Cassandra Wilson Goes Pop

If any contemporary vocalist bears comparison with Nina Simone, it would be Cassandra Wilson, who shares the same uncanny knack for repertoire encompassing jazz, pop, and folk. Like Simone, some of Cassandra’s most popular recordings have been pop covers she has made her own, through shrewd arrangements and her own sensitive interpretations. It is hardly surprising then, to see Wilson’s label collect eleven such reinvented pop standards in the newly released collection, Closer to You: the Pop Side.

Anthology collections do not ordinarily generate much critical notice, but Closer offers a convenient opportunity to take stock of Wilson’s impressive career. Winner of two Grammy Awards, Wilson has participated in many high profile projects, including Wynton Marsalis’s Pulitzer Prize-winning Blood on the Fields. She also appeared (as a jazz vocalist) in the otherwise unmemorable film, The Score with Robert De Niro and Marlon Brando. Currently, Wilson is one of the top draws on the jazz concert circuit and regularly tops the jazz vocal charts, thanks to her shrewd mix of intriguing originals and familiar favorites, like those collected on Closer.

U2’s “Love is Blindness” is an excellent example of Wilson’s pop treatments, transforming it into a sparse, but rootsy song of yearning. What cannot be heard on Closer is how perfectly her rendition fit within its original album, the Grammy-winning New Moon Daughter. Though the following “Time After Time” is associated with Cyndi Lauper, Miles Davis recorded an instrumental jazz version. In fact, Wilson originally covered it as part of a Davis tribute album, making it a cover of cover. Regardless, it also proves remarkably well suited to her husky, seductive voice.

Probably the most surprising selection of Closer (at least for those unfamiliar with Wilson’s past CDs) will be the Monkees’ “Last Train to Clarksville,” but she finds unexpected depth in the pop ditty. Whereas, her ethereal version of Neil Young’s “Harvest Moon” may well be the most familiar to listeners, appearing on New Moon and the soundtrack of Norah Jones’s My Blueberry Nights.

The high points of Closer were both drawn from Belly of the Sun, Wilson’s blues-inspired release, recorded at the source, in Clarksdale, Mississippi. The Band’s “The Weight” and Jimmy Webb’s “Wichita Lineman” (better known from Glen Campbell’s recording) both have that bluesy country-rock quality that readily lends them to Wilson’s style. They are also well served by the authentic blues and roots seasonings provided by Wilson’s regular band-members, acoustic guitarist Marvin Sewell, electric guitarist Kevin Breit, and percussionists Cyro Baptista and Jeffrey Haynes.

A lot of people might be introduced to Wilson through Closer and if so, that’s great. Hopefully, they will dig deeper into her discography, because while the music of Closer is quite good, she has recorded even more haunting work, like the originals on New Moon (particularly “Solomon Sang,” “Little Warm Death” and “Find Him”) and her stirring live performance of Son House’s “Death Letter” on the Jazz Foundation of America concert benefit CD, A Great Night in Harlem. Still, Closer is a pleasant collection of music that amply demonstrates Wilson distinctive vocal style.

Steve Wiest: Out of the New

Out of the New
By Steve Wiest
Arabesque Jazz

Before Julliard or NYU, the University of North Texas became the first North American school to offer a jazz degree. (This is another friendly reminder that the jazz world does not end at the banks of the Hudson River.) UNT graduates have since filled the ranks of many big bands, including Maynard Ferguson’s. As a longtime Ferguson sideman, trombonist Steve Wiest followed the reverse course when he accepted his recent faculty appointment there. He quickly brought further prestige to the jazz department soon thereafter, when he was nominated for an instrumental arranging Grammy in recognition of his work on Ferguson’s final release. Following up his swinging and surprisingly literate big band outing Excalibur, Wiest now looks to contemporary popular music for inspiration with Out of the New, which radically reconstructs new standards by the likes of Coldplay, Green Day, and Foo Fighters.

Wiest culled much of his new repertoire from his daughter’s suggestions, but also looked to his favorite pop album, Sting’s Ten Summoner’s Tales. Sting, who has often employed jazz musicians as sidemen, seems to appeal to those inclined to the jazz aesthetic. However, Wiest’s arrangement is hardly slavish. He kicks up the tempo considerably, recasting it as easy-going swinger, allowing ample solo space for the leader, guitarist Fred Hamilton, and Stefan Karlsson on piano.

