Review on Soul-Patrol.com

Lene Riebau - Jazz Handle

(Neo Soul/Pop)

Remember when Erykah Badu first came out and a big part of the hype was that "she sounds exactly like Billie Holiday?" I never thought that she did at all, but I did like Erakyh Badu's singing. Well in listening to the album "Jazz Handle", I feel like Lene Riebau "sounds exactly like Erykah Badu". So if you like the sound of Erykah Badu's voice singing, with some slightly funky jazz playing behind her, and some non controversial pop lyrics, then you will really dig this album. I like this album, it's very reminiscent of albums by my favorite ladies from "down under" (Melissa Forbes & Louise Perryman), although Lene Riebau hails from Denmark. That means you can do what I do and throw this into your Saturday night mix along with Will Wheaton, Ty Causey, Me'na and my two young ladies from Australia on one of those cold winter nights when you are hoping to "get lucky." I wonder if Erykah has heard this yet?

Bob Davies

Review on Sonic Soul (Click here for an English translation!)

Entwarnung! Kein Jazz – jedenfalls nicht in der lupenreinen Variante, die die Titelgebung von Lene Riebaus Solo-Debut assoziiert, sondern exakt in Form und Farbe qualifiziert für eine führende Rolle innerhalb des SonicSoul „Groove & Beatz“ Departments.

„Up Up Up He Goes“ - der erste Eindruck, eine Stimme, die sofort die gesamte Aufmerksamkeit auf sich zieht…eine ganz besondere Tonlage, die dezente Erinnerungen an Ms. Badu oder Ms. Gray animiert, aber dennoch in jeder Phrasierung die ganz eigene von Lene R. ist . Die Frau ist übrigens Dänin, dortselbst bis dato in diversen Formationen tätig und Ende der letzten Saison im Verbund mit unserem dänischen Freund Frank Ryle und seines Cool Million Projekts auf der überaus geschätzten „Soul Togetherness“ Kompilation eines der Sahnestücke. Und nun also „Jazz Handle“. Gemeinsam mit ihrem Lebensgefährten Torben Lysholm konzipierte sie eine überaus erfrischende Mixtur aus neuem Soul und altem Jazz – angereichert mit gelegentlichen Pop-Sprenkeln und ausgestattet mit einer geradezu unverschämten Lockerheit, die dem musikalischen Angebots des Dänen-Paares eine weitreichende Anziehungskraft verleiht.

Nach dem geschickt-verqueren Midtempo-Groover „Up Up Up He Goes“ Opener startet die Lene zunächst einen stets wandlungsfähigen Spaziergang durch die bunte Welt von Rhythmus und Melodie – „Put Out The Fire“ besitzt einen nahezu unwiderstehlichen Latin-Groove, eine ebenso packende Hookline und eine einladende Atmosphäre, der ich mich derzeit nicht entziehen kann (und möchte), während „Elementary“ einen zeitlosen R&B Beat vorgibt, den ein feines Sax-Solo den letzten Schliff verleiht. „I Think I´m Going Down“ ist eine Spur angriffslustiger und schwankt zwischen Neo Soul und einem fast schon klassischem Akustik-Jazz Break. Ebensolche Wechsel verordnen Lene und Torben auch in „Doing Nothing“ und „The Right Time“ oder der „Suitcase Blues“ sind dann wohl die Sound-Lage, die wir uns von der kommenden Erykah Platte erwarten…

Selbstredend vermag Frau Riebau auch die Ballade und damit ihre dunkle Seite ins rechte Licht setzen – „Eternity“ (man beachte den Bass!)s und „Yesterday But Not Today“ sind dunkel-schattierte, zart-bittere Jazz-Soul-Blues-Pop Schleicher, deren Magie sich durch den greifenden Vortrag der Lene Riebau in vielerlei Facetten präsentiert. Mehr davon…und bald.

Reviewer: Jörg Michael Schmitt

Review on SoulTrack.com

by James Lewis January 12th 2008

 

First coming to my attention as a vocalist on the soulful track 'Naughty Girl' by Denmark based production team Cool Million, this debut set showcases a truly extraordinairy talent.Indeed such is the nature of the talent on display that you are actually wishing that the length of the average track which is in the region of just over three minutes was far longer. Ms Riebau mixes intelligent lyrical content borne out of experiences that life throws at you with catchy and melodic tunes.Themes of lost love,broken homes and delicate father/daughter relationships are explored  through a mixture of styles that include neo- soul, jazz, blues and RnB. The opening track 'Up Up Up He Goes' a gentle melodic and funky two stepper about keeping the inner child that is in all of us alive showcases a  vocal style from Lene that is major league. Comparisons with others are not fair because this talent is above such banal musings. This is a lady that has matured through learning her art the hard way and it shows. By the time that you reach track three, the catchy 'Elementary' that features some wholesome sax playing by Jacob Dinesen you begin to realise that this album is an absolute addition to the collection of any music conniesur that appreciates quality in all areas.

Bringing up a family, living in a country that is not automatically thought of as being at the forefront of soulful jazz and neo-soul and yet still being able to follow your dreams and goals is no mean feat and Ms Riebau should be applauded for completing a project of some worth. Stand up and take a bow Lene 2008 is your year!

 

A JL REVIEW

Click to hear an interview with Lene Riebau on P4 Fredagsbaren with Anders Bisgaard.

Review on JustSoul.net

Lene Riebau the Danish songstress from Denmark hits the mark with her debut CD “Jazz Handle”. Lene is a noted author, performer and composer, co-writing all the tracks on “Jazz Handle”. She performed as lead and backing singer with various cover/tribute bands in Denmark before the making of her debut album.

