Album Review: Jeff Goldblum & The Mildred Snitzer Orchestra - The Capitol Studios Sessions

Go on, do that double-take. Jeff Goldblum. THE Jeff Goldblum. Turns out the actor who terrified millions as The Fly, wowed even more venturing into Jurassic Park, and made us hungry pimping Menulog has been an accomplished jazz pianist for decades. His live performances with his band The Mildred Snitzer Orchestra in LA have become one of the hottest tickets in town mixing jazzy looseness with his signature affability. And this live recording provides all the smiles you hoped he’d deliver.

Thing is, jazzy Jeff is such a perfect fit for this genre, his hepcat-ish public persona making all the more sense riffing on classics such as I Wish I Knew (How It Would Feel To Be Free) and My Baby Just Cares For Me (featuring a stunning star turn from American Idol alumni Haley Reinhart). Grins beam from opener Cantaloupe Island (popularised in the ‘90s by Us3) through to a surprisingly competent drop-in by comedian Sarah Silverman on Me And My Shadow while Ireland’s Imelda May takes centre stage for three sultry numbers. Goldblum’s banter with his foils flows naturally but is meticulously balanced with the music's tightness in his beautifully kooky hands.