By Mike Greenblatt, The Aquarian Weekly
Deep Blue Love (Dot Time Records), by sultry French-British jazz singer-songwriter Sarah Thorpe, hits the sweet spot. She puts words to Pat Metheny’s “Free,” uses Jon Hendricks’ scat lyrics to Randy Weston’s “Pretty Strange,” completely revitalizes Horace Silver’s “Lonely Woman,” and has the courage to end it all on the Diane Reeves arrangement of Wayne Shorter’s “Infant Eyes.” Hers is a purring, evocative instrument capable of a wide-range of emotion. Backed by piano, bass, drums, alto and soprano saxophones, trumpet, and flugelhorn, Thorpe hits her stride midway through the opening title track (one of four she wrote), never letting up be it on a waltz, some Latin fire, swing, cabaret, or groove-laden sophisticated soul.