When celebrities try their hand at things outside their normal range of activity it usually leads to embarrassment. Nicky Campbell, however, has achieved something fantastic. He has written fourteen songs which have just been released on a CD called BACK IN STYLE, on which Mark Moraghan sings. It's a swing/jazz CD, very much 
in the style of Harrick Connick Jr. And to be honest, it's not the sort of music I would normally go out of my way to listen to. I put it in my car CD player expecting to whizz through all 14 tracks and listen to each one for a few seconds before deciding to revert to Roxette and Cliff. But not a bit of it. I was entranced and listened to the whole thing. Indeed, on the return journey I listened to it again.How on earth, I thought, did a news presenter learn to write songs like this? And Campbell didn't just write the lyrics, he wrote the music too. I've always fancied turning my hand to writing songs - well, maybe just lyrics! - but it would be difficult to top this. Mark Moraghan's voice is exactly suited to swing and he puts in a great performance on each and every song, starting with the excellent COME FOR THE RIDE (which he co-wrote with Campbell). WE'LL NEVER HAVE MANHATTEN has a genuine New York feel to it and it's a song you can imagine Sinatra would have liked to sing. In short, and bearing in mind this is not my sort of music normally, there isn't a weak track on this CD. If you like Connick Jr or Sinatra, you'll love it.
Buy the CD HERE.
9 comments:
It's not normally the kind of music I'd buy, but I kept hearing references to it so bought a copy. You're right, it is very good!
"WE'LL NEVER HAVE MANHATTEN has a genuine New York feel to"
pity he couldn't spell it: M_A_N_H_A_T_T_A_N
Have you heard Mark kermodes the bbc film reviewers band the dodge brothers very good live check them out if u see them
You are right to think that people who move outside their speciality can become cringable.
Patrick Moore talking about politics is no more worthy in that topic than many others. Likewise Politicans who try to appear 'with it' in terms of music make our youth groan.
Stick to what you are best at and you will not become the butt of jokes. Unless as an astronomer you really ARE good at politics, etc...
Will try and give Mr Campbell and Mr Monaghan a listen later at home. But if you are doing recommendations then try:
http://www.jeays.com/
A brilliant singer/songwriter and almost completely unknown. And no relation, either!
Off topic.
Last night's Question Time seemed suspiciously like a concerted attack attempt. I wish Griffin could have been asked to explain how he would get out of Labour's financial mess - an empty waffle response would have spoken volumes for the paucity of ideas from his party, but we never got that far did we?
"How on earth, I thought, did a news presenter learn to write songs like this?"
Might have something to do with being a former Radio 1 DJ.
Nicky Campbell is still a NuLabour toady.
I fear your musical horizons suggest tunnel vision in yet another sphere.
Try some Hoagy Carmichael - Barnacle Bill the Sailor, Casanova Cricket, Buttermilk Sky for a start. Vaughn de Leath - Dancing the Devil Away. Gracie Fields - Dancing with tears in my eyes & etc.
Oh, and Marx, whose singer has just been deported for not studying properly, when their Eygptian produced CD is out.
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