Album Notes

C Records is delighted to announce the release of LIKE A WOMAN, the long awaited debut recording from the jazz vocalist Dani Thompson. Thompson's voice, in juxtaposition to her willowy blond image, effuses a sound on par with the molasses-voiced singers of the early days of recorded jazz. Beginning with a haunting "You Go To My Head," LIKE A WOMAN sets up the audience for a languid and emotional ride through some classic jazz terrain as well as introducing us to some of Thompson's original compositions. Alternatively poignant and cleverly comedic, the listener can hear the smile as she caresses a lyric, but when raw sadness sneaks in ("Sideshow") it is "guaranteed to make you cry." Thompson weaves a powerfully seductive Spanish version of "Body and Soul" wherein her voice is at once clear yet husky, deep and yet effortlessly soaring. Dani's own composition "Ne Te'n Vas Pas" proves Dani's versatility and training with not only a gorgeous performance, but with flawless mastery of the French dialect. Her other original work "Don't You Know?" deceives the listener into thinking it's a standard, so masterful is its crafting. Musical arrangements by Bud Thompson give Dani the room to explore, detracting nothing from this very nuanced snapshot of her musical life. The ballads seem as though they were written for her only to sing, but when backed up by a swinging beat she's off and running. Dani Thompson offers a varied and yet streamlined performance, electing to illuminate the listener with shades of smoky blue and grey hues. She teases and cajoles,seduces asnd laments, and leaves the listener marveling at the mystery of her. Isn't that just LIKE A WOMAN?

London born Dani Thompson has been performing in many forms since early childhood. Naturally gifted, Thompson began by studying ballet, and then classical piano at the Royal Academy of Music. In her late teens, Dani won a scholarship to the prestigious East 15 Acting School, and under the tutelage of Joan Littlewood, Thompson spent two years there honing her skills before joining the British Repertory Theatre. There she starred in over seventy-five theatrical productions, later going on to star in the National Tours of Camelot, Two For The Seesaw, and Stop The World,I Want to Get Off. Her journey stateside gave her the opportunity to study jazz with the late Ernie Washington as well as to start her jazz career in clubs on the mainland, Hawaii and London. Besides being a very accomplished musician, coming to the US offered Dani the opportunity to do voice-overs,(her voice can be heard in numerous commercials and CDRoms), work in film and on television.

Los Angeles has provided Dani with many opportunities to entertain with her sultry and charismatic voice. Her combination of undeniable stage presence, classy good looks, and her multilingual vocals make Dani Thompson an unbeatable performer. Her debut album LIKE A WOMAN showcases Dani's talents and she's produced a listening experience that demonstrates just how powerful a lyric sung by the right voice can be. She's embodied the title of the work and laid down her soul on every track, conveying the simplicity, the complication, the duality and seduction of the fairer sex. She does this with a deftness and vulnerability that elicits a visceral response. After all, she isn't just LIKE A WOMAN, she IS woman.