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David Wise: Till They Lay Me Down
ByThe album is fairly diverse inasmuch as not all the tracks are strictly jazz. For example the opener, "What More Could A Man Want?" is a supercharged soul number with a brass ensemble and vocals by Jason Joseph. The title track is sumptuously languid 12 bar blues and "Kol Nidre," a thoughtful, lugubrious dirge, based on the Aramaic prayer, features Wise on solo baritone.
The standard "Here's That Rainy Day" is given a conventional treatment and "Sylvia," "Lullaby" and "Home" (with special mention for Bruce Forman on guitar) are all dulcet ballads.
The closing two compositions are given vocal treatments by Wise himself. On "Life Is But A Song, Parts 1 & 2" he sings in unison to a melody played on tenor sax with a cello accompaniment sounding surprisingly fulsome. The final track, "Life Is But A Song, Part 3" is faster and funkier than its predecessor, but still uses the device of sax and vocals in unison. Both tracks are nearer to jazz rock but the catchy last number sounds a little Breckerish, which again is no bad thing.
Track Listing
What More Could A Man Want?; Sylvia; Here’s That Rainy Day; Home; Kol Nidre; Till They Lay Me Down; Lullaby; Life Is But A Song, Parts 1 & 2; Life Is But A Song, Part 3.
Personnel
David Wise: tenor and baritone saxophone, vocals on tracks 8 and 9; Bruce Forman: guitar; Alex Frank: bass; Jake Reed: drums. Plus guests: Jason Joseph, Laura Mace: vocals; Josh Smith: guitar; Glenn Morrissette: alto saxophone; R.W. Enoch: tenor saxophone; Amy K. Bormet: keyboard (track 1); Mitchell Cooper: trumpet (tracks 1 and 9); Mikala Schmitz: cello (tracks 2 and 8).
Album information
Title: Till They Lay Me Down | Year Released: 2016 | Record Label: Self Produced