I love the CD title that speaks to her talent to blend soulful R&B with jazz. As a lover of music and in the business of exposing great music from around the globe to listener, I had a good feeling about this offering once I heard the first track “Up Up Up He Goes”. Her vocals are reminiscent of the great Billie Holiday and even modern day Jazz/R&B vocalists such as Eryka Badu and yes the very unique Macy Gray. But Lene has her own distinctive sound and style. Every time I listen to the record I’m blown away by her voice, clever lyrics and music collaboration. “Jazz Handle” is definitely a must have for your music collection. I can’t say enough about it. Just looking at the track listing will peak your interest to listen with great enthusiasm. For instance “Suitcase Blues”, Yesterday But Not Today”, Doing Nothing” and “Walk Before I Crawl”, which is my favorite because of it’s truthfulness and musical deliverance. Lene Riebau, along with her soulful talent no doubt has the Jazz Handle.

Barbara Fulton [Just Soul]

January ‘08

Review in Helsingør Dagblad 15. December 2007. (Click here for an English translation!)

LOKAL SANGFUGL MED POTENTIALE.

Lene Riebau bor i Snekkersten og har udgivet en plade med titlen ”Jazz Handle”.

Og det handler faktisk lidt om jazz, selv om stilen på mange måder er temmelig udefinérbar.

Der lånes fra et væld af genrer, fortrinsvis fra den amerikanske jazzy RnB, men resultatet er faktisk ganske helstøbt, og det swinger rigtig godt på mange af numrene som for manges vedkommende er lagt i afslappede, soldovne arrangementer.

Lene Riebau er en forholdsvis uprøvet artist, men synger med en vis garvet intensitet på de fine og ganske melodiske sange, der er præget af en umiskendelig chill og clubstemning. Men musikken kommer overraskende stærkt ud over rampen, og Lene Riebaus særegne vokal kan lede tankerne hen på Esther Phillips.

Til at hjælpe sig med projektet har hun fået sin kæreste Torben Lysholm, som har skrevet flere af melodierne sammen med Lene Riebau selv, og det har de begge gjort godt.

Da de to også giver sig god tid til at forløse de enkelte sange rent instrumentalt, ender det hele med at gå op i en finere enhed.

Lysholm har også produceret og spiller guitar på pladen. På musikersiden finder vi desuden navne som Jakob Dinesen, Flemming Nilsson, Lars ”Danmark” Nielsen og Maurizio Bozzi.

Der er i det hele taget meget at glæde sig over på dette lokale udspil, og vi håber på at den brede befolkning, talentspejdere, koncertarrangører og så videre også får øjnene op for denne begavede kunstner, som med ”Jazz Handle” har bevist sit potentiale.

Niels Berg.                      LENE RIEBAU: ”Jazz Handle” (Drycastle)

Review on Soulportal.dk (Click here for an English translation!)

Den danske sangerinde Lene Riebau debuterer her med et forfriskende album, der har fået titlen "Jazz Handle". Albummet er spækket med kvalitets sange og spænder over genre som jazz, soul og R&B.

Lene Riebau har en imponerende stemme, der vil få de fleste til, at tænke på navne som Erykah Badu, Billie Holiday og Macy Gray. Men på trods af det lyder Lene Riebau som sin egen, og hun er et overordentligt frisk pust på den danske scene.

Albummet "Jazz Handle" er fornemt produceret af en anden dansker - nemlig Torben Lysholm og der er gæstebidrag fra navne som; Jacob Dinesen, Flemming Nilssson, Lars Nielsen og Maurizio Bozzi.

"Jazz Handle" indeholder tolv numre, og flere af dem er rene perler. Nyd blandt andet disse fremragende cuts; "Up Up Up He Goes", "Put Out The Fire", "Elementary", "Sentimental Times" og "Walk Before I Crawl" – der alle er superb jazzet soul.

Lene Riebau leverer en overraskende god cd med et hav af opløftende momenter. Soulportal tøver ikke med at uddele fem stjerner for det bedste danske soul bidrag i 2007.

Lene Riebau: Jazz Handle ude nu på Drycastle Records

Added: December 3rd 2007

Reviewer: Frank Ryle

(Click here to read an interview on Soulportal.dk)

The first review to hit the internet was this one in italian on the Suoni & Ritmi online shop:

Data: giovedì 29 novembre, 2007

Paul Christopher:

Ho avuto la opportunita' di ascoltare questo album un po' di tempo fa', grazie all'anteprima del mio amico Maurizio "Bozorius" Bozzi, produttore per Drycastle records.

Devo dire, innanzitutto, che la qualita' sonora e' delle migliori, di livello internazionale, sia per quello che riguarda gli arrangiamenti, moderni e presenti, che per l'uso e la manipolazione dei suoni da parte del musicista / tecnico Torben Lysholm; per questo genere musicale ( Hip-Hop, Jazz R&B) e' una caratteristica fondamentale, il suono prima di tutto.....

Questa e' anche una nota critica, perche' proprio a causa della esasperata ricerca sonora si rischia, a volte, di perdere di vista l'espressivita' e la " strumentalita' ".

Il disco, comunque, ha momenti di grande atmosfera con Eternity e Suitcase Blues, per esempio...E' bella anche la commistione tra programmazioni digitali e suoni reali, Lene ha una vocalita' particolare, singolare e anche una buona vena compositiva.