Astonishing.
Tom Brody | Berkeley, CA | 08/17/2005
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I was looking for some vocal versions of be-bop standards, such as Ornithology, Joy Spring, Confirmation, and Groovin' High. I already knew of Eddie Jefferson's work, and wanted more. The relatively small amount of be-bop vocal that is commercially available includes this fine album by Sarah Pillow. First of all, it must be said that the album contains actual jazz (not EZ listening music or disco). The instruments include voice, vibraphone, guitar, electric bass, and percussion. The vibraphone is somewhat shrill, like a gamelan. The electric guitar has the muffled sound that is traditionally used on most jazz guitar recordings. The vocal work is astonishing, for example, in the velocity and apparent precision of the "scatted" arpeggios. Ms.Pillow's rendition of Confirmation is everything that I was looking for. (The acrobatics taken by the voice, in this album, might strike children as unnatural. And so, if you want to introduce kids to vocal be-bop, then you might first expose your kid to Eddie Jefferson instead.) A perfect version of Confirmation also occurs on the album "Stitt Plays Bird," by Sonny Stitt, on Atlantic Jazz. Majestic renditions of Confirmation, as well as Groovin' High, and other be-bop standards, can be found on "The Bop Session," featuring Dizzy Gillespie, Sonny Stitt, John Lewis, and Max Roach, on Sonet Records. In noting that Sarah Pillow's album includes Joy Spring, one might point out that a fine instrumental rendition of Joy Spring can be found on Anthony Braxton's "Seven Standards 1985" on Windham Hill."
Track Listings (12) - Disc #1