“Srce Nikad Ne Laže” by Tony Cetinski (1990)

We all know Tony Cetinski as established pop star now but its interesting to look back at the very beginning and glimpse fresh-faced young singer who arrived in 1990. with this winsome debut album, long curls and all. It really feels like suddenly discovering flowers preserved between pages of the forgotten book - because the singer later modified and changed his music persona, listening him the way he actually started is as glimpsing into time machine. 

Cetinski of course didn’t just come out of nowhere - because his father Mirko Cetinski was professional singer, little boy must have soaked music from the earliest days and was probably surrounded with musicians, their stories about gigs and nomadic lives so it was inevitable that he would also caught the bug. Here it must be noted that father had really magnificent voice - Cetinski senior must have been one of the best Croatian singers around, born with naturally powerful and expressive golden instrument that could effortlessly  put the best Neapolitan singers to shame (I still have his tribute to composer Vlaho Paljetak somewhere and is beautiful album) so naturally some of his magic dust have rubbed on son. However, for his debut album Tony did not get just any anonymous high school band but help from respected professionals with certified background - songs here are divided between composers Zrinko Tutić and Đorđe Novković (whose own son, curiously also started singing career with solid results, although he was nowhere as fine vocally as Tony) and even backing vocals were shared between Maja Blagdan and Tedi Spalato so he really got himself star treatment.

“Srce Nikad Ne Laže” would nowadays be most interesting as to check how much the singer have changed in the meantime and what he left behind: music preserved here is fine, middle-of-the-road pop with occasional almost light-country feel and lightweight as it might have been, it reflects where this 21 years old was at the moment - clearly he loved Roy Orbison whose spirit echoes somewhere in here (“Što te mama pušta samu”, “Lako je reći adio”) and on upbeat “Nema problema” he is actually perfectly at home, signalling that this mostly generic pop, sweet as it is, is not where he will stay much longer. Vocally he was excellent right from the start - just listen his version of “Sealed with the kiss” (“Srce Nikad Ne Laže” translated to Croatian lyrics that he wrote himself) or cover of old chestnut “Dolina Našeg Djetinjstva” and there was no doubt that new kid on the block will go places. First he would have to shed the tame, polite and parents pleasing toothless music behind, look up to more adventurous collaborators and go funk/dance but with his confidence, it was just a matter of time before he will get to sold-out arena concerts. There is absolutely nothing embarrassing here, its just a sweet memento of particular moment in time. Metamorphosis was just around the corner. 

“The Definitive Tom Jones 1964-2002” by Tom Jones

Generous 4 CD retrospective that neatly summarizes career of Welsh singer who endured in fickle business so long that finally he might even get canonized. Yeah, I know, screaming housewives and all, scrap the surface though and the fact is guy was always magnificent, powerhouse vocalist who bulldozed trough anything that came his way and as this compilation testifies, there is still no music genre that Jones couldn’t tackle, be it jolliest of 1960s pop, Las Vegas swing, country ballad, disco or anything you could think of. 

Sheer diversity of music presented here also means that this might be CD box you might constantly return to - usually boxed music rarely excite me as they tend to show how much majority of artists have stuck in their ways, however with this one I have no problem whatsoever because its literary one feel-good highlight after another. In fact, this might be the only CD box in my collection that I actually play quite often and constantly find endearing. Versatile as hell, Jones always showed clear affection to old school R&B and no matter what show-biz trappings were and all that cellophane around him, that voice was always there, in fact all these stylistic wanderings eventually paid off handsomely as resulting music never gets predictable, it transcends genres, decades and trends to the point that listener might find himself truly awed with guy’s guts and perseverance. Vocally he was bomb from the very start - already noted similarities with Elvis Presley are not only superficial as they both delighted in both trashiest and best of popular music with same seriousness but where Presley eventually ended as parody of himself, Jones continued from strength to strength and lived long enough to achieve critical reassessment. If anything, the most astonishing thing about this CD box is how well his voice survived decades.

