Anne Walsh - Pretty World

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2009
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 54:23
Size: 125,2 MB
Art: Front

(4:38)  1. Pretty World
(4:38)  2. So May It Secretly Begin
(4:29)  3. Caramel
(4:47)  4. Waters Of March
(2:58)  5. Chove Chuva
(5:03)  6. In The Still Of The Night
(5:18)  7. Pools
(4:31)  8. Night And Day
(5:04)  9. My Favorite Things
(3:27) 10. Winter
(4:56) 11. He Loves You
(4:29) 12. My Song

Vocalist Anne Walsh has an authentic style of singing that is neither purely jazz or purely pop but rather a fusion of the two. Joined by her husband Thomas Zink who produced and arranged her debut recording Pretty World released by his label A To Zink Music, Walsh’s selection is rooted in American and Brazilian classics including covers of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s “My Favorite Things” and “Waters Of March” from Antonio Carlos Jobim. The selection additionally features contemporary pop tunes such as Sergio Mendez’s samba-driven “Chave Chuv” and Suzanne Vega and Kevyn Lettau’s misty ballad “Winter.” Walsh’s vocals inject rays of light into somber and melancholic arrangements tooling a fluidity that is soothing and natural. Pretty World is perfectly tailored to Walsh’s register and philosophy about life, and is very persuasive in converting others to follow along her path. The recording fosters a concert setting as opposed to a overly produced studio offering as instruments attach to one another and blossom under each other’s tutelage. This was accomplished by using live musicians and allowing them the freedom of improvise and work off of each other’s vibe like in the bouts of perky xylophone-toned doodles and the eruptions of whistles in Bob Wilson’s upbeat minuet “He Love You.” With Zink playing the piano, keyboards and synths, the songs are cemented in a comely undertone which compliments Walsh’s register. For example, the soft and airy feel in songs like Keith Jarrett’s “My Song” and Pat Metheny’s “So May It Secretly Begin” bode nicely with the heavenly lilt in Walsh’s pitch. In the case of Metheny’s and Jarrett’s songs as well as with Don Grolnick’s bossa nova shaded “Pools,” original lyrics needed to be penned for Walsh which were written by Joe DeRenzo. 

Walsh’s vocals have a graceful stride that brings out the beauty in these tracks, and the melodies seem to embrace the warmth that she provides. Contributing their talents to the recording are a group of musicians that have worked with Sergio Mendez including guitarist Oscar Castro-Neves, bassists Carlitos Del Puerto and Jerry Watts, percussionist Tiki Pasillas, and saxophonist-flautist Gary Meek. Walsh and Zink additionally incorporated strings into the recording which gave tracks like Cole Porter’s “In The Still Of The Night” and Mendez’s “Pretty World” an elevated stance. The string section includes Peter Kent, Kathleen Roberts, Cameron Patrick, and Missy Hasin. The musicians casted for the recording are large in numbers, though the music is subdued and primarily softens the senses. Even with the numerous improvisations provided by the band and with Walsh exerting complete freedom in her vocal melodies, everyone was on the same page playing to perform the songs in an optimal light and it worked. ~ Susan Frances https://jazztimes.com/reviews/albums/anne-walsh-pretty-world/

Pretty World

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Anne Walsh - Go

Styles: Vocal, Bossa Nova
Year: 2011
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 51:31
Size: 119,7 MB
Art: Front

(3:29)  1. Cinnamon & Clove
(4:36)  2. Je Vousem Beacuop
(2:35)  3. Bumble Bee
(4:24)  4. Melanie
(5:12)  5. So In Love
(4:56)  6. South American Getaway
(4:52)  7. Bewitched
(4:57)  8. Cascade of the Seven Waterfalls
(4:33)  9. Go
(3:47) 10. Batucada
(3:42) 11. I'll Wish for You
(4:22) 12. Spring's Unfold

Eclectic yet incredibly accessible with a cool Latin vibe that has the ability to creep into your soul.A conceptualized release that finds critically acclaimed vocalist Anne Walsh doing her own riff on exploring artistic beauty in the fast paced world of the digital download. The follow up to Pretty World which earned a Grammy nomination for the arrangement of "In The Still Of The Night" finds Walsh striking out on a slightly more diverse path and in fine voice.  While an admitted intent to go the more organic route there is the musical dichotomy of rich layered textures that create an ambient tapestry showcasing Walsh's pristine vocals. A common stumbling block for a great many vocalists would be arrangements where the musicians are seemingly an afterthought. Go is a well thought out release with stellar arrangements that highlight a sonic conversation between vocalist and musicians creating a more harmonious approach than what you may hear with some artists. "Je Vousem Beaucoup" is an engaging and somewhat haunting tune hinting at the varied background of Walsh including the slight Broadway feel to this number. "Bumble Bee" is an incredibly playful number with sassy vocals and a gentle swing that adds a subtle pop with delightful scat vocals added for flavor along with the violin solo of Christian Howes. 

The Cole Porter standard "So In Love" smolders with a dynamic tension from shifting meters and arrangements to match. Pianist Thomas Zink compliments the mood with a gorgeous lyrically driven solo. Anne Walsh takes the Rogers & Hart classic "Bewitched" to another level. More than just knocking out a passable cover, Walsh transforms from vocalist to story teller and delivers an intoxicating performance. Reinforcing the brilliant arrangements finds Walsh recreating the "South American Getaway" from Butch Cassidy and The Sundance Kid and breathing new life into a forgotten Burt Bacharach number. Adding original vocals to an accepted instrumental jazz classic can be the equivalent of tap dancing in a musical mine field. The original lyrics added to the Wayne Shorter tune "Go" are inventive and keep with the more conceptual nature of this incredibly strong release. Original lyrics, stellar arrangements and a first call list of musicians pushes Go to the top of the heap for vocal releases, even going back to the previous year. Anne Walsh is a fabulous vocal talent with impeccable phrasing and the background to allow herself the freedom to adapt to an eclectic and intoxicating set of tunes not often heard from similar artists. There is a perfect ebb and flow to this release from the beautiful cover art to the last note. The musical stars were in perfect alignment for this virtually flawless release. 5 Stars!   

http://www.criticaljazz.com/2012/02/anne-walsh-go-atozink-music-2012.html

Personnel: Chris Wabich: drums; Brian Bromberg: acoustic bass; Jerry Watts: electric bass; Thomas Zink: piano; Ramone Stagnaro, Larry Koonse, Mitchell Long, Gannin Arnold: guitar; Gary Meek: saxes, flutes, woodwinds; Tiki Pasillas, Chris Wabich: percussion; Anne Walsh, Rogerio Jardim: background voice; Anne Walsh, Johnathan Mack, Jim Graft: Voices "South American Getaway."; Christian Howes: violin solo; Tony Guerrero: trumpet solo; Bill Brendle: accordion; Kathleen Robertson, Cameron Patrick: violins; Darrin McCann: viola; Melissa Hasin: cello.

Go

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