Mike Greenblatt
There’s jump blues, there’s rural blues, there’s urban blues and now, from guitarist Oz Noy and a very colorful set of friends, there’s Twisted Blues Volume #1 (Abstract Logix). Noy emigrated to New York City in 1996 from Israel. Recorded in Austin and New York City, the Texas sessions boast Stevie Ray Vaughan’s keyboardist (Reese Wynans) and drummer (Chris Layton) as well as second guitarist Eric Johnson and bassist Roscoe Beck. The New York sessions have drummers Vinnie Colaiuta/Anton Fig, bassist Will Lee, organists John Medeski/Jerry Z, pianist Allen Toussaint and percussionist Ralph McDonald. This outrageously all-star assemblage goes certifiably bonkers on two Thelonious Monk work-outs (“Trinkle Tinkle” and “Light Blue”), the New Orleans second-line joy of The Meters’ “Cissy Strut” and Noy’s Zappa-esque originals. Wow!
The Best Imitation Of Myself: A Retrospective (Legacy Recordings) by singer/songwriter/pianist Ben Folds is a three-CD box of alternative pop with oddball surprises, effective use of profanity and some masterful compositions sung in Ben’s plaintive whiteboy voice that dips into falsetto when the need arises. (There’s also a single disc version.) Featuring the first new recordings of his former group, The Ben Folds Five, in 11 years, collaborations with Regina Spector (“You Don’t Know me”), Rufus Wainwright (“Careless Whisper”) and two tracks with The West Australian Symphony Orchestra, it’s a mountain of material that ranges from the ridiculous (“Long Tall Texan”) to the sublime (the cover of Steely Dan’s “Barrytown”).
For tried-n-true, real-life, clear-as-a-bell, unvarnished, substantive singing, Detour Ahead by Alan Leatherman (self-released) is a case study in exactly how to put a song over. Neo-Soul singer Leatherman has taken the words and melodies of such icon tunesmiths as Oscar Levant (“Blame It On My Youth”), Cole Porter (“You’d Be So Nice To Come Home To” and “Just One Of Those Things”), Lerner & Lowe (“I’ve Grown Accustomed To Her Face”), Billy Strayhorn (“Lush Life”) and Duke Ellington (“I Ain’t Got Nothin’ But The Blues”) to explore the inner meanings of these lyrics in such a way that you hear them anew after all these years. No small feat! His vocal lines are forthright and sweet, comfortable and cozy, no flowery over-singing here. He’s a natural. And with the empathetic backing of world class musicians like Steve Williams (the late Shirley Horn’s longtime drummer) and Gerald Cannon (the legendary McCoy Tyner’s current bassist), the effect is heartwarming. And dig how he takes a Charlie Parker sax solo with words by King Pleasure and note-for-note sings the solo! It’s called “vocalese” and it has to be heard to be believed. (www.alanleatherman.com)
There’s a reason why Terri Lyne Carrington’s The Mosaic Project (Concord) is up for a Grammy. This drummer extraordinaire has gathered together some of the greatest female instrumentalists and vocalists in the world—including Cassandra Wilson, Esperanza Spalding (who surprisingly beat out Justin Bieber last year for “Best New Artist”), Patrice Rushen, Dianne Reeves, Nona Hendryx, Shiela E., Anat Cohen, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Geri Allen and others—in a 14-song feminine manifesto of historical proportions. It not only swings, but sooths and improvises with tasty and soulful meditations on a variety of topics. From Paul McCartney’s “Michelle” to Al Green’s “Simply Beautiful,” the horns, the strings, the vocals, the production, the over-all ambiance, make this one of the best albums of the year.
The highlight of A Holiday Carole by Carole King (Hear Music/Concord Music Group) is her version of the classic soul song by Booker T. Jones, “Everyday Will Be Like A Holiday (When My Baby Comes Home).” Sure, there’s “Sleigh Ride,” “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas” and “Do You Hear What I Hear,” but there’s also “Chanukah Prayer” and a delightful reading of Irving Berlin’s 1937 “I’ve Got My Love To Keep Me Warm.” Opening with “My Favorite Things” from Rodgers and Hammerstein’s 1959 “The Sound Of Music” and appropriately closing with the profoundly heartfelt “New Year’s Day,” a song she co-wrote with daughter/producer Louise Goffin, Carole King’s first-ever holiday record is a winner.
“Kill A Clown” by Mike Daly & The Planets is a delicious slice of power pop out of New Jersey with chunky guitars and perfecto vocals. Daly sneers it good like the clown killer he is. Complete with kazoo break and gunshot, it’s a visceral blast of goodtimey violence. Please note that no clowns were harmed during the recording. Daly’s a cross vocally between Graham Parker, Elvis Costello and/or Joe Jackson.
The single is available now in Amazon MP3, iTunes and CDBaby .
Details at www.mikedaly.com.
