[JPL] Bruce Hornsby

[Jeff Turton]

Now that it has finally arrived I'm pleasantly surprised. I am also a  
long time fan and would have loved to have had a chance to start  
programming this one a few ago. Note to record companies: Some of us  
like playing music from major artists weeks in advance of the release  
date, especially when the artist is in town for a high profile gig.  
I'll bet if this was a pop record the single would have been released  
6 week in advance.

I think Bruce has put his stamp on the material. I particularly liked  
what he did with Keith's tune and the groove on the title track will  
make it a regular in the rotation. Giant Steps didn't do much for me  
and while I liked the piano intro to Solar, I thought Christian's  
solo went on for far too long. Charlie, Woody And You and Stacked  
Mary Possum were also highlite's for me. I'm hoping that this is not  
a one shot deal.

Jeff Turton


> +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
>
> I dig this CD.  It shows that Bruce can play and that is much more  
> than
> many artists that surround themselves with great sidemen.
> Right out of the jewel case this CD swings.  I was amazed to see it  
> was
> recorded in Williamsburg VA. but I guess if he is in Tidewater that  
> makes
> sense.
>
> I remember seeing him a few years back when he and Branford opened  
> for the
> Grateful Dead.  It was one hot set of playing.  ALOHA  Tom
>
>
>> [Original Message]
>> From: Nick Francis <nfrancis at kplu.org>
>> To: Jazz Programmers Mailing List <jazzproglist at jazzweek.com>
>> Date: 8/4/2007 3:13:53 PM
>> Subject: RE: [JPL] Bruce Hornsby
>>
>> This Week's JPL Sponsor: 2008 JazzWeek Summit
>>
>> June 19-21, 2008 -- Clarion Riverside Hotel, Rochester, N.Y. --
> Registration opens in August
>>
>> +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
>>
>>
>
>>
> I've been a Bruce Hornsby fan for 20 years now, and improvisation has
> played a very major role in his piano playing, both on record and  
> in live
> performance. Since first hearing about this project, I've been real
> curious. The disc finally arrived yesterday. The thing that struck
> me strongest on the first listen was that it was uniquely Bruce. He  
> wasn't
> trying to channel Bill Evans or Bud Powell; he sounded like Bruce,  
> with
> that countryish/pentatonic thing he does; a perfect example would be
> 'Solar", which I thought was the highlight of the disc. I also  
> enjoyed his
> rendition of Keith Jarrett's  "Death and the Flower" . The only real
> clunker, IMHO, was "Straight No Chaser". And although I appreciated  
> his
> own harmonic take on "Giant Steps" it seemed a little gimmicky,
> particularly on the drum track.  Overall though, it was a unique
> performance which was enormously respectful to the tradition. I  
> tracked
> down an interesting audio interview from the Greensboro News-Record  
> where
> he talks about how he was "nudged" by DeJohnette and Metheny into  
> doing it,
> despite his great fear and humility regarding his own jazz skills .
>>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Jae Sinnett <jaejazz at yahoo.com>
> Sent: Sat, August 4, 2007 10:53 am
> To: Jazz Programmers Mailing List <jazzproglist at jazzweek.com>
> Subject: [JPL] Bruce Hornsby
>
> This Week's JPL Sponsor: 2008 JazzWeek Summit
>
> June 19-21, 2008 -- Clarion Riverside Hotel, Rochester, N.Y. --
> Registration opens in August
>
> +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
>
> Wow, I'm surprised that besides Blaise, no one has commented on the  
> Bruce
> Hornsby CD. Good, bad or indifferent. I thought that one would at  
> least
> generate some conversation...if for no other reason it's him and  
> that he's
> usually not heard in jazz circles. Usually I give some critiques of  
> Cd's
> here that I think are interesting but I have a rule in that I don't  
> do that
> with local artists...artists that live here and Bruce falls under that
> category.
>
> The writing on the new Terence Blanchard CD is wonderful....as is the
> playing. Out of the gate tracks four and five will be my favs for  
> airplay.
>
> Jae Sinnett
>
>