Few years ago I went to hear him live in concert - to my surprise, silver-haired veteran on the stage roared like a lion and playfully turned old favourites inside out in such imaginative way that they got completely new dresses (if I remember correctly, “Delilah” became full-bloodied flamenco), the voice was exactly like on old records and I could just bow down in amazement. That this retrospective was not the end and he still continued is one of the true marvels, in fact later albums found him even more daring in choices that encompassed gospel and blues. One of the best voices in pop music, period.

Photos of the day

Two interesting photos with some of my heroines, caught in the youth, long before they achieved success and equilibrium.

Marianne Faithfull (pictured here in 1974. by Torbjörn Calvero) was still classy, beautiful woman although at this point her personal problems completely eclipsed whatever music career she had in previous decade, when she graced British pop charts with her folksy, innocent ditties like “As Tears Go By”. I truly love this photo - what a beautiful woman - and it is a stunning transformation from virginal, pre-Raphaelite image she had not long ago.

Even though Tina Turner often confidently exploited her sex bomb image, I was always aware that this was never serious - you could tell she is a unrepentant tomboy fooling around for the sake of fun - on this early 1960s picture she is of course, pouting as some glamorous Hollywood star where in reality her life was far from glamour. Along with her than-husband Ike and the whole entourage of backing musicians, she was touring trough chitlin circuit  of segregated music scene, which included nightly bus travels and at least two concerts per day. Whatever public perception of her might have been, Tina was in fact hard-working, no-nonsense mother hen and even The Rolling Stones were surprised to discover that behind the stage she was indeed simple, good-natured country girl.

“No Regrets: The Life of Édith Piaf” by Carolyn Burke

For years, the most famous (and notorious) biography of Piaf was sensationalistic, warts-and-all account by her self-proclaimed half -sister Simone Bertaut, known as Mômone, who sadly was just one the many parasites who surrounded legendary French singer during her lifetime and continued to live off her posthumously. Piaf own fanciful memoirs published a year after her death, were apparently romantic re-imagination of what she wanted public to know about her, which along the tons of books written in subsequent decades about her helped to create the perpetual myth that sometimes tend to eclipse facts. 

Carolyn Burke approaches Piaf’s life story with a zest of true detective, going trough documents, archives and newspaper clips with passion of archaeologist who finds truth under layers and layers of accumulated gossips, rumours and stories wrongly remembered. She is not exactly Kitty Kelley, as her admiration for subject is palatable and perhaps occasionally hindrance, when she demurely closes her eyes faced with undisputed unsavoury facts. Initially, the book is a delight as it deals with those romantic early years when Piaf clawed her way from the streets into the nightclubs and Burke shows great understanding of social and political atmosphere of France, explaining how this street singer fitted into music scene of the time. Piaf was often compared with Judy Garland, but where Garland had Hollywood machinery behind her, French singer spiritually perhaps had more in common with 1920s blues singer Bessie Smith who was similarly embraced by blasé white audiences that visited New York’s Harlem in search for something authentic - as Burke points, before she became national treasure, Piaf was presented and marketed as singer from the slums and gutters, something refreshingly contrasting with current glamorous stars. That she later managed to educate herself and even inspire celebrated artists is a tribute to her genius and appeal. 

Inevitably book slowly turns into long, show-biz list of concerts, tours and airports although Burke heroically tries to keep it interesting with her explanations of singers motivations and inner life. Personally, I couldn’t care less who were her lovers - imagined or real (apparently lots of men looking for her favours were not exactly interested in ladies) - what fascinated me much more were stories explaining background of some classic songs from her repertoire and in all honesty, music is what she is remembered for. When dust settles on all those scandals, sordid stories and melodrama that filled magazines, it is her music that still lives on and touches our hearts - at this point Piaf has been 

away from this world longer than she had been in it (some half of century, to be precise) but her appeal is universal and timeless. 

