Maria Walsh and Carole Nelson have musical talent to burn. Between them, they play piano, saxophone, keyboards, flute and percussion – all of which feature on this superbly named collection. The duo specialise in a blend of smooth jazz, cocktail lounge soul and funk that’s infused with dance-come-electronica textures and rhythms – topped with lithe and enchanting vocals. These diverse elements are melded, and duly stamped with the unique Zrazy signature. It is one hell of a brew.
Happy accidents indeed! Clearly a lot of thought and work has gone into the arrangements. ‘Forgiven’ blends torch balladry with a modern, hip-hop-ish beat. The hypnotic, euphoric ‘You Make Me Happy’ clocks in at seven minutes - a shorter single version is also included. ‘Go Now’ – a beautiful song about love lost – starts as a kind of Broadway/West End musical number, but when the rhythm track kicks in, morphs into something much more contemporary.
The cheekily titled ‘Down With Jazz’, meanwhile, is a funky workout with fascinating lyrics and effortlessly cool vocals – Soul II Soul meets Young Disciples. There’s a history lesson in there too – a spoken word interlude mentions the Gaelic League’s infamous complaints about the broadcasting of jazz in Ireland in the 1930s. Heavily-syncopated and danceable, ‘It’s Alright’ is Latin-tinged; ‘Song For Jim’ is a sultry ballad in a Sinatra vein (think ‘One For My Baby’); and ‘Keep On Giving’ is a terrific, uptempo modern soul cut.
All told, The Art Of Happy Accidents is the work of a class act. It is about time Zrazy got the recognition they deserve…