Inner Sky - A Spark

​Inner Sky

A Spark
self-released; 2024

​4.0 out of 5

​​​By ​Dino DiMuro

Inner Sky is a duo comprised of composer/pianist Wendy Loomis and vocalist Barbara Jaspersen. They call their music “pop jazz art songs: moody, poignant, reflective.” To me they sound almost like a chamber group, with Loomis’ classically influenced piano melodies followed very closely by Jaspersen’s lovely, elastic voice. Their new album Inner Sky features nine original songs plus one cover tune from the 1930’s. 

These two artists have been associated for quite some time. Wendy Loomis formed a musical ensemble with poet Royal Kent called COPUS in the late 1990’s. Barbara Jaspersen joined as vocalist almost from the beginning, and the group has released previous albums along with performing live. Aside from this project, Jaspersen is also a film and theater actress, plus lead vocalist for the pop-folk band Stray Muse.

Musically the duo have been compared to Norah Jones, Joni Mitchell, Sarah Vaughan, John Lennon and Debussy. All music and lyrics are by Wendy Loomis except where noted. Recording, mixing and mastering was by Jimmy Hobson at MarinWest Studios in San Anselmo, California. The quality is stellar, with such recording clarity that you feel you’re sharing the room with the two players.

“Lion Circle” begins the album with open arms, as the piano figures are lush, beautiful and totally matched by Jaspersen’s voice. Hopefully I won’t anger the artists, but if you’ve been even slightly moved by the love theme from “Titanic”, there’s a similar vibe here but on much more intimate terms. I’m an idiot without a lyric sheet, but this song seems to be looking back at a sweet love affair while bravely facing the present and future. “You’re Fading” brings the tempo down for a jazz-classical tune that really has that baroque feel. For the first time Jaspersen overdubs harmonies to her own lead vocal and it’s a thrilling addition. The descending, waterfall-like chorus of “you’re fad-ing” anchors the track. 

“Street of Dreams” is a foxtrot from 1932 that’s been covered by many artists including Bing Crosby, Guy Lombardo, Ella Fitzgerald and Patti LuPone, though the version here seems closest to Tony Bennet. Loomis really ups the smoky jazz quality inherent in the music and Jaspersen proves herself capable of matching The Greats with her swinging vocal delivery, featuring many solo moments.  “Angels on the Ground” is another stunning original seemingly set in a Winterscape (I believe the angels on the ground are snow angels!). 

“Spark” features lovely rising vocal harmonies in place of a traditional chorus. It also works as a straight-out love song for me (“You are the light of my soul, morning light”), with some of the jazz touches of Vince Guaraldi. “One Snowy Night” musically reminds of Debussy, confirming a previous reviewer’s discovery. Guest Melissa Finder provides the lyrics. Vocally Jaspersen really scales the heights here. “All Life is Lived” has lyrics adapted from a poem by Rainer Maria Rilke, and the performance is especially dramatic, easily imagined on a darkened theater stage. Almost six minutes, this track features three distinct movements with some especially amazing keyboard moments. The final track “Me!” is a total changeup, playing with the humor found in kids’ sing-alongs or goofy stage shows, as if Mary Poppins lost all her wisdom and decided to make everything about herself. A very fun conclusion.

This album is so good that I clearly was not up to grasping all its many levels of greatness, but I can recommend it without reservation!

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