“Željo Moja” by Doris Dragović (1986)

In every successful career there is one magic moment when combination of good luck, right collaborators, carefully selected material (or pure accident) clicks with public interest and suddenly all the years of apprentice pay off with big time - most of the time audience is not even aware that stars actually worked for a quite bit previously and have earned their overnight acclaim. In hindsight, I wonder did Doris Dragović recognised this is her moment or was invitation from singer-songwriter Zrinko Tutić to perform his song on pre-selection for Eurovision song festival just another gig? Dragović was not exactly unknown debutant - she was well-known as singer in the band “More” and was ready to move further into solo waters, but as it turned out, that particular moment when she appeared in simple white dress (I still vividly remember it, some 30 years later) and sung “Željo Moja”  she became national darling and there was not looking back, in fact massive success of that song completely overshadowed everything that happened before. 

It would be too simplistic to say Dragović just joined the well-oiled hit factory that served cutter-cookie radio fodder - as we all know, in music business there is no guarantee that project will be successful and although both Zrinko Tutić and producer Mato Došen steadily worked in business since early 1970s (list of people they collaborated is basically who’s who in Croatian pop music) nobody could for certain predict this will catapult young singer into stratosphere. She didn’t win Eurovision but for once, our representative performer was not worldwide embarrassment placed in the bottom of the contest - her song and supermodel looks captivated TV audiences around continent with solid voting results and back home Dragović was welcomed as heroine.

“Željo Moja” of course is highlight of this album that finally presents Dragović as a full-blown solo artist. Its slightly different from music she performed with “More” and it is not accident - with the band she sung breezy, winsome soft-funk and now, following instructions from masters of big sales and commercial pop, everything is about  feel-good, easily memorable choruses and multi-tracked backing vocals (carefully assembled session band seems to have start its life just around this time and it became producers trademark). Her old colleague from previous band - still performing as Milo Vasić but later much better known as Jasmin Stavros - makes cameo appearance duetting in “U Tebe Se Neću Zaljubiti” and “Leti, Leti, Lastavice” is a rousing, celebratory little joy of song but even the rest of the album seems like carefully planned showcase for the young singer who got the best possible professional treatment from certified songwriters like Marina Tucaković and Aleksandar Sanja Ilić (even our ex-Eurovision own Daniel Popović wrote one song). If there is one thing to criticise, its that subsequent releases from this team eventually started to sound alike and individual voices tend to kind of blend in without distinction - after a while, every artist got wrapped in exactly same cellophane - but it must be taken in account that this was just a beginning of immensely successful collaboration and resulting music was widely loved and accepted at the time. From now on, Dragović will continue from strength to strength but I believe she will never forget this particular moment. 

“Hvala Svima” by Kemal Monteno (2000)

What seems at the first glance just another all-star duet album has in fact, much deeper and poignant background story behind it: famous singer-songwriter decidedly stayed in his beloved Sarajevo during civil war and horrors of siege, refusing to escape to safety and sharing destiny of its citizens so when he eventually returned to recording studios, it seems the whole music scene celebrated and welcomed him affectionately. There is no doubt that many of them were seriously concerned for him, so this is much more than just another album or return to the studios, its simultaneously singer’s sincere expression of gratitude and embrace of his colleagues.

Kemal Monteno, that wonderful nightingale who marked the music map of 1970s and 1980s, have of course built his career on melancholic ballads but even though his particular brand of sentimentality eventually got swept away by rock music, even the hardest rock critics always agreed that his sincerity transcended genres or any new trends, guy always sung straight from the heart and his messages found wide audience. As any veteran who held on to his guns long enough, Monteno lived long enough to experience reassessment of his career and when popular young band “Crvena Jabuka” invited him for duet on “Nekako s proljeća” in 1991. it turned into one of the biggest hits of the year - the moment when Monteno steps in this gentle, acoustic ballad is still one of the prettiest music ever recorded in local pop. Encapsulating his occasional festival performances from late 1990s and newly recorded duets with stars of either his generation or younger ones, this album shows singer still preserving beauty of the voice, a little fragile by now but still unmistakable and instantly recognisable. Since the warm welcome of his colleagues is so intensely palpable, there is no point of focusing on the fact that many of them were now also a bit rusty - if younger stars like Boris Novković or Danijela Martinović were fine, other Croatian notables like Arsen Dedić, Gabi Novak or Tereza Kesovija are vocally in the autumn but that’s beside the point. The biggest surprise is actually duet with actor Rade Šerbedžija on magnificent ballad “Ni u tvom srcu” that soars to the skies - unexpectedly, actors dry declamatory voice perfectly compliments singers eruption and when they join on refrain, the result is so anthemic that I never managed to listen it without instant replay. 

