World-renowned Vocalist Kenny Washington hasreleases a new CD, "What's The Hurry". It's hard to believe that this is Kenny Washington's first studio album, hence the title "What's The Hurry". This CD is a joy for anyone who loves vocalists who still sing standards out of the "Great American Songbook" with classic Jazz phrasing, sensitivity, warm tones and class. Here is what Wynton Marsalis has to say about Kenny Washington's singing " I love this man! He's a consummate professional, with impeccable intonation. He's a real improviser who brings depth to everything he does." I could not agree more. Kenny Washington is a gift to all lovers of classic standards. Kenny makes singing seem simple and easy but don't get fooled by his relaxed style. He makes lyrics that may have been asleep for a while come back to life with full emotional understanding. Once you listen to "What's The Hurry" I guarantee you can not just listen to it once...It will call you back again and again.
Kenny has gathered some of the best talented musicians in the country, led by the young genius Jazz pianist Josh Nelson. Josh in addition to providing perfect piano support for Washington and all the wonderful tunes on this CD, wrote all of the sparkling arrangements. Take a good look at the list of players attached below and I am sure you will agree that it contains the best of the best Jazz musicians playing today.
I honestly had a most difficult time selecting two tunes from this CD because every song was at the top of my list. I settled on these two but I would have attached the complete CD. My first pick is the Rodgers and Hart classic "Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered". My second pick is the Jobin/Moraes "Chega De Saudade" with Lyric by Jon Hendricks.
Do yourself a musical favor and buy this album, it will keep giving you joy for years! Better yet, buy a few to give as Christmas presents.
Take one part Billy Strayhorn, add one part DukeEllington, one part Stan Kenton, one part Maynard Ferguson, and one part ArturoSandoval and what do you get? "The Jazz atLincoln Center Orchestra", that's what! Friday night November 12, I had the listening pleasure of hearing and seeing WyntonMarsalis and the "Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra" at NJPAC. This group is comprised
of 15 of the best soloists I have ever heard in one place at any time in my musical life. With most jazz orchestras of this size, maybe you get to see four or five of the members playing a solo, but not in this orchestra. Every one of the 15 had their shot at a solo before the one hour and forty-five minute show was over. The orchestra consisted of five saxes, four trumpets, three Trombones, one bass, drummer and piano player. The highlight of the evening for me was when the orchestra played the Duke Ellington's arrangement of "The Peanut Vendor". This song brought me back to the late 50's, a time when I listened to this song over and over again played by the great Stan Kenton band with Maynard Ferguson on trumpet. Here it is 50 years later and the song, the arrangement and the orchestra never sounded better. WyntonMarsalis is clearly a musical genius by any measure and one of the good guys of jazz. His resume is just unbelievable. He began his classical training at the age of 12 and attended the Julliard School at age 17. He made his recording debut in 1982 and has since recorded more than 70 Jazz and Classical albums. He has won nine Grammy Awards and in 1983 became the first artist to win both a Classical and Jazz Grammy in the same year and he repeated this feat in 1984. It's clear he is a classic jazz gentleman. He still loves to play and play he did, preferring to sit with the trumpet section and be one with the band. All and all, a totally enjoyable evening!
