Stuart Ambrose (http://www.stuartambrose.com) has a voice that is older than he is. Looking at the photos on his CD booklet, it doesn't quite match - the soulful, old-fashioned croon and the face of a very young man. Moreover, his vocal work isn't forced. This isn't "American Idol" wherein male twentysomethings try to hit high notes but then crash and burn in painful humiliation. Not at all. Ambrose's singing seems natural, like he was born with "It," that undefinable quality that separates wanna-be's from The Real Thing.
Eschewing contemporary flavors, Ambrose utilizes his impressive vocal range to provide his own emotional perspective on songs ranging from "What a Wonderful World" to "If It Wasn't for Your Love" in classy jazz-pop settings. Ambrose's voice, big and theatrical, can truly soar, especially on "Free Me," where he sounds more than twenty years older than he truly is. On "I'm Complete," Ambrose's vocals are breathtaking, shifting tempo with the highs and lows of the music.
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Ambrose is an impeccable talent. There are times when his voice changes to suit the style of the track, such as on "Having the Time of Your Life," wherein Ambrose is conjuring ghosts of crooners from the '30s and '40s.
There are too many artists who have covered "What a Wonderful World" to mention. It's become so common that it's now a cliche to see it appear on any covers record. But Ambrose makes it his own, giving it a spine-tingling rendition that has the feel of heaven.
Oddly enough, this is an album from a corporal in the US Marine Corps Reserve. You don't expect music this angelic from a member of the military; however, that just further proves that stereotypes often have no basis in truth.
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