Another Man’s Woman – Kenny Fame (reviewed by Dave Franklin)

The last time Kenny Fame crossed my path it was with his wonderfully adventurous e.p. An Intimate Portrait, a collection of songs which really explored what modern R&B could be about. And if then he toyed with nu-jazz, soul, progressive pop and even offered some fascinating new song structures and played with the idea of space and atmosphere, here we find him on slightly more conventional ground. I say slightly because he is still very much his own man, doing R&B his own way but still tipping his hat to some of the more expected conventions.

The result is a slow groove through soulful territory, the same late night vibe that flavoured his previous work and the same personal narratives and heartfelt sentiments. In a world of revolution, where genres are split, fused and rewired into strange hybrids, this feels a lot more like evolution. It is certainly remoulding the traditions of the genre and moving them forward into the early light of a new musical era but it does so at a speed which even the most retro-loving pop-soul groover will be happy with. Sometimes change is only noticeable when you look back to see just where you came from. Kenny Fame represents change but somehow stability at the same time. That’s going to keep everyone happy I reckon.