Album Review: STILL A GYPSY, Toni Lamond with Helen Reddy and Kerrie Biddel, Lolly Legs 932617200000, reviewed by Tony Magee

Australian showbiz icon Toni Lamond has just released this wonderful new album Still A Gypsy and it is just superb.

Featuring a selection of songs that is a kind of whirlwind review of a performing career spanning over 50 years, it also includes a great fun duet with her sister Helen Reddy called Breezin' Along With the Breeze and another with Sydney jazz icon Kerry Biddel - Stomp.

Toni Lamond is in great form on this album and together with the superb musical direction and piano accompaniments of Ron Creager and production guidance of son Tony Sheldon, the whole package is a really enjoyable cabaret on CD type journey.

Some particular further highlights include a beautiful and moving rendition of Neil Sedaka's The Hungary Years, a great arrangement and rendition of Cole Porter's Don't Fence Me In combined with Boland and Jaffe's Gypsy In My Soul, a funny Mae West send up of Ragtime Cowboy Joe and a sensual version of St Louis Blues, by WC Handy.

Also nice to see an original composition by the three collaborators - Lamond, Sheldon and Creager, entitled The Place That I'll Call Home. It's an easy, bubbling, light swing piece and very cheery too. One of those fuzzy "feel-good" tunes.

This CD is quite suitable for use as an accompaniment to dining and cocktails because the songs are all great ones, however it also has the added bonus of being a great listen for those that want to focus on the comedy and clever arrangements.

First published in Restaurant and Catering Magazine, Dec 2002