When we published that post, in late January, it came with an exclusive premiere of Tight one. Perhaps you saw our album announcement for Betty Carter’s The Music Never Stops, a dazzling live album that will be released this Friday on Blue Engine Records. As Horn makes clear, harmony can only come through outreach: “Maybe we’ll get back together/ Starting with this incidental, elemental/ Simple social call. Betty Carter, Social Call Finally, a second helping of some good stuff. The lyrics describe the hopeful reunion of two lovers, but a metaphor can easily be extended to the factions of our divided country. That’s nowhere more evident than on “Social Call,” the Gigi Gryce tune that is the title track. Do you recall the old days, We used to have a ball Not that I’m lonesome without you I just thought I’d pay a social call. The other session, which was only released for the first time in 1980, has five songs on which Carter is joined by a 14-piece band arranged by Gigi Gryce this version of 'Social Call' is a classic. Happened to pass your doorway Gave you a buzz, that’s all Lately I thought lots about you, So I thought I’d pay a social call. On one date she is heard performing six standards with a quartet also featuring pianist Ray Bryant ('I Could Write a Book' and 'The Way You Look Tonight' are highpoints). Rather, an undeniable sense of optimism pervades, conveying the feeling that, through music, all divisions can be healed. This LP contains singer Betty Carter's earliest recordings. The spoken-word intro to “People Make The World Go Round” is a direct reproach against systems of oppression, but one of the most pointed social insights comes from the juxtaposition of two songs-the spiritual “Lift Every Voice And Sing” and the Bobby Timmons tune “Moanin’”- in which the overtones of freedom fade into the minor-keyed thrum of struggle. But whatever the genre, Horn’s voice remains consistently fresh and engaging-scatting horn-like on Betty Carter’s gem “Tight” and whispering fragile refrains on Jimmy Rowles’ lovely “The Peacocks.” Thematically, the album’s 10 tracks point toward matters of social awakening, recalling, in outlook and approach, the politically conscious albums of Nina Simone and Gil Scott-Heron. Using those styles as reference points, Horn draws from sources that range from the Great American Songbook (“I Remember You,” “East Of The Sun”) to the spiritual canon (“Wade In The Water”) to modern r&b (a swinging take on Mary J. Horn has a thrilling presence, with a musical sensibility that strikes a deft balance between mid-century jazz and contemporary neo-soul. With her stunning debut album, A Social Call, it’s easy to see why the esteemed panel of Monk Competition judges-which that year included Patti Austin, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Freddy Cole, Al Jarreau and Luciana Souza-were so impressed by this Texas native. Jazzmeia Horn, 26, harbors both astounding technique and an acute artistic vision, traits that helped propel her to victory in the 2015 Thelonious Monk International Jazz Vocals Competition.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |