Kristin Berardi - Where Or When (2015)

Kristin Berardi is acknowledged as one of Australia's finest jazz singers. Twice winner of the Australian Bell Award for Best Jazz Vocal Album, Kristin has toured extensively throughout Australia and internationally - and now presents her new album, recorded with a hand-picked band of homegrown musicians. 'Where or When' is a collection of songs that showcase Berardi's astonishing vocal talents. The intimacy of the band is heightened by the decision to record without drums, anchoring the album's sound in Sam Anning's rich bass. A brilliant rendition of Leonard Cohen's hit song "Suzanne" sits alongside music by Richard Rodgers ("Where or When," from the musical Babes in Arms) and Johnny Richards ("Young at Heart"), providing a rich tapestry of vocal music from the jazz tradition and beyond, but the backbone of the record is formed of Berardi's own compositions. "Lucky 13 is a tribute to the fortune behind this album's creation - when Berardi was able to gather all her chosen musicians in one studio in Melbourne, on 13 September 2013; "Is it OK for Clowns to Cry?" shows the jazz ballad at its most touching and poignant.