Probably the best known tune will cause the most listener trepidation. Indeed, Wiest tackled Aerosmith and Run D.M.C.’s “Walk This Way” as a deliberate challenge. Fortunately, Wiest recombines the song’s DNA so drastically it is almost unrecognizable (in the best sense). In many ways, it is a counter-intuitive tune, full of agitated, nervous energy, yet featuring a bowed bass solos. In a particularly clever arrangement, Wiest’s long solo coda shifts gears, bringing in the gutbucket blues.

Despite the common instrument, it would be a mistake to compare New to the many bachelor pad pop song interpretations recorded by bop trombonist Kai Winding in the late 1960’s. While the Winding LPs still hold a certain charm, the arrangements were largely confined to melody statements, with little room left for improvisation. They also usually attempted to recreate the general vibe of the original tune. New takes exactly the opposite approach. For instance, in Wiest’s hands, the slacker angst of Green Day’s “Wake Me Up When September Ends” becomes an elegant waltz vehicle for the leader’s muted horn.

The topper though is Wiest’s alchemy on the Foo Fighters’ “In Your Honor,” transmuting the post-Grunge anthem into a golden bossa. Hamilton and Karlsson sound audibly inspired by the leader’s arrangement, taking eloquent solos of their own, before the entire group comes in for the go-for-broke final coda that is the only point in New where Wiest faithfully recreates his original source material. Though only five musicians, for a little over a minute they thrillingly channel stadium rock through their instruments.

Wiest has a big sound on trombone and shows remarkable facility with the bop lines. His arrangements are consistently inventive, even surprising. Though based on pop tunes, Wiest never dumbs down the music of New—quite the contrary. Still, if fans of the originals give it a spin, they will be impressed, as will more experienced jazz ears.

DB’s Heroes

Heroes
By David Benoit
Peak Records

Paying tribute to those who came before you is jazz tradition worthy of continued observance. It preserves the sense of ancestral veneration and apostolic succession unique to jazz. David Benoit’s Heroes is the second so-titled piano tribute CD I have heard in recent years, the first coming from Roger Kellaway. While Benoit’s is sure to receive more attention because of the oftentimes smoothish artist’s greater commercial stature, it is also more likely to face a more grudging critical reception form the same reason, even though both Heroes essentially come from the same place with the same motivation.

Benoit starts with Dave Grusin’s “Mountain Dance,” arguably a classic of contemporary-crossover jazz, wisely hewing close to the sparkling original melody. There are a few of those chime-like smooth jazz flourishes throughout Heroes, but they do not sound out of place here. Benoit’s interpretation of “Human Nature,” made famous by Michael Jackson is also reasonably credible, but the smooth jazz sweetenings are distracting and R&B backbeat gets obtrusive.

The pop covers continue with Elton John’s “Your Song.” The leader turns in an elegant solo, but the rendition still falls short of Pietro Tonolo’s recent version with Gil Goldstein and Steve Swallow. The Doors’ “Light My Fire” is probably the most successful pop song of the outing, benefiting from some Latin percussion and a solo from the leader that digs down into the funk bag.

In his liner notes, Benoit identifies Horace Silver’s “Song for My Father” as “the first jazz tune I learned by ear,’ and his affection for it is still apparent in an arrangement faithful to the original. When Benoit has periodically taken breaks from more commercial work for straighter jazz projects, Bill Evans has usually somehow been an inspiration, and that is true on Heroes as well. A lithe but sensitive swinger, “Waltz for Debbie” might be his finest keyboard work of the session.

The sole original of the set is “A Twisted Little Etude,” a tribute to Dave Brubeck that serves as a prelude to “Blue Rondo a la Turk.” It swings pretty hard, featuring a groovy guest spot for Andy Suzuki on alto and brief echoes of Joe Morello’s classic “Take Five” solo from drummer Jamey Tate. Suzuki stays for “Rondo,” giving it an edgier sound than typically heard.

