There’s truly no one quite like Jeff Goldblum. An instantly recognisable icon in modern cinema, his charisma combines something of the outsider with a gold streak that stretches from Jurassic Park to Wicked. Along the way, seemingly, music has been an abiding love, and the past decade has offered Jeff Goldblum space in his schedule to pursue this passion, releasing a number of impressive albums with a top West Coast jazz crew he’s termed the Mildrid Snitzer Orchestra.
New album ‘Still Blooming’ is typical of their work – the musicianship is exemplary, the songwriting draws from the finer aspects of the Great American Songbook, and Jeff’s genial presence acts as the glue that holds it all together. The stars come thick and fast, too – a turn by Ariana Grande on ‘I Don’t Know Why (I Just Do)’ reveals some impressive jazz chops, Scarlett Johansson stylishly croons ‘The Best Is Yet To Come’, while Maiya Sykes appears on a refreshing ‘Stella By Starlight’.
The band, too, get their moments to shine. ‘Bouncing With Bud’ is a nimble take on the bop era classic, while ‘The Grease Patrol’ swings hard, a reminder that jazz is – at its heart – a dancefloor-based form of music.
With a nimble nine tracks ‘Still Blooming’ is a little on the short side, but there’s an old showbiz saying that says brevity keeps people coming back for more. Fresh from a pair of hugely entertaining – completely sold out – shows at London’s Palladium, it’s clear that Jeff Goldblum’s jazz dalliances are taking on a devout fandom of their own. A self-confessed late bloomer, the Hollywood hero is flying the flag for jazz in the mainstream, and loving every minute.
7/10
Words: Robin Murray
from www.clashmusic.com