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| The history of Stacey Kent is a true American fairy tale. She left towards Europe to study French, Italian and German and to pass an exam in comparative literature. Her life now gets an unexpected way while she's becoming one of the best jazz singers. Stacey recorded six albums and had the 2001 jazz reward in England, 2002 BBC jazz reward for the "best singer", and the 2006 "albums of the year" for "the lyric poem". Her destiny met the chance in Oxford with the saxophonist, Jim Tomlinson. Like Stacey, Jim was on a school way and their meeting caused the desire to continue their love of music together. Stacey started to sharpen her experiment of the scene in London in company of Jim Tomlinson who became her husband a little bit later. A demonstration tape, sent to Polygram allowed the signing of a contract for the music of Ian McKellen's movie: Richard III. |
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| Stacey Kent signed with Blue Note Records: Her first album on this new label has been published this autumn. It has been produced by her husband, the saxophonist Jim Tomlinson, whose last album, "The Lyric" (with Stacey), has been chosen as the best 2006 album by the BBC Jazz awards. "Blue Note is the label that corresponds to me the best, said Stacey. This is the one I dreamed when I was a child. |
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| "Breakfast One The Morning Tram" |
 This album marks the return of Stacey Kent in studio after four years. The choice of the title of the album is at the same time obvious and dared. Obvious, because the breakfast and the morning evoke the idea of something new, and the tram, evokes a travel in a new direction. Dared, because it is also the title of the original song that gives its title to the album, and the first recorded by Stacey. It was written especially for it, like three other songs of the album, by the author Kazuo Ishiguro and Jim Tomlinson. |
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| Kazuo Ishiguro |
| On this album, the thing that is new for Stacey Kent is the presence of original songs written in collaboration with Kazuo Ishiguro, winner of the literary awards "Booker" and "Whitbreat". The first association with him goes back to 2002 when he said during a BBC session that Stacey's recording of "They can't take That Away From Me" was the kind of one to be carried on a deserted island. After that, he wrote the notes for her album "In Coils Again". His faculty to appreciate the art of Stacey is such as it quickly seemed an obvious choice to be the lyric writer on this new opus. The fruit of this collaboration is four new songs composed by Jim Tomlinson and words written by Kazuo. |
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| This album |
| Stacey is very impregnated by a romantic way since the beginning of her career, but she likes also the country and the folk music from her American's origins. Stacey finds the inspiration in the mountains of Colorado where she has got the time to sing and play guitar with her husband. Thus, the splendid song "the Landslide", written in Colorado by Stevie Nicks from "Fleetwood Mac", appears in the menu of the album. |
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| The Cinema |
| Stacey's interest for the cinema is obvious and it is something we can feel in her music. She included in her album "Saravah Samba", extracted from the original soundtrack of "Un homme et une Femme", a Claude Lelouch movie. |
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| Optimism |
| Even when she sings sad and soft-bitter songs, an undeniable optimist way goes through Stacey's voice. "What A Wonderful World", "So Many Stars" and "Never Let Me Go" are ideal means to appreciate the delicate mixture of despair and determination that Stacey shows. She is also known for the light and merry side part of her repertory, in particular in concert, represented by "Hardware Hearted Hannah". |
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| French |
| As she has lived and studied in Paris like her grandfather before, Stacey admits that she really likes French music and literature. So, when she returns in France as an artist, it always resounds in a particular way. Her 2003 album, "The Boy Next Door", which included already two titles in French, was certified gold in France. Her new opus this autumn proposes some of her favourite French songs, signed Serge Gainsbourg. |
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| Jay Livingston, a music composer who was rewarded by three Oscars, wrote "Stacey Kent is a real revelation. There is nobody who sings today like her and who can compete with her. She is comparable to Ella Fitzgerald". |
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| If there is a topic that goes well in the music of Stacey, this is love. Stacey is really romantic, and the songs that she sings are timeless stories that touch young and old people. Fortunately, she does not seem to be touched by the industry of pop music. |
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