Janette Mason: ReWired

Rewired is an acoustic trio album from the highly versatile pianist Janette Mason. She has proved to be a standout performer across jazz, pop and rock genres, having worked with Oasis, Robert Wyatt, Seal and Pulp. She is accompanied by her equally adaptable long-time collaborators: bassist Tom Mason (Lizz Wright, Jamie Cullum) and drummer Eric Ford (Partikel, Ronnie Laws). Together they cover songs from the 1940s to the present day.

Mason arranged and co-produced the songs, which all hold personal significance. She explains, "I wanted to reflect on what I've done, including some standards but twisting them as much as I can, alongside tunes that I've played in a pop concert with their creators." For three decades, she has developed a range of skills that has taken her from small venues to arena tours along with a range of projects from film scores to TV projects.

Each track is freshly reworked and regenerated with genuine flair. The album opens with Gary Numan's hit "Cars." Mason's arrangement and propulsive piano solo ensure the track makes the transition to the jazz world surprisingly well. The classically influenced arrangement of Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart's "Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered" sits comfortably with the modern pieces. This new up- tempo adaptation of the timeless melody is a triumph, with Mason's piano flowing in unexpected directions, ably supported by Tom Mason's bass solo.

There seems to be no end to the attraction of "Eleanor Rigby" as a track to cover. Mason's version relies on a bass-led section leading to impressive improvisation and Ford's crisp drumming. David Bowie's "John I'm Only Dancing" does not make the transition quite so well, with the injection of new rhythms not hitting the spot.

Guest saxophonist Paul Booth joins on two tracks and makes a telling contribution to Olivia Rodrigo's "Good 4 U" alongside excellent piano and bass combinations. Booth also features on Mason's original composition "Prayer For The Planet." Elsewhere, George Shearing's "Lullaby of Birdland" is a highlight with twists and turns in the sparkling interplay and inventive time changes, Oasis' "Don't Look Back In Anger" gets a classy, gospel-influenced makeover and Kate Bush's "The Man With The Child In His Eyes" features an arco bass solo alongside Mason's creative revision.

The trio does a remarkable job of maintaining the appeal of the originals while reconfiguring them for a jazz audience. With stellar support from the rhythm section, Mason's precise and often fiery solos ensure the project fizzes with creativity as they inject new grooves and melodic variations into the familiar tunes so they can be enjoyed anew.

Comments