Summer Me, Winter Me

Description

Stacey Kent, a dazzling ambassador of vocal jazz, is back with "Summer Me, Winter Me": a clever combination of new compositions and covers from the great repertoire. Featuring an adaptation of Jacques Brel's legendary "Ne me quitte pas" sung in both French and, for the first time recorded on an album, in English as "If You Go Away"; this album offers a perfectly balanced selection of the most anticipated songs from the American singer's concerts.At the end of a concert, during a signing session, I am often asked the question: "Which album is this song on?" As concerts invariably mix old and new repertoire, I sometimes find myself answering: "It's not on any." This album therefore brings together several songs that can provide an answer to all those who, over the years, have asked us, a little disappointed: "Haven't you recorded 'If You Go Away'?"For the first time, I am also recording the same song twice on one album. I added "If You Go Away" to my repertoire in 2018, when Jim was writing an orchestral arrangement for it, for a concert in Paris. I have sometimes sung Jacques Brel's original, "Ne me quitte pas." But whatever the language, there was always someone who asked me why I hadn't chosen the other version. Some singers have alternated between the two languages: in both versions, the lyrics are intrinsically beautiful and deserve to be championed. So I chose to record both.While not exactly an album dedicated to fulfilling requests, "Summer Me, Winter Me" is a response to an informal and impromptu survey, in a way, compiling some of your most significant "requests." I hope you will be delighted with this selection; I look forward to being able to tell you at my next concert: "It's on this album."Stacey Kent