Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Crimson Jazz Trio: King Crimson Songbook Volume 2

323

Crimson Jazz Trio: King Crimson Songbook Volume 2

By

View read count
Crimson Jazz Trio: King Crimson Songbook Volume 2
With The King Crimson Songbook Volume 1, (DGM Live, 2005), the Crimson Jazz Trio reinvigorated some of the best tunes from one of the most influential progressive rock bands of all. The trio's drummer, Ian Wallace, played with King Crimson in the 1970s and was crucial to the sound of their fourth album, Islands (Island, 1971), while pianist Jody Nardone and bassist Tim Landers are clearly fans of the band and together the three musicians form a tightly knit ensemble. The King Crimson Songbook Volume 2 showcases yet more of their re-interpretations of classic King Crimson compositions.

Stripped of their progressive rock production and Robert Fripp's distinctive guitar sounds these tunes are remarkably fresh and pliable, standing on their own merits even for those unfamiliar with the originals. The Crimson Jazz Trio's arrangements expand on the possibilities of the originals while adding new dimensions to their emotional impact. The one track that retains its lyrics, "Inner Garden," features an exceptional vocal performance from Nardone, whose piano solo is also a highlight of the album.

Saxophonist Mel Collins, another member of early King Crimson line-ups, guests on "Frame by Frame" and "Formentera Lady." On the former Collins takes on the vocal line from the original, while on the latter—part of the "Islands Suite"—he brings a much freer interpretation to the tune while Nardone and Landers take turns playing short phrases from the melody. Each trio member also contributes a short composition of his own: Landers' "The Plank," a solo on double-bass, is especially enjoyable, and all three tunes complement the album's overall feel.

Wallace was a first-call rock session drummer for almost 40 years. His playing here shows that his jazz talents were equal to his rock aptitudes, particularly his bop-influenced work on "Pictures of a City" and the beautiful "One Time," and his lovely, understated, brush work on the closing "Lament." Recorded in June 2006, only a few months before Wallace's death in February 2007, his fans can take heart in this fitting memorial to his fine playing. The King Crimson Songbook Volume 2 is a great record.

Track Listing

The Court of the Crimson King; Pictures of a City; One Time; Frame By Frame; Inner Garden; Hearbeart; Islands Suite: Press Gang, Zero Dark Thirty, Formantera Lady, Sailor's Tale, The Plank; Lament.

Personnel

Jody Nardone: piano, vocals (track 5); Tim Landers: double bass, bass guitar; Ian Wallace: drums; Mel Collins: saxophones (tracks 4, 9).

Album information

Title: King Crimson Songbook Volume 2 | Year Released: 2009 | Record Label: Inner Knot

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

Tramonto
John Taylor
Ki
Natsuki Tamura / Satoko Fujii
Duality Pt: 02
Dom Franks' Strayhorn
The Sound of Raspberry
Tatsuya Yoshida / Martín Escalante

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.