Louise Dodds

Best Vocalist nominee at the Scottish Jazz Awards 2022, Scottish jazz vocalist Louise Dodds recently released her third studio album, a duo project with renowned Azerbaijani pianist, arranger and composer Elchin Shirinov, bringing together their love of folk, classical and jazz. The project has been supported by Creative Scotland.

Prior to this release, Louise released her first album in 9 years in March 2022. The album, ‘The Story Needs an Ending’, was also Louise’s first fully original album. She took the album on the road, performing 12 dates across Scotland, Northern Ireland and England. The album was selected by Jim Gilchrist in his Arts Review of 2022 in The Scotsman.

It was also selected as Album of the Week in the UK, Central America and Asia.

Recorded in Glasgow in June 2021 with fellow Scots Tom Gibbs, Andrew Robb and Alyn Cosker, the album contains 10 tracks which Louise wrote by delving deep into her own life experiences, touching on subjects like grief, relationships, learning to trust life again, and emancipation. Many of the tracks were written during lockdown, with some being showcased as part of Louise’s lockdown collaboration project, ‘Songs From The Blue Room’.

During lockdown, Louise also collaborated with London jazz guitarist Ant Law, resulting in the single Whispers (Credits) being released (as well as this rendition of Coltrane’s 26-2!)

Prior to lockdown though, 2020 saw Louise having the incredible honour of opening for Norma Winstone MBE as part of the Scottish Jazz Weekend in Edinburgh, Her career has also seen her performing at London Jazz Festival, Pizza Express, Edinburgh Jazz & Blues Festival, Glasgow Jazz Festival as well as in Europe and the Middle East.

Her previous album, ‘Fly’, released in 2013, featured UK jazz heavyweights John Pearce, Dave Green, Steve Brown and Martin Shaw, and that year she was also awarded funding by Jazz Services UK and Arts Council England for her upcoming UK tour. In 2012 Louise was semi finalist at the International Jazz Vocalist Competition in Lithuania.

Louise Dodds and Elchin Shirinov: Two Hours After Midnight

Read "Two Hours After Midnight" reviewed by Neil Duggan

by Neil Duggan
May 27, 2023

Two Hours After Midnight is the first duo release from Scottish jazz vocalist, Louise Dodds, and Azerbaijani pianist, Elchin Shirinov. The album title is inspired by the last letter Mary Queen of Scots wrote just hours before her execution in 1587. It was written to Henry III, King of France and signed “this Wednesday, two hours after midnight." Dodds has released two previous albums, Fly (Independent, 2013) and her first album of fully original material, The Story Needs ...

“Dodds’ vocals are confident and attractive, her clear diction and pitch blending with the piano' , Matthew Wright, Jazz Journal

“Her voice is rich and textured with plenty of power in reserve” Mark McKergow, London Jazz News

“One of the best vocal performances to be heard this year, across all musical genres” Gareth Allen, At The Barrier

“Faultless. Warm and engaging.” , Neil Duggan, All About Jazz

“Dodds’ vocals are confident and attractive, her clear diction and pitch blending with the piano' , Matthew Wright, Jazz Journal

“Her voice is rich and textured with plenty of power in reserve” Mark McKergow, London Jazz News

“One of the best vocal performances to be heard this year, across all musical genres” Gareth Allen, At The Barrier

“Faultless. Warm and engaging.” , Neil Duggan, All About Jazz

“strongly cathartic” - Jazzwise

“her delivery is lightsome and clear, with a background warmth of tone that came out in Blossom in Indigo, with its upbeat sense of release underpinned by the nicely travelling band. Elsewhere there was energetic scatting in the self-questioning Nowhere to Hide and a winsome open-heartedness to Every Hue.” **** Jim Gilchrist, The Scotman / Edinburgh Jazz & Blues Festival Review

“Unctuous, warm, endearing voice” Musiczine, Netherlands

“Supporting (Norma) Winstone’s trio was local vocalist Louise Dodds, with the ever excellent Steve Hamilton on piano. Hamilton said this was only their third show together, but in a short time they have developed a magical charm. They played standards such as Carmen McRae’s version of Monk’s Pannonica, as well as songs written by Dodds, with real flair.” Patrick Hadfield, London Jazz News

“Louise exudes the confidence of a vocalist who has put in the hard work...who loves her craft… who has carefully studied those who have gone before and has picked out elements of their jazz language and sculpted it into something that is very much her own. Her charm ensures a delivery that is sincere, and allows her musicality to reinforce her performance which is at all times genuine, demonstrating depth and warmth in spadefuls” Linley Hamilton, BBC Radio Ulster

“On track for success” Rob Adams, The Herald

“Impressed with her command of a lyric…Freddie Hubbard's waltz Up Jumped Spring, Until the Real Thing Comes Along (Dodds' voice a bebop horn) and Kenny Dorham's Poetic Spring suggested our vocalist was more than comfortable with the breadth of material in the set list… today's guest knows how to put together a winning set list!” Lance Lidell, Bebop Spoken Here

“She has been making a name for herself on the jazz scene and justifiably so on the evidence of the various performances on this particular CD” Paul Barnes, BBC Radio Norwich

“Far and away the best vocalist of the evening” Paul Barnes, BBC Radio Norwich

‘her well-honed skill as a vocalist permits her to call on major names to accompany her, including on this album: John Pearce (piano), Dave Green (double bass), Steve Brown (drums) and Martin Shaw (trumpet and flugelhorn)’ Paul Barnes, BBC Radio Norwich

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