FAYE PATTON SOUL RETRIEVAL
”Crisply soulful – Patton’s compositions are strong, her lyrics intriguing, her playing pleasingly angular, and top-notch instrumental support from her band – saxophonist Tony Kofi and guitarist Ryan Pope especially – make this an album worth investigating. A definite stand-out from the crowd.”
JAZZWISE Magazine July 2022
FAYE PATTON DANGEROUS LOVING
”Smoke-fuelled and chameleon-like, tortured and released, Faye Patton exudes forgotten Jazz. Articulating and punctuating her vocal authority with her independent piano playing, this is a supreme effort of both freeform and choreographed musicianship. Definitely in the jazz pigeonhole, there are elements of highbrow funk in ‘Ripped and Torn’, boogie woogie musical theatre throughout ‘Susan Says’ and lounge blues with ‘A Game’; and more in between.
The beauty with these overlapping and contrasting styles is that there is no great leap from one track to the next and she makes herself an effective gatekeeper to the concept of the album as a whole. With flute, cello, trumpet and even flugelhorn joining the tales of lost love and, well, more lost love, the songs manage to stay intimate and retain the emphasis on her boundless vocal.”
(Gareth Hayes – Rock n’ Reel magazine, May 2012)
”Faye Patton’s latest offering of thirteen original tracks in a way can only really be compared to a cross between Billie Holiday and Laura Nyro, in feeling, confidence, expression. Faye’s singing might be regarded as some as affected, I prefer to think of it as a cultivated style, and one which we should not take lightly. For this is one very highly intelligent woman, vocally, lyrically, instrumentally, arrangement-wise she rather leaves most comers standing.
From ‘Ripped and Torn’ with its advice to young children who have not yet grown up to the inevitable struggles of adulthood, through the sheer luxuriating sensuality of ‘Sweet Little So and So’, the knowing blues feel of ‘Bitter Seed’ and inevitably to ‘Say Goodbye’ (don’t Faye, don’t ever say goodbye to her – it feeds your music and lyrics, hold onto that bitterness and hurt in one part of your soul so that you can further mine it for our pleasure), this is a writer of breadth and depth that few achieve ever.
Faye plays piano and guitar on all the tracks – and I’m not just talking of chordal grooves, although her piano and guitar rare grooves have a lilt and touch of authenticity that puts her up there with some of the great groove musicians of our time. Her piano playing and guitar playing encompass solos with an original and yet learned sensibility. Sometimes it’s so good that I find myself reaching for the notes to check whether she booked in a session player for that track – but, no, mostly it is dear Faye. There is a band too, and what a cool groove they cut, as well as being empathetic to the main lady.
If you want to listen to something with a depth of late night feel, something original, deeply intelligent, cathartic and soothing at the same time, then reach for this disc from Faye. Oh, and we better keep watching her too, because she is not going to go away anytime soon, and she grows as a musician and writer more quickly than I can actually believe. But believe it, she does the work and comes up with five star goods time after time after time.”
(Jazz singer Sue McCreeth, July 2012)FAYE PATTON GOING SOLO
” Faye describes herself as a jazz-inflected singer and song-writer. While there are traces of jazz across her latest offering, Going Solo, she reflects a varied number of influences across the 11 cuts – her versatile vocals and mature piano playing cannot be so easily filed under one genre. Being a stripped down recording, her writing and personality are to the fore and exhibit a confidence in both her material and performance skills. I liked the dextrous riffs in the title song and the playful blues of I’ve Lost My Baby Now, before being mightily impressed by the late night duskiness of closer Season For Everything.”
(Keith Ames – Musician magazine)
FAYE PATTON GOES SOLO…
(06/03/09)
”Three years have passed since the release of Faye Patton’s second album, Going Solo. During this time away from the studio, her performances at the Isle of Wight International Jazz Festival, the Jazz Night at Stratford Theatre Royal and Jenny Roditi’s Loft Salon have confirmed her reputation as a unique Nu-Jazz pianist/vocalist/songwriter, but left her fans starving for new material.
Before we have a chance to enjoy the brand new songs she is currently writing and recording (due for release this year), let us dive back into her intimate and musically chameleonic solo effort.
