Sunday, June 1, 2014

Bring It Back

CD JV579001
Jazz Village Music
This entry is not meant to be a review of the latest, great CD by Catherine Russell, as you'll find many exhaustive descriptions and reviews of this album by notable jazzcritics in jazzmagazines and by following the links to reviews at Catherine Russell's official website, here 

This entry is meant to be a celebration of solid, well performed jazz reviving the true virtues of this musical artform when it is performed by a great artist and her confident playmates. Further, the blog is also meant to be a kind nod to the originator of the keep(it)swinging blogspot, my dear friend, the main editor and head of this indispensable resource for lovers of the real thing - Hans Koert, who introduced me to Catherine Russell a couple of years ago  - you can still read his enthusiastic articles following the  Catherine Russell links listed in the side panel on your right. Faithful readers of the keep(it)swining blog already know that Hans Koert is going through a very difficult period, as he is seriously ill from lung cancer, so I think it would be appropiate to enter a blog that celebrates his birthday on June 1st with some music featuring a magnificient artist he likes and is keen on following. If you like, place a comment to forward Hans a cheer-up and a Happy Birthday greeting too, thanks in advance. - Now, let the party begin here.

Catherine Russell's new CD Bring It Back was released earlier this year by Jazz Village Music and has thirteen tracks of delightful but not so often heard tunes from both the swing era and the late 1940s and 1950s rhythm blues repertoire. The title track - a hit for r&b singer Wynonie Harris in 1952 - opens the CD with a ten piece big band accompaniment and is of course also featured in the video teaser announcing the CD release inserted here with clips from a live performance



After the Light Go Down Low was a hit in 1956 for Al Hibbler and Catherine Russell's version at the CD accompanied by Hammond B-3 organ, guitar, bass, and drums is a slow and soulful blues showing off the singer's full control of vocal dynamics - here uploaded at YouTube as an audio-video only



Among the featured swing tunes on the CD is Harold Arlen’s Public Melody Number One inserted here from another audio-video uploaded at YouTube



Another great swing tune made famous by Fats Waller in 1937, You've Got Me Under Your Thumb, is also featured on the CD , here it is performed live in concert featuring Russell with Mark Shane (p), Matt Munister (g), Tal Ronen (b)



On the Bring It Back CD Catherine Russell is accompanied by the following musicians: Mark Shane, piano; Matt Munisteri, guitar; Jon-Erik Kellso, trumpet; John Allred, trombone; Andy Farber, Dan Block, Mark Lopeman, reeds; Lee Hudson, string bass; Mark McLean, drums; Brian Pareschi, trumpet; Nicki Parrott, string bass; Glenn Patscha, Hammond B-3 organ. Arangements are by Andy Farber and Matt Munisteri.

Tracklist featured: Bring it Back; I’m Shooting High; I Let A Song Go out of My Heart; You Got To Swing and Sway; Aged and Mellow; the Darktown Strutters’ Ball; Lucille; You’ve Got Me Under Your Thumb; After the Lights Go Down Low; I’m Sticking With You Baby; Strange As It Seems; Public Melody Number One; I Cover The Waterfront.
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To end this, here's a lengthy video recorded last year at a festival in France - enjoy this live performance featuring Catherine Russell and her trio


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Jo
keepswinging@live.nl

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