Eubanks, Jordan display special chemistry on new CD
Kevin Eubanks has gotten his jazz groove back since stepping down as “Tonight Show” band leader in 2010. On “Duets,” he teams with fellow guitar virtuoso Stanley Jordan for an intimate, relaxed session that’s more spontaneous than over-produced, mixing jazz standards, contemporary pop tunes and original compositions.
There’s a much richer palette of instrumental colors than one might expect. On Thad Jones’ ballad, “A Child Is Born,” Eubanks’ gospel-flavored piano playing blends well with Jordan’s trademark “touch technique” on electric guitar in which he taps the strings with both hands. On Miles Davis’ “Blue In Green,” Jordan turns to the piano while Eubank plays electric guitar. George Gershwin’s “Summertime” is a solo spotlight for Eubanks who overdubs acoustic guitar and bass lines to engage in contrapuntal playing with himself.
Their electric guitars take on almost voice-like qualities in a moving interpretation of Adele’s hit “Someone Like You.” On Ellie Gouldings’ electronic dance pop hit, “Lights,” the guitarists bring out the nuances of the hauntingly beautiful melody as they delicately intertwine their guitar lines.
Opening and closing the CD are two original tunes – “Morning Sun” and “Goin’ On Home” – that are pure guitar duets full of spontaneous interaction. Though this is the first recording together for these two musicians who’ve been friends since the early 1980s, Eubanks and Jordan display a special chemistry, complementing rather than competing against each other.
Eliane Elias displays her full range of talents as a pianist, singer, composer, arranger and producer on her first recording in her native Brazil since moving to the U.S. to play jazz in 1981. She celebrates several generations of Brazilian composers, respecting the tradition while remaining thoroughly modern.
The album opens and closes with songs by Ary Barroso, the first samba composer to gain international acclaim. “Brasil (Aquarela do Brasil),” with its infectious samba beat, combines Elias’ sensual vocals and electric piano with Marcus Teixeira’s delicate guitar and a silky string orchestral arrangement. The upbeat “No Tabuleiro da Baiana” blends percussive jazz piano with the hot rhythms of Brazil’s Bahia state.
Bossa nova pioneer Roberto Menescal joins her to perform his compositions “Rio” and “Voce.” The latter features a charmingly romantic vocal duet, with Elias stretching out on an improvised piano solo.
Bossa master Antonio Carlos Jobim is represented on two tracks, including “Aguas de Marco (Waters of March),” which Elias makes over by infusing some funky elements and singing with the gospel-jazz vocal group Take 6.
Half of the 12 tracks showcase Elias’ considerable skills as a songwriter. These include smoothly blended vocal duets with daughter Amanda Brecker on “Some Enchanted Place,” Mark Kibble of Take 6 on “Incendiando” and Brazilian R&B singer Ed Motta on “Vida (If Not You).”
Seamlessly switching from Portuguese to English, and blending American jazz with her Brazilian musical roots, Elias proves she’s right at home in both her native and adopted countries.
- Charles J. Gans
Associated Press
“We were sleeping on the floor, eating bread and jam,” Ringo Starr sings, retelling the story of the early days of his band.
Right. The band. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Then comes the chorus: “We were Rory and the Hurricanes.”
Wait. You were who now?
The mystery is solved toward the end of “Rory and the Hurricanes” when he sings that by the next tour, “I was with you-know-who – I play the drums like I always do.” Indeed, the Fab order of the universe is restored. As if to add a percussive punctuation mark, a basic yet swinging drum solo follows in that inimitable Ringo style.
Forty-five years after the Beatles officially called it quits (and about decade more since he left Rory Storm and the Hurricanes to make history), Starr’s “Postcards from Paradise” comes with plenty of lyrical and musical blasts from the past to remind listeners of his role in music history. Fitting timing, as the world’s most famous musical time-keeper becomes the last of the solo Beatles to be inducted into Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in two weeks.
Some nods are obvious, like the Beatlesque mid-tempo shuffle of the title track, in which dozens of Beatles (and solo) tunes get name-checked. To wit: “I ain’t goin’ nowhere man, because I want to hold your hand.” Others are subtle, like the guitar-drum interplay on “Bridges” that calls to mind the bond between Starr and his fallen mate, George Harrison.
Overall, “Postcards” entertains as it reminisces but doesn’t break musical ground. Still, it’s a mostly fun ride that’s musically strengthened by the All-Starr Band, a top-notch group of rock journeymen. The collection is tailor-made for touring, tucked among the classics he played with, um, “you-know-who.”
- Jeff Karoub
Associated Press