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Five Artists: February 2020
Andrea Brachfeld Brazilian Whispers
Origin Records
2020
The flute as the lead instrument in any jazz combo relies on an empathic and sensitive rhythm section that will not overpower the wind instrument's delicate voice (Jethro Tull's Ian Anderson notwithstanding). Flautist Andrea Brachfeld happens upon a dandy rhythm section in pianist Bill O'Connell, bassist
Harvie S
bass, acousticb.1948
Brachfeld's "Girl from Ipanema" is performed at a brisk and precise pace, with velocity great enough to evaporate the humidity of the original Brachfeld's soloing is robust and forward-thinking. Guitarist
Roni Ben-Hur
guitar
Cecilia Bartoli, Il Giardino Armonico, Giovanni Antonini Farinelli
Decca
2020
There is an historic gravity to mezzo-soprano Cecilia Bartoli's Farinelli. The release gives opportunity to educate on several different topics: 17th Century opera, castrati, composers Nicola Propora, Johann Adolph Hasse, Riccardo Broschi, Geminiano Giacomielli, and Antonio Caldara. What? No Handel or Vivaldi? No. The repertoire chosen for this recording concentrates on those composers most closely associated with Carlo Maria Michelangelo Nicola Broschi (1705 -1782), AKA Farinelli. Yes, the Riccardo Broschi mentioned above is Farinelli's brother. These men, with whom the singer collaborated closely, composed music specifically for Farinelli, the more scintillating, the better. This was music to show off the exceptional voice of an adult male castrated pre-puberty, who could sing with greater control and more power than mere, intact mortals.
Enter the mezzo-soprano of my lifetime, Cecilia Bartoli. Mezzos and male countertenors are the closest modern equivalent to the castrati tonal pitch. In the movie Farinelli, Farinelli's singing voice was created by the Polish soprano Ewa Malas-Godlewska and countertenor Derek Lee Ragin, recording separately and then digitally merging their performances to recreate the sound of a castrato: an effective bit of trickery that provides an other-worldly vocal tone that piques the modern imagination. Bartoli throws herself head first into this repertoire, showing off her considerable breath control. At 53-years old, the singer is at the pinnacle of her vocal abilities and not afraid to show them off. She also possessed the carefree marketing acumen to populate the CD with gender-bending pictures of her fully bearded (something for which she has been roundly criticized by the humorless print press). Bravo, I say! Any recording by Bartoli is to be celebrated.
Ann Hallenberg, Stile Galante, Stefano Aresi The Farinelli Manuscript
Glossa
2019
Not allowing Bartoli the singular Farinelli spotlight, mezzo-soprano Ann Hallenberg offers her own vision of the great castrato, this one with a backstory. Farinelli, retired, living in Madrid, collects these arias, many of which he sang to King Philip V, during a depressive period, as a gift to Empress Maria Theresa, in an elaborate, handwritten volume. Hallenberg's performances are buoyed by their excellent support by Stile Galante, who provide brisk and full-bodied accompaniment to the singer. This music was composed for singer's to show off. Well, at least one in particular.
Hallenberg's age is in the same vicinity as Bartoli's and her tone relaxed and well-centered. Her coloratura fireworks show greater control than Bartoli's (which costs her in the change-taking department). Hallenberg stands and delivers marching through 'Son qual nave,' standing astride a two-and-a-half octave tonal range while navigating the seemingly impossible timbre-wise. Hallenberg is not better than Bartoli, just beautifully different. We should be grateful for both.
Mick Kolassa Blind Lemon Sessions
Endless Blues Records
2020
Bluesman Mississippi Mick Kolassa calls Taylor, MS home. Taylor is located southwest of Oxford, it is spit on a dirt road, famous for the Taylor Grocery and Restaurant, haunt of many an Ole Miss student. Kolassa has been a fixture on the Mississippi and international blues scene for the last number of years with CD Baby showing eight recordings released. Kolassa is a blues stylist with a rough-hewn unique approach to his performances. He has written scores of songs, has an encyclopedic blues knowledge, and sense-of-humor enough to cover non-blues material with a blues flair (like the laconic "Help!" he has included on The Blind Lemon Sessions.
Recorded at the behest of Thomas Schleiken of Blind Lemon Records in Germany and Tennessee, The Blind Lemon Sessions is a collection of blues standards (Lonnie Johnson's "Jelly Roll Baker," Blind Blake's "Ditty Wah Ditty"), New Orleans fare ("St. James Infirmary," sounding suspiciously like Willie McTell's "Dyin' Crapshooter Blues) and the Beatles ("Help" Kolassa and Mark Telesca having recorded an entire album of Beatles's covers on You Can't Do That! -Acoustic Beatles Blues (Swing Suit Records, 2017)). Kolassa's guitar style is informed and humble as is his singing. His original compositions, "Text Me Baby" and "Mr. Right" are homespun and, at the same time, contemporary. He obviously enjoys what he is doing and is intent to keep on doing it.
Sinne Eeg & the Danish Radio Big Band We've Just Begun
BFM Jazz
2020
Danish singer and composer
Sinne Eeg
vocals
Mark Winkler
vocalsBig band arrangements are shared between
Jesper Riis
trumpet
Peter Jensen
arranger
Roger Neumann
saxophone, tenorb.1941
Tags
Bailey's Bundles
Andrea Brachfeld
C. Michael Bailey
United States
Bill O'Connell
Harvie S
Jason Tiemann
T Portinho
Roni Ben-Hur
Mick Kolassa
Sinne Eeg
Mark Winkler
Jesper Riis
Peter Jensen
Roger Neumann
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Andrea Brachfeld Concerts
Oct
2
Thu
Andrea Brachfeld And Friends
Sunset-SunsideParis, France
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