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Alexis Cole: I Carry Your Heart: Alexis Cole Sings Pepper Adams

By Larry Taylor
October 7, 2012
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Alexis Cole

I Carry Your Heart; Alexis Cole Sings Pepper Adams

Motema Music

2012

I Carry Your Heart; Alexis Cole Sings Pepper Adams is a stunning piece of work. The lyrics, pure poetry; the music, cerebral and swinging. This creation is even more amazing when seen as part of a five-volume production covering all of baritone sax legend

Pepper Adams

saxophone, baritone
1930 - 1986

" data-original-title="" title="">Pepper Adams' work.

Producer Gary Carner got the idea for a digital box set, Joy Road: The Complete Works of Pepper Adams (Volumes 1-5), to be put out on Mot��ma Music. Subsequent to Cole's vocal CD was Joy Road Sampler (Mot��ma, 2012), which contains highlights from all four volumes. All discs will be available at a later date.

Carner became interested in the project in the mid-eighties. "Now," he says, "after 28 years of research, it has become a crusade...to maintain the historical record of his [Pepper's] life and work" Also a meticulously researched Pepper Adams' Joy Road: An Annotated Discography (2012), has been published by Scarecrow Press.

Born in 1930 in Michigan, Adams' career was too short. He was recognized as one of the top performers on his instrument. He began, though, on tenor sax and clarinet. At 16, he moved to Detroit and switched to baritone sax. In 1947 he joined saxophonist

Lucky Thompson

saxophone
1924 - 2005

" data-original-title="" title="">Lucky Thompson's band, and later worked with trumpeter

Donald Byrd

trumpet
1932 - 2013

" data-original-title="" title="">Donald Byrd.

His style differed from others, including

Gerry Mulligan

saxophone, baritone
1927 - 1996

" data-original-title="" title="">Gerry Mulligan and

Serge Chaloff

saxophone, baritone
b.1923

" data-original-title="" title="">Serge Chaloff. On the big, bulky bari, Adams played at the rapid pace of hard bop. Later, he became part of

Charles Mingus

bass, acoustic
1922 - 1979

" data-original-title="" title="">Charles Mingus' band, until the bassist died in 1979. Shortly thereafter he was a founding member of the

Thad Jones Mel Lewis Remembered

" data-original-title="" title="">Thad Jones Mel Lewis Remembered. Unfortunately, Adams died in 1986.

During his life, he was also a composer of great output and talent. Carner chose to highlight the versatility of Adams' compositions by placing the music in different settings.

He secured Chicago pianist

Jeremy Kahn

piano

" data-original-title="" title="">Jeremy Kahn to record Vol.1 in a trio format. Next, he chose Atlanta-based pianist

Kevin Bales

piano

" data-original-title="" title="">Kevin Bales to assemble a quartet for Vol. 2, with guitarist

Barry Greene

guitar, electric
b.1961

" data-original-title="" title="">Barry Greene featured. On Vol. 3, baritone saxophonist

Frank Basile

saxophone, baritone
b.1978

" data-original-title="" title="">Frank Basile, leads a sextet, and on Vol. 4, Carner brought Kahn back with his trio and a special guest, baritone player

Gary Smulyan

saxophone, baritone
b.1956

" data-original-title="" title="">Gary Smulyan, a devoted Adams follower.

Adams' compositions are sung by the highly rated Cole. The New York-based vocalist was recommended by saxophonist

Eric Alexander

saxophone, tenor
b.1968

" data-original-title="" title="">Eric Alexander, who had recorded with her on a

Fred Hersch

piano
b.1955

" data-original-title="" title="">Fred Hersch album. For this first ever pairing of his music with words, Carner got poet/lyricist Barry Wallenstein, his friend and mentor at City College of New York (CCNY).

Rearranging Adams' seven ballads to various speeds and styles, and pairing them with Wallenstein's richly literary lyrics, was the task. Cole comes up a winner here with her straightforward interpretations, honoring the integrity of the poetry and always swinging.

The band also deserves special mention, especially the two tenor sax performers, Alexander and

Pat La Barbera

saxophone
b.1944

" data-original-title="" title="">Pat La Barbera. Whether soloing or blending their sound, they excel in mostly long takes.

On "I Carry Your heart," the drums' explosive beat drives a tenor chorus as Cole belts out the lyrics. Another highlight is the swinger, "Now In Our Lives." Again tenors carry on beautifully with superb improvisations, trading bars at the end. With "Urban Dreams," Cole's shows the influence of

Mark Murphy

vocals
1932 - 2015

" data-original-title="" title="">Mark Murphy and

Kurt Elling

vocals
b.1967

" data-original-title="" title="">Kurt Elling, as she delivers the lines with vivid melodic embellishments.

"Julian," dedicated to

Cannonball Adderley

saxophone
1928 - 1975

" data-original-title="" title="">Cannonball Adderley, is the longest, at 10 minutes. With its dreamy beginning, it suggests a languid early summer day. Saxophones and drums take off, though, sprinting to a piano foray. All prepare for Cole's winning vocalese refrain.

The volume ends with a reprise of the title tune taken in a lovely up-down, high-low pattern. This release certainly whets the appetite for the remaining four volumes.

Tracks: In Love With Night; I Carry Your Heart; Now In Our Lives; Urban Dreams; Julian; Civilization And Discontents; Lovers Of Their Time; Reprise: I Carry Your Heart.

Personnel: Alexis Cole: vocals; Jeremy Kahn: piano; Pat LaBarbera; tenor sax; Eric Alexander: tenor sax; Dennis Carroll: bass; George Fludas: drums.

Learn more about our star rating system

Track Listing

In Love With Night; I Carry Your Heart; Now In Our Lives; Urban Dreams; Julian; Civilization And Discontents; Lovers Of Their Time; Reprise: I Carry Your Heart.

Personnel

Alexis Cole

vocals

Alexis Cole: vocals; Jeremy Kahn: piano; Pat LaBarbera; tenor sax; Eric Alexander: tenor sax; Dennis Carroll: bass; George Fludas: drums.

Album information

Title: I Carry Your Heart: Alexis Cole Sings Pepper Adams | Year Released: 2012 | Record Label: Motema Music

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