The Window Up Above: American Songs
The Window Up Above: American Songs
ASIN: B00000AGK7
Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
French hornist Tom Varner has elevated his instrument's presence in jazz almost single-handedly. He first splashed with an alto sax, bass, drums, and horn quartet over a decade ago, and comparisons to the Ornette Coleman quartets were immediate. Varner's a sly player, smearing his notes and invoking his horn's darkest tones to emphasize the slips and slides he sees throughout the jazz idiom. And here Varner presents a window (no pun intended) on the songbook that makes up the U.S. musical consciousness. He takes on some mournful traditional music, such as "Stone Grinds All," and then moves on to cover George Jones and Hank Williams ("Ramblin' Man") with Thirsty Dave Hansen taking on the vocals. In between there are Eubie Blake-associated tunes, Gershwin numbers, and even a raggedy take on "When the Saints Go Marching In." The band is lean, with Mark Feldman's violin and Dave Ballou's cornet popping up hither and yon. And the playing ranges from homey to intricately thorny. As a reading on U.S. musical history, this is both inspiring and impressive. Varner's done something great here. --Andrew Bartlett
From Jazziz
American Songs 1770-1998 The Window Above continues a thread from composer/French hornist Varner's superb 1997 release, Martian Heartache. At the end of that disc, vocalist Dominique Eade sang "Lady Gay," a country tune first recorded in 1928. On his new release, Varner goes all-out with a vivid spectrum of americana that includes Civil War tunes, spirituals, and contemporary standards. "Stone Grinds All" is a rousing tune from the Revolutionary War, grounded in Steve Alcott's bowed bass, with Varner and violinist Mark Feldman elucidating its stirring melody. Dave Hansen contributes commanding vocals to the George Jones-penned title track and to Hank Williams' haunting "Ramblin' Man," while "When the Saints Go Marching In" becomes a spirited funk shuffle. "I Got It Bad," "The Man I Love," and "Memories of You," cosmopolitan songs all, are given delicate, respectful readings that evoke the hush of snow-covered Manhattan streets. By careful sequencing and juxtaposition, Varner reveals one more thread in the rich fabric that is American music. And while he's willing to playfully deconstruct his material in places, he often lets the simple elegance of these American tunes speak for themselves.
--- JAZZIZ Magazine Copyright © 2000, Milor Entertainment, Inc.
The Window Up Above: American Songs,Tom Varner,New World Records,Classical Music,Jazz,Pop,Post-Bop
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The Window Up Above: American Songs
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ASIN: B00000AGK7 Release Date: 1998-09-29 |
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Amazon.com
French hornist Tom Varner has elevated his instrument's presence in jazz almost single-handedly. He first splashed with an alto sax, bass, drums, and horn quartet over a decade ago, and comparisons to the Ornette Coleman quartets were immediate. Varner's a sly player, smearing his notes and invoking his horn's darkest tones to emphasize the slips and slides he sees throughout the jazz idiom. And here Varner presents a window (no pun intended) on the songbook that makes up the U.S. musical consciousness. He takes on some mournful traditional music, such as "Stone Grinds All," and then moves on to cover George Jones and Hank Williams ("Ramblin' Man") with Thirsty Dave Hansen taking on the vocals. In between there are Eubie Blake-associated tunes, Gershwin numbers, and even a raggedy take on "When the Saints Go Marching In." The band is lean, with Mark Feldman's violin and Dave Ballou's cornet popping up hither and yon. And the playing ranges from homey to intricately thorny. As a reading on U.S. musical history, this is both inspiring and impressive. Varner's done something great here. --Andrew BartlettCustomer Reviews:
VARNER DOES IT AGAIN!.......2000-04-15
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