jazz

Sure Fire Soul Ensemble | El Niño

“The nine players strong big band with the name that couldn’t possibly be more programmatic,” (Delrohsen) … “Even though their music has never been stuck in 60s/70s nostalgia and incorporates younger ideas like Hip Hop grooves or modern styles of guitar shredding, the overall vibe – no matter if the tune is smooth and soulful or a little more dirty and edgy – is one that makes you expect to see the ghosts of Charles Bradley and James Brown come down to join into the jam while Freddie Hubbard blows his horn at any given moment … ”

The band “continues the journey of broadening (its) sound with new influences and ideas, while maintaining their addictive easy accessibility. This is music for the soul, for good times – and to turn bad times around.”

Starting in D minor, “El Niño” (2019) at times covers its metric tracks a bit when it comes to “finding one,” including the moment the horn section makes its first entrance. But other sections have a groove that’s completely straightforward. At 1:52, an unprepared key change lifts us up to Eb minor in time for a tenor sax feature. After a percussion break clears the air, we return to D minor to close out the tune.

Milton Nascimento | Don Quixote

“Nascimento is one of a handful of Brazilian artists — think Carmen Miranda, Caetano Veloso, João Gilberto — to break through the Portuguese language barrier to gain some renown in the English-speaking world. Jazzers (Wayne Shorter, Herbie Hancock) and pop musicians (Paul Simon, Sting, David Byrne) sing his praises,” (Brazil Blog). “American record companies distribute his albums. Anglophone critics put his stuff on best-of lists.

Although born in Rio de Janeiro, Nascimento moved to Três Pontas as a child after his mother died and the couple who adopted him relocated to the Minas Gerais city. They were involved in the music world there, and Nascimento was set on his path. He recorded his first song in 1962, worked with people in the Belo Horizonte scene and then debuted his first album in 1967 just as bossa nova was transmutating into MBP (musica popular brasileira) and tropicália was being born.” Nascimento’s emergence on the music scene during this post-bossa musical transition gives his music its utterly distinctive sound.

Released on Nascimento’s 1988 album Miltons, “Don Quixote” is built primarily in a slightly up-tuned E minor. At the 3:40 mark, a shift to F minor (as well as a change from Nascimento’s solo vocals to a small vocal ensemble sound) bring a welcome renewed energy, fueling a track with a run time of over six minutes.

Joni Mitchell | Down to You

“Joni Mitchell’s sixth album was a change of gear, coming deep from within the ME decade, its romantic entanglements dissolving to reveal a deeper search within, but far from being solipsistic Mitchell’s rumination strikes a universal chord … Post-Woodstock, the hippy dream was in crisis,” (The Quietus). “Progressive political hopes were dashed with 1972’s George McGovern electoral loss to incumbent Nixon. Mitchell (said) that this was ‘an especially lonely time’ with nothing feeling likely to last … New songs explored the struggle between love and freedom, set against a decadent backdrop, another illusion for her sharp-eyed and warm-hearted compositions to see through.

They required more expansive musical settings. Tom Scott, who would also play on Carole King’s wonderful single ‘Jazzman’, told Mojo that the self-taught Mitchell was ‘intuitively sophisticated.’ Since childhood, she’d favoured unorthodoxy, singing descant in the choir, playing her hurdy-gurdy backwards. Favouring open tunings, she produced what David Crosby called ‘weird chords’ or as she says ‘chords of inquiry’ ripped from her inner core. Rock players couldn’t follow them.

‘Down To You’ is Court and Spark’s cornerstone and one of the great songs of the 1970s. There’s a Buddhist view of transience comparing new lovers with new fashions, both being an ever-changing succession of veils that cover a core of loneliness … There’s no judgement here and life lessons come in a state of grace, from its easeful rhymes to its dazzling orchestral interlude with Mitchell’s headstrong piano working through Scott’s panorama of woodwind, horns and strings … Scott and Mitchell scooped a Grammy for this eye-watering showstopper … Court and Spark received rave reviews in both Rolling Stone and NYT, who hailed Mitchell as the ‘premier explorer’ of ‘not love songs but songs about love.’ By March it was at #2 in the US, going double platinum. November’s Miles Of Aisles live album hit the same peak and a Time cover that month sealed her cultural impact … The NYT review noted how Mitchell ‘can turn her experiences into truths that touch everyone.'”

After an unsettled intro, the verse enters at 0:33 in D major with a definitive statement about constant change. At 1:19, a rubato section in D minor delves into lightweight moonlit romance. A short interlude, built around Mitchell’s “chords of inquiry,” leads to the dawn of the next verse, which returns to a relatively uncomplicated D major. More shifts in tonality follow, second only in prominence to the shifting textural wonders of Scott’s arrangement for piano and small chamber orchestra.

