“brilliant conclusion to a trilogy … Lyrics to be savored leisurely, with a cup of coffee in hand, and a piano and voice that give color to feelings that cannot be written down”
‘A Story Left Untold’ is the logical and brilliant conclusion to a trilogy begun by pianist Alan Broadbent and vocalist Georgia Mancio with ‘Songbook’ (2017) and ‘Quiet Is The Star’ (2021), which we previously reviewed on this blog. This album features ten new tracks, some featuring the singer accompanied by Broadbent, bassist (and co-producer) Andrew Cleyndert, and drummer Dave Ohm, while others feature piano and vocals creating an intimate dialogue that gives prominence to both instruments and Mancio’s lyrics.
The album ends with a track (the title track) featuring the FAME’S Skopje Studio Orchestra, conducted by Oleg Kondratenkouna, with 42 musicians who bring back the magnificent sounds of the album ‘Developing Story’ (Eden River, 2017).
With lyrics by Georgia Mancio and music by Alan Broadbent, the songs move between romantic and vital inspirations in which Georgia’s sweet and well-modulated voice flows over the piano music, which provides a syncopated and subtle counterpoint, perfect for this type of duet.
Not in vain does Alan Broadbent have such a way of constructing phrases with such vocal precision. In ‘In the Afternoon’ for example, he proposes a blues cadence over which the singer intones a sweet yet nostalgic melody about the passage of time. Lyrics to be savored leisurely, with a cup of coffee in hand, and a piano and voice that give color to feelings that cannot be written down. My favorite, the optimistic and swinging ‘From Me to You.’