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Our Top 10 Stacey Kent songs list presents some of the best recordings of an award-winning jazz singer with a European sound who was born and raised in New Jersey. When I first heard the music of Stacey Kent, I was sure that she was from Paris, France. Noticing the songs she sang in French on her albums probably also had something to do with my first impression. Yet, it was her vocal phrasings that presented such an elegant and sophisticated sound that made me believe she was of European descent. Turns out she is from New Jersey. Of course, there is nothing wrong with that, as one of the greatest singers of all time Frank Sinatra, was also from New Jersey.
We bring up Frank because, in many ways, she shares the same style that made Sinatar so effective and much loved. Frank was the master of the phrase. When he sang “Set them up, Joe,” you felt like you were sitting at the bar right next to him. It’s the same way Stacey Kent makes you feel like you are riding that morning tram in the seat behind her. Stacey Kent is a master at phrasing. Her voice is tender yet powerfully soulful in her distinct way. Most impressively, she seems to have perfect pitch because you will never hear her sing a note the least bit sharp or flat. Yet, beyond all of that is the beautiful, emotional resonance she displays on every recording. There is just something extraordinary about the artistry of Stacey Kent that would have made her one of the most famous jazz singers of all time if she had been recording in the 40s or 50s when Jazz music was dominant. Still, she is an artist who has sold millions of records in modern times and quickly turns heads the moment she steps up to the microphone.
We could have quickly made a top 100 Stacey Kent songs list, but our goal was to give an overall sampling of some of her brilliant recordings from various albums and time periods she has recorded in over the past twenty-plus years.
# 10 – Too Darn Hot
We open up our top 10 Stacey Kent songs list with Stacey Kent’s rendition of the classic jazz standard “Too Darn Hot.” We wanted to open this list with a bang, and this one will get your blood flowing and grooving instantly. It’s cool, and it’s hot, if you know what I mean, baby. Stacey Kent’s “Too Darn Hot” was released on the album entitled The Boy Next Door. The album was released on August 26, 2003. The song “Too Darn Hot” was written by Cole Porter. The album The Boy Next Door featured the musicians Stacey Kent on vocals, Jim Tomlinson on saxophones, Colin Oxley on guitar, David Newton on piano, Dave Chamberlain on double bass, Matt Home on drums, and Curtis Schwartz on backing vocals.
# 9 – Shall We Dance?
Continuing with our top 10 Stacey Kent songs list, we take a listen to the great song entitled “Shall We Dance?” The song was released on the album entitled In Love Again: The Music of Richard Rodgers. The album was released in 2002. The song “Shall We Dance?” was the opening song on the record. The musicians on the album included Stacey Kent on vocals, Jim Tomlinson on flute and tenor saxophone, David Newton on piano, Colin Oxley on guitar, Simon Thorpe on double bass, and Jesper Kviberg on drums.
# 8 – Les Eaux de Mars
In the number eight spot on our top 10 Stacey Kent songs list, we present the song entitled “Les Eaux de Mars.” Many music fans will know this song as The Water’s Of March by Antônio Carlos Jobim and Georges Moustaki. The song was released on the album entitled Raconte-moi… The album was released on March 30, 2010. The Raconte-moi… album would stand as Stacey Kent’s first all-French language album. It would become one of the biggest-selling albums of the year in France in 2010. One does not need to know the language to feel the beauty behind these performances. The musicians on the album included Stacey Kent on vocals, Jim Tomlinson on saxophones, Graham Harvey on piano, John Parricelli on guitar, Jeremy Brown on bass, and Matt Skelton on drums.
# 7 – What Are You Doing The Rest Of Your Life?
In the number seven position on our top 10 Stacey Kent songs list, one of the most loved jazz singers of modern times takes on one of the most beautiful ballads ever written entitled “What Are You Doing The Rest Of Your Life?” Stacey Kent delivers a breathtaking performance on the Michel Legrand, Alan Bergman, and Marilyn Bergman classic song from the 1969 film The Happy Ending. The song was released on the album entitled The Lyric. This was an album credited as a Jim Tomlinson and Stacey Kent album. The album was released in 2006.
# 6 – American Tune
Landing in the number six spot on our top 10 Stacey Kent songs list, we present the legendary pop song “American Tune.” It’s always enjoyable when great jazz singers take on pop and rock music classics. We love what Diana Krall did on her Wallflower album with songs from 10cc, Tom Petty, and so many more. Stacey Kent delivers big time with her version of Paul Simon’s much-loved song “American Tune.” Stacey Kent’s tender yet magnificently genuine version of the song is simply stunning. She does not stray from the original melody at all, yet her vocal inflections take the song to an entirely new place. It’s just sheer joy to hear her take on the 1970s classic. The recording was released on the album Songs From Other Places.
# 5 – Hushabye Mountain
At the midway point on our top 10 Stacey Kent songs list, we turn to a classic song from the motion picture Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. Once again, Stacey Kent takes a well-known song ingrained in pop culture and makes it her own. The song was issued on the album entitled Dreamsville. The album was released in May of 2001. The song Hushabye Mountain was written by Robert and Richard Sherman. The Dreamsville album featured Stacey Kent on vocals, Jim Tomlinson on woodwinds, David Newton on piano, Colin Oxley on guitar, Simon Thorpe on double bass, and Jasper Kviberg on drums.
# 4 – The Changing Lights
At the number four spot on our top 10 Stacey Kent songs list, we present the wonderous song entitled The Changing Lights. From that opening piano groove and guitar riffs, it became apparent instantly that this one is going to be special. One of the reasons we love the artistry of Stacy Kent is that she has not stuck to just taking on the jazz standards but had recorded many wonderful original songs. This is one of her best. The song was written by Kazuo Ishiguro and Jim Tomlinson.
# 3 – To Say Goodbye
Taking the meaning of the phrase luscious arrangement to a new place in time is what Stacey Kent accomplished with her wonderful recording entitled “To Say Goodbye.” The song “To Say Goodbye” was released on the album entitled ‘I Know I Dream’: The Orchestral Sessions. The album was released in 2017. It’s almost impossible to put words into a sentence that would describe how magical this recording sounds. The lush strings wrap around Stacey Kent’s voice beautifully, placing the listener almost in a trace. This is powerful stuff.
# 2 – I Wish I Could Go Travelling Again
It’s fitting that the top two songs on our top 10 Stacey Kent songs list come from our favorite Stacey Kent album of all time. Released in 2009, Stacey Kent’s Breakfast on the Morning Tram was a Grammy-nominated record for the best album of the year in 2009. Fueling this captivating album was a series of original songs that should be placed in a revised edition of the Real Book, which presents the best jazz standards of all time. There were so many great ones, but these two really stood out to us. The song “I Wish I Could Go Travelling Again” stands out the first time one hears it. The song was written by Jim Tomlinson and Kazuo Ishiguro.
# 1 – The Ice Hotel
Continuing with our love of the Breakfast On The Morning Tram album, We close out our top 10 Stacey Kent songs list with the song entitled “The Ice Hotel.” The song “The Ice Hotel” was the album’s opening track. It set the tone for what would be an album of stunning original songs and, of course, some stellar covers like Stacey Kent’s moving version of Fleetwood Mac’s “Landslide.” “The Ice Hotel’s” opening riff catches the listener right away. Stacey Kent takes us inside the Ice Hotel, describing it in such a realistic fashion that one wants to book two tickets right away. The song was written by Jim Tomlinson and Kazuo Ishiguro.
Updated November 2, 2023
Top 10 Stacey Kent Songs article published on Classic RockHistory.com© 2023
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