King of Pain

Rachel Z
Duration: 08:25
840 views

Jazz musicians have long been adept at blending first principles of swing and improvisation with current forms of popular music. Therefore, it is only a bit surprising that pianist Rachel Z makes The Police song “King of Pain” feel so good. The small surprises are that: this live performance is much more engaging than the original studio recording; her trio, The Department of Good and Evil, strikes an ideal balance of jazzy and rock rhythms; and she first quotes the acoustic jazz number “Pools” from her ‘90s work with Steps Ahead before covering the rock tune. Watch this video--the cover kicks in at [1:44]--and discover why Rachel Z is considered one of the most successful jazz/rock crossover artists over the last three decades, recognized by Wayne Shorter, Peter Gabriel, Najee and others.

Posted by Scott Lichtman.