| 14-09-2009 | Be-bop Spoken Here, Lance Liddle | |
| 'Every track a gem.' Easy Street review | ||
| 21-09-2009 | The Informer, Pete Dixon | |
| 'A fine set of American classic songs served up on the right side of cool with Lambert's distinctive vocals - subtle and evocative with a bittersweet edge.' Easy Street review | ||
| 01-10-2009 | The Crack 'First Lady of North East Jazz' | |
| Not the second, third or fourth, but the first lady of north-east jazz. That's Ruth Lambert. Imagine. And she’s not known in jazz circles as “the musician’s singer” for nothing. No. She’s known for it because musicians think she’s a great singer. And she is. She’s been something of a presence on the north-east jazz scene for the last seven years or so playing the likes of The Sage Gateshead, The Customs House and Durham’s Gala Theatre (as well as copious jazz festivals) and she’s currently getting set to release her second album “Easy Street” which will showcase her extraordinary vocal flair to grand effect. And to help launch the album in suitable style, she’s playing a one-off special gig at the Saville Exchange in North Shields with her esteemed sextet. Our verdict: accept the whole Ruth and nothing but the Ruth. RM | ||
| 01-10-2009 | Th Crack - Easy Street review | |
| Ruth Lambert Easy Street (Jazzaction) A fixture on the local jazz scene in recent years, Lambert has an effortless singing style and she lends real warmth and charm to these classic tunes such as a smoky ‘Round Midnight, a heartfelt Cry Me A River and a toe-tapping Diamonds Are A Girl’s Best Friend. Beautiful arrangements leave her voice centre-stage and jazz fans will lap this up. GM' | ||
| 21-10-2009 | The Journal- Interview | |
| 'New mum Ruth Lambert in tune with her emotions' Three years after her acclaimed debut, North East jazz singer Ruth Lambert is launching her second album ... and is still as in love with jazz as she ever was, as she tells Grace Scott. WHEN it comes to the image of jazz, The Fast Show has a lot to answer for. Thanks to Paul Whitehouse and his funny chums, many people find it difficult to think of jazz without conjuring an image of a dingy room full of men in polo necks, nodding and exclaiming ‘nice’, as an unidentified instrument caterwauls in the background. .. Funny? Yes ... but a far cry from the real story. As acclaimed local jazz vocalist Ruth Lambert explains, it begins and ends with the song. She says: “The first thing that attracted me to jazz was the songs. In the Great American Songbook there is a song for every emotion and just about any situation you could think of, all beautifully written. “I think audiences can often relate to a singer because of the words of the songs. Many people who say they don’t understand jazz will also tell you that they love Ella Fitzgerald or Billie Holiday. I think that the lyrics and the sentiment of the songs make the music more accessible.” Despite working as a professional singer since the age of 18, Ruth, who is based in Cullercoats, North Tyneside, only really discovered those great songs for herself when she went to study music at the University of Strathclyde. She picked up a first-class honours degree and the prestigious Alexander Stone Scholarship for excellence in solo performance along the way. But it was when she was recruited into the university’s award-winning Big Band, whose alumni include some of the UK’s biggest jazz names, that she really found her niche. She says: “What really got me hooked on jazz was the improvisational aspect. I love that you never know what’s coming next and that it’s never the same way twice. With improvised music you have to really communicate, really listen to each other.” Confident that she had found her musical medium in jazz, Ruth returned to the North East after graduation and started her singing career in earnest, ultimately earning herself a residency with the Customs House Big Band in South Shields and playing venues such as The Sage Gateshead, Baltic, and various jazz festivals including Glasgow, Gateshead and the Isle of Bute. Ruth says: “The local scene has been on the up over the last few years – long may it continue. “We have some world-class musicians here and some very appreciative audiences, plus some very talented younger players coming through.” .. It was through the local scene that Ruth met the musicians who make up her exceptional sextet, all respected names in their own right, featuring local jazz luminaries such as Paul Edis on piano, Mark Williams on guitar, Andy Champion on double bass, Tim Johnston on drums, Graeme Wilson on saxophone and Graham Hardy on trumpet. The last few years have been something of a rollercoaster for Ruth, as she attempted to juggle her music career with the demands of being a new mum. But, although it has been a challenge, she reckons her role as a mother has strengthened her resolve and added a new dimension to her performance. She’s come a long way since her debut album in 2006, So Many Stars ... and on Friday, she’s launching the follow-up release, Easy Street to demonstrate in full. “I recorded the first album when I was first finding my feet in jazz. Now I feel much more established in my career and more confident as a result,” she says. “Motherhood has brought a massive change on many different levels. I’ve grown up emotionally and am finally happy in my own skin. I’m much more relaxed and I think that shows in my voice and in the music.” | ||
| 25-10-2009 | Bebop Spoken Here, Lance Liddle | |
| Ruth Lambert CD Launch @ The Saville Exchange, North Shields. Ruth Lambert (vcl), Mark Williams (gtr), Paul Edis (pno), Andy Champion (bs,), Tim Johnstone (dms), Graham Hardy (tpt), Graeme Wilson (ten). The girl was nervous, this was a big one for her. Ruth and the team had put a lot of time and effort amid a blaze of local publicity in launching this, her second CD. If she fell flat on her face she'd be doing it in front of a lot of fans and friends - the worst place to fall. Ruth didn't fall. Instead, she emerged triumphant and unfaltering. Even in the opening bars of "Easy Street" - the title of the album - her voice never wavered. It was a brave move to open with just guitar accompaniment but Mark Williams isn't just any guitarist. He fed Ruth the chords giving her the ideal cushion as well as playing a delicate solo of his own. The applause that followed Mark's solo told Ruth it was going to be okay - the natives were friendly. Throughout the evening it just got better and better - I doubt if I've ever heard Ruth sound so good. All but one of the songs on the new CD were represented as well as a few from her first CD and each one was on the money. The encore - "Secret Love" - which Ruth dedicated to Russell had our boy beaming with delight! The band, fluctuating in size and line-up from number to number, were never superfluous always providing solid content and meaty solos. Mark William's solo on "This Is Always" perhaps the instrumental highlight - sheer magic - although Paul's sensitivity on "Cry Me a River" didn't hurt either. But this was Ruth's night - a night when she moved her profile up a gear or three. It's a great CD Ruth - every home should have one. Sorry I couldn't make it to the Maggi Bank afterwards - I hope they rolled out the Red Carpet for you. | ||