The gold standard among jazz labels, Verve Records have a 2010 release worth picking up by singer-songwriter Lucy Woodward. The CD finds Ms. Woodward in the studio with a number of top music producers including the esteemed Tony Visconti. Funny enough, I was just marveling at his fab productions with David Bowie back in early ‘68 and lo and behold the famous Tony Visconti string sound is all over the first half of Lucy Woodward’s CD. Glad to see Tony hasn’t lost his knack for helping develop and cultivate great, rising pop talent. According to Ms. Woodward, ‘I wanted to make a modern-day torch record, but I didn’t want to do a record of all standards, because I had stuff I wanted to say.’ Funny enough, Lucy was born in London and emigrated to New York City at age five so she’s got a real New York vibe in her blood. Her originals click in a kind of timeless pop era—a modern day sound based around her appreciation of jazz standards and jazz singers from the ‘40s to the ‘60s. A set closing cover of Hoagy Carmichael’s “Stardust” is a good barometer of the respect Ms. Woodward brings to the 21st century jazz world. The supporting musicians—including jazz guitar ace Frank Vignola—and the orchestrations by Visconti are typically brilliant while the other producers work their charms. On Hooked! Ms. Woodward brings out her deeply rooted jazz and soul music influences with a sound that elegantly dovetails in this classically-etched yet thoroughly modern and swinging pop-jazz album. www.VerveMusicGroup.com / www.LucyWoodward.com

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