While Heroes is somewhat uneven, there is a certain logic to its inconsistency, with the jazz tunes sounding jazzy and the pop tunes poppish (to varying degrees). The second half is clearly the strongest, with Benoit showing legit jazz chops while paying homage to the likes of Silver, Evans, and Brubeck, for which he deserves some credit, particularly if he can bring more ears to these artists.

Echo

Echo
By Alyssa Graham
Sunnyside/Walrus Records

There is always something alluring about newly unearthed lost manuscripts or heretofore unknown sessions tapes that keep turning up in the vaults. Alyssa Graham’s sophomore release, Echo, on-sale today, has a similar appeal in a song originally penned for Billie Holiday, but shelved by writer Jack Reardon after her untimely death for close to fifty years, until he eventually heard Graham.

Reardon’s “Involved Again” frankly does not rank as a lost masterpiece of a song, but it could have been something special had Holiday lived to record it. Its bittersweet hopefulness would have perfectly suited Holiday’s expressive, world-weary voice, perfectly fitting the intersection of romantic sentiment and existential anguish, which nobody represented better than Lady Day.

Graham’s rendition is quite pretty, but she (fortunately) lacks the accumulated experiences Holiday would have brought to the song. At least on this release, it sounds like she has a greater affinity for the kind of jazz-influenced pop (or vice versa) that propelled Norah Jones’ meteoric rise. However, Graham displays greater range here, with a stronger voice. (Fair warning: more Jones references are likely to follow.)

The initial track, Simon & Garfunkle’s “America” shows her facility with pop standards, here given a particularly lush arrangement. Although only getting brief solo space, Gregoire Maret’s harmonica (previously heard with the likes of Pat Metheny and Marcus Miller) adds interesting sonic textures to the track, much like Toots Thielemans work on Quincy Jones’ soundtracks.

Graham’s sultry cooing of Sting’s “I Burn for You,” also takes the familiar hit to an interesting place, as the jazz rhythm section of pianist Jon Cowherd, bassist Doug Weiss, and drummer Obed Calvaire slowly build to a crescendo. Graham most invites comparison with Norah Jones on some of Echo’s originals, like the dreamy romanticism of “Pictures of You,” and the country-jazz-pop of “My Love.”

Graham herself travelled widely in Brazil and has guitarist Romero Lubambo on the session, so not surprisingly there is also a hint of the Brazilian on Echo. It fully blooms on the concluding tune, “Izaura,” with Cowherd and Lubambo taking nice, if brief solos on the gentle swinger.

Graham has an appealing voice and has chosen some very complimentary arrangements on Echo. Perhaps it is unfortunate that the disk seems to invite comparison to a legend like Holiday and a modern phenomenon like Jones, but at least that is heady company to be likened to. Being the next Billie Holiday will be a tall order for anyone, including Graham, but her vocals could certainly find appeal with Jones’ fans open-minded enough to give something new a spin.

J.B. Spins Interview with TOMOKO

Today J.B. Spins inaugurates an occasional interview feature of emerging jazz artists, by immediately breaking format. I first heard TOMOKO sing at St. Peter’s, but strictly speaking, she is more of a soul and R&B vocalist. Her recent high-profile gigs include a booking at the Blue Note. To get a sense of her music, watch her video “Love Me” on youtube here.

JB: How familiar were you with New York before you moved from Osaka? How difficult was that transition? Could it be called a leap of faith?

T: My very first visit to New York was a one-week trip about a year prior to eventually settling down here. Osaka people are brave and relentless. The first night I went straight to 125th Street—the Apollo theater—and went into the Amateur night, it happened to be Wednesday. They had a Step-Up-to-the Mic segment, so I raised my hand and sang a song by Monica (popular R&B tune then), and had a great response.

My mentality was always different, and when I came to New York, I felt like this was my real home. Yes, I can call it a leap of faith because until I got here, I really did not have any particular person or place or business plan to count on, not to mention having just few dollars in my pocket. But I have done all I could do in Japanese show business till that point, and I totally felt the need to break free and expand myself in New York in order to become an authentic artist of this genre. And after I did so, I realized this was my destiny.

JB: At your own gigs, you are essentially singing soul, but I have heard you perform in jazz contexts as well. Are you looking for opportunities to blend genre distinctions?

