November 2006 List

“What Does It Take (to Win Your Love)”: Don Byron
(Do the Boomerang: The Music of Junior Walker, 2006)
I had the opportunity to witness the first set of Don Byron’s tribute to Junior Walker at the Jazz Standard earlier last month. While I’ve enjoyed moments on Do the Boomerang, especially when Byron trades his tenor saxophone for bass clarinet on an exquisite rendition of Junior Walker’s “What Does I Take (to Win Your Love)”, the music truly came alive in concert, like the kaleidoscope of colors on the album’s cover!

“Funkier Than a Mosquito’s Tweeter”: Nina Simone
(Remixed and Reimagined, 2006)
I’m more familiar with Ike and Tina’s version of “Funkier Than a Mosquito’s Tweeter” but I find the remix of Nina Simone’s rendition much more compelling. DJ Jazzeem isolates moments of Simone’s version from 1974 to stirring effect then adds doses of trip-hop, tribal drumming, and looped syllables of Simone’s voice…intoxicating!

“Happy Time”: Tim Buckley
(Blue Afternoon, 1969)
The first time I saw Tim Buckley’s name was in a Top 100 Albums book I received at 8 years old, which included his Starsailor album, but the first time I heard Tim Buckley’s music was last month. For me, Buckley is an acquired taste but lyrics like “It's a happy time inside my mind/When a melody does find a rhyme” resonate.

“En Estos Dias”: Daphne Rubin-Vega
(Redemption Songs, 2006)
In preparing to interview Daphne Rubin-Vega, I've carefully read the lyrics of each song on her new album, Redemption Songs. The one song I love most is sung in Spanish but it’s almost immaterial since her vocal performance transcends my bi-lingual illiteracy.

“Let It Rain”: Patti Austin with Al Jarreau and George Benson
(Givin’ It Up, 2006)
The union of Patti Austin, Al Jarreau, and George Benson is a “smooth jazz” dream but, thankfully, “Let It Rain” doesn’t fall into smooth jazz mannerisms. The songwriting is superb on this track and each participant avoids histrionics in favor of nuance.