Reviewed: Michael Moody | Tina Carr

A New Perspective on the Great American Songbook

The release of Michael Moody’s The Ecstasy Of Love and Tina Carr’s Moon Over Mildmay comes at a time when the jazz industry is increasingly dominated by independent productions. As major labels shift their focus toward archival reissues and high-profile crossovers, the burden of pushing the boundaries of vocal jazz has fallen to independent artists. Moody and Carr represent two sides of this independent movement: one focusing on the radical deconstruction of melodic structures and the other on the curation of eclectic, literary-influenced repertoire.

In The Ecstasy Of Love, Michael Moody presents a 36-minute exploration of eleven standards, supported by a minimalist but highly pedigreed duo. The album features veteran guitarist Paul Bollenback and bassist Neal Caine. Bollenback, known for his long-standing association with organist Joey DeFrancesco, provides a harmonic sophistication that often contrasts with Moody’s unconventional vocal delivery. Caine, a bassist with a deep history in the New York scene, including work with Harry Connick Jr. and Diana Krall, offers a grounding presence. Despite this traditional backbone, Moody’s vocal approach has become a point of contention, characterized by some as a departure from standard pitch and melody in favor of a more "instrumental" or "quarter-tone" vocal style.

Simultaneously, Tina Carr’s Moon Over Mildmay offers a broader sonic palette. Recorded at Eastcote Studios in London in February 2025, the album features a nine-piece ensemble that includes brass, woodwinds, and strings. Carr’s project is notable for its scholarly approach to the repertoire, blending the works of Billy Strayhorn and Leonard Bernstein with contemporary poetry and original adaptations. Her work reflects a "chamber jazz" sensibility that has gained traction in the European jazz circuit, where the boundaries between classical composition and jazz improvisation are frequently blurred.

Chronology of Production and Release

The timeline of these releases indicates a concentrated period of creative output in the independent jazz sector between early 2025 and early 2026.

1. February 2025: Tina Carr enters Eastcote Studios in London with an eight-piece backing band. The session is characterized by a collaborative atmosphere, with musicians such as Miguel Gorodi (trumpet) and Sam Newbould (alto saxophone) contributing to the intricate arrangements.
2. Mid-2025: Post-production and mixing for Moon Over Mildmay are completed, with Carr focusing on the "quirky" and "eclectic" nature of the tracklist, which includes rarely performed pieces like Tony Kinsey’s The Ass’s Song.
3. Late 2025: Michael Moody finalizes The Ecstasy Of Love. Unlike Carr’s large ensemble, Moody’s sessions are intimate, focusing on the interplay between the vocals, Bollenback’s guitar, and Caine’s bass.
4. Early 2026: Both albums enter the critical sphere. The reception of Moody’s work is particularly volatile, sparking editorial debates within jazz publications regarding the definition of "true notes" versus "jazz embellishment."

Critical Polarization and Editorial Debate

The reception of The Ecstasy Of Love serves as a case study in the subjective nature of jazz criticism. Traditionalist reviewers have expressed difficulty with Moody’s vocal instrument, comparing his delivery unfavorably to mainstream icons like Frank Sinatra. The primary criticism stems from Moody’s decision to impose new melodic structures on well-known lyrics by composers such as Cole Porter, George Gershwin, and Hoagy Carmichael. To some, this represents a lack of tunefulness; to others, it is a legitimate extension of the bebop tradition, where existing chord sequences are used as a canvas for entirely new melodic inventions.

Editorial interjections in major jazz journals have defended Moody, noting that his "command of melodic complexity" and use of "quarter-note territory" are deliberate stylistic choices rather than technical failures. This debate mirrors the early reception of bebop in the 1940s, where critics were similarly divided on whether the music was an evolution of the form or a destruction of it. The "Ed." comments in recent reviews emphasize that Moody’s style is "quite recognisable in jazz" as a form of extreme embellishment, suggesting that the artist is intentionally challenging the listener’s expectations of pitch and phrasing.

