Many believe
the gospel has always been played in jazz notes, whether in the agonizing
lament of a Psalm, the improvisational expression of shape-note singing, the
haunting strains of a Negro spiritual or the joyous celebration of a Dixieland
band. Kirk Whalum and his company of translators is here to make sure that the
intrinsic creativity, inspiration and skilled presentation that is part of both
the gospel and the language of jazz is sounded clearly in the culture at large
and the church in seasons of both triumph and tragedy. The award-winning series
that launched with the initial The Gospel According to Jazz, Chapter I in 1998
has transformed the concept of sharing the “gospel truth” through instrumental
music. Each of the subsequent releases has garnered critical acclaim and award
nominations, with “It’s What I Do” from GATJ III taking home the Grammy for
Best Gospel Song in 2011.
NOW
After a
six-year wait, the much anticipated The Gospel According to Jazz, Chapter IV is
here with a two-disc, 19-song CD (and a feature-length DVD) that sets a
benchmark for live recording, nuanced performance and deep improvisation at the
most profoundly felt, thoughtfully conceived and personal level. Kirk Whalum’s
insightful and revelational narrative both in concert and post-production in
the DVD version enriches the whole experience, with an up-close and personal
look at the heart of the artist and his art. Once again, Whalum, shares the
stage with members of his exceptionally gifted family, including brother Kevin
(vocals) and nephews Kenneth III (saxophones) and Kortland (vocals). His
cohorts in jazz super group BWB (both solo artists in their own right), Rick
Braun (trumpet, flugelhorn, valve trombone) and Norman Brown (guitars, vocals)
join an eminent ensemble comprised of legendary percussionist “Doc” Gibbs,
renowned bassist Gerald Veasley, rising vocal star (and Stevie Wonder protégé)
Sheléa, as well as returning co-producer John Stoddart who lends his eloquent
and soulful keys and vocals to the mix.
VISION
GATJ IV is
an invitation to pause, hear, and “see” in a fresh, prescient way; it is also a
tribute album that is uniquely gospel-centric. Honored are heads of state
(Mandela and Obama), departed and greatly respected and loved artists (George
Duke, Wayman Tisdale, and John Coltrane), alongside mothers (Kirk’s… and yours
if you like) and a homeless woman Whalum came to call friend (“Nannette”). In
myriad ways, the gospel’s welcome is declared and displayed with eloquence and
power.
GATJ always
spotlights the God-given gifts of leading artists outside the “church” world.
Says, Kirk, “We always try to reach out to the cadre beyond gospel artists, to
a Norman Brown, a Rick Braun, or Doc Gibbs; that is a very crucial part of our
approach. By their willingness to be part of it and by honoring them and their
spiritual quest, what we are able to do is create a safe space, a sort of
spiritual and musical “Switzerland.”
Additionally,
Whalum wanted to amplify the direction taken on GATJ III: “One of the things on
my mind was carving a deeper niche in the improvisation, longer, more in-depth
solos, a little bit more avant garde.” This is front and center on songs like
“Madiba,” Kirk’s elegant, polyrhythmic South African seasoned tribute to Nelson
Mandela and “Triage,” an instrumental editorial-on-and-embodiment-of the
mash-up of life and death in the world—dissonant, chaotic and composed, it’s an
improvisational tour de force. His signature melodic and soulful fusion drawing
from jazz idiom across generations and genres—contemporary jazz to Dixieland,
Bebop, Big Band and beyond—as well as a strong identification with R&B,
blues, world music, rock, Latin and pop hasn’t changed, but the balance has
indisputably shifted.
MUSIC
Kirk’s
intent on this record was to deliver for the listener a more pensive,
meditative, contemplative, take your time with what you’re really feeling
exploration. Along with the previously mentioned “Madiba” and “Triage,” Kirk’s
tribute to Coltrane, “Un Amor Supremo” an original with a Cubano/Santana/Afro-Caribbean
vibe and Doc Gibbs strongly featured—reflects that trend. Trane’s artistry is
alluded to not only in the title but the extended solos and Whalum’s abandoned
yet precision performance—Transcendent. Street. Smart. “Cain’t Stay Blue” is an
infectious mood elevator, with a vocal and musical hook that won’t let go. The
persistent hope, patience and resolve not to give up that captured the essence
of the Civil Rights Movement and a nation in 1964 on Curtis Mayfield’s “Keep On
Pushing” is a GATJIV highlight.
On the
downside, it is the first GATJ without the inimitable keys of jazz giant George
Duke. Kirk Whalum composed and takes the vocal lead on an evocative tribute and
heartfelt requiem to his dear friend and fellow artist titled “There,” derived
from Duke’s favorite saying “We were there!” Abounding with hopeful
transparency and contemporary jazz opulence, underscored by Stoddart’s keys,
it’s a fitting tribute to the Duke who is now “there” with his King. The late
Wayman Tisdale’s song “Sunday’s Best” is both a tribute and a contemporary jazz
triumph showcasing the prodigious talents of BWB and bassist Gerald Veasley.
And on the vocal side of things, Kirk’s brother Kevin’s understated cool
retools Paul and Linda McCartney’s “Let ’Em In’” (complete with an intricate
scat). While Sheléa brings warmth, subtlety and soul to the Foo Fighters
mega-hit “My Hero”; the Negro spiritual, “Sometimes I Feel Like A Motherless
Child”; and “I See You.” The latter was written by Kirk in response to and
reflecting the customary greeting, “I see you” of the Na’vi tribe in the movie
Avatar—another unexpected context for and allusion to gospel truth, so a
perfect fit for a GATJ chapter.
CORE
The heart of
The Gospel According to Jazz, Chapter IV is an invitation to see…and to hear in
fresh and expansive ways. To see God and to see people, to experience the
Creator’s radical welcome, and then to throw the doors of your heart wide open
with welcome to those he loves and created. The message of the final track,
originally penned by Todd Rundgren and popularized by England Dan and John Ford
Coley not only completes the album, but sums it up and describes the raison
d’etre for The Gospel According to Jazz, Chapter IV (and all the previous and
subsequent chapters to come)—simply, and profoundly: “Love Is The Answer.”
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