Vanna

“I To Sam Ja “ (1997)

Croatian singer Vanna was the voice of enormously popular early 1990s band Electro Team who - along with great, late Dino Dvornik - successfully brought local music back to the clubs and for a while even managed to push back the backlash of ubiquitous “schlager”. Combining memorable, celebratory party hits with ultra-modern production that sounded as recorded in studios of London or Amsterdam, they swept radio waves and confidently made point that homegrown pop could be as seductive as any big international smash. Behind all that technical wizardry and production, however, was the fact that guys had unstoppable weapon in the awesome voice of the girl singer who immediately eclipsed everybody else around - she might have been only a small-town girl, but her talent ranks up there with the world’s greatest pop singers. 

Electro Team eventually disbanded - unfortunately, as their brief moment together is still lovingly remembered as highlight of music careers of everybody involved - but even without the guys we all knew that singer of such calibre must continue and on this, her very first solo album Vanna goes completely different route, presenting kind of unplugged showcase under the title “This is also me”. Recorded mostly live in concert with acoustic setting (remember that unplugged concerts came as reaction to over-produced music that contaminated charts) singer bravely and joyously bites into such old chestnuts as “Always On My Mind”, “Will You Love Me Tomorrow?” and “One Day I'll Fly Away”  that definitely prove she is winner even without studio buttons behind her. Three Patsy Cline covers even show affection for classic country ballads and on her effective version of “You Must Love Me” (from Evita) she is easily far better than original. In fact, I must admit that even with my previous reservations (after all, this is Croatian artist singing country and international pop hits in English) while re-visiting this album it struck me as really impressive - it could be played absolutely everywhere in the world and listeners would agree she is brilliant singer with great phrasing and impeccable command of foreign language. She is our national treasure but every country would be proud of singer such as this.

“Ispod Istog Neba” (1998)

Impressive as her acoustic solo debut with covers of pop and country evergreens was, it was inevitable that Vanna would return to ultra-modern production that made her name. Croatia records showed great confidence in giving free hands to singer who herself supervised several producers (she is listed as main producer) and even wrote lyrics for roughly half of this album that brims with special guests, virtuoso production and star treatment. And star she is - endowed with powerful voice that suggest Whitney Houston in her prime, singer dazzles trough irresistible pop, disco, funk and ballads that would not be out of place of album by any biggest international star. This is perhaps not surprising, giving that Vanna was on the forefront of new wave of Croatian musicians who decidedly ignored folk-mutation trappings and went for urban sound instead.

Everything you can imagine on albums by say, Toni Braxton or Mariah Carey, is presented here: gospel ballads, melismas, power disco and swooping trough octaves, just the language makes it clear this is Croatian production. By collaborating with such names as Ante Pecotić or Miro Buljan singer naturally brings to mind certain pop sensibility shared with other big Croatian stars who used same songwriters so it is inevitable that their refrains sound bit alike - curse of the small country - though ubiquitous Gibonni helped a bit with his brand of rock ballad. They even duetted on “Ja Ću Budna Sanjati”  that was not really necessary (except as novelty of two stars together) because their voices don’t blend well together and Vanna is far superior singer, as proved in second version with only her voice. The song is more notable for guest cameo from Macedonian guitar hero Vlatko Stefanovski. With 16 songs, album might be a little exhausting to enjoy in one listening (in the old days of vinyl this would have been 2 LP records) but it nevertheless brings singer up to date with current music and presents her as one of the finest voices in Croatia. 

