After venturing into the rock and soul catalog with renditions of Bob Dylan, Curtis Mayfield, and the Talking Heads songs, Little Jimmy Scott really digs here with a program made up almost entirely by pop hits from the last three decades. Due in part to the insight of producers Gerry McCarthy and Dale Ashley, Scott tackles contemporary material that, in its elegance, jazz overtones, and passion, is perfectly suited to his special brand of vocal savvy and knack for the great standards. Of course, he could probably cover almost any song and transform it into something unique, which is what he often does here. With his gentle pacing, vulnerable-sounding yet powerful soprano, and unerring sense of dynamics, Scott entirely refashions classics like Bryan Ferry's "Slave to Love," Elton John and Bernie Taupin's "Sorry Seems to be the Hardest Word," and the movie theme "The Crying Game." And while maybe not wrought anew, his versions of John Lennon's "Jealous Guy," Elvis Costello's "Almost Blue," and Prince's "Nothing Compares 2 U" are still stunning. He even gives Simply Red's Mick Hucknell a few needed lessons in vocal phrasing with an in-the-pocket rendition of the title track. Better to showcase Scott's singular voice, the arrangers wisely supply him with an unobtrusive and classy backdrop punctuated with subtle, yet keen solo breaks. An amazing set by one of the best singers around. After venturing into the rock and soul catalog with renditions of Bob Dylan, Curtis Mayfield, and the Talking Heads songs, Little Jimmy Scott really digs here with a program made up almost entirely by pop hits from the last three decades. Due in part to the insight of producers Gerry McCarthy and Dale Ashley, Scott tackles contemporary material that, in its elegance, jazz overtones, and passion, is perfectly suited to his special brand of vocal savvy and knack for the great standards. Of course, he could probably cover almost any song and transform it into something unique, which is what he often does here. With his gentle pacing, vulnerable-sounding yet powerful soprano, and unerring sense of dynamics, Scott entirely refashions classics like Bryan Ferry's "Slave to Love," Elton John and Bernie Taupin's "Sorry Seems to be the Hardest Word," and the movie theme "The Crying Game." And while maybe not wrought anew, his versions of John Lennon's "Jealous Guy," Elvis Costello's "Almost Blue," and Prince's "Nothing Compares 2 U" are still stunning. He even gives Simply Red's Mick Hucknell a few needed lessons in vocal phrasing with an in-the-pocket rendition of the title track. Better to showcase Scott's singular voice, the arrangers wisely supply him with an unobtrusive and classy backdrop punctuated with subtle, yet keen solo breaks. An amazing set by one of the best singers around. false 2022-11-16 13:53:57 1999 1999-01-01 1999-01-01 49 Jazz 116953 2146177 a12ffee8-44ea-4bd8-a7aa-055cbdb81844 37868418-e2f2-4a1b-9517-165abac8b02b 3fef5be6-292e-3563-8f3d-c87e1ecd5ec7 /media/data/media4/Music/Jimmy Scott/Holding Back the Years (1998)/folder.jpg Jimmy Scott AlbumArtist Jimmy Scott Artist Jimmy Scott Jimmy Scott 1 05:16 2 05:06 3 05:23 4 05:28 5 05:13 6 03:49 7 04:27 8 06:18 9 04:53 10 03:13 James Victor Scott (July 17, 1925 – June 12, 2014), known professionally as Little Jimmy Scott or Jimmy Scott, was an American jazz vocalist known for his high natural contralto voice and his sensitivity on ballads and love songs. After success in the 1940s and 1950s, Scott's career faltered in the early 1960s. He slid into obscurity before a comeback in the 1990s. His unusual singing voice was due to Kallmann syndrome, a rare genetic disorder that limited his height to 4 feet 11 inches (150 cm) until the age of 37, when he grew by 8 inches (20 cm). The syndrome prevented him from reaching classic puberty and left him with a high voice and unusual timbre. wea music