Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Ayelet Rose Gottlieb: Upto Here | From Here

Ayelet Rose Gottlieb: Upto Here | From Here

By Elliott Simon
August 30, 2009
View read count

Ayelet Rose Gottlieb: Upto Here | From Here

Singer/songwriter Ayelet Rose Gottlieb's last project, an interpretation of the Bible's erotic Song of Songs, was a genre-straddler that succeeded both instrumentally and vocally. With Upto Here | From Here she stretches out with very strong originals in the presence of some NYC jazz stalwarts: drummer Take Toriyama, bassist

Ed Schuller

bass, acoustic

" data-original-title="" title="">Ed Schuller, pianist

Anat Fort

piano
b.1970

" data-original-title="" title="">Anat Fort, saxophonist

Loren Stillman

saxophone, alto
b.1980

" data-original-title="" title="">Loren Stillman and trumpeter

Avishai Cohen

bass
b.1970

" data-original-title="" title="">Avishai Cohen. This modern jazz session highlights her voice as an integral instrument in what becomes a texturally heady setting.

That voice can certainly be straightforward and declarative as she commands that "Life is a Structure That is (Accept it)" or when matter-of-factly describing the bittersweet juices of her "Pomegranate Man." She nestles in 13th century Persian philosopher Rumi's love poems, resulting in a delicate "The Most Alive Moment" and mysterious "Some Kiss." Israeli poet Agi Mishol lends her words to a plaintively sensual "Letter" and the existentially celebratory title cut. In addition, prose from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. aids in creating the very bluesy "Sweep Streets."

A lovely reworking of Hoagy Carmichael's "The Nearness of You" sits surprisingly well among these enchanting originals and artistic constructions before things close with the danceable bonus cut "Venezia." In the seemingly unending stream of vapid female jazz vocal recordings, Gottlieb is one of a handful of who is taking chances that are paying off handsomely.

Learn more about our star rating system

Track Listing

Pomegranate Man; Life Is A Structure That Is (Accept It!); The Most Alive Moment; Wrong Rain (bird thoughts); Letter; Sweep Streets; Upto Here From Here; The Nearness Of You; Some Kiss; Hidden Forbidden; And In The End; Venezia.

Personnel

Ayelet Rose Gottlieb

vocals

Ayelet Rose Gottlieb: voice, balloon; Loren Stillman: saxophones; Avishai Cohen: trumpet, whistle; Ed Schuller: bass; Take Toriyama: drums, percussions, toys; Anat Fort: piano; Venezia Mizrahi: spoken voice.

Album information

Title: Upto Here | From Here | Year Released: 2009 | Record Label: ObliqSound

PREVIOUS / NEXT

Chet In Chicago
< Previous

Project A
Next >

Support All About Jazz

All About Jazz has been a pillar of jazz since 1995, championing it as an art form and, more importantly, supporting the musicians who make it. Our enduring commitment has made "AAJ" one of the most culturally important websites of its kind, read by hundreds of thousands of fans, musicians and industry figures every month.

Go Ad Free!

To maintain our platform while developing new means to foster jazz discovery and connectivity, we need your help. You can become a sustaining member for as little as $20 and in return, we'll immediately hide those pesky ads plus provide access to future articles for a full year. This winning combination vastly improves your AAJ experience and allow us to vigorously build on the pioneering work we first started in 1995. So enjoy an ad-free AAJ experience and help us remain a positive beacon for jazz by making a donation today.