Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » BeatleJazz: Another Bite Of The Apple

102

BeatleJazz: Another Bite Of The Apple

By

View read count
BeatleJazz: Another Bite Of The Apple
Most nightclub trios don't take requests. Those that do, however, probably know each of these songs inside and out. Many of us grew up with 'em. They're beautiful songs that take us somewhere special every time we hear them. BeatleJazz laces each familiar tune with new spices. It's the kind of swinging improvisation that comes out naturally and quite differently each time. On "Let It Be," for example, the trio lays down the melody with a loping, laid back feel. And how can you not recognize that opening harmony? After Charles Fambrough rambles through a tasteful solo, David Kikoski changes the mood seamlessly. Exciting and full of life, the trio's interpretation sweeps away the customary and introduces the singular. "Blackbird" gets re-harmonized and "Julia" gets a rhythmic facelift. BeatleJazz bops hard along "Blue Jay Way," then drummer Brian Melvin provides a fascinating tabla-like thrill throughout the dreamy "Tomorrow Never Knows." They pull a switch on "Michelle" by starting out with a disguised version. Kikoski remains true to the song's lovely appeal, however, as he caresses the melody again and again without resorting to mere replication. Finally, as the end nears, the pianist delivers the song straight up. BeatleJazz takes the pretty and the familiar and returns it as classic acoustic improvisation. The absence of lyrics would seem to hinder such a project; but it's the close bond that we've developed over the years that makes this project work. Hopefully, they'll keep on taking bites of the apple for years to come.

Track Listing

I'll Follow the Sun; Here, There and Everywhere; Let It Be; Give Me Love; Michelle; Magical Mystery Tour; It Won't Be Long; Blackbird; Julia; Blue Jay Way; Tomorrow Never Knows.

Personnel

BeatleJazz
band / ensemble / orchestra

Dave Kikoski: piano; Charles Fambrough: bass; Brian Melvin: drums.

Album information

Title: Another Bite Of The Apple | Year Released: 2001 | Record Label: Zebra Records

Tags

Comments


PREVIOUS / NEXT




Support All About 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 make 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.

Go Ad Free!

To maintain our platform while developing new means to foster jazz discovery and connectivity, we need your help. You can become a sustaining member for as little as $20 and in return, we'll immediately hide those pesky ads plus provide access to future articles for a full year. This winning combination vastly improves 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

Eternal Moments
Yoko Yates
From "The Hellhole"
Marshall Crenshaw
Tramonto
John Taylor

Popular

Old Home/New Home
The Brian Martin Big Band
My Ideal
Sam Dillon
Ecliptic
Shifa شفاء - Rachel Musson, Pat Thomas, Mark Sanders
Lado B Brazilian Project 2
Catina DeLuna & Otmaro Ruíz

Get more of a good thing!

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

Install All About Jazz

iOS Instructions:

To install this app, follow these steps:

All About Jazz would like to send you notifications

Notifications include timely alerts to content of interest, such as articles, reviews, new features, and more. These can be configured in Settings.