T: Such a timely question! I have always tried to present myself as an “R&B singer” only because our business requires and expects you to belong to one genre. It made me feel that it was important to declare my style and where I belong as an artist, and maybe it still is important. But in my opinion “rhythm and blues” lives in every musicians and singers hearts. And it has branched out of jazz, gospel, blues and rock, or maybe pop or even country music for that matter. And the branches have even expanded into hip hop.

I have always been a fan of all these genres, especially crossover jazz and smooth jazz, such as George Benson, Al Jarreau, Rachelle Ferrell, Anita Baker, George Duke, Natalie Cole, Sade, Joe Sample, Herbie Hancock, Lalah Hathaway, etc. And when my debut CD Organically Afro Asiatic released, so many people responded to what they called a “very jazzy smooth R&B feel.” So yes I recognize my niche, and am looking into the genre blending to some degree.

JB: The great jazz trombonist Wycliffe Gordon was the executive-producer of your CD. How did you first meet?

T: I met his younger brother who was at that time stationed in Navy in Tokyo, starting out as a rapper also, and we performed on the same stage at a hip hop showcase in Yokohama! He always told me about his big brother Wycliffe, and after I came to New York, I got to know him backstage, and the bond was instant and he treated me like family because of that.

He is very versatile. He's from Atlanta, his roots are also blues and R&B, and all that fusion. And you can say the same for my producer Jamba. Wycliffe is my executive producer along with me, but not on the creative side for this CD. But he did play trombone with other horn players on my tracks #1 and #4. And it was very natural to everyone not worrying about what particular genre we were playing. We were focusing on squeezing together a collection of tasty notes.

JB: To give readers a better sense of who you are, maybe we can close with your favorite CD, jazz CD, book, and film?

T: I honestly think that Stevie Wonder's trilogy: The Songs in the Key Of Life, Inner Visons, and Hotter Than July, are the best three albums in my collection, ever. My other favorite R&B CDs are gonna be difficult to narrow down.

First old school: Marvin Gaye’s What's Going On, Donny Hathaway (self titled), Roberta Flack & Donny Hathaway, Cheryl Lynn (self titled), Earth Wind & Fire (I just can’t mention only one, just too many), Stylistics Greatest Love Hits, Isley Brothers' Groove with You.

New school: Black Street (self titled), Kipper Jones' Ordinary Story, Total (self titled), Lauryn Hill's The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, Raul Midon's State of Mind, Billy Porter’s Untitled, Freddie Jackson's Transitions And oh, do you know the CD by Phillip Bailey Soul on Jazz? This is what we are talking about—blending the two genre, such a great CD.

My favorite jazz CDs: Nina Simone’s Broadway Blues Ballads, Miles Davis's Kind of Blue, George Benson's Breezin,' but I love all of his CDs. All of them! Louis Armstrong & Duke Ellington's Great Summit: the Master Takes, and Dee Dee Bridgewater's Live in Paris. And I have copies of all my favorite albums of Dinah Washington and Sarah Vaughan on cassette tapes.

Books: Conversations with God by Neal Donald Walsh, Ask and It is Given by Esther and Jerry Hicks, A New Earth by Eckhart Tolle—the best book I have ever read!

Movies: All 6 films of Rocky series! Ultimate American Dream! And my most fav classic forever: The Way We Were!

JB: From a blogger known only by his initials, to the single-named TOMOKO (remember that’s all caps), thanks for taking the time to be the first interview here. You can often hear TOMOKO live in New York and you can purchase her CD here.

Standard Orbit

Ted Kooshian’s Standard Orbit Quartet
Summit Records

There is a well established tradition of jazz artists interpreting pop tunes and movie themes. (How many versions of The Sandpiper’s “Shadow of Your Smile” did jazz artists cut in the 60’s?) In that spirit, Ted Kooshian’s quartet tackles such unlikely source material as Batman, Spiderman, Buffy, The Simpsons, Hanna-Barbera’s Top Cat, and Led Zeppelin on his new CD. With such inspirations, it is tempting to label Kooshian’s Standard Orbit as jazz for forty-year olds still living with their parents—call it Mr. Kooshian’s neighborhood. However, Kooshian and quartet largely pull it off, creating some entertaining and completely legit jazz in the process.

