Back in 1996, Madeine Peyroux released a debut album entitled Dreamland that was a gorgeous and exciting mix of Billie Holiday and bohemia. After that, she dropped out of sight, ultimately due to strained vocal chords and eventually living as near to “the streets” as possible. With her voice finally recovered in 2004, she was “re-discovered” by producer extraordinaire Larry Klein, who put her together with all stars Larry Goldings/key, Dean parks/g, David Piltch/dr and Scott Amendola/perc among others to put together the Comeback of the Decade award winner in Careless Love. This two disc, multi-album set has a remastered original album that sounds gorgeous, and it includes a previously unreleased concert in Spain from July of 2005 that captures her right as she’s entering back on stage right.
Peyroux has always been associated with Holiday, just like Wallace Roney with Miles Davis, Sonny Stitt with Charlie Parker or Paul Quinichette with Lester Young as for some reason they ended up sounding just like the other artist. Peyroux was successful in making the sound her own, particularly on this album with laconic reads of “You’re Gonna Make Me Lonesome When You Go”, and the vintage pieces “Weary Blues” and title tune. The opening “Dance Me To The End of Love” perfectly captures her own style of chanson, melding jazz and the Left Bank.
The gig recording has Ms. Peyroux brings back a couple of tunes from her debut like “Walking After Midnight”, a real Lady Day’d “I Hear Music” and “Destination Moon” After that, it’s mostly material from Careless Love but with an obviously more “live” feel, and she’s in great form for it. If you never got this album or have never been exposed to the gypsy spirit of Madeleine Peyroux, this is a great place to get acquainted.