Thirteen tunes composed by Kenny Barron with lyrics on all but one by Janice Jarrett with Catherine Russell singing and penning the words for Minor Blues Redux.
It's an interesting concept with eight different singers providing an effective contrast in their interpretations of Jarrett's lyrics and Barron's compositions. They all bring something to the party and it would be unfair to single any one out. Even the ones described as an emerging rather than an established artist are no passengers but are meeting on a level playing field.
Truth of the matter is that, with each listening, I find something new from each song and singer with my opinions constantly changing. There's a lot going on in words, music and song.
Of course, at the end of the day, the top and bottom of it is the material given and in Kenny Barron the vocalist has an underlying perfection to build upon. Not easy I grant you but well worth the singer's diligence. I imagine there must surely have been plenty of pre-recording try outs before each one nailed it. This music demands more of the performer than some worn out standard.
Well worth checking out. Lance
Beyond This Place; Until Then; Cook's Bay; Thoughts and Dreams; Illusion; Minor Blues Redux; In the Slow Lane; Sunshower; Calypso; Lullabye; Sonja Brag; Marie Laveau; Song For Abdullah
1 comment :
Sounds good! Many of the vocalists featured on the album have appeared on 'Live from Emmet's Place' (Emmet Cohen's regular Monday evening livestream) including 'newbies' Ekep Nkwelle and Tyreek McDole (the latter recently at Ronnie Scott's).
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