gibbs) had shifted things to another level, with longer looser experimental pieces for larger ensembles. The music on "Heart Like a Lotus" is mostly languid, sensual, with some endearingly cod-exotic eastern touches - but always with a swinging blues foundation (and with the odd fast & furious bop instrumental like "Torrent").

"Heart" is interesting to compare with Mike Westbrook's "Lovesongs," both being 1970 concept albums charting the course of a love affair, both ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 9
Average Rating:

.

Fluid Rustle

by: Eberhard Weber, Norma Winstone, Gary Burton, Bill Frisell

Release Date July 01, 1988
The blending of Voices(Norma Winstone and Bonnie Herman) Vibe/Marimba (Gary Burton), Guitar (Bill Frissel) and Eberhard Weber's "Special Bass" is really magical here.

The tones are so blended that when I used to play this on my old vinyl LP it sometimes suffered from lack of separation,particularly when there was even very small amunts of dust/fluff in the needle (today's youngsters won't know what I'm talking about here.)

This is a fine album, this voices offer backing tones and washes of sound that complement the other musicians in a way that is unique for a Eberhard Weber album.

This man is a genius and peerless musician. He comes out of the ECM stable of modern European jazz but it ain't jazz as many understand it. ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 10
Average Rating:

.

It's Later Than You Think

by: Norma Winstone

Release Date March 03, 2008
As someone who has never regretted losing a lot of money putting on a Norma Winstone gig, I can claim to be an enthusiast if not a dedicated fan.
However this album really doesn't find Norma in great voice on some tracks and the sound balance is distant and echoing, often making Norma part of the band rather than a lead vocalist which is disconcerting if you want to enjoy her song stylings. Colin Towns is an excellent fellow who has done much for the jazz scene but his arrangements can be a bit elephantine and rarely attain the sort of standards set by Gil Evans in his work with Helen Merrill.
What for example, is that marching band doing, crashing through "Sisters of Mercy"? It makes a nonsense of the lyric and destroys the mood of Cohen's melody. ... Read More: