Displaying items by tag: music - StereoLife Magazine

The expanding power of women in jazz

In jazz, as in most other forms of popular music, it's women who are bringing the new and much needed energies to the cause of keeping the music relevant and important. Three recent releases, all of which vaguely fit under the moniker of jazz, are striking examples of the artistry and ideas that women are bringing to music today. In 1979, singer songwriter Joni Mitchell famously collaborated with jazz-bass visionary Charles Mingus just prior to his death on a record she called simply: Mingus. Filled with compositions written by Mingus for Mitchell, it remains a highlight of the more experimental phase of her long career. Mitchell herself has long been a frequent source of material for female jazz singers, including Diana Krall, Jane Monheit, Dianne Reeves, Cassandra Wilson, and Holly Cole. The genesis of Both Sides of Joni began in rehearsals in the late Janiece Jaffe's barn in southern Indiana between the singer and her longtime friend, Monika Herzig, both faculty members at Indiana University's world renown music school. After sufficient time to work on the new arrangements by Herzig, the pair played the material live in March 2021 before heading into Airtime Studios in Bloomington, Indiana, to cut these by then well-honed tracks. Given the amount of Mitchell covers already recorded and out there, most singers will try and find a more obscure tune by the prodigious Canadian singer/songwriter to put their stamp on. But Jaffe and Herzig confidently wade right into a Mitchell Best-Of with upbeat versions of "Help Me," "Both Sides Now" and "River", all becoming an unqualified success in their respectful hands. The opener "Both Sides Now" is taken at a leisurely pace with saxophonist Greg Ward, another IU faculty member who has played with Prefuse 73, Tortoise, and William Parker, adding haunting sax solos while Herzig stretches out on piano. Ward returns on "Help Me," providing the mournful opening solo, before a stately, almost marching tempo by Herzig takes over. Jaffe carries the melody, aided by overdubs of her singing trio harmonies. This all adds up to a refreshingly different take on Mitchell's biggest hit.

Iron Maiden - Senjutsu

Never before have Iron Maiden fans had to wait so long for a new release from their favorite band. A lot has changed in the world during the six years that have passed since the release of "The Book Of Souls", so one could quietly hope for changes in the Englishmen's work as well. And since the release of the "Brave New World" over two decades ago, they give malcontents a lot of reasons to complain - mainly because the band still plays the same stuff. And even though I'm a fan of Iron Maiden's music, I have to admit there's some validity to that.

Agnes Obel - Aventine

Agnes Obel is a Danish artist currently living in Berlin. In 2010 she presented the first album called "Philharmonics". The title was a bit of a surprise because this music has absolutely nothing in common with a symphony orchestra. Agnes independently wrote the songs and played instrumental parts in them. She also sang, recorded, and produced all the material. Those were extremely intimate compositions with an absolutely minimal number of instruments.

Pylo - The Woman

The melancholic mood of the rain outside the window is probably the best time to listen to rock music in British style. So I put on the second EP of a young, five-piece guitar band named Pylo from the picturesque city of Bath into my CD player. The first mini-album, "Bellavue", meant that their music was compared to the works of legends such as Pink Floyd, Radiohead, Sigur Ros, and The Verve. This statement kindles the appetite for a journey through the nooks and crannies of contemporary guitar music.

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