Lins & Ford – Lonely Shadow

A collaboration between English jazz vocalist Dianne Ford and German fretless bassist Manfred Lins, Lonely Shadow is the one and only record made by the low-profile duo. Mostly drum-less aside from a light drum machine on the second track, the album features a wide range of styles ranging from Soft Rock, AOR, Country and Jazz Fusion, all executed in perfect harmony and with a shimmer of ambient air. Ford’s powerful, mid-range vocal delivery compliments Lins’ sleek fretless bass and acoustic guitar so well, it often times sounds as if there’s a dialogue occurring between the two. The duo mix powerful love songs with shadow-cast tales of folklore, sometimes opting to deliver the message straight forward and to the heart, while other times using a juxtaposition between the instrumentation and vocal delivery for a more playful and sarcastic approach. Written in their own words on the back cover, “We hope, that listening to this LP gives you not only the moving pictures that we saw, but also the fun and laughter we had in making it.” Rest easy Manfred Lins.

– Jonny Mons

Recommended – A3 Lazy Day, B1 Humble Maid