Review of "Suddenly" by the Hartlepool Mail, October 2007
Light and airy like summer clouds this jazzy number drifts by, helped on its way by the Cleo Laine-esque vocals and lazy double bass. Interesting, but very laid back.

Review of "Suddenly" by FATEA, November 2007
"Suddenly" is the first single from Zoo's criticallly acclaimed "Greenhouse" album. Hopefully it'll garner some of the attention needed to push the album from critical success to a significant commercial one. Zoo are a jazz trio that create a sensitive blend of the acoustic and the electric. "Suddenly" has a groove that gives the impression of the vocalist laid across a grand piano focusing her attention on one member of the audience, in this case you. It's relaxed, but with an edge. Realisation dawns as the song's being performed that it's not the same as it was.

Review of "Greenhouse" by Jazzwise, February 2008
Vocalist Karen Clegg (a kind of jazzy Sandy Denny), Reg Clegg and Paul Biggins make up Derbyshire trio Zoo. They blend jazz chords and 80s indie guitar melancholia with a shade of electronics. (Two stars)

Without going into all the arguments for and against jazz I feel I should straight away say that 'Suddenly' isn't gonna tax yer brain too much. 'Suddenly' is slick and sexy, gently persuasive and very easy on the ear. There's no self-indulgence to be found anywhere here - ok, I know it's only a single of just over four minutes but Zoo keep it all nicely laid back and very much a no-frills kinda thing.

Subtle percussion offers loads of space for the expansive bass work to cast its magic and with delicate piano and flute set against the bright, precise vocals the whole thing melds seamlessly into a damn fine piece of nu-jazz - as chilled as you want it to be or, as vibrant as you want to make it.

The piece is a 'live' recording and probably benefits by being nicely loose (in the most controlled way!); it shows that jazz can indeed be a musical art-form for the twenty-first century and bodes well for future Zoo releases. 'Suddenly' by Zoo is a pleasantly laid back piece of accessible jazz that you can enjoy for exactly what it is - you don't have to think too much or be a jazz buff to get what Zoo are doin'! Very nice, very pleasurable and refreshingly different - oh, and certainly nothing to be the slightest bit frightened of!

Peter J Brown aka toxic pete (www.toxicpete.co.uk)

(Rhythm & Booze rating 8)