Not being familiar with Top Cat, I can’t judge how far the opening track ranges from the original. However, it is an appropriately vigorous up-tempo opener, giving listeners a taste of the bop chops of Kooshian and reedman Jeff Lederer on tenor. This is followed by the greasy “Black Dog,” one of the most successful jazz Zeppelin renditions yet, that evokes the band’s under-recognized blues roots.

Perhaps the most perilous covers are the two superhero themes. However, they are both highlights of Orbit. Lederer switches to clarinet for both, giving “Spiderman” a traditional vibe and a darker hue to the moody “Batman.” Wisely, Kooshian opts for the brooding Danny Elfman theme for the animated series, rather than Neal Hefti’s campy 1960’s theme.

“Buffy” is probably the most difficult to recognize, thoroughly reconceived as an edgy hard bop burner. Propelled nicely by Warren Doze on drums, it features some muscular tenor work from Lederer and a somewhat skitterish solo from Kooshian, channeling the nervous energy of the series.

Of all Kooshian’s pop culture covers, the only one which really does not work is the disk’s shortest: “The Simpsons.” Perhaps the Groening series is just too ubiquitous in reruns, making it hard to hear another version with fresh ears. Regardless, the Standard Orbit take is the only cut that sounds gimmicky—a little too close to the mock jazz passage of the series’ opening credits maybe.

Conversely, Peter Gabriel’s “Don’t Give Up,” is particularly strong thanks to a respectful and faithful straight-ahead arrangement, dominated by Lederer’s soprano. Lithe and heartfelt, it is a perfect jazz-for-people-who-don’t-like-jazz track.

Orbit is an energetic and entertaining session that proves Kooshian and company can do their jazz thing with some crazy tunes. It is a healthy exercise in remaking tunes their own, which very definitely follows in the jazz tradition.

Marcus Eponymously

Marcus
By Marcus Miller
Concord Records

Marcus Miller is part of the exclusive “Sons of Miles” fraternity of former Davis sideman. Miller was in fact, the unofficial music director and composer for the group during his tenure with the legendary trumpeter. Yet, those Warner Brothers years remain controversial with Davis fans. That combination of jazz, funk, and pop sensibilities that marked Miller’s collaborations with Davis is also in evidence on Miller’s latest, simply titled Marcus.

Miller has worked with jazz artists like McCoy Tyner, the Breckers, and Lenny White, as well as pop figures, including an important association with Luther Vandross, so he is comfortable continuing to mix genres. In truth, Marcus could be divided into two records, a bass dominated jazz-funk record and a set of pop vocals featuring famous guest stars, including Corinne Bailey Rae and Keb’ Mo.’ While the latter tracks would appeal more to fans of the guest vocalists, the instrumental selections make for a surprisingly enjoyable set of accessible funk-jazz.

As it is his session, Miller’s electric bass is up-front in the mix, but we hear him on other instruments as well, like the sitar on the nicely textured opener “Blast!” Miller sets a kind groove and highlights his solo chops on the following “Blues Joint.” There is a lot of funk throughout, as on “Strum,” which ought to be licensed by a commercial producer for the sense of cool it exudes.

Davis is represented with “Jean Pierre.” Like the preceding “Strum” it benefits from the contributions of French harmonica player Gregoire Maret, formerly of the Pat Metheny Group. He can also be heard to advantage on “When I Fall in the Love,” the straightest jazz performance of the set. With Miller carrying the melody on bass clarinet (his unlikely double), it is an unusual but effective combination of sounds.

Of the vocal tracks, “Free” featuring Rae and “Ooh” with Lalah Hathaway should appeal to fans of the singers. Each also features some tasteful bass accompaniment from Miller, to keep his fans satisfied. However, the very electric “Milky Way,” co-written by Keb’ Mo’ and Miller, may not be what the contemporary bluesman’s listeners are used to hearing from him. He is also heard through samples on the following “Pluck (Interlude),” a driving selection that easily fits with the set’s other instrumental tracks.

