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| Smooth Jazz for Summer Days |
VÁLOGATÁS
Bob Brookmeyer, Bud Shank, Charles Mingus, Chet Baker, Dizzy Gillespie, Duke Ellington, Irene Kral, Johnny Hodges, Lee Konitz, Louis Armstrong, Marty Paich, Nancy Harrow, Sarah Vaughan, Thelonious Monk |
első megjelenés éve: 2008
65 perc |
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CD |
Kérjen
árajánlatot! |
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Jazz / Smooth Jazz
Another long lazy day in the sun. Put your feet up, settle down with your favourite cool drink and let our selection of elegantly crafted compositions from some of the world's most celebrated jazz musicians and vocal stylists wash over you. What more do you need?
It was a typical, lazy day in the sun; some food, some wine, sitting chatting to friends round the pool, soaking up the summer. But it was better than that. On my friend's lawn sat two huge speakers from which oozed the sensual tones of Johnny Hodges spreading such an atmosphere of languor into the garden, we were virtually purring with well-being. 'The sun, the sounds,' said my friend, 'what more do you need?'
Indeed, nothing. Not if they're the right sounds. Here on this second CD of carefully chosen Smooth Jazz, we have compiled just such a selection of those right sounds: music that will enhance any unhurried outdoor gathering. As with our previous collection, this Smooth Jazz is not to be confused with the contemporary genre relying on bland, electric pop-fusion and funk-lite grooves; this Smooth Jazz is the tender acoustic stuff purveyed by instrumental jazz masters and sensitive vocal stylists interpreting elegantly crafted compositions.
So when the sun comes out, trail those speakers onto the lawn, settle down with a spritzer and soak up the summer, with the sounds of Smooth Jazz For Summer Days in the air. What more do you need?
TRACKS
1. Duke Ellington - The Feeling Of Jazz
What a marvellous two-beat lope from Duke and his men. A typically humorous, heavy-on-the-grace-notes piano theme gives way to the creamy glissandi of Johnny Hodges on alto saxophone and other characterful soloists, with the orchestra murmuring an accompanying commentary. It was the theme to Digby Fairweather's jazz radio show for years.
2. Charles Mingus - Wrap Your Troubles In Dreams
Though a master arranger and composer as well as a modern jazz bass pioneer, Mingus loved his old tunes too. Here's a sprightly bass-led reading of the 1931 song written for Bing Crosby, recorded with trumpet legend Roy Eldridge at the height of Mingus's early '60s creativity.
3. Bob Brookmeyer - In A Sentimental Mood
Valve trombonist Brookmeyer makes nimble work of Ellington's leisurely 1936 masterpiece, double timing with ease in the second bridge, though his deep and mellow tone ensures the essential dreaminess of the piece is hardly disturbed.
4. Irene Kral - If You Could See Me Now
Written for Sarah Vaughan by bop composer Tadd Dameron, the delightfully intimate vocalist Irene Kral sings through the swooping instrumental-like arpeggios of the melody with effortless, conversational grace. Pianist Alan Broadbent is a model of sensitivity and harmonic resourcefulness; listen to the chords of his outro.
5. Lee Konitz - A Handful Of Stars
Alto saxist Konitz is never is a hurry to unfold his seemingly unstoppable flow of melodies before us. This is a typical performance of wry elegance from the man who made his recording debut with Miles Davis in 1949 and whose powers of creative expression remain undiminished to this day.
6. Sarah Vaughan - I'll Be Seeing You
It was often said of Sassy that she could have made it as a 'legit' singer, if she'd wanted to. Here is some evidence for that view in a performance of a wartime classic characterised by its remarkable technical control and restraint.
7. Bud Shank - Lotus Bud
Another master alto saxophonist, it's interesting to compare Lee Konitz's dry-toned eloquence with Shank's impassioned, grainy attack, full of unexpected rushes of inspiration and top-to-bottom explorations. Like Konitz, Shank just keeps going, as good as ever.
8. Marty Paich - Walkin’ On Home
West Coast arranger par excellence, Paich made his name in the fifties with his cool school dektette charts for Mel Torme. Notable for its light textures, swinging tempi and hip, modern harmonies, 'Walkin' On Home' exemplifies what Paich excelled at.
9. Johnny Hodges - Passion Flower
Yet another alto player and the daddy (along with Benny Carter) of them all. Known mainly for his invaluable contributions to Duke Ellington's music - he was with Duke, on and off, for 40 years - this beautiful, dramatic reading of Billy Strayhorn's hazy tour de force (featuring some other valuable Ellingtonians) is from one of his occasional, high-quality solo dates.
10. Dizzy Gillespie - I Can't Get Started With You
Trumpet genius and one of the architects of modern jazz, this is one of Dizzy's classic ballads, harmonically customised by him (in bars 3 and 4) to provide more chords from which to sculpt his inimitable improvisations. Spot the 'Round Midnight' quotation in the coda.
11. Louis Armstrong - La Vie En Rose
From a ground-breaking giant of another era, a tune made famous (and lyricised) by French chanteuse Edith Piaf and delivered with a charmingly gentle and straightforward touch by Louis, especially in his vocal. Once more Armstrong's singing, for all its tonal gruffness, conveys great tenderness.
12. Nancy Harrow - I Don't Know What Kind Of Blues I've Got
Billie Holiday's old trumpet sparring partner Buck Clayton leads this delightfully arranged blues performance from sweet-voiced Harrow. Both composition and presentation bring to mind Holiday's quote about there being "happy blues and sad blues". This is both.
13. Thelonius Monk - Epistophy
An attractively cool version of pianist/composer Monk's angular theme soon makes way for some salty soloing from the tenorist and some vintage melodious thunks from the leader. On his debut, his record company rightly billed the singular Monk as 'Genius Of Modern Music' and waited for the world to catch up.
14. Chet Baker - I Waited For You
The unusual absence of a chord instrument gives the two horn players (including Baker on mellifluous trumpet), acres of empty space to play with. They respond with finely aerated melodic ideas, supporting each other with harmonies and discreet counterpoint.
---Chris Ingham
Dividing his time between playing music, writing about it and teaching it, Chris Ingham is pianist/vocalist with the Flanagan-Ingham Quartet and contributor to MOJO magazine. Often wishing when doing one thing to be doing the other, his family remain patient for now. |
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