Lyn Stanley - London Calling - Hybrid SACD

2019 release

Award-winning vocalist Lyn Stanley follows her top-selling Moonlight Sessions with an ultimate tribute to Julie London

press release:

In this stunning collection - London Calling…A Toast To Julie London, listeners will discover a side of singer Lyn Stanley that they haven’t heard before. The 17 tunes on this recording explore phases of romance from first glance in ‘Blue Moon’ to a missed chance in Cry Me a River.’ Most of the wide-ranging material presented here was originally recorded by singer/actress Julie London, along with a couple of offerings that Stanley feels would have been perfect for the sultry songstress, such as “It’s Impossible,” and “I Heard It Through the Grapevine.”

With her distinctive sound and approach, Lyn Stanley brings to mind a method actor, mining the stories and feelings in each tune and getting to the heart of the lyrics. Striving for sensitivity, Stanley stays true to these stories and portrays experiences of people engaged in the dance of romance.

London Calling marks a big step forward in Lyn Stanley’s evolution as a recording artist. Just five years after her debut album in 2013 - Lost in Romance, this recording provides a unique vision of Julie London with a self-curated set list emanating from Lyn Stanley’s clear idea of how each tune should sound, holding true to the composers’ ideas, and integrating her own.

Working with many of LA’s best session players, and without any written arrangements, the intimate collaboration is nothing short of remarkable. Stanley said; “It was a thrill to hear something that you’ve brought to life come all so easily.” The stellar lineup of musicians include guitarist John Chiodini, pianists Mike Garson and Christian Jacob, bassists Chuck Berghofer and Michael Valerio, percussionists Luis Conte, Brad Dutz, and Aaron Serfaty, and drummer Paul Kreibich.

Thanks to engineering by Steve Genewick, Rouble Kalpoor, and Spencer Garcia; mixing by Allen Sides, and mastering by Bernie Grundman, the best comes through bright, clear, and magnificently.

Lyn Stanley, whose audiophile bona fides and perfectionism in the studio are well established, has also produced artful packaging for the album with gorgeously photographed images, yet another tribute to Julie London inspiration. Completing the package are wonderful liner notes by Scott Yanow, offering an historian’s perspective on the music, background on each song, and insights to how both Lyn—and Julie!—approached these tunes.

London Calling…A Toast To Julie London is a gift for lovers and lovers of great music, created as it was in the 1960s.

"London Calling Album - In my 60 years as a programmer this is among the greatest recordings I have ever heard." - Saul Levine, KKJZ-88.1FM Los Angeles

"I have reviewed her since her first album Lost in Romance, released in 2013. I have heard her grow from good to great…but London Calling is by far her best work…absolutely. I understand she rehearsed tirelessly with her musicians in a band searching for just the right way to capture Julie London's singing style. Important to note here is that this is not an impression of London but an homage to her music and to her originality in making it stand apart...and it surely does." - Don Grigware, Broadway World

"Lyn found seventeen songs that both fit the album's concept and Ms. Stanley's conception of how she wanted this album to play. Pulling some of Julie London's most loved tunes, like 'Cry Me A River,' 'Blue Moon,' and 'As Time Goes By' with less remembered numbers to create an album that anyone would be proud to have as a memorial to their life's work – as I'm sure Julie would if she were still here to hear this album for herself... Julie London is calling to you through the voice and stylings of Lyn Stanley in an album that should stay in heavy rotation in your pile of albums that never quite get put away as you're always wanting to reach for it on a regular basis. Yes, it really is that good." - John M. Crossett III, Aural Musings, 4.5 Music, 5 Sound