Remember when Erykah Badu first came out and a big part of the hype was that "she sounds exactly like Billie Holiday?" I never thought that she did at all, but I did like Erakyh Badu's singing. Well in listening to the album "Jazz Handle", I feel like Lene Riebau "sounds exactly like Erykah Badu". So if you like the sound of Erykah Badu's voice singing, with some slightly funky jazz playing behind her, and some non controversial pop lyrics, then you will really dig this album. I like this album, it's very reminiscent of albums by my favorite ladies from "down under" (Melissa Forbes & Louise Perryman), although Lene Riebau hails from Denmark. That means you can do what I do and throw this into your Saturday night mix along with Will Wheaton, Ty Causey, Me'na and my two young ladies from Australia on one of those cold winter nights when you are hoping to "get lucky." I wonder if Erykah has heard this yet?

Up Up Up He Goes" - the first impression, a voice that instantly draws attention.....a unique tone that spawns associations to Ms. Badu or Ms. Gray and yet every phrase is distinctly Lene Riebau's very own. The singer is from Denmark where she up until now has been involved in various projects like late last year where her cooperation with our friend Frank Ryle and his Cool Million project for the highly acclaimed "Soul Togetherness" is one of the highlights. And so now "Jazz Handle". In team with her partner Torben Lysholm they have put together a particularly refreshing mixture of neo soul traditional jazz - enriched with occasional droplet of pop and executed with an almost provoking laid back ease which gives the danish couple's musical display a wide appeal. After opening with the well mixed mid-tempo groover "Up Up Up He Goes" Lene continues with a musical stroll full of change through the colorful world of rhythm and melody - "Put Out The Fire" holds a quite irresistible latin-groove, an equally catchy hookline and a charming atmosphere which I at the time when I was hearing held me in a tight grip while "Elementary" presents a timeless R&B beat where a great sax solo rounds the song off. "I Think I'm Going Down" is a bit more hard hitting and balances between Neo Soul and an almost classic acoustic jazz bridge. Shifts like that is also Lene and Torben's blueprint for "Doing Nothing", "The Right Time" and "Suitcase Blues" and is somewhat likely to be the kind of soundscape we can expect from a future Erykah album. Of course Lene Riebau also commands the ballad and can set the right mood for those darker themes - "Eternity" (note the bass!) and "Yesterday But Not Today" are slightly dark, light bitter Jazz-Soul-Blues-Pop sneakers who's magic is manifested through even more facets in Lene Riebau's captivating performance. Let's have more of this, please - and soon!

Excellent music.Well recorded.This lady is gifted.

by James Lewis January 12th 2008. First coming to my attention as a vocalist on the soulful track 'Naughty Girl' by Denmark based production team Cool Million, this debut set showcases a truly extraordinairy talent.Indeed such is the nature of the talent on display that you are actually wishing that the length of the average track which is in the region of just over three minutes was far longer. Ms Riebau mixes intelligent lyrical content borne out of experiences that life throws at you with catchy and melodic tunes.Themes of lost love,broken homes and delicate father/daughter relationships are explored through a mixture of styles that include neo- soul,jazz, blues and RnB. The opening track 'Up Up Up He Goes' a gentle melodic and funky two stepper about keeping the inner child that is in all of us alive showcases a vocal style from Lene that is major league. Comparisons with others are not fair because this talent is above such banal musings. This is a lady that has matured through learning her art the hard way and it shows. By the time that you reach track three, the catchy 'Elementary' that features some wholesome sax playing by Jacob Dinesen you begin to realise that this album is an absolute addition to the collection of any music conniesur that appreciates quality in all areas. Bringing up a family, living in a country that is not automatically thought of as being at the forefront of soulful jazz and neo-soul and yet still being able to follow your dreams and goals is no mean feat and Ms Riebau should be applauded for completing a project of some worth. Stand up and take a bow Lene 2008 is your year!