Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Etta Jones: Hollar
Etta Jones: Hollar
BySticking mostly to ballads, the second group creates a dream-like cushion underneath Jones's rich vocals simply with subdued piano textures and languid vibes. Oliver Nelson takes bold solos on two of the tunes (he will be instantly recognizable, even to those who only have heard him from Blues And the Abstract Truth ), but gets points deduced for beginning both with the same basic phrase. The only real low points are "They Can't Take That Away From Me", which is taken at a sluggish tempo, and the twin guitars and squalling sax of "Nature Boy" that turn a reasonably good interpretation of a song into a fuzzy mess. The two songs sandwiched in between these two are the highlight; "Answer Me My Love" in particular is quite lovely. Jones wrings every bit of pathos out of the lyrics while Neeley plays so delicately he seems to barely be touching the keys. "Looking Back" is an effective melancholy blues and would have been a terrific way to end the album as Jones reminisces about all the mistakes she made throughout her life which drove her lover away. The more well know tunes are just merely good; the way that Jones brings attention to less well known songs such as these two are the real accomplishment.
Track Listing
I See You, Our Love Is Here To Stay, Reverse the Charges, They Can't Take That Away From Me, Answer Me My Love, Looking Back, Nature Boy.
Personnel
Etta Jones
vocalsEtta Jones, vocals; on 1, 3, 6, 8, 9: Wally Richardson, guitar; Jimmy Neeley, piano, Michael Mulia, bass; Rudy Lawless, drums; on 2, 4, 5, 7: Oliver Nelson, tenor sax; Lem Winchester, vibes; Richard Wyands, piano; George Duvuvier, bass; Ernest Hayes, drums; on 10: Jerome Richardson, tenor sax; Kenny Burrell, Bucky Pizzarelli, guitars; Sam Bruno, piano; Ernest Hayes, bass; Bobby Donaldson, drums.
Album information
Title: Hollar | Year Released: 2001 | Record Label: Fantasy Jazz
< Previous
Meet Duane Eubanks