Snarky Puppy + Metropole Orkest | The Curtain

“Jazz has developed virtually since its inception through a close but often uneasy relationship between recorded media and live performance,” (UCLA Ethnomusicology Review). “Think of the ‘classic’ recordings that are celebrated as paragons of jazz artistry, but also of the common admonishment that any true experience of jazz is a live one, in which musicians and audience members commune with one another in a unique, never-to-be-repeated musical and social event. If recent trends are any indication, however, many jazz musicians do not view these modes of performance as irreconcilable … Snarky Puppy, led by bassist and composer Michael League … tour(s) the world extensively, introducing audiences to their exciting genre-b(l)ending style … They also invite an audience into the recording session, which sits among the musicians and listens through headphones. In this way, Snarky Puppy cultivates the intimacy and energy of live performance, but also retains the advantages of an outfitted recording studio.

Sylva … finds the band in the Netherlands to work with the Metropole Orkest, conducted by Jules Buckley … The theme of Sylva (2015) is the forest. … The album’s high point is ‘The Curtain.’ … this tune was the most challenging for the band, with sections featuring odd meters, multiple key changes, and forms with an odd number of bars … Jay Jennings’ flugelhorn solo is outstanding, his lyrical playing bolstered by the tasteful interactivity of the rhythm section and some beautifully building orchestral background figures. A new groove introduces League’s similarly impressive bass solo (well-deserved accolades for his roles as leader and composer mean he is sometimes overlooked as a stellar bassist) and a funky, virtuosic organ solo by Cory Henry. The musicians look on wistfully during Bill Laurance’s lovely, Chopin-esque piano cadenza, before joining him for a closing waltz.”

The piece begins with a strings feature in G minor, joined by building percussion at 0:51 and then going on to persist through various moods and meters. At 3:22, we hit uneven harmonic ground as the flugelhorn solo builds. The full instrumentation of the Metropole is then put through its paces until the 7:54 mark, where a calmer feeling prevails, along with a shift to F minor. By the ending, the piece has shifted back to a softer-spoken feel in G (major, minor, etc.).

New York Vocal Collective | Weak

“The three members of SWV all came from New York. Like so many of their peers, those three singers came up singing gospel,” (Stereogum). “SWV never had a gimmick. Their name stood for ‘Sisters With Voices,’ and that was also their sales pitch. They were all ferociously gifted singers, but they were also approachable young around-the-way everywomen, known primarily by their nicknames. When SWV were at their best, you could tell that they were all real-life friends, though their friendships eventually frayed in the old, expected show-business ways. For a couple of weeks, those three young women had the most popular song in America (‘Weak’).”

“The New York Vocal Collective (brings) together a group of vocalists (balancing) tight ensemble work with individual artistry.” (Broadway World) … ” … (showcasing) what happens when strong singers are placed in a collaborative, high-level a cappella environment, with a focus on both musical precision and emotional connection. The New York Vocal Collective functions as an advanced training ensemble, pulling together singers to workshop, rehearse, and ultimately perform a set of fully arranged contemporary a cappella pieces. It’s not just about blending voices … arrangement, dynamics, and storytelling within a group setting … “

While SWV’s 1993 original version of “Weak” featured a single key change, NY Vocal Collective’s cover, arranged and directed by Ben Bram, features several upward steps. After beginning in F# major, the tune hits its first half-step key change at 2:13, followed by an upward cascade after the bridge (3:07 – 3:17), ending in C# major.

Laura Fygi | Let There Be Love

“Although Dutch singer Laura Fygi initially garnered notice as a member of the disco group Centerfold, after setting out in 1992 as a solo performer she pursued a more jazz-inspired path with her debut effort Introducing Laura Fygi,” (Qobuz). “On subsequent efforts including 1993’s Bewitched and the following year’s The Lady Wants to Know, she collaborated with figures including Johnny Griffin, Toots Thielemans, and Clark Terry; in 1997, Fygi worked with one of her idols, the great composer Michel Legrand, on Watch What Happens.

Bewitched (1993) is a straight-ahead jazz date in which the singer is joined by a rhythm section, a string section, and some guests. She performs fresh and warm versions of a dozen songs, the majority of which are ballads. The performances are concise (only one tune exceeds four and a half minutes) and lightly swinging … Throughout, Fygi holds her own and sounds quite relaxed and musical, making these standards her own.”

“Let There Be Love” sets up housekeeping comfortably in E major, but shifts surprisingly to G major as the vocal makes its first entrance at 0:34; at 1:52, the tonality rises to Ab major partway through a relaxed piano feature. A huge list of artists have covered this 1940 standard (written by Lionel Rand with lyrics by Ian Grant), but here’s a sampling of the best known: Chris Botti, Jimmy Dorsey, Julie London, Nat King Cole, Oscar Peterson, Rosemary Clooney, Sammy Davis Jr., and Tony Bennett.

Spyro Gyra | Morning Dance

“Morning Dance was the breakout recording for Spyro Gyra; (the band) and co-founder/composer Jay Beckenstein will forever be associated with the title track from this album,” (Audioholics). “This wildly successful follow-up to their debut album (simply titled Spyro Gyra) was eventually certified RIAA Platinum.

