Jacob Collier with Metropole Orkest Djesse, Vol. 1
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
siasm and power during an uptempo version of “Exactly Like You.” Joined by organist Dan Chase, guitarist Kyle Asche and drummer Greg Artry, she’s very much in her element, featuring an impressive range while vocalizing in a con- versational style that’s sometimes way behind the beat. Allgood stretches her repertoire a bit here with the inclusion of two originals, a Michael Jackson hit (“Rock With You”) turned into soul jazz, and a tune by Stevie Wonder. But most rewarding are her renditions of jazz standards. Allgood sings her lyrics to Morgan’s “Hocus Pocus” (a song based on “Mean To Me”) that fnds her essaying the occasionally wide inter- vals efortlessly and scatting creatively for two Alyssa Allgood choruses. She interprets Telonious Monk’s “Ask Jacob Collier with Exactly Like You Me Now” with quiet emotion, sounds joyful on Metropole Orkest CELLAR MUSIC 050418 “Te More I See You,” interacts with drummer Artry on “Alone Together” and gives “Darn Tat Djesse, Vol. 1 HHH½ HAJANGA/DECCA/GEFFEN Dream” a medium-tempo treatment. An impressive bop-oriented singer based in While Allgood mostly sounds at her best on HHH½ Chicago, Alyssa Allgood won a 2014 Down Beat hotter material, her surprising version of Tough Jacob Collier describes Djesse—a mul- Student Music Award in the Undergraduate “Yardbird Suite,” here rendered as a medi- tidisc project—as a single album, but four indi- Vocal Jazz Soloist category. Two years later, she um-slow ballad, is convincing and ofers the vidual records, any sense of fragmentation at recorded her debut, Out Of Te Blue, which prospect of an interesting future. —Scott Yanow the end of Vol. 1 is washed away by the band- found her not only singing well, but introduc- leader’s festival-favored rendition of “All Night Exactly Like You: Exactly Like You; Hocus Pocus; Rock With You; ing her lyrics to songs by Hank Mobley, Joe Ask Me Now; By My Side; The More I See You; If It’s Magic; Alone Long,” less an album closer than a pause before Henderson, Wayne Shorter and Lee Morgan. Together; Waltzy; Darn That Dream; Yardbird Suite. (59:35) Personnel: Alyssa Allgood, vocals; Dan Chase, organ; Kyle Asche, a much longer, indepth conversation. Now 24, Allgood comes roaring out of the guitar; Greg Artry, drums. Metropole Orkest’s foundation signifcantly gate on her second album, singing with enthu- Ordering info: cellarlive.com directs Djesse’s expansive nature, the symphon- ic supplementation shining on “Overture,” its sweeping string parts and pentatonic melodic Leyla McCalla passages eliciting visions of a bustling Southeast Te Capitalist Blues Asian metropolis. Still, the album is a manifesta- JAZZ VILLAGE 570154 tion of Collier’s experiences, brought to life with HHH½ iconic collaborators like gnawa musician Hamid El Kasri, Take 6, and incognito vocal cameos Despite not being originally from the area, Leyla from Quincy Jones and Steve Vai. Te bandlead- McCalla’s stylistically diverse musical develop- er’s own versatility can’t be undersold even in that ment—spanning classical education to folk song- company, as Collier contributes everything from writing with the Carolina Chocolate Drops—has guitar to harmonium and beyond. His composi- helped her blend with New Orleans’ rich culture. tions display ostentatious character throughout, And Te Capitalist Blues is demonstrable proof. but with a shifing tone, each piece eventually A slow, swaying opener featuring McCalla’s tenor feels like an extravagant adventure. Just contrast- banjo, introduces the album’s overarching theme ing “Overture” with album opener “Home Is” of capitalism, while highlighting her ensemble’s illuminates Djesse’s fantastical breadth. However, personality through impassioned blues perfor- it’s that same severe variation—tempo, instru- mances. Tough Te Capitalist Blues works to mentation, fundamental compositional form — make socio-political statements, less activism-an- prior relationship with the bandleader’s work to that provides the album with a sense of cohe- chored tracks, like “Me And My Baby,” pro- glean timely lessons from. —Kira Grunenberg sion, potentially setting up listeners for the next vide lyrical and musical refuge between revela- The Capitalist Blues: The Capitalist Blues; Money Is King; Lavi installment of the journey. —Kira Grunenberg tions. Overlapping saxophones, trumpets, fddle, Vye Neg; Penha; Heavy As Lead; Me And My Baby; Aleppo; Mize Pa accordion and drums usher in the spontaneity for Dou; Oh My Love; Ain’t No Use; Settle Down. (44:47) Djesse, Vol. 1: Home Is; Overture; With The Love In My Heart; Personnel: Leyla McCalla, vocals, tenor banjo, electric guitar; Ocean Wide, Canyon Deep; Djesse; Everlasting Motion; Every Little which NOLA is so well known. Shannon Powell (1), Chris Davis (5, 6, 7), drums; Carl LeBlanc, tenor Thing She Does Is Magic; Once You; All Night Long. (53:16) banjo (1); Ben Polcer, piano, trumpet, glockenspiel; Will Smith, trum- Personnel: Jacob Collier, percussion, keyboards, organ, Yet, the album also is an exercise in McCalla’s pet (1); Bruce Brackman, clarinet (1); Paul Robertson, trombone (1); percussion, electric bass, guitar, nose flute, vocals; Hans Vroomans, Jon Gross, tuba (1); Free Feral, viola (2); Jimmy Horn, electric guitar, piano (2, 5); Robin Mullarkey, electric bass (4, 7); Metropole Orkest, own cultural research. Weighty territory like electric bass, whiskey bottle; Daniel Tremblay, guitar (2, 10); Richard orchestra; Suzie Collier, violin (8), vocals (3, 9); Hamid El Kasri, geum- Haitian Creole vernacular, political discord, clas- “Fan Fan” Louis, percussion, vocals; Logan Schutts, percussion; Joe bri, vocals (6); Troy Miller, drums (7, 9); Voces8, Take 6, Ella Collier, Ashlar, organ (5); Jason Mingledorff, tenor, baritone saxophone (6); Sophie Collier, Laura Mvula, The Aeolians of Oakwood University, sist disconnect and humanitarian crises are key- Andre Michot, lap steel guitar; Corey Ledet, accordion, drums (9); June Lee, Clark Beckham, Jeff Coffin, Adam Fell, Alfredo Pasquel, James Singleton, bass (10); Louis Michot, fiddle (9); Ashlee Michot, Ben Bloomberg, Ben Bram, Christian Euman, Daniel Rotem, stones. And while the album serves as a beau- ‘tit fer (9); Beniste Belony, Peterson “Ti Piti” Joseph, James Carrier, Emmy Ross, Erin Bentlage, Gustaf Downs, India Carney, Michael tiful milestone in McCalla’s musical life, its percussion, vocals, (11); Taxi Driver Man (3), Topsy Chapman (5, 6), Miller, Quincy Jones, Shanying Cui, Steve Vai, Abdelhak Bounhar, Jolynda Phillips (5, 6), Yolanda Windsay (5), Junior Lamarre (11), Abderrazak Moustaqim, Wahid Boudjeltia, Moulay Abdekrim advocacy-driven narratives also make it an astute- Steeve Valcourt (11), Luckson Colobry (11), Jonas Attis (11), vocals. Alaalaoui, vocals. ly self-contained recording, one that requires no Ordering info: pias.com Ordering info: jacobcollier.com 64 DOWNBEAT MARCH 2019.