Despite the Miles Davis seal of approval (or because of it at that stage of his career), many purists might dismiss Miller as a pop or smooth musician. Marcus makes a strong case for his musicianship and could surprise some listeners. Its instrumental tracks will be red meat for jazz-funksters out there, but certainly will not intimidate the fans of his pop guests.

Q50

50 Years in Music—Live at Montreux
By Quincy Jones & Friends
Eagle Eye Media

Lionel Hampton certainly had an eye for talent. The orchestra he took to Europe included a trumpet section of future jazz greats Clifford Brown, Art Farmer, and Quincy Jones. Of course, Jones would find his calling not as an instrumentalist, but as an arranger and composer. In 1996, having made his living in music for fifty years, Jones and Montreux impresario Clause Nobs put together 50 Years in Music, an all-star concert celebration now available on DVD.

Jones starts with his first feature in the Hampton band, “Kingfish,” as well as “Stockholm Sweetenin,” with the Clifford Brown solo orchestrated for the full band. While there are many big name soloists, Australian trumpeter James Morrison, relatively unheralded in the States, often takes solo honors, as on “Kingfish,” where he outshines smooth practitioner Gerald Albright.

Jones has always sailed between genres at will, and here he brings a diverse cast into a big band setting. While Albright takes a while to acclimate to this context, David Sanborn (a veteran of many CTI sessions early in his career) fares much better, to his credit. On the ballad “The Midnight Sun Will Never Set” his solo is warm and gentle, but not sappy.

As a producer, Jones has worked with hall of fame vocalists. Recent Grammy winner Patti Austin swings the band nicely on standards like “Perdido” and “Shiny Stockings.” Guests from the pop world have more mixed results. Mick Hucknall of Simply Red, looking tragically British at times, just can not get out of Ray Charles’ shadow on “In the Heat of the Night.”

Conversely, Chaka Khan (not surprisingly), sounds perfect on tunes like “Miss Celie’s Blues” and “Dirty Dozens,” both from The Color Purple. She also lends her voice to “Walking in Space,” an arrangement which actually inspires Albright’s best jazz solo of the night.

Without doubt, the most effective guest is Toots Thielemans, the jazz harmonica legend, who brings his haunting sound to Ivan Lins’ “Septembro” and “Grace Notes,” the theme Jones wrote for the 1984 Olympics (I’ll hold my peace on the 2008 Games). (The least effective is Phil Collins, who just does not cut it as a big band vocalist, despite his declared ambitions.)

50 Years has quite a bit loaded onto one disk. The concert clocks in just over two hours, and there is another ten minutes of Jones and Nobs interview segments from a masterclass. Throughout the concert, the big band, including Morrison and members of Northern Illinois Jazz Band do the master proud. Like Jones’ career, not every selection is perfect, but in its entirety, it is pretty impressive.

Cyrus Plays Elvis

Cyrus Plays Elvis
By Cyrus Chestnut
Koch Records

Elvis Presley might be the king of rock ‘n’ roll, but many consider him an imitator of the great African American R&B artists who preceded him, even appropriating some of their hits. Now Cyrus Chestnut returns the favor, reinterpreting the Presley songbook in a jazz context with his latest release, Cyrus Plays Elvis.

While the Presley canon might seem like an odd (the snobbish might say pandering) choice for a jazz musician, Chestnut has long been attracted to crowd pleasing music, regularly playing Christmas music during his holiday season engagements, for instance. Like Presley, Chestnut also has deep gospel roots. Though at times uneven, Cyrus Plays Elvis is largely unabashedly breezy, fun music that would nicely go with an afternoon at the local coffee-house.

CPE opens with “Hound Dog,” actually one of the most faithful adaptations, taken as an up-tempo rollicker that does feature some dazzling runs by Chestnut. There are perils in tackling an iconic artist’s songbook, in that opinions will vary widely as to which are the true highlights and which are merely over-rated hits. Honestly, “Hound Dog” never really did it for me, and neither did the following “Don’t Be Cruel.” However, Chestnut gives it an interesting twist, taking it at a slower tempo to get to its blues core, at times even throwing in some Monkish accents.