In contrast, Tina Carr’s Moon Over Mildmay has been received with more curiosity than controversy. While some critics admit to a "generational fault" in appreciating her modern "stamp" on the Great American Songbook, they largely praise her curation. Her inclusion of Richard Wilbur’s lyrics from Bernstein’s Candide and her adaptations of existing poetry have been cited as evidence of a sophisticated, intellectual approach to vocal performance.

Supporting Data and Discographical Analysis

A comparative look at the discographies of both albums reveals the breadth of the material covered and the differing scales of production.

The Ecstasy Of Love (Michael Moody):

• Total Duration: 36 minutes, 3 seconds.
• Tracklist Highlights: The Nearness Of You, Embraceable You, Body And Soul, Don’t Explain, Old Rugged Cross.
• Personnel: Michael Moody (vocals), Paul Bollenback (guitar), Neal Caine (bass).
• Technical Note: The album relies heavily on the "vocal instrument" as a lead improvisational tool, often eschewing the traditional melodic hook.

Moon Over Mildmay (Tina Carr):

• Total Duration: 47 minutes, 52 seconds.
• Tracklist Highlights: I Didn’t Know What Time It Was, Duke Ellington’s Sound Of Love, A Flower Is A Lovesome Thing, Make Our Garden Grow.
• Personnel: Tina Carr (vocals), Miguel Gorodi (trumpet), Kieran McLeod (trombone), Sam Newbould (alto sax), Tom Ollendorf (guitar), Rod Oughton (drums), Aanu Sodipe (violin), Matt Robinson (piano), Oli Hayhunt (bass).
• Technical Note: Recorded at Eastcote Studios, the album features a "fare-thee-well" level of ensemble synchronization, blending diverse textures from violin to alto saxophone.

Official Responses and Artist Intent

While formal statements from Moody and Carr are scarce, their creative choices speak to their artistic philosophies. Moody’s work appears to be a deliberate attempt to strip jazz standards of their "easy listening" veneer, forcing the listener to engage with the lyrics in a dissonant, modern context. By stripping away the expected melody, he focuses the attention on the emotional weight of the words, even if that weight is delivered through a non-traditional vocal timbre.

Carr, on the other hand, has positioned herself as a bridge between the past and the present. Her adaptation of Make Our Garden Grow from the 1956 musical Candide—a work that Leonard Bernstein spent 30 years revising—suggests a deep respect for the "tinkering" process of composition. Her collaborators, many of whom are staples of the contemporary London jazz scene, have noted her "quirkiness" as a strength, allowing for a performance that is both technically precise and emotionally idiosyncratic.

Broader Impact and Implications for the Genre

The dual release of these albums highlights several key trends in the 2026 jazz market:

1. The Rise of Independent Labels: Both albums were released independently, bypassing the gatekeeping of traditional labels. This has allowed for riskier artistic choices, such as Moody’s melodic deconstruction, which might have been polished or rejected by a major label’s A&R department.
2. The Longevity of the Songbook: Despite predictions that the Great American Songbook would fade as newer generations took over, these albums prove that the material remains a vital playground for experimentation. Whether through Moody’s radicalism or Carr’s eclecticism, the works of Porter and Gershwin continue to provide the framework for contemporary expression.
3. The Role of the Critic as Mediator: The intense debate surrounding Moody’s album underscores the evolving role of the jazz critic. In an era where "anyone on the planet" can access music via streaming, the critic’s role is shifting from a simple arbiter of "good or bad" to a contextualizer who must explain the artist’s intent and the historical lineage of their stylistic choices.

As the jazz community continues to digest these works, the consensus remains elusive. The Ecstasy Of Love will likely remain a polarizing artifact, celebrated by proponents of the avant-garde and dismissed by traditionalists. Moon Over Mildmay is poised to become a staple for those who appreciate the intersection of jazz, musical theater, and poetry. Together, they represent the vibrant, often contentious, and perpetually evolving nature of vocal jazz in the mid-21st century.