Track Description: Shelly Berg has always been a musician’s musician, not to mention a superb jazz educator. Many of the practicing jazz musicians, particularly those in the Los Angeles area or those who join Berg on S.S. Norway jazz cruises, know about his superb technical facility on the piano, especially when he pays tribute during performance to one of his inspirations, Oscar Peterson. Indeed, one of Berg’s hard-to-obtain, but as always outstanding, albums that he recorded in the 1990’s was The Will: A Tribute to Oscar Peterson. Even though the general public may not be aware of Berg’s talents, he has a resume as long as his arm, including work for movies, television shows and commercial jingles for names like Kelloggs and Wendy’s. But his greatest source of pride is the boost he has provided for jazz education, both as the head of jazz studies at the Thornton School of Music at the University of Southern California and as the former president of the International Association of Jazz Educators.
Berg’s debut album for Concord Records, Blackbird, no doubt will provide a boost in his awareness among jazz listeners who previously hadn’t heard him. And even for jazz enthusiasts who had considered Berg to be a technically astounding and aggressive pianist with unstoppable energy, Blackbird reveals a more contemplative, but no less creative, side of his personality. Berg’s intention was to make a CD that purely flows and brings out elegance subtleties of some of the songs that Berg grew fond of as his life in music advanced.
After Berg recorded Blackbird with his trio consisting of equally top-notch, highly regarded musicians, Gregg Field and Chuck Berghofer, he considered shopping the recordings to several labels until Field, a Concord Records producer, brought it to the attention of Concord’s management. And the rest is history.
Now, Berg is being known as a sensitive interpreter of songs from jazz, pop, Latin and American songbook standards, mixing up the music with varying interpretations. Yet, Berg finds nuggets of beauty within each of the songs that previously may have been overlooked, or he finds a new way of presenting the songs. The overriding goal, though, is to have an effect on the audience, treating each song as a narrative, with introduction, thematic continuity, build-up of intensity and resolution. For instance, on “I Hear A Rhapsody,” typically upbeat with Berg’s characteristic joyousness, the first chorus and repeat involve an extension of the fourth measure’s rest for four more measure to allow for the interjection of an unexpected samba beat, before the song picks up the original beat again. Likewise, “Blackbird” elongates the melody as Berg twists and shapes it with reharmonization, unexpected accents and extended rests filled with sparkling decoration. Yet, after the signature interpretation, the tune evolves into a straight-four blues, allowing for lightly swinging improvisation. Rather than choosing one of Stevie Wonder’s universally known songs, Berg instead plays “Blame It On The Sun” as a sensitive ballad and exposing the harmonic values that attracted Berg to the song since he first heard it. “All My Tomorrows” begins with Berg’s and Berghofer’s characterizing bass lines before breaking into a swaying three-four version that’s notable not for its ease, but for the long crescendo within the performance that leads to an effective climax at the conclusion of the improvisation section.
These are musicians who make the difficult sound easy, so accomplished are they are investing any music they play with a coherent, meaningful sense of feeling. Berg wanted to choose two other musicians who were known for their other accomplishments, particularly in big bands and movie studios, and feature their ability to animate a piano trio at the same level as the better-known jazz bassists and drummer. And he succeeded.
Blackbird is an irresistibly appealing CD that has no pretensions of breaking ground for technique or musical form. Instead, as Berg says, “I just hope this music…makes people feel good. - Don Williamson
Track Description: A smooth funky feel with intricate guitar work and tasty keyboards, setting the scene for one of the purest vocal sounds in the business.
Track Description: 'The Very Best Of Prestige Records' available 3.24.09 is a 2-CD set of classic tracks from the legendary label’s catalog featuring the iconic Jazz artists of the ‘50s and ‘60s; John Coltrane, Miles Davis, Eric Dolphy, Thelonious Monk, Sonny Rollins, and more. The new 'must have' collection features 25 essential Prestige tracks, and is packed with classic photographs covering a 20-year span from 1949-1969, truly representing Prestige’s golden era.
Track Description: As a musician, it is very easy to listen to another artist's CD and pick apart certain aspects that you know could be better. I have now listened to "Sydney to L.A." by Silvana countless times in its entirety and have yet to find any areas needing improvement. What I do hear on this CD is a truly beautiful voice accompanied by equally impressive piano playing.
Once I was able to get past the obvious beauty of the music itself, I was aware of the intelligent, positive, upbeat lyrics, particularly with songs such as Things Happen (For You Not To You). And if the title track doesn't move you emotionally then you may very well not have a soul.
This CD offers something to every kind of music enthusiast. Whether your preference is great lyrics or beautiful melodies you will be sure to thoroughly enjoy this amazing CD.
Track Description: Chris Springer and Craig Ducommun began this instrumental based jazz group in 1999. The featured MP3 is from their most recent album and their style continues to be wholly instrumental.
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