Treasure Seeker reviewed by Musical Theatre Review
Five stars: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
In my last review of a Gary Williams’ CD, I honestly thought I couldn’t have been nicer but, after hearing this one, I am going to have to get that bloody thesaurus out!!
Gary Williams is one of those people I hate – I hate him because he is talented, handsome, laid-back and completely one of a kind. I don’t hate him at all – I love the stuff he does and this is certainly no exception.
Okay, before I start the review – a disclaimer – I am not a great lover of jazz. Michael Buble is about as far as it gets with me, so when I am handed a CD of jazz I usually go a bit cold and leave it lying around for a couple of weeks until I either have to play it or dust it. This didn’t happen with Treasure Seeker. I put it into the player and sat down to see just how good (or bad) a songwriter Gary was going to be. I must point out at this time that he did not write the album all by himself, he did it in collaboration with Jon Nickoll, the resident pianist at the Savoy Hotel’s American Bar. Damn and blast – now there are two exceptionally gifted people to thank for this lovely album.
As I have already pointed out: I am not a great lover of jazz – so why did I constantly play this album on repeat for about three hours? I don’t know! Witchcraft? Might be! Or it may have something to do with the silky-smooth tones of Gary Williams’ voice rendering songs I had never heard before but I am sure I will be hearing a lot more of in the near future.
The press release states: “Treasure Seeker is cool and smooth – an instant classic.” Now, I know about press releases and blurb written for brochures, leaflets, etc (I am one of those annoying people who write them). Sometimes what is written should be taken with a huge dollop of salt, never mind a pinch. But, I have to say, in this case, they have got it spot-on.
Of course, an album doesn’t just make itself, so I have to give kudos here to Phil Steel who did the arrangements and the wonderful band who accompany Gary on the album. Also, to Chris Traves for mixing and mastering it – he has done an absolutely wonderful job.
Would I buy it? What do you think!