Mood Swings - Move over, Take 6?!?

2/6/11 – Mood Swings (The Swingle Singers)

Jazz has borrowed from other genres of music

and also has lent itself to other genres of music.

– Herbie Hancock

Ok, so whenever I listen to a vocal jazz group, I admit, I go into it with the preconceived attitude of “this is going to be good, but not up to the standard… Take 6.”  Unless it’s a Take 6 CD, then the benchmark is their Live in Tokyo recording.  This album may move that benchmark.  I’m blown away.

I remember listening to The Swingle Singers in Jazz Vocal Techniques back at UNT briefly, on the one day out of the whole semester devoted to the history of vocal jazz.  (One day was clearly not enough.)  However, it was never mentioned that the group based in Paris was disbanded in1973 and reformed by Ward Swingle in London.  I apparently only heard the original incarnation.  I don’t know if these guys have been so clean and clear since the rebirth, but this is flat out incredible.

The lyric to miles Davis’ “So What” on the opening track doesn’t do anything for me, but they more than make up for it in great big huge brassy, flashy arranging and killer technique to match.  Then, they follow it up with three Jobim bossa novas.  The first, entitled “Surfboard,” is completely devoid of text – all performed on neutral syllables and some great vocal percussion from the group’s bass and baritone.  The lead soprano cuts through with a straight tone the likes of which I’ve only heard from one other singer.  (Shout out to Natalie Fockel, another UNT jocal jazz alum.)  “Insensativez” and “The Girl From Ipanama” both continue with a mix of scat and lyric, in the original Portuguese of course.  The latter adds a verse in English as well.  The reverb is a little aggressive in the mixing, but that’s a very minor complaint… their performances here are unreal.  “Milonga del Angel” continue the latin trend, once again without lyric. 

“A Time For Love” shifts the album into lush ballad mode.  The thick harmonies of the double quartet are both lush and full, but at the same time pristine in their tuning and blend.  Even after the tune shifts into time, and then into full swing (literally,) there’s a richness that belies the eight unaccompanied voices.  I really don’t have anything bad to say about this CD.  Every track is incredible.

A few tracks later, the group shifts into standard swing mode with back-to-back Rogers and Hart tunes – “Have You Met Miss Jones,” “My Funny Valentine,” and “Lady is a Tramp.”  This last one features more soloing than most of the rest of the CD combined, including a great imitation of a harmon-muted trumpet.  (Not sure which member is responsible for it, but it’s spot on.)  Cole Porter’s “Just One of Those Things” is nearly choral with very little vocal accompaniment in favor of vertical writing.

“My Foolish Heart” again is a tune I associate most fondly with Kurt Elling’s Live from Chicago masterpiece.  The Singer’s arrangement is definitely more traditional and plays closer to the tune with some interesting harmonic variations, but I doubt anything can sway be from Kurt’s version.  Likewise, “All The Things You Are” is always in my mind as Gene Puerling’s arrangement for The Singers Unlimited.  Swingle’s arrangement, however, is closer to Puerling here, with a somewhat misplaced swing section in the middle.  “It Don’t Mean A Thing” is a far more subdued chart than either arrangement by The Real Group.  Regardless, they’re more creative with the lyric.  However, their version of “Soul Bossa Nova,” also known as the theme to the Austin Powers movies, is hilarious and a perfect way to cap this phenomenal record.

I was expecting this album to be good.  And like so many others I’ve ran through, I expected to move along to the next thing tomorrow.  Nope.  This one gets burned and joins BS&T, Jaco, and Antje in the car.  I don’t see this one getting old any time soon.

Tomorrow – Mozart: Violin Concerti 1-5 (specific concerto TBD)

Next week – Virtuoso (Joe Pass)