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You’ll recall that no less than Gilles Peterson played a track off the new album even though Robert Luis (head man at Tru Thoughts) put a note on the CD not to play it on the radio. Now is that man Peterson the type of DJ not to play a hot preview copy? Of course he isn’t and ‘Ode St Cecile’ is certainly hot.

So when I got my hands on this 7”, I got pretty excited. Not only is Lizzy one of our favourites from her debut album, Watching Space and the Nostalgia 77 classic The Hope Suite, but this new single is produced by Ben Lamdin and the string arrangements are by TwelvesTrio’s Riaan Vosloo.

‘Raise The Roof’ gets into the Cinematic Orchestra/Heritage Orchestra territory but in keeping to their respective jazzy best; indeed, in Messrs Parks, Lamdin & Vosloo’s jazzy best also.

Uplifting lyrics from Ms. Parks, who is a jazz graduate from the Birmingham Conservatoire; “Greet the people you meet with a smile”, “Raise the roof for wide open spaces”. Hey, this is very Big Chill Festival as that’s got to be one of the friendliest gatherings around.

Ms. Parks is a bit of a Big Chill veteran as she sang with the Heritage Orchestra there two years ago (but not this year as they closed the Sunday night main stage with The Bays; a project first aired in Liverpool early this year that Andy Gangadeen (of The Bays, The Imagined Village and more) was telling me about at the Big Chill House for the launch of the Yam Yam Eatdubafrobeat album)

The only gripe on the single, I’ve nothing against a b-side but not sure why we needed to spilt the track over the two sides. Couldn’t we get the whole track on the one side say with an instrumental version on the reverse?

That said, this single is definitely the start of something for Lizzy such that the roof will be raised. The album is coming out soon and hopefully we’ll be hearing more from Ms. Parks on FLY also.

And if your in Brighton on 16 August 2008, check out the Lizzy Parks Band (featuring Mark Hanslip of Nostalgia 77, The Rhythmagic Orchestra, Outhouse and Twelves Trio) at the city centre Loop Festival. Also worth hanging around for Loop Late at Komedia as the nigh-time gets even more fun with Daedelus, Bonobo (Ninja Tune) aka Barakas (Tru Thoughts), Me & You (TM Juke and Robert Luis), Nostalgia 77 and new Tru Thoughts star, Hint.

Now, can’t wait to get my hands on the album!

Reviewed: Lizzy Parks - Raise The Roof (Tru Thoughts) Cat. No. TRU7 166 Vinyl 7” Release date: 11th August 2008 (The digital release of the single will feature an additional track entitled “Prayer” and will be available from iTunes and the Etch Shop)
Tracklisting:
A. Raise The Roof (3:30)
B. Raise The Roof (Part 2) (1:58)

Links
www.lizzyparks.co.uk
www.myspace.com/lizzyparksmusic
www.myspace.com/markhanslip
www.tru-thoughts.co.uk
www.myspace.com/truthoughtsrecords
www.myspace.com/robertluisdj
Gilles Peterson :: 03 July 2008 :: Quiet Village in the Studio & Mix
Lizzy Parks - ‘Ode St Cecile’ (Tru Thoughts)
Killer Bs Tuesday 12 August 2008 13:30-14:00 (Radio 4 FM) Repeated: Saturday 16 August 2008 15:30-16:00 (Radio 4 FM) - Journalist Anthony Barnes celebrates a virtually extinct aspect of the music industry, the B-side of a record. Contributors include Tim Rice, Paul Gambaccini and Gloria Gaynor.
www.loopbrighton.com
Loop Late at Komedia, Brighton on 16 Aug 2008