Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » JoAnne Brackeen: Pink Elephant Magic

219

JoAnne Brackeen: Pink Elephant Magic

By

Sign in to view read count
JoAnne Brackeen: Pink Elephant Magic
From the march tempo and hard bop power of "Pink Elephant Magic" to the drifting ballad waltz time of "Filene’s," JoAnne Brackeen’s latest album covers a lot of territory. The pianist’s seven compositions, coupled with three familiar pieces, provide variety and result in a well-rounded set. Bret Primack’s informative liner notes are available on the ‘net at http://www.arkadiarecords.com . Brackeen has a forceful keyboard style that drives her ensemble with percussive power. Her thirty-year career includes experience with Art Blakey, twenty-two albums as a leader, and teaching at the Berklee College of Music in Boston. More information about JoAnne Brackeen may be found at http://www.joannebrackeen.com .

Chris Potter and Nicholas Payton fill out the quintet for "Pink Elephant Magic" and "Cram ‘n Exam," taking their lead from the pianist. The hard bop arrangements present short bursts of high energy from the front line. With Potter on tenor and Jamey Haddad adding Latin percussion, the quintet rolls through "Beethoven Meets the Millennium in Spain," a unique piece containing some comedy, some dramatic flamenco charm, a little Afro-Cuban background, and stirring solo work from saxophone & trumpet. Kurt Elling and Dave Liebman join the piano trio for "What’s Your Choice, Rolls Royce?," appearing flippant at the outside, but in reality holding the deepest respect for the bop history of vocal jazz. Jobim’s "Wave" reveals Brackeen’s unique paths taken with respect to harmony. Here, and at several other points, Patitucci’s bass becomes a little muddy during his solo; he’s trying to fit too many notes into each measure. Similarly, the pianist throws "Tico Tico" into the wind, creating a hailstorm of scattered piano keys (in 5/4 time), while Patitucci turns out his best interlude of the session. Dave Brubeck’s "Strange Meadowlark" is offered as a solo piano piece, revealing another side of the artist. While her keyboard style combines unique harmonies with a constant percussive action, Brackeen’s dramatic approach sweeps you away with its enveloping characteristics.

Track Listing

Pink Elephant Magic; Ghost Butter; Wave; What’s Your Choice, Rolls Royce?; Beethoven Meets the Millennium in Spain; Strange Meadowlark; Tico Tico; In Vogue; Cram n Exam; Filenes.

Personnel

Album information

Title: Pink Elephant Magic | Year Released: 2022 | Record Label: Arkadia Records

Comments

Tags


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

Love Is Passing Thru
Roberto Magris
Candid
Sunny Five
Inside Colours Live
Julie Sassoon

Popular

Eagle's Point
Chris Potter
Light Streams
John Donegan - The Irish Sextet

Get more of a good thing!

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