The Real Group have set a standard, indeed the standard, as the royalty of a cappella vocal jazz. From their youthful beginnings at the Academy of Music in Stockholm, where they acquired the prodigious technical expertise that has since become their trademark, to their current reign as best-selling recording artists, the Real Group has earned widespread recognition and acclaim. In keeping with this tradition, they have released "One For All," containing fourteen mostly original songs, written and sung in proficient English. "I Sing, You Sing," about that song that you just can't seem to get out of your head (and it makes you crazy!) has a simple melody that outlines the triads in bell-like tones; like a nursery rhyme, it is easy to remember and impossible to forget. The ethereal "Three Poems" adapts the verse of Emily Dickinson, the traditional "Vem Kan Segla Fvrutan Vind" features a harmonica solo that compliments the melancholy melody. "One Summer" is one example of many that illustrates why the group is so successful: perfect pitch and arrangements that challenge and cajole the ear combine to produce a sound without compare. This is the vocal jazz release of the year. |
