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| 1. | The House That Jack Built
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| 2. | Love the One You're With
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| 3. | Don't Play That Song
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| 4. | Spirit in the Dark
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| 5. | It Ain't Fair
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| 6. | Maybe I'm a Fool
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| 7. | What a Friend We Have in Jesus
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| 8. | Rock Steady
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| 9. | Packing Up, Getting Ready to Go
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Jazz
Recorded: May 18-19, 2009, Avatar Studios, NYC
Joel Frahm: Tenor Saxophone
Bruce Katz: Piano, B3 Organ, Wurlitzer
Chris Vitarello: Guitar
Marty Ballou: Acoustic Bass (2,4,5,6,8,9)
Jerry Jemmott: Electric Bass (1,3,4,7,8)
Lorne Entress: Drums (1,3,4,5,7,8,9)
Ralph Rosen: Drums (2,4,6,7,8,9)
Jay Collins: Baritone Saxophone (5,7,9)
Kenny Rampton: Trumpet (5,7,9)
In the lexicon of soul - A is for Aretha. Bringing together Hammond B3 player and pianist Bruce Katz (Gregg Allman) and saxophonist Joel Frahm (Jane Monheit, Brad Mehldau), Project A gives the Queen of Soul's music the royal treatment. Backed by guitar, horns, 2 bassists and 2 drummers, Katz and Frahm lead this rare summit of Jazz, Soul and Blues. Legendary bassist Jerry Jemmott (Aretha Franklin, King Curtis) joins the session, propelling the music forward with his celebrated soulful playing. The music is sophisticated, soulful, moving and funky - a befitting tribute to its inspiration.
"The minute you hear its opener "The House That Jack Built," you'll know that these people are in it for the boogie-down, soul-climbing pleasure of it all —not to mention the passionate unswerving love of Aretha Franklin"
---Jeff Simon, The Buffalo News
Produced By Joel Frahm and Bruce Katz
Production Assistance By Lorne Entress
Recorded By James Farber, assisted by Rick Kwan
Mixed By James Farber at Avatar Studios, NYC, June 7-8, 2009 assissted by Rick Kwan
Mastered By Mark Wilder at Sony Music Studios, NYC, June 10, 2009
Design By Lisa St. Cyr
Executive Producers Anat Cohen and Oded Lev-Ari
Liner Notes
In the lexicon of soul… "A" is for "Aretha"
While the focus of the CD is on music associated with Aretha, "Project A" is a personal,collaborative and stylistically diverse CD. This is possible because Aretha Franklin is a singer of such emotional depth, commitment and all-encompassing American roots that to interpret her music is an invitation to inspire oneself on any number of musical paths. When the idea of "Project A" first came up, I immediately knew who I wanted on the CD. These were musicians I have toured and recorded with in various combinations for over 25 years. They are those rare musicians who actively play and write not only in the jazz idiom, but in the blues, rock and soul idioms and do it with the conviction that comes from vast experience. For me, recording this album was literally getting together with a lot of old friends, sharing ideas and experiences. I think the personal and musical connections are obvious in the music.
Both drummers, Lorne Entress and Ralph Rosen are longtime musical partners of mine and having them play separately and together on the album brings variety and vibrancy to the music. Marty Ballou and Jerry Jemmott play bass, again separately and together. Marty and I have recorded and toured countless times together. For the past two years, I've gotten to play with Jerry Jemmott in the Gregg Allman Band. Jerry Jemmott is, of course, the legendary bass player who played with Aretha and King Curtis (among many others) on Aretha's Live At The Fillmore West album. It is such a thrill to have Jerry, his unique history and amazing groove as part of this album. Chris Vitarello plays guitar in my own group, The Bruce Katz Band, and is a soulful and remarkable guitarist. Jay Collins and Kenny Rampton are horn players I've played with (again with Gregg Allman) and bring nuance and deep understanding of the R&B idiom with them.
We have all found a kindred spirit in Joel Frahm, who plays with such feeling, virtuosity and intuitive brilliance that it felt as if we had been playing with him for years as well. When we started planning the CD, the biggest challenge for Project A was how to play and arrange the music of someone as iconic as Aretha Franklin and find that balance between our individual styles, the essence of Aretha's music and our desire to create something new yet connected to the inspiration we all felt from her music. Because of the contributions of everyone involved in the project, I believe we have accomplished that and I am extremely proud to have been part of this recording.
Additional Liner Notes
Going into the recording session, there were various plans, arrangements and thoughts about how to approach the material, but there were huge questions and unknown answers as well. None of us had ever recorded an album before with two drummers and two bass players. So we prepared for anything and went into the studio ready to experiment. The general vibe, lack of egos and total musicality of everyone on this album created the environment in which we could produce the music you hear on this CD. The tunes on this album are all songs either made famous by Aretha or are tunes that she "covered" and are associated with her. Here are a few thoughts on some of the recording: Many of us thought that the spiritual "center" of the album was going to be "Spirit In The Dark", one of the few tunes that Aretha ever wrote herself and a deeply moving song. I think the version of it on Project A lives up to our hopes. The full band plays on it and musical "events" occurred that we didn't expect, but we happily went with the flow. When we got near the end of the recording, I looked up into the booth and literally saw people jumping up and down and waving their arms in excitement - a good sign!
