Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Bill Charlap Trio: Somewhere: The Songs of Leonard Bernstein

132

Bill Charlap Trio: Somewhere: The Songs of Leonard Bernstein

By

Sign in to view read count
Bill Charlap Trio: Somewhere: The Songs of Leonard Bernstein
The son of a Broadway composer, Bill Charlap seems to have the standard jazz repertoire in his blood. His is a resolutely mainstream approach, in the vein if not always the style of Oscar Peterson, and he sounds completely at home with the music on his latest album, Somewhere: The Songs of Leonard Bernstein.

Aided by the empathetic playing of Peter Washington on bass and Kenny Washington on drums, Charlap takes a fresh look at 12 of Bernstein's best-known tunes, derived mainly from West Side Story, On The Town, and Wonderful Town. "Cool," from the former musical, begins the record with a bang, shifting the already-jazzy rhythm around and building in intensity with each section. Charlap punctuates his solo with bluesy trills and rhythmic cadences that keep the melody line always within the ear's reach. "It's Love" swings brightly in a medium tempo and features a well-structured bass solo by Washington.

Charlap plays beautifully on several ballads. "Lonely Town" contains some lovely harmonic invention, as does a solo reading of "Somewhere." The pianist manages to convey the poignancy of the song's lyrics in his playing without resorting to sentimentality or emotional bombast. But he's not just a softy: A brief and frenzied run-through of "Jump" features some amazingly fast and long-limbed runs, and "America" is performed with a powerful rhythmic pulse and some spiky, carnivalesque figures.

At times, however, Charlap's approach can lead to music that is pretty but rather uninvolving. On "Some Other Time," for example, he plays the melody beautifully and lovingly, but over seven minutes never really develops it in a solo. This may have been meant in reverence (it is a gorgeous melody), but the effect on the listener is soporific. Long stretches of other tunes glide by smoothly and efficiently, but without much to grab the ear or set the foot a-tapping. Kenny Washington's drumming can be rather stiff; perhaps another player might push Charlap out of his restraint at times.

These criticisms aside, Somewhere conveys the beauty and emotional power of Bernstein's music. Fans of the composer's work will certainly welcome Charlap's thoughtful interpretations.

Track Listing

Cool; Lucky to Be Me; It

Personnel

Bill Charlap (piano), Peter Washington (bass), and Kenny Washington (drums)

Album information

Title: Somewhere: The Songs of Leonard Bernstein | Year Released: 2004 | Record Label: Blue Note Records

Comments

Tags

Concerts

May 7 Tue
May 7 Tue
May 8 Wed
May 8 Wed
May 9 Thu
May 9 Thu

For the Love of Jazz
Get the Jazz Near You newsletter All About Jazz has been a pillar of jazz since 1995, championing it as an art form and, more importantly, supporting the musicians who create it. Our enduring commitment has made "AAJ" one of the most culturally important websites of its kind, read by hundreds of thousands of fans, musicians and industry figures every month.

You Can Help
To expand our coverage even further and develop new means to foster jazz discovery and connectivity we need your help. You can become a sustaining member for a modest $20 and in return, we'll immediately hide those pesky ads plus provide access to future articles for a full year. This winning combination will vastly improve your AAJ experience and allow us to vigorously build on the pioneering work we first started in 1995. So enjoy an ad-free AAJ experience and help us remain a positive beacon for jazz by making a donation today.

More

Sensual
Rachel Z
Over and Over
Tony Monaco Trio
Love Is Passing Thru
Roberto Magris

Popular

Get more of a good thing!

Our weekly newsletter highlights our top stories, our special offers, and upcoming jazz events near you.