… The 1970s were a vibrant time for instrumental jazz, with artists like Chuck Mangione, Maynard Ferguson, and Herb Alpert (in addition to Spyro Gyra) all charting Top 40 singles. Beckenstein has candidly admitted in interviews that he never expected anything beyond Spyro Gyra’s self-titled debut album, which was recorded and distributed ‘on their own nickel.’ The unexpected success of that album resulted in a major label record contract complete with ‘more money than they could imagine’ to produce and release Morning Dance — and the rest is jazz history. While Spyro Gyra debuted in the shadow of super-groups like Weather Report and Return To Forever, they were just as successful commercially, ultimately outlasting them all!”

The Caribbean feel of “Morning Dance” is established immediately, with steel drums leading the intro and multiple layers of percussion throughout. Alto sax and vibes alternate on lead after that point. 3:13 brings a half-step shift up into a new key for an alto sax solo on the gradually fading outro.

for Andy

Vox One | Whisper When I Speak

“Vox One’s evolution from talented Berklee College of Music students to one of the best vocal jazz a cappella groups in the world (and now Berklee professors, all) is one of rock solid jazz chops, experimentation, and a commitment to the music, the listener, and to each other,” (group website). “Founded in 1988, members Jodi Jenkins-Ainsworth (soprano), Yumiko Matsuoka (alto), Paul Stiller (tenor/vocal drums), Paul Pampinella (baritone) and Tom Baskett (bass) have clearly honed their sound and their stage presence through the years, only improving with time. At times, one member or another has gone off to pursue their individual passions, but they’ve come back together with the same lineup, and the listener is luckier for it.

Vox One has toured the US and internationally, opening along the way for Ray Charles, Chicago, the Persuasions, The Bobs, The Woody Herman Orchestra, and The Count Basie Orchestra. Jazz is in the DNA of all they do, but you’ll also hear elements of blues, funk, gospel, and folk. Beloved classics and sparkling originals are all done a la Vox One. While lush voicings and complex reharmonizations are stock in trade for the group, improv is also a staple of the Vox One show, where the group deftly creates full songs on the fly. Each improv is a one-time performance, something shared in the moment between audience and performers.”

Vox One’s 1999 release Say You Love Me included “Whisper When I Speak” runs in D major for two verses and choruses, harmonically sidesteps quickly during a short bridge (1:54 – 2:03), then returns to D major for another chorus. At 2:27, the track shifts up a half step for another chorus, growing from a whisper indeed to the quintet’s full sound.

Ella Fitzgerald | Tea for Two

“’Tea for Two’ was introduced … in the Broadway musical, No, No, Nanette, which opened on September 16, 1925 … ” (JazzStandards.com). “The song was known to the public well before its official introduction, as the pre-Broadway run of No, No, Nanette was so successful in Chicago that its producer, Harry Frazee, let it play there for over a year. Although sentimental, operetta-like lyrics were fading in popularity in the early 1900s, they had not completely fallen from favor by 1924, especially in Broadway musicals. But by the middle 1900s, songs like ‘Tea for Two,’ thought to be corny and dated, were relegated to novelty tune status. A case in point: ‘Tea for Two’ was the number Doc Severinsen’s Band would play while Johnny Carson broke into a soft-shoe dance when a joke or skit failed.

Saving the song from extinction, and responsible for its popularity as a jazz standard, is the repetitive and energetic nature of Vincent Youmans’ composition. Its refrain is almost entirely dotted quarter and eighth notes; its narrow range is just over one octave; and the bridge is almost not a bridge, repeating the main theme in a different key.”

Ella Fitzgerald’s version with Count Basie’s band (1963) starts in F major; the AAAB tune travels up to A major for its second A section (heard for the first time between 0:27 – 0:41) before reverting to the original key.

George Benson | Lady Love Me

“Simply one of the greatest guitarists in jazz history, George Benson is an amazingly versatile musician whose adept skills find him crossing easily between straight-ahead jazz, smooth jazz, and contemporary R&B. Blessed with supreme taste, a beautiful, rounded guitar tone, terrific speed, a marvelous sense of logic in building solos, and, as always, an unquenchable urge to swing, Benson’s inspirations may have been Charlie Christian and Wes Montgomery, but his style is completely his own.

Not only can he play lead brilliantly, he is also one of the best rhythm guitarists around; and works often as a sideman. He’s a dangerous swinger, particularly in a soul-jazz format; skills he first got attention for as a member of Brother Jack McDuff’s band in the early ’60s. Benson can also sing in a lush, soulful tenor with mannerisms similar to those of Stevie Wonder and Donny Hathaway. In a sense, he is the guitar-playing equivalent of Nat King Cole, a fantastic instrumentalist whose smooth way with a pop vocal helped solidify his prowess in the marketplace.” It’s not surprising to read that Benson started his career in his native Pittsburgh not as a guitarist, but as a vocalist!

Benson’s funk-infused up-tempo 1983 single “Lady Love Me” starts in F# minor, lifts to A minor at 2:36, and finally ascends just before the fadeout to F minor at 3:31.