Every musical artery of Going Solo tastes like candlelight, waves, sunflowers, mountain peaks, abysses and grains of sand. It has the sound of redemption, loss, the irony of love, anger, regret and worship. Meticulous in its description of feelings, in its choice of notes, the vocals climb up on branches of chords which suddenly dilate like pupils onto a sea of new harmonies – tight funk to flowing ballad, in the space of a second. Raw. Naked. Here are Faye’s bones.
Well-known voices perspire from the eleven tracks: she is Tapestry’s Carole, she is Georgia’s Ray, she is Under the Pink’s Tori – she is Faye, full stop. The coherently incoherent melodic shifts reflect her ability to absorb musical universes like earth and rain, conceiving – only herself. It’s not the destination that matters – it’s the transition.
Your Very Own Smile opens the album by letting us sail on its major piano waves to a Carole King-like island – three-chords-bridge to the blues, then back at sea. As Much As I Do is whispered through the night-tinged fears of love – ‘can I convince you to come for the ride? I know you’re feeling sad inside. Let go for a while’. Typically Faye: chords only hinted at for a start, then expanding as a river delta through the progression – a stairway to the semi-tonal descent. Words are caressed, regretted, sighed in A Foolish Fool – the pearl of this album. A careful search for the right notes to deliver an immense weight – a feather calmly whirling through the light of dusk. The playing is minimal in Colour of Me: only the silence is given speech. Her gospel roots are evoked in Glory Glory. It has a choir, though it cannot be heard: each of Faye’s notes is amplified, expanded. That’s her magic: it’s not a woman and her piano, Faye Patton is an orchestra of moods and shades –
‘You will never capture the colour of me’ – absolutely.”
(Federica Nardella – Seven Magazine)”Eleven songs written and performed by Faye Patton on vocals and piano. She writes really good hooks, not just on the voice but in her piano parts too, so it’s all there in your head days later. Faye won my heart years ago with her line “There’s a woman on the tracks and I’m going to lay down by her side”. That spirit of empathy is alive as ever in ‘I know the prisoner’. This new collection sees Faye laying down her piano grooves as solid gold as ever with richer chords than formerly, and some intricate classically inspired excursions. With warmth, soul, delicacy and an impeccable sense of technique and tuning, she patiently unfolds her stories, from the heart rending ‘A Foolish Fool’ to the humorous ‘Darling I do’. ‘Season for Everything’ could be a classic jazz blues gem. ”
(Jazz Singer, Sue McCreeth)
“A fresh aroma of coffeehouse blues, blended carefully with a spoonful of arthouse and just that subtle flavour of jazz. Perceptive lyrics and compelling songwriting, set against an acoustic backdrop of musical colour.”
(Mikey J – CD Unsigned)
FAYE PATTON TELL ME I’M A SINNER
“Faye Patton’s 2004 debut ‘Tell Me I’m A Sinner’ showcases an angular, strong, individual, and interesting set of self-penned songs. She sings and accompanies herself on the piano, and it is clear from the outset that this is a musician and vocalist to be reckoned with. Her melodies twist and turn with an impeccable sense of timing and tuning. She has a soulful voice and the ability to place every single last word with whichever tone she chooses from her varied palette, and she is emphatic in her choices. She drives a mean rhythm, almost hypnotically so, on most of the tracks. This is that magical kind of solo piano that moves and grooves in the bass, whilst bitter harmonies and counter melodies are cut in the other skillful and steady hand…
Her lyrics are light years away from generic love-la-la. Each song in this set of nine tells an intriguing and gutsy story. She captures conflicts, disappointments, raw passions, and empathies. “Gallows Flowers” intimates the epic and historical edge in her writing and “Woman on the Tracks” throws back to a silent movie staple which was well overdue for reframing. Here the idea becomes a heartfelt declaration of support for said woman. What’s Faye gonna do to help? Well she’s gonna get right out there and lay down by her side of course! And she has a voice of such frankness, honesty and warmth that she could make you believe if you were tied down on those tracks she’d be there by your side.
You can put Faye Patton on as background music if you wish because her grooves are so strong, but if you do listen you may find that she gets right under your rib cage and pulls at the muscles holding up your heart and lungs. And that is very, very good fun!“
(Jazz Singer, Sue McCreeth)
FAYE PATTON 