“Tigrica” by Doris Dragović i More (1985)

Plagued with constant desertions of its singers - fine talents who all continued successfully as solo artists - Croatian band More seemed just to return back on track with 1983 album “Hajde da se mazimo”  that updated their sound and even got them nice hit in title track, when it became obvious that latest girl singer Doris Dragović will not be exception. The very next time band went into studio, they were billed as two separate names, not just More but Doris Dragović & More, which might have been just marketing strategy of presenting two concert attractions instead of one, but as we all know, it usually signals that main star is ready to spread her wings.

Because at this point I am not sure what was exactly happening in the band and what was idea behind this clear distinction between the singer and the rest of the musicians, we can only focus on album itself - two sides of LP were divided between two composers, with original band leader Slobodan M.Kovačević represented on A side. His music is stronger and two hits (“Srce mi slomi”, “Ne propusti niti jedan dan”) suggest that band was still strong and inspired, if perhaps not as summery and breezy as on previous album that really had that feel-good vibe. That doesn’t mean that composer who wrote B side - M.Popović Zahar - is any less interesting, he simply seems somehow lighthearted in comparison and his selections are not so memorable, except surprisingly pretty religious ode “Santa Maria del la salute”  that stands in a somehow sharp contrast with the rest of the music included here. Still very young and vivacious Dragović sounds excellent through it all and her natural, winsome singing style carefully avoids any theatrics that other girl singers will soon force on the audience (Dragović will hold on to this endearing simplicity and the way I understand it, it has to do more with aesthetic choice than any assumed vocal limitations - in her case, less is more). Arrangements and synthesizers place this album squarely in 1980s, which in itself is not bad thing because it gave the whole collection certain coherence so two composers don’t sound so markedly different. Perhaps the only sore thumb is expedition in Greek bouzouki , not so much for the lyrics which might have been good idea back in 1985. but because it moves singer from soft-funk where she started into completely another territory, from now on she is ready to embrace MOR pop and wider audience.

“Classical ... Barbra” by Barbra Streisand (1976)

This, quintessential vanity project, had raised lots of eyebrows back in the mid-1970s when classical crossover have not been such a big phenomenon as today. Sure, from the very start of recording industry operatic stars were recording occasional hit single with popular folk or Broadway tunes and in the golden age of Hollywood musicals there were quite a lot of singers joyously romping trough Cole Porter and Gershwins, however it was mostly classical artists doing excursions into pop and not much of the other way around. When people like Tony Bennett or Della Reese had hit single with adaptation of classical piece into torch ballad, it was always a gimmick and never full-blown excursion into classical repertoire like this one. It took the massively successful, Broadway-star-turned-pop-juggernaut-and-movie-power to use her clout and release what seems like adventurous career step into completely different direction that nobody expected. Don’t forget that at this point Barbra Streisand was untouchable and everything this lady did had Midas touch, be it sold-out Broadway shows, TV musicals, movies or hit records so when she decided to do classical, Columbia Records probably counted on her huge fan base to support it as usual.

Enjoyable as it is - Streisand was always skilled vocalist and seemingly incapable to sing a wrong note - I can’t help but to feel hint of certain upward mobility process here. Looking back, it seems that everything she did once she conquered the world as a gawky comedienne in “Funny Girl” was result of constant desire to prove it to herself and to the world that she is actually serious artiste and all the awards in the world could not heal those early psychological wounds. Why else would a jewish girl from Brooklyn suddenly pose on cover of “Vogue” and sing French chanson (in French!) which coincidentally probably lead to this album of strictly hardcore classical art song? Fine, yes, she could do it and even reviewers at the time grudgingly agreed her classical album is nothing embarrassing after all - wrapped in a dreamy, symphonic arrangements courtesy of Claus Ogerman, songs selection is fine and Streisand carefully avoids any operatic thrills, going for pure tone of schoolboy choir instead. Because material is so different, she completely leaves 1960s bombast behind and goes very calm and serene, which in process presents completely different artist - it is actually surprising how well it all works, considering she is not classically trained singer.

