Carol Grimes – Carol Grimes (1977)

Continuing the series of almost total unknowns (but should have been knowns), Carol started off with a couple of rock bands – Delivery and Uncle Dog.  This is actually her second solo album – but who is counting.  I saw this lady with the incredible voice in 1977 in a pub in Finchley with Joybells.  And she blew me away.  What a voice and what a delivery -delicate and wistful one moment and loud and strident when she needed to be.  For me this was my introduction, though I have gone back and found her early albums.   And have sought out her very hard to find albums over the years; not usually on Amazon, mostly on e-bay where a small cohort of fans keep her flame burning.  Actually, I got chatting with her on her website, recounting where I had seen her and she kindly sent (to France) 4 rare albums and her autobiography.  What a great person; she has mostly moved into Jazz and Blues over the years and has played Ronnie Scott’s a couple of times.  This album features a few standards and some of her own.  Best are ‘Number One (In My Heart), ‘My Baby Specializes’ and ‘Dynamite’.  This was always a favourite record of Joy and mine.