Sinne Eeg & The Danish Radio Big Band: “We’ve Just Begun” (2020) CD Review

I was turned on to the music of Danish jazz vocalist Sinne Eeg in 2015, when she released Eeg - Fonnesbaek, a collaborative effort with Thomas Fonnesbaek in which they delivered mostly standards. That album earned her another best jazz vocal album award (her fourth) at the Danish Music Awards. Then her 2017 release, Dreams, showed that in addition to being an incredibly talented vocalist, she is also a talented songwriter. A song from that release won her The Carl Prize for song of the year. Her new album, We’ve Just Begun, also contains some excellent original material, along with some good covers. This one finds her joining forces with The Danish Radio Big Band, a group that was formed in 1964.

And right from the start of the first track, “We’ve Just Begun,” that joyful big band sound washes over me and lifts me up. On this track, the album’s title track, there are some sweet and intimate moments vocally, and then moments that are filled with a glorious power. Overall, there is an excitement to her performance, and to the playing, particularly the horns. There is a bit of scat toward the end, which ends up being one of my favorite sections of the song. It is playful, and the horns add their own touches. “We’ve Just Begun” is an original composition by Sinne Eeg, with lyrics by Mark Winkler and Shelley Nyman. That’s followed by another original composition by Sinne Eeg, “Like A Song,” a mellower, romantic-sounding number. Here is a taste of the lyrics: “Love is like a song/A melody that lingers on/And takes you back/To days gone by.” I love that instrumental section of piano, bass and drums, and how the horns begin to gently rise from that. Absolutely wonderful.

There is something wistful about Sinne’s delivery on “Those Ordinary Things,” a song she wrote with Helle Hansen. The song tells of a relationship that has ended. “You see him in the street/They’re walking hand in hand/His kind, familiar smile/This wasn’t what you planned/You know the door just closed/But what you really miss the most/Those ordinary things, those ordinary things.” I love that she then equates those ordinary things with extraordinary things, because isn’t that the truth. Those ordinary things with the person you love really are the extraordinary things in life, and we have to take notice of them, appreciate them. That’s followed by “Talking To Myself,” a totally enjoyable song with a bass line that I love. Of course her vocal delivery is at the heart of this one, and she gives us a delightful performance here, including some more scat halfway through. I also really dig that lead on guitar in the second half, and wish it went on a bit longer.

When “Hvorfor Er Lykken Sa Lunefuld” begins, it has a more serious, haunting sound, which pulls me in. It then takes on a lovely groove. This is a song from an old Danish film. I don’t speak the language, but love this track, despite having no idea what she’s singing about. I just enjoy the gorgeous sound of her voice, and the song’s vibe. This one too includes some scat. One of my favorite elements of this track is the way those horns strut about in the second half. This track is certainly a highlight of the album. That’s followed by a cover of “My Favorite Things.” We’ve all heard countless versions of this song, but here Sinne Eeg offers a truly interesting rendition, giving us a fresh appreciation of it. She brings a certain magic to it, changing the pace partway through, and I love the horns. There is also an excellent drum solo near the end. Sinne shifts gears again with “Samba Em Comum,” which has a kind of sweet vibe.

Sinne Eeg delivers a wonderful rendition of “Detour Ahead,” written by Herb Ellis, Johnny Frigo and Lou Carter. The lyrics may indicate trouble ahead, but her voice seems to promise that love will be a smooth road. That’s followed by another standard, “Comes Love.” I love the way she presents this one; it is perhaps the best vocal performance of the entire album, seductive and beautiful and fun. And the way the horns support her is great, almost like they are her dance partners, surrounding her, lifting her up, catching her. This track features a very cool, sexy scat section. The horns then take over, and things somehow get even better. That moment when they suddenly stop is surprising, and that pause before Sinne begins to sing again is perfect. “Comes a nightmare, you can always stay awake/Comes depression, you can get another break/But comes love, nothing can be done.” This is my favorite track. The disc concludes with “To A New Day,” a song written by Martin Schack, with lyrics by Sinne Eeg. This is an uplifting, soulful, positive number with a nice lead on trumpet. It’s a song to rekindle those feelings of optimism we are so eager for. A good place to leave us, don’t you think?

CD Track List

1. We’ve Just Begun
2. Like A Song
3. Those Ordinary Things
4. Talking To Myself
5. Hvorfor Er Lykken Sa Lunefuld
6. My Favorite Things
7. Samba Em Comum
8. Detour Ahead
9. Comes Love
10. To A New Day

We’ve Just Begun is scheduled to be released on February 21, 2020.