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Main >> Previous Updates >> December 2005 >> December 20, 2005 >> Article ID 8987
 Jazz Icon Jamming with Pop Stars | Type: Internet Article |
| | ‘Possibilities’ Finds a Jazz Icon Jamming with Pop Stars | Dec 16, 2005 |
Summary:
The pianist’s biggest surprise came when working with Miss Aguilera. He was taken aback by her vocal power.
“I knew she was great singer, but not that great,” he said. “Her delivery on the Leon Russell piece, “A Song for You,” is absolutely stunning.
“The first take we did sounded perfect to me, and I told her that she had nailed it in one take. She said, ‘Oh, no. I was just trying a few things, and I’ll do several takes, then we can settle on something.
“We did six takes, and each one of them was a keeper.”
Read on for the whole article. |
Herbie Hancock has spent the past 40 years staying out of the creative box reserved for jazz pianists, but the 10-time Grammy Award winner’s newest project, “Possibilities,” finds him stretching out again, this time with a diverse lineup of stars.
He was joined on ABC’s “Good Morning America” last week by Sting, who contributed a revamped version of 1987’s “Sister Moon” to the album.
Noted West African-born jazz guitarist Lionel Loueke, the song’s arranger, joined both artists.
“The way that Stings sings that at the end of ‘Sister Moon,’ actually, happened at the beginning when we were recording,” Mr. Hancock said.
“That really set the mood for the piece. It’s familiar and unfamiliar at the same time.”
In making the album, Mr. Hancock wanted to create something fresh by putting people in unusual situations. He said he achieved that with the help of Sting and other guests, such as John Mayer, Damien Rice, Lisa Hannigan, Annie Lennox, Raul Midon, Christina Aguilera and Trey Anastasio.
“Artists are often pigeonholed by whatever made them famous,” Mr. Hancock, 65, said. “I realized that human beings are larger than those pigeonholes and they have a lot more to offer.”
He said the collaborations generated a steady stream of surprises, as everyone seemed willing to move out of their respective comfort zones.
Paul Simon helped give his “I Do It for Your Love,” a more sensuous atmosphere by replacing drums with percussion, while Mr. Hancock gave it a suspended feel by playing most of the song as if it had only one chord.
“Paul came in on that first day and took the bull by the horns and helped shape the rhythmic direction on that piece, and it’s not a direction you expect from Paul.”
The Joss Stone-Jonny Lang duet on U2’s “When Love Comes to Town” wound up as a country/blues/funk blend punctuated by a Hancock jazz solo.
Mr. Hancock said the free-flowing session with Mr. Anastasio produced the makings of a whole suite, of which the album’s “Gelo No Montana” is just a taste.
The pianist’s biggest surprise came when working with Miss Aguilera. He was taken aback by her vocal power.
“I knew she was great singer, but not that great,” he said. “Her delivery on the Leon Russell piece, “A Song for You,” is absolutely stunning.
“The first take we did sounded perfect to me, and I told her that she had nailed it in one take. She said, ‘Oh, no. I was just trying a few things, and I’ll do several takes, then we can settle on something.
“We did six takes, and each one of them was a keeper.”
The song, “Safiatou,” featuring Carlos Santana and Angelique Kidjo, took shape in a spirited studio session.
“Carlos gave, 1,000 percent and made sure that everybody gave everything they could,” Mr. Hancock said. “I’m eternally grateful to Carlos for that energy.”
Mr. Hancock partnered on the project with Vector Recordings and Starbucks Hear Music, the same people who did last year’s multi-platinum, Grammy-winning smash, “Genius Loves Company,” Ray Charles’ last album.
The album has been sold in Starbucks outlets, as well as at traditional music stores. |
 Source: The Black Chronicle | |
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