It must have been very confusing for her regular audience (as much as for classical music lovers) and along with some eccentric choices of music in her TV shows, it must be the most surprising part of her music catalogue. Streisand passed the test with flying colors and in turn her younger fans heard some of these pieces for the very first time. Come to think of it, this must be the only album of pop singer doing classical music that I actually accept. 

“The Gift” by Sam Raimi (2000)

Solid psychological-thriller-turn-court-drama about young widow (Cate Blanchett) who gets caught up in crime case because of her psychic powers as a Tarot card reader. 

As one of the characters in the movie said, she is the soul of the small, backwoods town where all the misfits, unloved and troubled citizens find a solace in her seances, although we are acutely aware that Blanchett herself barely makes ends meet as she is left to raise three kids on her own. When daughter of prominent citizen disappears, police reluctantly turn to Blanchett for informations and she have to face not only public courtroom ridicule but hostility of prejudiced citizens and eventually a real danger because of her involvement in the crime case.

The subject is very close to my heart, as trough the years I was always fascinated with complete change of attitude people would display once they found out that I can connect the dots and translate the card symbols into coherent story. They would silently look at each other, than turn back to me very reverently and in almost hushed tones turn into lifelong stalkers who just wouldn’t listen when I tried to explain that my little party trick does not work by pressing the button and I have to be in certain, relaxed frame of mind in order to do it. Way back as a student, I had a passing interest in Astrology and as one thing leads to another, it wasn’t long before completely innocent curiosity got me ambushed with people demanding attention at any time of the day. It got so bad that eventually I simply packed my cards away as people really became too intrusive and bothersome. 

In the movie, Cate Blanchett is also constantly surrounded with “patients” who generally have little concern about herself or her family, they want the answers and they want them now. Battered wife (excellent Hilary Swank) or unstable local car repairman (Giovanni Ribisi) are perfect example of this particular type of people demanding her attention even though its clear that Blanchett is under enormous pressure and can hardly cope with everything. What is the most fascinating in this movie is not the mildly interesting thriller story itself as a sheer assortment of talents involved - actors are exceptionally brilliant and focused, everybody from sarcastic sheriff (J.K. Simmons) to unexpectedly scary local redneck brute (Keanu Reeves) is memorable, but I have to specially comment on performance of Giovanni Ribisi who is the main reason that I have seen this movie several times and even bought it on DVD. 

Jadranka Stojaković (1950-2016)

I honestly hope that this blog won’t turn into list of obituaries but it seems that real life is catching up with me. Just the other day, while I was reading biography of Edith Piaf, I was struck with the thought that Piaf died at the exactly same age that I am right now. Add a recent death in a family and no wonder that my thoughts turn to philosophical musings about our lives and what we actually leave behind - we will be remembered for what we gave and did we managed to share our little spark of joy and beauty with others. Jadranka Stojaković in her small way enriched our lives with her gentle music and paintings, she was unassuming artistic soul and dreamer who worked quietly in her corner, noticed by few similar dreamers who recognized her for what she was. 

Saddened with news about recent passing of this gifted artist, I couldn’t help but to put on some of her music and re-evaluate what she left behind.

