The Sound Of Twin Danger: Frank Sinatra Meets The Clash

By NPR Staff

Published June 28, 2015 at 5:48 PM CDT

Twin Danger's Vanessa Bley and Stuart Matthewman

Cocktail jazz isn't a sound you hear very much in pop music these days. But a duo known as Twin Danger is causing a scene with their self-titled debut album and live shows.

It's a familiar mood for saxophonist Stuart Matthewman; he co-wrote many of the biggest hits for Sade, like "No Ordinary Love" and "Your Love Is King."

Matthewman's latest singer is Vanessa Bley, the daughter of jazz piano great Paul Bley.

Behind their smooth exterior, there is a certain punk ethos to the way they handle themselves when they perform live. As Matthewman told NPR's Arun Rath: "We always said about how we wanted the band to look and be on stage: if Frank Sinatra was in The Clash."

Vanessa Bley came up with the name Twin Danger. She explains why: "In Manhattan, I'd go to this bar near 21st and Park . Around 6, all these businessmen would come in in suits. They'd go into the basement and about an hour later come up in total drag and have this epic party. It certainly displays this idea of having two sides to yourself."

Hear their conversation with Arun Rath at the audio link above.