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Barb Jungr: The Men I Love - The New American Songbook

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Barb Jungr: The Men I Love - The New American Songbook
Gli uomini amati da Barb Jungr in questo disco sono alcuni songwriter degli anni sessanta, settanta e ottanta che la cantante inglese celebra come gli esponenti di un nuovo American Songbook, continuatori dell'opera di Irving Berlin, George Gershwin, Cole Porter, eccetera. Nomi celebri che quasi sempre sono stati (e sono) anche grandi interpreti della scena rock come David Byrne, Leonard Cohen, Bruce Springsteen, Bob Dylan, Paul Simon. La Jungr appartiene più alla canzone d'autore e al cabaret che al mondo del jazz ma il suo stile è piacevole e di buon gusto. Uno stile introspettivo incline all'enfasi melodica che ricorda Petra Haden (ricordate il suo disco con Bill Frisell?) oppure Robin Holcomb.

Diamo atto alla Jungr di non aver scelto solo canzoni famose ma anche temi che hanno avuto poca risonanza, come "Night Comes On" di Leonard Cohen, "My Little Town" di Paul Simon oppure "You Ain't Going Nowhere" di Bob Dylan.

Un disco per nostalgici? Non proprio. Le riletture della Jungr sono personali e si snodano prevalentemente in chiave intima e malinconica, cercando di rispettare l'identità dei brani senza appiattirsi troppo sulle versioni consolidate in memoria.

Tra i brani più riusciti ricordiamo la cameristica versione di "The River" di Springsteen o quella rarefatta e lirica di "I Saw the Light," che Todd Rundgren scrisse nel 1972 in omaggio a Carole King e Laura Nyro.

Track Listing

01. Once in a Lifetime (David Byrne - Brian Eno) - 4:07; 02. I'm Believer (Neil Diamond) - 5:44; 03. Breaking Down the Walls of Heartache (Sandy Linzer - Denny Randell) - 3:14; 04. Night Comes On (Leonard Cohen) - 6:05; 05. Can't Get Used to Losing You / Red Red Wine ( Pomus - Shuman / Neil Diamond) - 3:23; 06. The River (Bruce Springsteen) - 4:52; 07. I Saw the Light (Todd Rundgren) - 3:58; 08. This Old Heart of Mine / Love Hurts (Holland - Dozier - Holland / B & F Bryant) - 5:39; 09. Everything I Own (David Gates) - 4:02; 10. You Ain't Going Nowhere (Bob Dylan) - 3:19; 11. My Little Town (Paul Simon) - 3:39; 12. Wichita Lineman (Jimmy Webb) - 3:46.

Personnel

Barb Jungr
vocals

Barb Jungr (voce); Clive Bell (flauto, shakuhachi) Simon Wallace (piano, organo hammond, synth); Steve Watts (contrabbasso); Frank Schaefer (violoncello); Paul Clarvis (percussioni).

Album information

Title: The Men I Love - The New American Songbook | Year Released: 2010 | Record Label: Naim Label

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