“Shakespeare And All That Jazz” by Cleo Laine (1964)

A rare example of European musicians successfully combining US influences with homegrown ingredients, this wonderfully eccentric and lovable album brings famous Shakespeare poetry translated into music by great, late John Dankworth and sung by his wife, singer Cleo Laine. To my knowledge, majority of European Jazz artists from that era mostly went for American Songbook and musicians who inspired them, however Dankworths created something truly original here by turning to timeless lyrics as an inspiration for music that is entertaining, accessible and delightful. If you think that something like “Twelfth Night”, “Cymbeline” or “Macbeth” belongs to theatre only, think again - dressed in lightly swinging music by Dankworth, this poetry bounces and sparks in such way that even listeners who were not accustomed to Shakespeare admitted this was a great fun. 

It was often been said that Dankworth was Laine’s Pygmalion, who transformed her into first-class Jazz phenomenon but although its undeniably fact that she blossomed by association with one of the best bands in the land, in my opinion the exchange and inspiration was mutual: bandleader/composer got himself distinctive voice capable of swooping trough octaves and fearlessly following what used to be instrumental solos (“Take All My Loves” was famous showpiece for Duke Ellington). The album is also expansion of idea that singer started as early as 1955. when she first recorded “It Was A Lover And His Lass” and later in 1959. as a cute, little EP “Cleo Sings Elizabethan”  where Shakespeare’s words were set into music by British jazz pianist Arthur Young. Adding more material to what originally was four-song EP recording, Dankworth shows white-hot inspiration (amazingly, he was at the same time busy with soundtracks and his own solo recordings, in fact most of the musicians here also played on his own “What The Dickens!” album released previous year and inspired by characters from Charles Dickens novels) and the final result is album of timeless charm that still sounds fresh and quirky as at the time of release.

Interestingly, although it was successful both at home and overseas - Downbeat gave it five stars and proclaimed it the album of the year - it took a full decade until Dankworths finally broke into US Jazz scene with series of celebrated Carnegie Hall concerts that eventually turned them into international stars. From then on, they both went from strength to strength although I must say that this is what I found their quintessential work and the moment when all the stars were aligned to perfection. Shakespeare will forever stay with them as their later recordings proved - double LP “Wordsongs”  was another expansion and she was still singing his lyrics as far as 2005. on “Once Upon a Time” at the age of 78. As recorded here in 1964. her smoky contralto was a thing of sensuous wonder and personally I love this album beyond words, even memorized Shakespeare words thanks to this music. “Shall I Compare Thee” is one of the prettiest things I have ever heard. So long as men can breathe, or eyes can see, so long lives this, indeed.