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The Heart Of Infinite Change

Natasha Agrama

Label: Alpha Pup/World Galaxy
Released: 2017
Views: 1,315

Tracks

Black Narcissus; Goodbye Pork Pie Hat; In A Sentimental Mood; All Matter; I Wonder What Became Of Me; Lover Man; The Ballad Of The Sad Young Men

Personnel

Additional Personnel / Information

Agrama-lead vocals; Tony Austin: drums; Mitchell Long: guitar; Austin Peralta: piano, Rhodes; Stephen “Thundercat” Bruner: bass; Ronald Bruner Jr.: drums; George Duke:piano, Rhodes; Stanley Clarke: bass; Vinnie Colaiuta: drums; Rusian Sirota: piano; Hadrien Feraud: bass; Doug Webb: sax

Album Description



The Heart Of Infinite Change 2017 ((Alpha Pup/World Galaxy),is an update of the 2015 album from songwriter/vocalist {{m: Natasha Agrama = 49612}}. Besides a different record label, the current disc features one new track "Lover Man" and deletes 4 others from the earlier album. Heart 2017 consists of songs with music and lyrics by Agrama, {{m: Joni Mitchell = 9460}} and others. It focuses on personalized arrangements of works by Henderson, Mingus, Ellington, Landesman, and Bilal. Agrama shows she is a serious storyteller with diverse tastes and a well-honed jazzy, bluesy voice.

Agrama's vocalizing on {{m: Joe Henderson = 7574}}'s classic "Black Narcissus" sensuously floats above Austin Peralta's keyboard work. His playing gives Heart 2017 an 80's jazz flavor without sounding retro. {{m: Duke Ellington = 6521}}'s "In A Sentimental Mood" is presented in a subdued mellow mood with strings. Heart 2017's strong contender is {{m: Charles Mingus = 9429}}'s "Goodbye Pork Pie Hat." Agrama's interpretation is a thought provoking take on the elegant jazz requiem dedicated to the influential sax great {{m: Lester Young = 11573}}. Combining her expressive phrasing and additional lyrics with Mitchell's words, Agrama provides a historical context and contemporary prospective on the Mingus classic.

{{m: Bilal = 50700}}'s "All Matter" relatively swings with solid support from talented friends and family. It features keyboards by the celebrated {{m: George Duke = 6411}} and bass by her dad, {{m: Stanley Clarke = 5737}} who performs on three tracks. The {{m: Johnny Mercer = 9338}}/ {{m: Harold Arlen = 13398}} selection "I Wonder What Became Of Me" radiates a bluesy jazz supper club feel with Agrama's capable presentation.

The album closes with {{Fran Landesman}}'s melancholic "The Ballad Of The Sad Young Men," recorded by {{Roberta Flack}} on her chart topping 1969 debut "First Take" (Atlantic Records). Dame {{Shirley Bassey}}, DBE also had success with the morose tune. Agrama's version of "Ballad," about despondent young men slowly wasting away their lives drink by drink, makes for a chilling cautionary tale.

On The Heart Of Infinite Change 2017 , Natasha Agrama conveys she is an articulate songwriter and a surprisingly mature vocalist. The album's scope of material shows a growing singer who easily embraces and incorporates jazz, blues and other idioms into her own voice. It all makes for a promising first effort by the artist.


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