Bassist extraordinaire Charlie Haden has always prized diversity in his music, whether reaching for the outer limits with Ornette Coleman a half-century ago, leading his own experimental Liberation Music Orchestra or, in 2008, celebrating his roots in what's now called Americana onRambling Boy, a Grammy-nominated album that featured contributions from Elvis Costello, Béla Fleck, and others. As they mark their 25th year together, Haden's Quartet West -- not so much a side trip at this point as a comfy base to occasionally return to -- offers up Sophisticated Ladies, a collection split between collaborations with superstar female vocalists and rich instrumentals, nearly all of it heavily orchestrated. The set expands upon the concept Haden first explored in 1999 on The Art of the Song, which utilized vocalists Shirley Horn and Bill Henderson on various film songs and standards. This time, with tenor saxophonist Ernie Watts, pianist/arranger Alan Broadbent (both mainstays of the quartet), and drummer Rodney Green, Haden goes for a lush, all-embracing sound that suggests a warm, cozy mood that reflects a time -- which may or may not ever have existed -- when life was much less hectic. The recording largely pays tribute to the romantic balladry of the mid-20th century, and Haden's choices of both material and guest artists allow him to bring that concept to fruition gloriously. Diana Krall, leading the back-to-back "Goodbye" and "Wahoo," closes out the album: the first is a whispery take on the Gordon Jenkins number that served as Benny Goodman's theme song, and the latter an uptempo swinger written by Benny Harris. Norah Jones was a natural pick for a set that values classiness and sensuality, and her "Ill Wind," penned by Harold Arlen and Ted Koehler and arranged by Haden, exudes a smoky nightclub ambience, Broadbent's piano lending a blues touch to Jones' soothing delivery. Cassandra Wilson is another inspired pick, and her interpretation of Johnny Mercer's "My Love and I," bathed in strings and elegance, is a highlight of the set. The album's other vocal performances -- by Melody Gardot, Renée Fleming, and Ruth Cameron -- are also memorable, but not to be overlooked are the non-vocal tracks. Hank Jones' bluesy "Angel Face" is simultaneously sweet and melancholy, while Steve Khun's fiery "Today I Am a Man" is the swingingest number here. And of course, Haden couldn't very well title his album Sophisticated Ladies without including Duke Ellington's "Sophisticated Lady," which matches Watts' bold saxophone licks to another luxuriant orchestration. Sophisticated Ladies does fall just short at times of mimicking a brand of saccharine faux-post-big-band jazz that flourished in the '50s and early '60s, but Haden and his team are too masterful to allow their tribute to lose its stylishness and, of course, its sophistication. Jeff Tamarkin
Tracklist :
1. If I'm Lucky - 5:40
Vocals [Vocal] – Melody Gardot
Written-By – Eddie De Lange, Josef Myrow
2. Sophisticated Lady - 4:29
Written-By – Duke Ellington, Irving Mills, Mitchell Parish
3. Ill Wind - 4:25
Arranged By – Charlie Haden
Vocals [Vocal] – Norah Jones
Written-By – Harold Arlen, Ted Koehler
4. Today I Am A Man - 5:23
Arranged By – Charlie Haden
Written-By – Steve Khun
5. My Love And I - 4:14
Vocals - Cassandra Wilson
Written-By – David Raksin, Johnny Mercer
6. Theme From 'Markham' - 4:40
Written-By – Stanley Wilson
7. Let's Call It A Day - 5:52
Vocals - Ruth Cameron
Written-By – Lew Brown, Ray Henderson
8. Angel Face - 4:09
Written-By – Hank Jones
9. A Love Like This - 5:13
Vocals - Renée Fleming
Written-By – Ned Washington, Victor Young
10. My Old Flame - 5:35
Arranged By – Charlie Haden
Written-By – Arthur Johnston, Sam Coslow
11. Goodbye - 5:49
Vocals - Diana Krall
Written-By – Gordon Jenkins
12. Wahoo - 4:53
Arranged By – Charlie Haden
Written-By – Bennie Harris
Credits
Arranged By [Quartet Arrangements By] – Charlie Haden
Arranged By [String Orchestra Arranged By], Conductor [String Orchestra Conducted By] – Alan Broadbent
Band – Charlie Haden Quartet West
Contractor [String Contractor: String Orchestra Los Angeles, May 20th and 21st, 2010, Capitol Studios] – Marcy Vaj
Contractor [String Contractor: String Orchestra New York, June 4th 2010, Avatar Studios] – Jill Dell'Abate
Double Bass – Charlie Haden
Drums – Rodney Green
Featuring – Cassandra Wilson, Diana Krall, Melody Gardot, Norah Jones, Renée Fleming, Ruth Cameron
Musician [String Orchestra Los Angeles], Cello – Elizabeth Wright, Jodi Burnett, Tim Loo
Musician [String Orchestra Los Angeles], Cello [Principal] – Steve Richards
Musician [String Orchestra Los Angeles], Viola – Margot Aldcroft, Robert Berg, Susanna Giordano
Musician [String Orchestra Los Angeles], Viola [Principal] – Karen Elaine
Musician [String Orchestra Los Angeles], Violin – Adriana Zoppo, Anatoly Fosinsky, Cameron Patrick, Eric Gorfain, Kevin Kumar, Kirsten Fife, Maria Newman, Marina Manukian, Michael Ferril, Pam Gates, Ruth Buegger Johnson*, Susan Chatman
Musician [String Orchestra Los Angeles], Violin [Principal] – Margaret Wooten
Musician [String Orchestra Los Angeles], Violin, Concertmaster – Marcy Vaj
Musician [String Orchestra New York], Cello – Diane Barere, Ellen Westerman, Jeanne Leblanc, Jerry Grossman
Musician [String Orchestra New York], Viola – Dov Scheindlin, Karen Dreyfus, Todd Low, Vincent Lionti
Musician [String Orchestra New York], Violin – Avril Brown, Cecelia Hobbs Gardner, Hae Young Ham, Jonathan Dinklage, Joyce Hammann, Karen Karlsrud, Katherine Fong, Katherine Livolsi*, Laura McGinniss, Narciso Figueroa, Una Tone, Yuilo Kamakari, Yuri Vodovoz
Musician [String Orchestra New York], Violin, Concertmaster – Elena Barere
Piano – Alan Broadbent
Tenor Saxophone – Ernie Watts
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