ALBUM REVIEW: Swing Out Sister "Private View" Special Deluxe US CD & DVD (2013)


Swing Out Sister fans, rejoice! The US version of Private View released today - Tuesday, January 29, 2013 - on Shanachie Entertainment. Before Private View, Swing Out Sister had already enjoyed worldwide success from the debut of It's Better To Travel (1987) all the way to its long anticipated US Jazz Chart #1, Beautiful Mess (2008). And beginning today, US fans can enjoy their own official copy of Private View.
Although the band only sporadically releases new material, the group continues to meet the demands of its eager fan base, while attracting new listeners with fresh material. Fronted by the lovely chanteuse Corinne Drewery and the musical wiz Andy Connell, Swing Out Sister have taken another sturdy step along its historic musical pathway with their latest offering.

Private View is a studio album which was carefully crafted to maintain a live concert sound. Swing Out Sister has managed to re-imagine its sound with jazz imbued versions of some previous recordings, which allows the listener to reconsider familiar SOS favorites with a rejuvenated perspective. For example, a standout is the intricate reworking of their smash hit, "Breakout." Gone are the big horns and sequencers of the original. However, this new take on a classic record has surprisingly managed to retain the inspiring tone. In fact, it's a downright dreamy listening experience.

"Incomplete Without You" soars with its stripped-down treatment and acoustic sound. Close your eyes while listening, and you'll experience the nearest thing to hearing Swing Out Sister perform live. (Corinne and Andy, please consider doing some US shows!) "You On My Mind" retains the groovy retro feel, while shedding the slick production of the original which appeared on 1989's Kaleidoscope World. Included are new takes of Swing Out Sister favorites "Am I The Same Girl," "Now You're Not Here," and "La La Means I Love You," among others. The interlude tracks offer a tip of the hat to some of the more progressive Swing Out Sister releases and make for interesting transitions within the album

An added bonus to this version of Private View is the inclusion of Swing Out Sister's first full length concert DVD, which was recorded at Billboard Live in Tokyo, Japan. In addition, they've assembled exclusive backstage scenes and included a clever montage of Tokyo sightseeing footage. Private View is a recommended Jazz Music Chart top pick. R. Todd Jones for JazzMusicChart.com

ALBUM REVIEW: Joe Lovano & Us Five "Cross Culture"

Cleveland, Ohio born Joe Lovano received early inspiration and instruction from his father. Indeed, the elder Lovano nurtured his son and gave the boy sturdy roots from which his talent grew. Not limiting himself to just one instrument, the grown-up Joe Lovano has mastered multiple types of saxophones, flute, alto clarinet and drums, which propelled him to fame and international recognition. Now, the legendary Blue Note Records has released the highly anticipated 2013 album titled "Cross Culture" from Joe Lovano and Us Five which features 11 juicy tracks - ten of which are signature Lovano compositions. 
"Blessings In May" opens the disc with a polyrhythmic profusion of aural pleasure. Frontman Lovano pulls dual duty on both the G-Mezzo and tenor saxophones, which culminates in a seemingly effortless transition between the two very different horns. Complementing the tune are James Weidman on keys, bassist Peter Slavov and original Us Five bassist Esperanza Spalding. The Grammy award winning Spalding graces this disc on three additional tracks. Interestingly, Lovano pairs drummers Francisco Mela on the left channel and Otis Brown III on the right, mixing the two together with true aplomb. This rhythmic duet maintains a consistent symbiotic percussive relationship throughout the entire bouncy track.

Lovano's arrangement of the Billy Strayhorn classic, "Star Crossed Lovers," begins with subtle piano and then digs right in with excellent sax work on the melody. The tune builds by weaving the other fine players of Us Five into the mix and aurally nudges the listener to share in the (often) ill-fated plight of the "Star Crossed Lovers." As the sounds of the instrumentalists fade, the listener is left with an emotional sense of longing. The music takes the listener on the lovers' journey without having to endure the actual drama that a star-crossed pairing entails. Conjuring images of Marc Antony and Cleopatra, Anakin Skywalker and Padmé Amidala from the Star Wars saga, or perhaps even Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai of Chinese legend, this tune is a trip you'll want to take again and again.

On the final cut, Lovano shines. The progressively traditional "Royal Roost" offers cascading sax runs, catchy bass and delicious drums. It is a perfect tune for any occasion: cocktail party, automobile driving or even a dedicated task. Listeners will be tempted to hit the 'repeat' button, because it seems a bit of a shame that the song has to end. "Royal Roost" could (and should) be an outstanding choice for a film soundtrack, due to its upbeat nature and sophisticated sound. Quite frankly, every single  track on "Cross Culture" has the potential to be utilized in a quality film. They are that good, well worth repeating and will be a useful addition to your collection. R. Todd Jones for JazzMusicChart.com

Dave Brubeck Quartet's "Time Out" - A Classic That Will Stand the Test of Time

When originally released, Time Out was a solidly recorded study of odd-meter jazz that was destined for greatness, only not everyone may have known it at the time. From Brubeck's contribution to the liner notes - he wrote: "Creating a 'hit' out of the odd-meter experiments of Time Out was the farthest from any of our minds in 1959 when Paul Desmond, Joe Morello, Eugene Wright and I went into the studio to record..." And hit, it did.
Time Out went on to peak at #2 on the Billboard Pop Albums chart and became the very first RIAA certified platinum jazz recording. These cuts will be recognizable to many, simply due to their frequent use in film and television over the years.

In a punchy 9/9 and swing 4/4 rhythm pattern, the first cut, "Blue Rondo A La Turk" slides effortlessly between the frantics of the 9/9 and smoothness of the 4/4 patterns. Brubeck is alleged to have heard this unusual rhythm when observing some Turkish musicians. When Brubeck inquired about the origin of the rhythm, one of the musicians reportedly replied, "This rhythm is to us, what the blues is to you."  Recorded on July 1, 1959, the track still maintains distinct modernistic appeal, although captured in the studio so very long ago.

Saxophonist Paul Desmond shines on the second track, "Strange Meadow Lark." The tune begins as a pleasant, easy-on-the-ears jazz cut. Then at 2:09, Desmond's sax kicks in and proceeds to begin its uplifting meadow lark style call. The saxophone turns the initially pleasant track - into a downright dreamy bird's song.

Which brings us to "Take Five," likely the most recognized of all the tracks. Utilizing the unusual quintuple 5/4 time, while featuring a captivating Joe Morello drum solo and enchanting saxophone melody. Together, the drums and sax perform a delightfully intricate aural dance. The song reached #25 on the Billboard pop chart and climbed to #5 on Billboard's Easy Listening Chart. Many films and television programs have included this cut in their projects including a long stint as the theme music for The Today Show on NBC in the early 1960's.

"Three To Get Ready" showcases a sing-song-slow-swing between Brubeck's Piano and Desmond's saxophone. One instrument goes solo, while the other takes the melody and vice-versa. Done in 2 meters of 3/4, 2 meters of 4/4 time, which was a bold metric pattern choice for the time.

An ideal background music piece is "Kathy's Waltz," with its catchy piano melody which weaves itself in and out of a saxophone counter-melody. Also of note is "Everybody's Jumpin," which features the quartet at their best: blending, while shining individually on the same track. 

We at Jazz Music Chart mourn the recent loss of Dave Brubeck, but we rejoice at the rich musical legacy he bequeathed to lovers of jazz music. In our humble opinion, Time Out will always be "in."  R.Todd Jones - JazzMusicChart.com.

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