Blake - Step Into The Light (2000)

Recorded in London with a variety of key musicians, different styles and influences merge and flow into a fascinating and likable whole. The music on ‘Step Into The Light’ is immediately accessible and will provide each listener with their own personal highlights.
Lead track ‘Bittersweet’ is an upbeat number with funky Hammond, soaring trumpet and soulful vocals by Miss Brown.
Again featuring Lorna, the album’s laid-back title track envelopes you in warm light, caressing you with gentle guitar before dropping into an infectiously affirmative vocal chorus.
Sax features on the third number ‘The Big End’, a musician’s ode to his car, before the quirkiest and only non-original track on the album, Bacharach’s ‘This Guy’s In Love With You’ - inspired by infinite sci-fi films, you can easily imagine Harley floating off into space as she sings "...I will surely die".
‘Sunday Brunch’ brings us back firmly in jazzy territory ahead of ‘Downstream’, another catchy, hummable song with a little soft scatting from Harley - in all a gorgeous, laid-back summer tune swathed in happiness.
Named after the Greek Island it was written on, ‘Chios’ is a groovy ‘smooth’’ guitar piece, that builds and builds with the added skillful input of sax wizard Greg Heath.
Bobby McFerrin style vocals find their way onto ‘We’ll Find A Way’ and ‘Dawn On The Bridge’ is, in sentiment, an instrumental twin to the Kinks’ ‘Waterloo Sunset’.
The album ends with the hypnotic reworking by Zohar of the ‘Step Into The Light, a version often performed live by the band.
Blakes’ album is one that will surprise a few and delight many more. Be it soul boys or pop kids, jazz lovers or afficianados of ‘smooth’, there is something here for everyone. ‘Step Into The Light’s ‘contemporary cool’ is without doubt an attractive style that when imbibed, will imbue you with the sheer positivity that exudes from every track.