Mette Juul: Celeste
Naxos-Prophone

The photos adorning Mette Juul's sixth solo release show the Danish singer-songwriter appearing largely make-up free and basking in a sun-kissed outdoors setting. Such a natural visual presentation aligns with the ten songs on Celeste, which, sparsely arranged, couple her distinctive voice with acoustic instrumentation. In place of a formal conservatory-styled delivery, Juul sings the material, much of it modern standards, in a highly personalized manner that's extremely pleasing to the ear. She's typically described as a jazz singer, but to characterize her singing on Celeste in such a way would be a tad misleading. Yes, a jazz inflection appears here and there, but there's as much folk in these performances as jazz. Regardless, her honest and sincere approach reveals her to be a vocal stylist of a very high order.

The songs are a satisfying mix, many of them American classics—“My Foolish Heart,” “Nature Boy,” “With A Song In My Heart,” and the like—and the others of recent vintage, with two credited to Juul (lyrics) and Danish bass player Thomas Fonnesbæk (music). Despite the fact that some have strong ties to other singers—Nat King Cole to “Nature Boy,” for example—Juul gives them inspired readings that set hers apart. American guitarist Mike Moreno accompanies the singer on eight of the ten songs, and Swedish musician Lars Danielsson contributes double bass, cello, celeste, melodica, and cymbals (both also appear on her 2020 EP release New York-Copenhagen).

Entrancement sets in early when “Beautiful Love” introduces the forty-two-minute recording with a brooding and deeply atmospheric reading. With Moreno her sole accompanist, Juul emotes breezily through “My Foolish Heart” and riffs confidently on the song's ascending melodic design. She often opts for restraint but here allows her passionate side freer reign. “With a Song in My Heart” and “Love is Many-Splendored Thing” sparkle, not only for her singing but also Moreno's terrific guitar playing. Accompanying herself on acoustic guitar, Juul imbues “Nature Boy” with a dreamy melancholy, the performance further distinguished by Danielsson's stirring melodica solo and subtle kalimba accents.

With his double bass providing animation, “I'm Moving On” is one of the album's livelier performances, and Juul and Moreno respond in kind to the momentum Danielsson's grooving pulse generates. Written by Kirk Nurock and Norma Winstone, Juul's treatment of “Distance” calls forth a dramatic treatment that shows the singer connecting deeply with the material and lyrics fraught with danger (“There is a city of unfathomed streets below / Where it is best not to go, not to know, keep our distance”). Winstone added lyrics to “Celeste” by Ralph Towner (mis-credited as Ralph Tanner on the sleeve and booklet) eight years after its appearance on the guitarist's 1979 album Old Friends, New Friends, with Juul only joined by Danielsson's double bass on her memorable version.

Juul and Fonnesbæk's “Northern Woods” and “Where You've Never Been” both splendidly complement the other songs, the latter one in particular coming across like a modern classic in its endearing melodic design. There's a romantic hush and delicacy to Celeste that makes it extremely appealing. Juul's singing is the primary selling-point, naturally, but the arrangements and song choices are strong attractions too. With the arrangements so stripped-down, the performances exude a relaxed and intimate character, and they also allow the richness of her vocal texture to resonate vividly.

October 2023