A hundred years after her birth, the ever-eloquent Ella
Fitzgerald continues to teach us lessons. Regina Carter has chosen this moment
to celebrate the First Lady of Song's infectious and inclusive artistry with
unabashed joy. "Accentuate the Positive, I thought was the perfect title
considering the mood of the country and the world right now," Ms. Carter
says. "We need some positive vibes."
On Ella: Accentuate the Positive, out now from OKeh/Sony
Music Masterworks, the virtuoso violinist reveals the many faces of Fitzgerald
that have influenced Carter's own remarkable path in music. Apart from the
title track of Accentuate the Positive, Carter resists the allure of the
songstress' most recognizable hits. Carter has mined tunes from deep within
Ella's bountiful catalogue, and brought them to the surface with a distinct freshness.
The reward is rich for the listener.
"One of the many things that I adore about Ella is that
she just loved music and didn't box herself in," Carter explains.
"She recorded everything, not just the American Songbook -- doo-wop,
Stevie Wonder and Beatles songs, even some country western music. The fact that
she experimented with so many different styles made me feel that, with this
record, I would pay respect to her by taking the music and doing something else
with it. I feel that she would smile in agreement."
To realize her vision of the album, which transforms the
songs through a lens of classic 1950s-'60s soul and blues, Carter calls on an
impressive roster of musicians and arrangers. The violinist is accompanied by
her longtime rhythm section of bassist Chris Lightcap and drummer Alvester
Garnett, and is joined by pianist Xavier Davis and guitarist Marvin Sewell.
Both Lightcap and Sewell serve double-duty as arrangers.
This talented group is supplemented by in-demand bassist Ben
Williams, producer and hitmaker Ray Angry, renowned vocalist Charenee Wade and
pianist Mike Wofford, Fitzgerald's own former accompanist and musical director.
Two tracks feature vocals by Carter's fellow Detroiters, actress and singer
Miche Braden; and longtime friend and vocalist extraordinaire Carla Cook, who first
introduced Carter to jazz violin while the two were classmates at Cass
Technical School.
"When people arrange tunes, their voices become part of
the recording as well," Carter says. "I wanted to have many voices
and many stylistic approaches on this record."
Adoration of Ella Fitzgerald is a theme that is woven
throughout the violinist's career. Many songs previously have found their way
onto Carter's recordings. For instance, "Oh, Lady Be Good," shows up
on 1999's Rhythms of the Heart while "A-Tisket, A-Tasket" appears on
the 2006 release, I'll Be Seeing You: A Sentimental Journey, the moving tribute
to Carter's late mother. Central to Carter's choice of songs for the album was
the ability to spark a connection between the audience and the material,
similar to the connection she felt upon hearing Ella for the first time. On the
heels of Braden's spirited, gospel-tinged performance on the opening
"Ac-cen-tchu-ate the Positive" comes Williams airily funky arrangement
of "Crying in the Chapel." Best known as a hit for '50s R&B
group, The Orioles, and recorded by everyone from Elvis Presley to Bob Marley,
the song was the B-side to Ella's 1953 single "When the Hands of the Clock
Pray at Midnight." Lightcap's bluesy take on "I'll Never Be
Free" follows, while Davis' sultry Rhodes sets the tone for the slinky
groove of Sewell's arrangement of "All My Life."
Wofford's setting of the standard "Dedicated To
You" pares the band down to a violin/piano/bass trio, allowing Carter's
touching lyricism to shine. Angry gives "Reach for Tomorrow" a
shimmering ballad treatment, while Wade's gutsy R&B take on
"Undecided" shines the spotlight on Cook's powerhouse, no-nonsense
vocal. Carter pairs off with Sewell for an intimate duo rendition of
"Judy," the song that jump-started Fitzgerald's career on the stage
of the Apollo Theater. Finally, Sewell's gutbucket slide guitar fuels the
rootsy version of "I'll Chase the Blues Away" to bring the album to a
close.
A student of the violin from age four, Detroit native Carter
first focused on listening to classical music. But a vast wealth of influences
crept into her ears via her music-loving family. Her older brothers brought
home Motown and other soul records, an influence certainly felt on Accentuate
the Positive. From her parents' record collection she would pull titles at
random -- one day jazz albums, the next, movie soundtracks. It was through that
treasure trove that she first heard Ella and instantly was hooked.
"Something about her voice made me feel like I had a
personal connection," Carter recalls. "When she sang, I felt really
warm and safe, almost a maternal connection. It just felt like love." For
Carter, the enchantment continued into adulthood. She grew to realize how much
technique and virtuosity were involved in producing a sound so remarkably warm
and inviting. "As an adult, I realized what an instrument she (Ella)
had," Carter continues. "She had an incredible voice and I gained a
lot of respect for her along with the love I had always felt. For years, I
would get up and put on an Ella track first thing in the morning. That was the
way I needed to start off my day."
Accentuate the Positive is the end result of Carter's daily
communion with and lifelong devotion to the music of Ella Fitzgerald. In her
heartfelt and deeply personal interpretations of these songs we can hear the
same degree of warmth, feeling and elegance that imbued the legendary singer's
work as filtered through Carter's singular voice. And that's nothing but
positive.
Ella: Accentuate the Positive Tracklisting:
1. Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate the Positive
2. Crying in the Chapel
3. I'll Never be Free
4. All My Life
5. Dedicated to You
6. Reach for Tomorrow
7. Undecided
8. Judy
9. I'll Chase the Blues Away
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