Search - BeatleJazz :: All You Need

Always listenable, sometimes remarkable

David Bradford | Cary, NC USA | 04/08/2007

(4 out of 5 stars)

"By and large, Beatles covers are a dreadful lot.



They tend to follow one of two paths: a one dimensional transposition of melody performed over standard charts or noodling by small combos whose self indulgence rarely resolves itself in a satisfying statement of the melody.



Truly transcendent reinterpretations like those by jazz pianists Brad Mehldau and Fred Hersh are sparse.



The group BeatleJazz--consisting of Brian Melvin on drums, David Kikoski on piano, and Larry Grenadier on bass--has devoted itself exclusively to performing Beatles pieces. This, their fourth outing, is at worst pleasant and listenable. At its best, it is remarkably good.



Joined by Toots Thielemans on harmonica, Richard Bona on vocals and electric bass, and Joe Lovano on saxophone, this collection succeeds best where it takes the greatest liberties.



Some pieces, like Fool on the Hill and The Night Before, fall into the pervasive category of pedestrian covers. All You Need is Love, featuring vocals by Richard Bona, is similarly pleasant but forgettable.



The standouts include Lady Madonna, which defeats expectation at every turn and demands repeated listening and even analysis. In the midst of bold liberties and interpretations, the piece returns to the peg of a signature phase before launching back out on trajectories that take it to rapturous experimentation on the edge of time signatures and sonority.



Also notable is the trio's treatment of I Want You. The dark Beatles original seems an unlikely candidate for the transition to jazz ensemble. More improbable still is the group's decision to underpin the tune with a funky little backbeat. It works.



The Continuing story of Bungalow Bill shows Joe Lovano to his best advantage and the Beatles at their least recognizable. When the theme finally appears, it's almost a taunt, a deft sleight of hand before the music disappears up the sleeve again.



This album is a gamble for both Beatle fans and jazz fans alike. But there's something here that will seduce the radicals on both sides of great divide."

Reverence for the Beatles by a Consummate Jazz Group

Grady Harp | Los Angeles, CA United States | 03/10/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"In this their fourth album, BeatleJazz (the moniker for musicians Brian Melvin and Dave Kioski with Larry Grenadier forming the basic trio that forms the core group for this album) the music of the Beatles is carried into a whole new dimension. This is quiet, sophisticated jazz that takes some of the well-known and lesser known Beatles songs and creates a wholly new source of respect of the composers' works.



Brian Melvin (drums and table), Dave Kikoski (keyboards and synthesizer) and Larry Grenadier (bass) provide some of the most subtle and intelligent jazz riffs on such tunes as 'Pool on the Hill', 'Lady Madonna', 'The Continuing Story of Bungalow Bill', 'All You Need is Love' (with vocals by Richard Bona added), 'All Things Must Pass', 'The Night Before', 'Beautiful Boy', 'I Want You (She's So Heavy)', 'Cold Turkey', and 'Waterfalls'. The trio adds the gifts of Toots Thielemans (harmonica), Joe Lovano (saxophone), and Richard Bona (bass), each among the finest pros in the jazz medium and the result is an expansion of the possibilities each of these treasured songs presents as a nidus for creative music making.



This is one of those rare jazz albums that will appeal not only to BeatleJazz's growing audience, but also those who love the eternally viable Beatles songs and those who stand in awe of musicians who can transform the tunes of others into thoughtful, respectful, nostalgic and highly musical jazz modifications. This album is beautifully recorded - and makes the listener want to rush out and but the other three! Highly recommended for a very wide music audience. Grady Harp, March 07"

Familiar but fresh.

Seabee | Portland, Or USA | 06/15/2007

(4 out of 5 stars)

"My wife first heard this album and told me about it because I am both a Beatle's fan and a lover of good jazz. On several of these tracks the song was instantly recognizable and on some it took longer. The musicianship is outstanding and I thought the arrangements were creative and enjoyable. Easy listening and fun."