(Vocal Jazz, Traditional Pop, Standards) Ira Kaspi Jazz Diva Band with Strings - You and the Night and the Music - 2012, WEB, FLAC (tracks), lossless

The new album by the Finnish jazz singer, Ira Kaspi (b. 1964), who has enjoyed a long career, is a collection of delicate tones and strong interpretations. Ira, who graduated from the world famous Berkley College of Music in 1990, is accompanied on the album by the Jazz Diva Band and a symphony orchestra. The title of the album of jazz classics is “You and the Night and the Music” and will be released internationally through the Swedish label, Prophone Records, on the 26th April.
You and the Night and the Music contains tunes that are beloved by Ira, such as Call Me Irresponsible and The Gentle Rain. The songs are also sufficiently different from each other, so that she has been able to create a personal emotion around each one. The opening track of the album is Don’t Go to Strangers, the success of which, in Ira’s opinion, has surpassed all expectations, "The orchestration, especially in this track, is staggeringly beautiful - at least for me, the first notes grabbed me tightly."
Some of the songs were merely awaiting the right moment in time to be recorded, of which In the Wee Small Hours Of The Morning receives special mention. "The song inspires me. I sometimes just want to listen to it 20 times in a row, I just can’t get enough of it." The album also contains two songs that are written by Ira and by her husband, the poppy bossa How Do You Keep Up the Light and the jazz blues The Best Is Yet To Be Coming.
The role played in the album project by Ira’s husband, Ape Anttila, has been significant. He is not only the artistic producer and editor of the album, but also carries out tasks as the double bassist for the Jazz Diva Band, the composer and the song arranger, along with Mikko Hassinen. The other members of the jazz band are pianist Mikael Jakobsson, saxophonist Jussi Kannaste and drummer Markku Ounaskari. In addition to the quartet, the album also contains the music of the Lohja City Orchestra, led by conductor Esa Heikkilä. "The collaboration turned out to be very easy and the experience was unique. The orchestra played magnificently and the conductor Esa Heikkilä totally stole my heart," says Ira, describing the cooperation with the orchestra.
The album was recorded by Yle’s studio engineer Speedy Saarinen and mastered and mixed by English Grammy award -winner Andrew Hallifax. "Andrew is bold and intuitive and in my opinion, the final result is very impressive. It's great when the album sounds dynamic –it’s not all been compressed evenly, but the music really lives, as if it is been brought to life."
You and the Night and the Music, is the seventh album by Ira. The earlier albums have contained jazz classics, but the recording with the symphony orchestra has made the new album different. "I feel that I have also matured and developed over the years. In part, I believe that it is simply an age thing. Jazz music, unlike many other genres, thankfully appreciates life experiences."