While media still continues with their tiresome debates of her ethnicity (she was born in Sarajevo by parents of mixed heritage and raised in country that was Yugoslavia than)

for majority of us, music lovers, Jadranka Stojaković was our first and most prominent 1970s female singer/songwriter who somehow managed to thrive and work in business that mostly saw her as eccentric oddity, the girl with a guitar. Decidedly ignoring such show-biz trappings as sex-appeal and mini dresses, Stojaković lived in completely different world full of poetry and paintings and her strong, gentle and clear voice was like a lighthouse for every dreamer who found himself in her acoustic music. Because she was so different than her surroundings, it is no wonder that Stojaković eventually took a chance and started completely new life in distant Japan where they loved her for music without any questions about her nationality or ethnical background. That she eventually returned home and died in nursing home after long fight with sclerosis is truly heartbreaking but at the same time I am amazed with attitude of new generation of young journalists who, completely ignorant of who she was and what she meant to us, now scornfully comment about artist who was successful and respected during time they perceive as politically dark era like its her own blame that she lived than. By all accounts, this lovely and unassuming lady was true artist who loved music and truly touched our hearts, in fact as I am listening her now, she is still speaking to mine.

This first LP album is actually compilation of previously released tracks from early 1970s and finds Stojaković singing in various formats - although she was most comfortable on acoustic ballads like “Sve smo mogli mi”, where her clear voice is backed only by guitar, there was a fair amount of light pop aimed at radio and even one true expedition into rock (courtesy of Goran Bregović) on hit single “Čekala sam” that was joyous romp completely unexpected from such prim and proper girl. This album was probably much loved by certain generation who still might remember Stojaković for what she meant to them back than while they were still young and hopeful, however - nostalgia aside - singer actually blossomed later with album “Svitanje” that showed all her true colors and how much she matured as artist. That might be one of the finest singer/songwriter albums of Ex-Yu and definitely my favorite moment in her discography, although she continued to develop later under the influence of Far East music and haiku poetry. 

“Porgy and Bess” by Ray Charles and Cleo Laine (1976)

Same producer - Norman Granz - already masterminded similar, two-singers, Jazz version with Louis Armstrong and Ella Fitzgerald some two decades earlier so this project seems kind of pointless because comparisons are inevitable and how to compete with these beloved titans anyway? Amongst other vocal versions I have also heard teaming of Harry Belafonte & Lena Horne, Sammy Davis Jr. & Carmen McRae and obscure but delightful “Betlehem” release with Mel Tormé and Frances Faye as Caucasian protagonists, all of them interesting in their own way but of course nobody can touch Armstrong and Fitz and I wonder what was Granz thinking, that it could be improved?

On positive side, where older recording was lush, string-laden album of its time, this modernised version is far more jazzy, brassy and robust - it even includes massive gospel choir and some interesting down-home southern, bluesy guitars so its not without its merit. Its swings very hard and the whole idea of two voices singing all the parts gives it kind of impressionistic feeling - this is clearly neither the opera, nor the nightclub after-hour performance but rather arty re-imagination of music. I always felt that main singers - excellent and celebrated in their fields - were curiously mismatched, because for the almost whole length of the album there was no chemistry between them (they really seems to click finally at the very end in “It Ain’t Necessarily So” which is excellent). It makes me even wonder was it in fact some kind of respectful showcase project for famous R&B star Ray Charles who had solid roots in Jazz and female voice was just necessary afterthought - British Jazz singer Cleo Laine (who, truth to be told, had much closer connections to Jazz) had to take step back to accommodate what was basically Charles spotlight. According to some accounts, the main focus was on Charles and Laine gamely went on with it, although her takes could have been perfected if they gave her a chance - pictures show them singing next to each other but stylistically and spiritually they seems to come from different places.

The album was successful on the market and even earned “Grammy” nomination as kudos to names involved. It won’t make you forget Armstrong and Fitzgerald and it takes a long time to finally catch the fire towards the end, which is glorious gospel version of “Oh Lord, I’m On My Way” that just proves my suspicion that it was basically solo project for Charles who gave it his particular bluesy touch. 

“Shakespeare And All That Jazz” by Cleo Laine (1964)

A rare example of European musicians successfully combining US influences with homegrown ingredients, this wonderfully eccentric and lovable album brings famous Shakespeare poetry translated into music by great, late John Dankworth and sung by his wife, singer Cleo Laine. To my knowledge, majority of European Jazz artists from that era mostly went for American Songbook and musicians who inspired them, however Dankworths created something truly original here by turning to timeless lyrics as an inspiration for music that is entertaining, accessible and delightful. If you think that something like “Twelfth Night”, “Cymbeline” or “Macbeth” belongs to theatre only, think again - dressed in lightly swinging music by Dankworth, this poetry bounces and sparks in such way that even listeners who were not accustomed to Shakespeare admitted this was a great fun. 

