Not Just Another Pretty Bass
ASIN: B00000J8B0
Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
Bassist and singer Jim Ferguson is undoubtedly a minority: people who sing and play an instrument in the jazz world are very few and far between. They might sell a whole lot of CDs (think Diana Krall and Harry Connick Jr., if not 1998's surprise breakthrough Patricia Barber), but there aren't a lot of instrument-handling crooners about. Ferguson is even odder, playing acoustic bass while singing. But he's a wonder. He holds a great Southern-tinged voice, something that alternately echoes Lyle Lovett in its inflections, Mose Allison in its phrase shapes, and a mix of Mel Tormé and Chet Baker in its moods. The tunes Ferguson calls denote the chain of influence (note Allison's "Swingin' Machine" and the "The Real Thing," coauthored by Tormé and accorded Baker collaborator Gerry Mulligan), with swing pervading the CD as a shade rather than a full color, a vibe rather than a frank rhythm. Tenor saxophonist Chris Potter is in great form, caressing his phrases rather than bolting them to the floor. If it's a fine croon set into a slender jazz quartet context that you're after, check this out. --Andrew Bartlett
Terry Teachout, New York Times, August 8, 1999
New jazz singers are as thick on the ground these days as blockbuster movies, and just about as interchangeable. Not so Jim Ferguson, whose first album, "Not Just Another Pretty Bass," is the most distinctive recording debut since Diana Krall came along four years ago with "Only Trust Your Heart." ... though he can swing hard, he prefers to amble lazily through such wistful songs as "I Get Along Without You Very Well" and "Early Autumn," which he sings in the pensive manner of a man who has spent his share of sleepless nights wondering what might have been....The vocals are warm and irresistibly tender, and the band plays with the telepathic confidence of a longtime working group; the feel is that of a relaxed, intimate late-night set by a jazz singer of the first rank, backed up by a formidable quartet of instrumentalists who are at the top of their game...
Not Just Another Pretty Bass,Jim Ferguson,Challenge,Jazz,Jazz Music,Pop
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Not Just Another Pretty Bass
Jim Ferguson Manufacturer: Challenge ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD  General
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ASIN: B00000J8B0 Release Date: 1999-06-01 |
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Amazon.com
Bassist and singer Jim Ferguson is undoubtedly a minority: people who sing and play an instrument in the jazz world are very few and far between. They might sell a whole lot of CDs (think Diana Krall and Harry Connick Jr., if not 1998's surprise breakthrough Patricia Barber), but there aren't a lot of instrument-handling crooners about. Ferguson is even odder, playing acoustic bass while singing. But he's a wonder. He holds a great Southern-tinged voice, something that alternately echoes Lyle Lovett in its inflections, Mose Allison in its phrase shapes, and a mix of Mel Tormé and Chet Baker in its moods. The tunes Ferguson calls denote the chain of influence (note Allison's "Swingin' Machine" and the "The Real Thing," coauthored by Tormé and accorded Baker collaborator Gerry Mulligan), with swing pervading the CD as a shade rather than a full color, a vibe rather than a frank rhythm. Tenor saxophonist Chris Potter is in great form, caressing his phrases rather than bolting them to the floor. If it's a fine croon set into a slender jazz quartet context that you're after, check this out. --Andrew BartlettCustomer Reviews:
top notch singer.......2006-01-17
Smooth & cool.......2000-03-26
A Great Album.......2000-01-19
Not Just Another Pretty Jazz Album.......2000-01-19
A breath of musical fresh air.......1999-12-29
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