  |
|
|
 |
| Calypso Blues - The Songs of Nat King Cole |
| Monty Alexander |
| első megjelenés éve: 2009 |
|
| (2009)
|
|
*Super Audio CD* |
| 5.961 Ft
|
|
| 1. | Calypso Blues, Pt. 1
|
| 2. | Ramblin' Rose
|
| 3. | To the Ends of the Earth
|
| 4. | Again
|
| 5. | Send for Me
|
| 6. | Almost Like Being in Love
|
| 7. | Hajji Baba
|
| 8. | Too Young/Faith Can Move Mountains
|
| 9. | Never Let Me Go
|
| 10. | Can't See for Looking
|
| 11. | Fascination
|
| 12. | Sweet Georgia Brown
|
| 13. | Calypso Blues, Pt. 2
|
Jazz
Monty Alexander - Piano, Melodica
Adam Minkoff Session Assistant
David Chesky Producer, Liner Notes
George Fludas Drums
Ira Gitler Liner Notes
Lisa Hershfield Production Assistant
Lorin Cohen Bass
Luigi Giugliano Session Assistant
Nicholas Prout Editing, Engineer, Mastering
Norman Chesky Executive Producer, Liner Notes
Rick Eckerle Session Coordinator, Engineer
Monty Alexander follows up his tribute to Tony Bennett with an homage to another classic jazz singer, Nat King Cole. Also recorded in New York City at St. Peter's Episcopal Church with the same trio of Chicagoans Lorin Cohen on bass and drummer George Fludas, the veteran pianist seems more in his element with this artist's repertoire that sharply defined his personal sound and thinking about populist jazz. Though all of the tunes selected are not so closely linked to Cole's hit parade songbook, the way Alexander plays them with subtlety and depth certainly reflects what made Cole the king in the late '50s and early '60s. Though a competent singer, Alexander does not attempt vocalizing them, and that's all right. What he does is lovingly construct these melodies and extrapolate on them later -- the best way of honoring these great American popular songs. Though "Straighten Up and Fly Right" is not credited as it is in Ira Gitler's liner notes, it's a distinct part of and extant in the theme of the bluesy, two-fisted, and breezy "Can't See for Looking." "Ramblin' Rose" is not at all typical in a bouncy, cowpoke swing, and "Send for Me" has Alexander staggering the chord phrases as if he's juggling them, with double stops and bouncy stride or boogie-woogie inferences. Most typically Nat is the straight-ahead take of "Almost Like Being in Love," the short and sweet "Fascination," and the steamrolling "Sweet Georgia Brown," a tune Cole loved to tear it up on, showcasing Alexander at his best. The most unusual selections go into ethnic overtones, as "Hajji Baba" is Arabic in nature with its mystical exoticism and the storybook, childlike version of "Never Let Me Go" refers to Alexander's Caribbean roots, mixing a bossa nova and reggae feel into a light, cool whip. The CD is bookended with versions of the title track, where Alexander wields the melodica playfully, again in spicier Latin frames. With the immaculate sound and performance by this fine trio -- not to mention that they didn't exactly play Cole's songbook rote or by the numbers -- it's hard to fault the effort, heart, and soul behind this concept album that should delight many jazz listeners. ~ Michael G. Nastos, All Music Guide
Monty Alexander
Active Decades: '60s, '70s, '80s, '90s and '00s
Born: Jun 06, 1944 in Kingston, Jamaica
Genre: Jazz
Styles: Bop, Calypso, Hard Bop, Post-Bop, Standards
Monty Alexander long ago combined together the influence of Oscar Peterson with the soul of Gene Harris and Nat "King" Cole to form his own appealing and personable style. Long a bit underrated (due to the shadow of Peterson), Alexander has recorded more than a score of excellent albums. Monty Alexander began piano lessons when he was six and he played professionally in Jamaican clubs while still a teenager; his band, Monty and the Cyclones, was quite popular locally during 1958-1960. He first played in the U.S. when he appeared in Las Vegas with Art Mooney's Orchestra. Soon he was accompanying a variety of top singers, formed a friendship with vibraphonist Milt Jackson, and began gigging with bassist Ray Brown. With the recording of a pair of Pacific Jazz albums in 1965, an RCA date in 1967, and a Verve session in 1969, Alexander began to gain a strong reputation. His series of exciting albums for MPS during 1971-1977 found him in prime form, and his recordings in the '80s, '90s, and 2000s found him building on his original style. Alexander, who often pays tribute to his Jamaican heritage, performs regularly with his own trio and swings hard in his own voice.
---Scott Yanow, All Music Guide |
|
CD bolt, zenei DVD, SACD, BLU-RAY lemez vásárlás és rendelés - Klasszikus zenei CD-k és DVD-különlegességek |  | | Webdesign - Forfour Design |
|
|
