Meet dodie: Aka Dorothy Miranda Clark. This English author and singer-songwriter found her audience on YouTube, and fans have been dazzled by her soft and alluring vocal performance since. Late last month, Decca Records announced their compilation album of Chet Baker tunes: Chet Baker, Reimagined, And Dodie’s contribution to the collection is the icing on the cake.
The original “Old Devil Moon” was penned by Burton Lane and Yip Harburg for a 1947 musical about a stolen pot of gold. The song was later redone and popularized by both Sinatra and Baker. Chet Baker’s version was recorded in 1958 and features hand percussion at the forefront, and a bossa-nova-type beat. Dodie’s version recreates that exotic feel and bold percussion.
The vocal delivery is honest and reminds me of Laufey’s album Bewitched. And as it continues, it builds and builds. We get tasty harmonies, mystical clarinet tremolos, and coy panned licks of woodwinds. The best part is how intimate and fun this rendition feels.
“How lucky am I to get to live in the world of Chet’s soft playful croons for this gorgeous collection?,” Dodie said. “So fun to marry our styles and lean into a jazzier side. Chet Baker was my number one artist in 2023 (apparently a top 5% fan) so I was just thrilled to be asked to pick a favorite – (although that part was difficult) and spend time with his gorgeous version of ‘Old Devil Moon’ and dream up how we could team up.”
For more great Chet Baker covers, check out this link
