Search - Lisa Sokolov :: Presence

Edith Piaf meets Janis Joplin

Samuel Chell | Kenosha,, WI United States | 03/16/2005

(2 out of 5 stars)

"One of only several albums to receive 5 stars from Down Beat critics for the year 2004, "Presence" was a CD I felt I probably ought to own. I did. So much for capitalism.



The previous reviewer's balanced and discerning review is no doubt to be trusted more than this one. I simply had too much trouble getting past Ms. Sokolov's "sound" to be able to respond to the emotive qualities--at times, quasi-musical rants--of her interpretations. Take a Piaf "stomach" vibrato and magnify it, and the result can be quite punishing. Worse, the attempts to force passion upon the present moment strike me as sophomoric if not a disservice to the likes of Richard Rodgers and Cole Porter.



I understand Sokolov supporters compare her with John Coltrane. Coltrane used Rodgers' harmonies on the bridge of "Have You Met Miss Jones" to create something quite apart from the original tune ("Giant Steps"). And he borrowed Rodgers' major and minor scales on "My Favorite Things" to ascend to a place where he could explore his own modalities. And even before he took these major steps, he spent all but the last two years of his career proving how true he could be to a standard tune, whether it was "I Want to Talk About You," "My One and Only Love" or "Lush Life." Finally, if he drew inspiration from the melodic contours and harmonic progression of the tune, he knew enough not to mess with the lyric.



When Ms. Sokolov takes 3 breaths and several amplified Eartha-Kitt tigress purrs to deliver the line, "You do something to me, something that mystifies me," forgive me if I become defensive, contending it's the other way around. Isn't the pot calling the kettle black? (In fact, I hear far too little of the jazz "tradition" in this recording, a tradition steeped in African-American music-poetic forms rather than music reflecting the angst which the present moment alone is capable of affording).



At least the title piece is one that works for me. The combination of an Eastern scale with the vocalist's overdubbing of her own voice produces complex textures and a purely musical intensity that is quite compelling. Unfortunately, there are eleven more tracks on the album."

Honest powerful beauty

George | NY, NY | 10/09/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Sure this music freaks people out. It takes you deep into what it is to be human. It is not re-hashing of old easy comfy we have heard this before and before and before stuff. This is daring and raw and if you are open to sitting down and listening full out and open you will be taken on a real moving journey. Gives a new meaning to "soul' music. Take the chance, msuic like this doesn't come around too often. No wonder Downbeat compares her to Coltrane."

Listen before you buy

clauoliv | Sao Paulo, SP Brazil | 06/02/2004

(1 out of 5 stars)

"Self-indulgent, pseudo-hip, boring. Don't let the good reviews fool you (as they did to me). Make sure it's what you want. Listen before you buy!"