Berlin-based Swiss vocalist Lucia Cadotsch returns with her celebrated Speak Low trio for their second album, released by We Jazz Records on 27 Nov. "Speak Low II" features Cadotsch on voice, Otis Sandsjö on tenor saxophone and Petter Eldh on double bass, and introduces guest artists Kit Downes on hammond organ and Lucy Railton on cello. "Speak Low II" picks up where their genre-bending and forward-looking debut album left off, introducing new shades into the band's sound and also diving even deeper into the songs they tackle. What makes Speak Low special is their approach to really get to the heart of each composition with seemingly minimal means, yet generating a sound which is both instantly recognisable and remarkably impactful.
The first cut to emerge ahead of the album is "Azure", penned by Duke Ellington and Irving Mills, and featuring the core band plus the ECM recording Kit Downes. "Speak Low II" marks Lucia Cadotsh's debut on We Jazz Records, the Helsinki label which is also home to the vocalist's bandmates Otis Sandsjö ("Y-OTIS") and Petter Eldh (of Koma Saxo). Like Koma Saxo, Speak Low is produced by the visionary Eldh.