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Eric Marienthal: Walk Tall
ByThis program has one foot firmly planted on traditional soil (mostly during the tunes from Adderley's repertoire and a few standards) and the other foot on contemporary turf. Despite the fact that varying amounts of keyboard, bass, and drum programming are added even to the Adderley tunes, it's a pleasing mixture of old and new.
The disk opens with a live recording of Cannonball introducing Joe Zawinul's "Mercy Mercy Mercy," with the instrumental track then fading out and the new recording fading in, in a not-too-awkward manner. Marienthal expressively caresses the lead lines while the programming churns in the background. "Work Song" and "Walk Tall" follow, then there's a beautiful ballad rendition of "Skylark." Other highlights include a medium-tempo spirited romp celebrating "The Way You Look Tonight" and the foot-tapping, bass-walking easy swing of "Unit 7."
All in all, this is a pretty tasty deal. It's similar in aspirations to theTwist of JobimCD which inaugurated the i.e. music label, that is, placing an artist's work from a previous era in a more modern setting. Some of the contempo luminaries who contribute arrangements, performances, and production to the affair include Harvey Mason, Lee Ritenour, Rob Mullins, Russell Ferrante, Jeff Lorber, and John Beasley.
Track Listing
Mercy, Mercy, Mercy
Work Song
Walk Tall
Skylark
Imagine That
The Way You Look Tonight
Here in My Heart
Sunstone
If You Need Me To
Country Preacher
Unit 7
Groove Runner
Collective
Personnel
Eric Marienthal
saxophone, alto
Eric Marienthal - alto or soprano saxophone
Lee Ritenour, Alan Hinds, Michael Thompson, Jeff Lorber - guitar Lee Ritenour, Rob Mullins, Harvey Mason Jr., Jeff Lorber - drum, bass, and keyboard programming
John Beasley, Russell Ferrante, Ronnie Foster - piano, keyboards Melvin Davis, Reggie Hamilton, Chuck Domanico, Stanley Clarke, Vail Johnson - bass
Harvey Mason - drums
Chris Botti, Chuck Findley - trumpet
Ralph Morrison III - violin
Luis Conte - percussion
Kevyn Lettau, Philip Ingram, Heather Mason, Michael Mishaw, Stevie Russell - vocals
Album information
Title: Walk Tall | Year Released: 1999 | Record Label: i.e. Music
Comments
About Eric Marienthal
Instrument: Saxophone, alto
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