“Can’t Help Falling in Love” gets a much more faithful reading, that sticks largely to the original melody. The addition of Mark Gross’s soprano is pretty, at the risk of sounding syrupy. As a delicate love song “Love Me Tender” is more successful, showcasing Chestnut inventiveness but maintaining an intimate vibe. Gross returns on tenor later on the more successfully sentimental “Don’t,” but one cannot help thinking this would have been better as a strictly trio release, given Chestnut is much more interesting as a soloist, but plays primarily a supportive role on the horn tracks.

There is one “inspired by” original titled “Graceland” that nicely demonstrates his trio’s compatibility swinging together nicely. “Heartbreak Hotel” ranges furthest afield from the original Presley version, given a darker sound, slower tempo, and more elliptical melody statement by Chestnut, as well as more turbulent percussion by drummer Neal Smith. Chestnut also ratchets down “In the Ghetto,” from a sweeping social-issue song (one of very few in the Presley songbook) to an introspective personal statement.

“How Great Thou Art” was probably the only tune here that was in Chestnut’s repertoire before the Presley project. It is one of the many hymns Presley recorded. (According to his biographers, Presley’s favorite pastimes included singing gospel songs with friends, and listening to the records of Sister Rosetta Tharpe.) His spare but stirring solo performance is a fitting conclusion to his Presley program.

CPE is at its best without a guest horn, and when the arrangements venture away from the familiar Presley recordings. Throughout, Chestnut is a consistently inventive soloist who often does put his personal stamp on these songs. Considering the proliferation of Beatles jazz projects, it seems strange the home-grown King remains relatively untapped. CPE takes a credible, if not groundbreaking, crack at his songs.

(Note: This review was reprinted in the 12/6/07 edition of The Epoch Times by permission of J.B. Spins.)

Tonolo, Goldstein, Swallow, Motian, and John

Your Songs: The Music of Elton John
Pietro Tonolo, Gil Goldstein, Steve Swallow, Paul Motian
ObliqSound (OS 506)

Timing is critical in jazz, but sometimes it involves factors beyond one’s control. Given the bad publicity Elton John has had this week it might not seem to be the best time to release a set of interpretations of his tunes. However, Pietro Tonolo and his all-star rhythm section have reinvented the material so effectively on Your Songs: the Music of Elton John, it is easy to lose track of the original songwriter, and enjoy the music on its own merits.

With Paul Motian on drums and Steve Swallow on electric bass, time certainly is not a problem for Your Songs. Gil Goldstein might be better known as an arranger with an understanding of pop, having worked with likes of John himself and Chris Botti, but he has also been a well regarded faculty member in NYU’s jazz department. Here he shows a nimble, boppish touch on the piano.

As for the leader, Tonolo’s solos are consistently inventive, as are the arrangements. A song like “Tiny Dancer” unfolds gradually as a rich vehicle for Tonolo’s tenor, exploring the catchy melody without any of the cloyingness that John’s music is susceptible to. When Goldstein shifts to accordion it adds rich texture to the tune.

Of the Elton John songs chosen, perhaps “Rocket Man” is the most recognizable. Wisely, they avoided most of the pop star’s more over-played hits, like “I’m Still Standing” or (Heaven forbid) “Candle in the Wind.” As for “Rocket” it is played fairly straight, but there are interesting solo statements from Tonolo on tenor, Swallow, and Goldstein.

“Your Song,” the sort of title track, has another strong arrangement, with a very effective intro from Swallow, before the full rhythm section falls in. Goldstein takes an elegant turn before Tonolo finally enters on soprano. Throughout, they respect the melody, but give it a distinctly fresh interpretation.

On the ballad “The One,” Motian’s shimmering cymbals and a surprisingly lyrical solo from Tonolo make it a track both John fans and jazz purists could relate to. The following “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road” is taken as an up-tempo swinger, more for the latter audience.

Your Songs concludes with two “inspired by” originals from Tonolo. “White Street” and the brief “Epilogue: Semifonte” do suggest his talent for composing intriguing melodies, wrapping up things nicely.

Your Songs is the kind of session that demonstrates how one genre of music can feed into another. Tonolo is a former classical violinist, turned jazz saxophonist, recording the songs of a pop star, who now composes for Broadway. Fortunately, it all works. Tonolo and his colleagues seem to have a real affinity for the material, and succeed in putting their own stamp on it.