Search - John Patitucci :: Songs Stories & Spirituals

Considerable compositional and arranging talents

J. T. Murphy | Jazz heaven, NJ, USA | 04/22/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"John Patitucci's new album, Songs, Stories & Spirituals, (Concord, 2003) is one of his finest to date. Unlike many of his previous albums which feature his monster bass chops, this album features his growing but polished compositional and arranging talents. Most notable on this album is Patitucci's partnership once again with Luciana Souza, herself a beautiful composer, arranger, and singer. Luciana's composition "Now a River" flows gracefully with her vocals backed-up with John's bowed bass, brother Tom's nylon-stringed guitar, Ed Simon's piano and Wayne Shorter group mate Brian Blade's very open drumming. John solos over the changes on his signature six-string bass just to let you know it's still his album. Luciana shows her arranging qualities with her 7/4 version of Jobim's lovely "Chovendo Na Roseira." And lets Patitucci blow on upright over some changes in the ¾ bridge. Luciana and Patitucci pair up for a nice arrangement of a Djavan tune "Lei." John's six is dominant on this one along with Luciana's vocal. They blend jazz, samba, and a partido alto groove - heard in the opening bass line.Patitucci shows us his orchestration skills on an old Lutheran Christmas hymnal "In the Bleak of Midwinter." Originally written by Gustav Holst, Patitucci offsets his upright bass with a Brazilian singer, a gospel singer, and a string quartet. Patitucci starts out alone then the strings join in for a full polished sound. John's wife Sachi, a very fine cellist, appears again on this album as a member of the string quartet and then again in duo with Ed Simon on John's composition "Love Eternal." On "Soulmate," written by John for Sachi, she blends nicely with Luciana's vocals.John put together an interesting arrangement of Coltrane's "Wise One." John has always loved Trane's music and shows Jimmy Garrison's African influence on this one. The opening track, "Tall Tale" is straight ahead jazz trio much like John's compositions on Cummunion. "I Will Arise" features John Thomas' vocals on an old Baptist spiritual which Patitucci arranged for upright and percussion with a nice African vibe."Three Faces" written by John for his wife and two daughters is an interesting piece with a bit of a Morroccon percussive groove underpinning Luciana's vocals, Tom's nylon-stringed quitar, and Tim Ries flutes. John's upright is featured heavily on this one. Tim Ries, who also appeared on Communion joins the trio to create a nice modern sound on John's "Rhapsodic Journey." Patitucci does an interesting arrangement of Rogers and Hart's "It Never Entered my Mind" with Luciana singing the melody in half time and the band grooving in double time.On Songs, Stories, and Spirituals, the bass is much more in the background and Luciana's influence looms large. Notably absent is the usual bass chop-buster solo track and liner pictures of John and his bass. Like his beautiful album One More Angel, also driven by emotion, Patitucci shows that his musical message is more important and much more listenable than impressing us with his monster bass chops."