"The House That Jack Built" leads off this CD for obvious reasons. They don't call Jerry Jemmott the "Groovemaster" for nothing. Everyone dug into this one - just try and sit down while you listen to it! "Love the One You're With" is not a tune normally associated with Aretha, but she sang that amazing version of it on her "Live At The Fillmore West" album and we decided to take it and mess with it. We conceived of it as a breathy, slow sax/organ combo tune. "It Ain't Fair" is an overlooked tune that featured Aretha with Jerry Jemmott, King Curtis and Duane Allman. It was not released until years later and we found it and knew it was perfect for this album. A slow blues with an unconventional form, it particularly features Chris Vitarello playing deep blues on the guitar. "Maybe I'm A Fool" is from Aretha's earliest period. Originally performed as a slow gospel sounding blues, we conceived of it as a "jazz waltz" with extra chord changes, a time change but still with that gospel feeling. "Rock Steady" is another tune that we played around with. Slower than the original, with two basses, two drummers and electric piano, it features an elastic groove and a "group" approach that creates a unique window into this tune. "What A Friend We Have In Jesus" and "Packing Up, Getting Ready To Go" are both from Aretha's gospel recordings. We took "What A Friend" down to New Orleans via the Mississippi Delta, while "Packing Up" is just a flat out gospel rave-up.
---Bruce Katz, 2009
When I was approached about doing this project, I was excited for a number of reasons. The prospect of recording some of Aretha Franklin's classic repertoire was attractive of course, but after a close friend played me a CD by the great organist and pianist Bruce Katz, who produced and co-led "Project A", I was sold on the idea. Bruce has the kind of blues and soul and grit in his playing that can only come from years of gigs and recordings with the very heaviest musicians in R&B and jazz. It was a pleasure to collaborate with him and the many musicians he called upon to bring these songs alive.
From the get go, this CD grooves. On "The House That Jack Built," the groove laid down by Lorne and the great Jerry Jemmott is palpable; it propels some burning solos into a shout chorus riff Jerry wrote in the studio that is the essence of blues and groove. This one‘s gonna make you shake your money maker!
"Love The One You're With" is the result of Bruce's great idea to set the arrangement in the realm of a Gene Ammons/Ben Webster type slow bluesy shuffle. I think it comes off great, and be sure to pay attention to Chris' slick George Benson-esque guitar coda on this track.
"Don't Play That Song" was a challenge because of the brevity of its form and simple changes; how does one sustain interest? Luckily, we have a crack squad of soul stirring soloists on hand. To me the highlight of this track is Bruce's Gospel-drenched solo cadenza in the body of the tune. Hints of Ray Charles mix and melt with a taste of McCoy Tyner to create a heady stew.
"Spirit In The Dark" was fun for me, because I got to get into my Coltrane bag for the rubato intro; sort of a "Crescent" vibe! Then, the serious groove begins. Ralph and Lorne double your pleasure, double your funk on double drum sets, lighting a fire under me and Bruce and further stoking it until it bursts into an incendiary saxophone inferno. A bluesy interlude by Chris leads into Jerry's funky bass line, which then sends us back to church for another round of testifying on the melody.
"It Ain't Fair" is one of those late-night, one more straight whiskey, down to your last cigarette kind of songs. This one is all Chris, and even though I've heard it several times now, his playing here still raises the hair on my neck. I find myself listening to his melody line at 1:05 into the track over and over. That is the soul of blues guitar right there, and might be my single favorite moment on the entire CD. Kenny Rampton, Jay Collins and I add a little horn section soul-sauce marinade to the track and let it simmer to the perfect ending.
I love Bruce's arrangement of "Maybe I'm A Fool." It gives me a chance to stretch out my Cannonball Adderley/Hank Crawford/Fathead Newman chops. Bruce really captures the essence of soul jazz, and channels the spirit of Bobby Timmons on this one. How does one update the old hymn "What A Friend We Have In Jesus?" Give Chris a slide guitar solo and let him take you to get baptized in the Delta Blues, that's how! The Cajun groove will have you getting up out of your pew and dancing in the aisles! "Rock Steady," baby, and the more the merrier! The band pulled out all the stops on this tune, from the incredible self-composed meshing bass parts of Marty and Jerry to the heavy backbeat groove laid down by Lorne and Frank. After a mind-bending Wurlitzer solo by Bruce, I take my turn on some changes I came up with for a quasi-"bridge" section. I'm proud of this solo; I hear traces of Wayne Shorter, Joe Henderson and Mike Brecker in there, hopefully as distilled by Joel Frahm, of course!
Finally, we come to our big finish: the foot-stomping revival meeting that is "Packing Up Getting Ready To Go." Kenny Jay and I once again put on our Sunday Best, and blow some "Amens!" to this hip-shaking, hand raising prayer meeting. Can I get a witness?!?
I sincerely hope you enjoy Project A as much as we did making it. I always wanted to make a down-home, bluesy, funk-filled spirit-raising recording. I think this is it. I'd like to think Aretha would be proud.
---Joel Frahm, 2009 |
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