The sultriness inherent in Brazilian jazz rhythms enhances
the fresh and vibrant pop melodies on soprano song siren Anne Walsh’s “Brand
New,” which bodes to cast a bewitching spell of beauty and romance this spring
upon its March 18 release from A To Z Music. The timing is serendipitous for
the twelve-tracker - thoughtfully produced and arranged by Walsh and
GRAMMY®-nominated arranger-pianist Tom Zink - that has lyrical themes about
rebirth, restoration and rejuvenation as well as juxtaposing the splendor of
nature and romantic love. The set list is a mix of new songs and standards that
offer hope and continues Walsh’s tradition of writing lyrics for a pair of
classic instrumentals.
Sharing a
mutual passion for the elegance and sensuality of Brazilian jazz, Walsh and
Zink - married both creatively and in real life – showcase their affinity for
recordings bolstered by the spontaneity and improvisational spark between
first-call musicians. The duo also put considerable care into their meticulous
arrangements.
“There was a
time when thoughtful writers dominated the pop world. We’re nostalgic for the
days when albums were defined by imagination and a musicality that involved the
interplay between scores of musicians and complex arrangements. These songs
rely heavily on the interaction between first-class jazz and studio players
like Brian Bromberg, Chris Wabich, Gary Meek, Gannin Arnold, Tiki Pasillas and
Ebinho Cardoso, highly-accomplished musicians who bring their own special
personalities to the arrangements,” said Zink, who received a GRAMMY®
nomination for his clever arrangements on Walsh’s “Pretty World” (2009).
Many of the
tracks on “Brand New” are enriched by elaborately-orchestrated string, horn and
woodwind sections while a few cuts stir a poignant swoon as sparsely-rendered
piano and voice sketches. Whether her accompaniment is grandiose or spare,
Walsh’s balletic voice is constant throughout, leaping with poise and grace
across a lush backdrop of enchanting harmonies.
“Renewal and
redemption are the key themes of this project and the common link for all of
the music. Even within the structures and orchestration of the songs
themselves, the layering and complexity of the arrangements are meant to
provide a treasure trove of melodies to discover and re-discover. The draw to
classic songs by our favorite composers is an act of renewal for us - taking
what is already beautiful and showing a new way of experiencing the familiar,”
said Walsh, who will celebrate the album release with a performance at Spaghettini’s
in Seal Beach, Calif. on March 20.
On “Brand
New,” Zink and Walsh’s unique approach to recording covers by songwriting
giants such as John Lennon & Paul McCartney (“Here, There and Everywhere”),
Burt Bacharach & Hal David (“I Say A Little Prayer”), Alan & Marilyn
Bergman and Michel Legrand (“Windmills Of Your Mind”) and Sergio Mendes &
Lani Hall (“Salt Sea”) means completely dismantling the composition and
reimagining its time, arrangement and harmonies while frequently keeping only
the melody intact. The lyrics Walsh poetically penned for Dori Caymmi’s “Amazon
River” equate nature and amorous beauty while she adopts a storyteller mindset
on “The Writings On The Wall” to chronicle the career accomplishments and
challenges faced by Astrud Gilberto. She duets with bassist Cardoso in
Portuguese on “Coisas Do Amor,” an original number by the proficient bassist
who is equally blessed with a satiny voice. Other standouts include a dramatic
reading of “Nature Boy,” the starry-eyed “To Sir With Love,” an ethereal
treatment of “My Prayer,” and a couple of new Walsh-Zink compositions – the
breezy and quixotic title track and a throwback energizer, “Batuque (The
Beat).”
A Worcester,
Mass. native who has long resided in Long Beach, Calif., Walsh is a
classically-trained vocalist possessing operatic and theatrical qualities
although the style she favors on her recordings organically straddles the jazz
and pop worlds. “Brand New” is her first release since her 2011’s outing, “Go.”
She has cultivated a fan base domestically and abroad through radio play and
repeated tour stops in Southern California, Boston, New York City and Brazil,
and at the venerable Newport Music Festival in Rhode Island. For more
information, please visit www.AnneWalsh.com.
The songs
contained on Walsh’s “Brand New” album are:
“Amazon
River”
“Brand New”
“Here, There
and Everywhere”
“Batuque
(The Beat)”
“I Say A
Little Prayer”
“Coisas Do
Amor”
“My Prayer”
“The
Writings On The Wall”
“Windmills
Of Your Mind”
“To Sir With
Love”
“Salt Sea”
“Nature Boy”
No comments:
Post a Comment