I was impressed!
My interest was further piqued when Russell
wrote about her in glowing terms on one of his virtual trips to,
on this occasion, uptown Manhattan for a Billie Holiday celebration - Ron Ainsborough concurred with his words
So, when this CD turned up I grabbed it with eager arms and I wasn't disappointed.
Swift has obviously listened to Ella - which jazz singer hasn't? - but this is no pale imitation. Just as Mozart absorbed the teachings of Papa Haydn so has Ms Swift done likewise with Mama Ella and created her own voice.
She sings, she scats, she puts meaning into a lyric drawing out the pathos, the humour, the social aspect, something even the great Ella didn't always achieve.
The Bitter Earth: Reflective, soul searching, self-realisation.
How Lovely to be a Woman: A girl discovering adulthood. Some great scat and fine piano from Cohen.
You've Got to be Carefully Taught: The Rodgers & Hammerstein song probably didn't have the impact in South Pacific that it should have. In today's more enlightened (ish) times Swift delivers the message loud and clear with Cohen superb on piano. The prolonged ending serves to allow the message to sink in loud and clear
Getting to Know You: More from R & H but totally different to the version "sung" by Deborah Kerr in the film version of The King and I.
The Man I Love: The Gershwin's song of hope or is it wishful thinking? Sung so tenderly you can't help but hope he does come along. Nice bass solo and a lovely vocal cadenza to finish.
You're the Dangerous Type: A Bob Dorough gem. An out and out swinger with scat chorus, sizzling alto solo and more great piano from Cohen.
Trust in Me: Some haunting bass flute passages bring this one in with voice merging instrumentally before the plaintive, mournful words express the deep feelings of the singer. Johnson returns, this time on concert flute. All done over a hypnotic Latin rhythm.
He Hit Me (And It Felt Like a Kiss): Carole King and Gerry Goffin came up with this one. The gist of the song is that she's confessed to being unfaithful and she realises that by hitting her he's showing he cares about her - mmm...
As Long As He Needs Me: Soft and tender nothing at all like the strident version by Shirley Bassey - at least not until the big finish.
Everybody Has the Right to Be Wrong: A Jimmy Van Heusen/Sammy Cahn song that was new to me. A cool lilting bossa with admirable sentiments and a drum solo thrown in for good measure.
Prisoner of Love: Russ Columbo had a hand in this song f
rom the 1930s which provided big hits for Bing and Perry (Como). This eclipses both of them.
The Sports Page: Dave Frishberg wrote this gem, the idea being that the only truth you read in a newspaper or hear on the news is on the sports page which, come to think about it ... Listen also to Emmet Cohen. He's been a tower of strength throughout but on this track he's phenomenal!
Sing: The full works on this one - choir, guitar blast and a triumphal end to the album in the manner of the final movement of a symphony.
It's out on Mack Avenue Records via Proper Music next week (March 19).
Lance
Emmet Cohen (piano, celeste); Yasushi Nakamura (bass); Bryan Carter (drums) + Armand Hirsch (guitar); Lavinia Pavlish, Meltar Forkosh (violins); Andrew Griffin (viola); Susan D. Mandel (cello); Aaron Johnson (alto sax, flutes); Steven Feifke, Ryan Paternite, Will Wakefield, the Stone Robinson Elementary School and Walton Middle School Girls Choirs (background vocals).
1 comment :
new to me Lance, but I look forward to listening to her, your recommendations are always spot on!
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