It was often been said that Dankworth was Laine’s Pygmalion, who transformed her into first-class Jazz phenomenon but although its undeniably fact that she blossomed by association with one of the best bands in the land, in my opinion the exchange and inspiration was mutual: bandleader/composer got himself distinctive voice capable of swooping trough octaves and fearlessly following what used to be instrumental solos (“Take All My Loves” was famous showpiece for Duke Ellington). The album is also expansion of idea that singer started as early as 1955. when she first recorded “It Was A Lover And His Lass” and later in 1959. as a cute, little EP “Cleo Sings Elizabethan”  where Shakespeare’s words were set into music by British jazz pianist Arthur Young. Adding more material to what originally was four-song EP recording, Dankworth shows white-hot inspiration (amazingly, he was at the same time busy with soundtracks and his own solo recordings, in fact most of the musicians here also played on his own “What The Dickens!” album released previous year and inspired by characters from Charles Dickens novels) and the final result is album of timeless charm that still sounds fresh and quirky as at the time of release.

Interestingly, although it was successful both at home and overseas - Downbeat gave it five stars and proclaimed it the album of the year - it took a full decade until Dankworths finally broke into US Jazz scene with series of celebrated Carnegie Hall concerts that eventually turned them into international stars. From then on, they both went from strength to strength although I must say that this is what I found their quintessential work and the moment when all the stars were aligned to perfection. Shakespeare will forever stay with them as their later recordings proved - double LP “Wordsongs”  was another expansion and she was still singing his lyrics as far as 2005. on “Once Upon a Time” at the age of 78. As recorded here in 1964. her smoky contralto was a thing of sensuous wonder and personally I love this album beyond words, even memorized Shakespeare words thanks to this music. “Shall I Compare Thee” is one of the prettiest things I have ever heard. So long as men can breathe, or eyes can see, so long lives this, indeed.

“Bach Cantatas Vol.1: City of London” by John Eliot Gardiner, The Monteverdi Choir and English Baroque Soloists (2005)

First chapter in fascinating and heartfelt homage to Johann Sebastian Bach by famous British conductor Sir John Eliot Gardiner who proposed that his choir and musicians attempt a year-long tour trough churches of Europe and perform/record all the Bach’s cantatas on the appropriate liturgical feast days. Since neither Deutsche Grammophon nor Philips Classics (for whom Gardiner recorded previously) were interested to financially back up the project, conductor formed his own company Soli Deo Gloria and with support of his wife Isabella de Sabata who served as producer, they embarked on carefully planned, gigantic, year-long tour in honor of composers 250 death anniversary. Resulting recordings (there is 20+ of them) were widely praised for artistic vision, performances and historical accuracies, however the sheer volume of this recorded music demands long digestion and carefully dosed listenings. 

There was, some years ago, an excellent article in newspapers written by Theodore Dalrymple titled “When Hooligans Bach Down” about little English town of Rotherham where owners of some shops came to conclusion that the best way to prevent robberies by local hooligans who used to gather outside was to continuously play Bach on outside speakers - hooligans eventually did run away from Bach like vampires might have fled in front of holy water, crucifixes and garlic. As everything else he wrote, it was very entertaining and symptomatic about the way our modern times have completely changed in just a few generations. God knows what this music actually meant to people when Bach first composed it and in subsequent centuries it came to represent one of the glories of our civilization, but today we might as well be Martians when it comes to Bach - blame it on education if you will, kids are rarely exposed to this kind of music and they are so ubiquitously conditioned to accept new commercial trends as something truly significant to the point that Bach now ended up serving as anti-hooligan dispenser.