Jacqui Naylor

While I’m often of two minds about covers, I think there is some validity to the idea that a cover can serve as a testament to the strength of the original track. If it still shines through despite tweaks and transformations, isn’t it generally considered a classic? This is barring the times someone completely butchers a song, like say, S Jo covering Cohen. That doesn’t say as much about the tune as it does about the singer.

On the subject of good (or at the very least intriguing) covers, I introduce one Jacqui Naylor of San Francisco. Her specialty is a technique she calls ‘acoustic smashing’ – essentially, she sings a song (typically a jazz standard) over the backing arrangements of another song of a different genre (usually rock).

For example, when she covers Rodgers & Hart’s classic “My Funny Valentine”, she does so over AC/DC’s “Back in Black”. She in turn performs the completed version as a jazzy lounge number that sounds like it came right out of the 60s. Vocally, she’s definitely invoking the spirit of Billy Holiday, but not to the point that it sounds like a pastiche.

When performing modern music under the lounge umbrella, there’s certainly a danger of seeming like a Nouvelle Vague knockoff as they’ve made that style so popular. Where Jacqui seems to set herself apart is the lack of affectation. She’s choosing a style that tends to conjure up images of the past, but it comes out naturally without feeling deliberate or forced.

I’m not going to say this is extraordinary or mind-blowing. But that doesn’t mean I don’t think it’s good. I think it’s excellent music for specific moods or settings – sipping coffee by the window on a rainy day or a quiet dinner party. Jacqui’s voice is beautiful and powerful, so I’ll certainly be keeping an eye out for future releases.

And getting back to the idea of classic covers, I’d say that the Rolling Stones “Miss You” doesn’t suffer one bit from Jacqui’s take on it. Is it a testament to the greatness of the original that it sounds great, regardless of the arrangement? Might just be.

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Tags: jacqui naylor, New Bands