Laurie Antonioli - The Constant Passage of Time

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2019
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 43:06
Size: 99,6 MB
Art: Front

(5:35)  1. Longing for You
(4:33)  2. Riverwide
(3:56)  3. Layla
(5:30)  4. Moonbirds
(6:32)  5. Harry's House/The Arrangement
(3:55)  6. Love
(4:21)  7. Highway
(3:15)  8. And so It Is
(5:25)  9. Don't Let It Bring You Down

Laurie Antonioli is one of the era's definitive jazz vocalists, but she's got a little rock 'n' roll in her soul too. Her new album expands her creative purview with an emotionally trenchant program focusing on her collaborations with state-of-the-art jazz composers  including Russell Ferrante and Nguyn L and new arrangements of songs by iconic singer/songwriters Joni Mitchell, Neil Young, and Sheryl Crow. 'The Constant Passage of Time' is her 7th album overall and 3rd created with her American Dreams band, a superlative quintet featuring saxophonist Sheldon Brown, guitarist Dave MacNab, pianist Matt Clark, drummer Jason Lewis, and bassist/recording engineer Dan Feiszli. The arrangements cover a lot of gripping musical ground, making particularly brilliant use of Brown's bass clarinet and the stinging fretwork of MacNab. ~ Editorial Reviews https://www.amazon.com/Constant-Passage-Time-Laurie-Antonioli/dp/B07NHQHWWN

The Constant Passage of Time

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Laurie Antonioli - Foreign Affair

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2004
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 45:13
Size: 105,4 MB
Art: Front

(6:31)  1. Ballad For Djole
(4:05)  2. Holy Water
(4:50)  3. Where Flamingos Fly
(5:44)  4. Tschusch Chochek
(4:45)  5. I Know You
(3:40)  6. Mayana
(4:07)  7. Crni Narcis (Black Narcissus)
(3:27)  8. The Cure
(8:00)  9. Music Box

Foreign Affair is Laurie Antonioli's debut as a solo artist, although she has appeared on record with artists such as George Cables and Joe Bonner. Antonioli is a musical singer gifted with a flexible, darkish voice and soulful, natural phrasing and as witnessed on this record, she has surrounded her attractive vocal stylings with fairly interesting, though at times restrained and minimalistic arrangements. Throughout this record Antonioli's vocals direct and steer the musings of the supporting band, which consists of bassist Nenad Vasilic, guitarist Armend Xhaferi, drummer John Hollenbeck, and saxophonist Johannes Enders. The album is memorable mostly for slow and contemplative tracks like the opening "Ballad For Djole," "Holy Water," "I Know You," and "Mayana," while Enders' saxophone further enhances the album's overall moody emotions throughout. 

The opener is a slow track written by bassist Nenad Vasilic where a light, smooth feel blends with Antonioli's smoky vocals. "Tsuchusch Chochek" is a swinging piece with repetitive melodies where she seems inspired by the band to fully demonstrate her vocal possibilities. Her compelling, emotional performance on the final track, "Music Box," makes for a poignant duet with Enders' soprano sax. One would usually expect obvious references to Balkanesque melodies or rhythms from someone who originates from this region (since Antonioli's origins are in Montenegro). However, these influences are more sublime and deep, rather than ready-made or stereotypical. Antonioli's passsionate and soulful performances reveal an artist who is not afraid to stray away on occasion from the classical vocal jazz tradition in order to deliver performances that are accessible and enjoyable. ~ Nenad Georgievski https://www.allaboutjazz.com/foreign-affair-laurie-antonioli-nabel-review-by-nenad-georgievski.php

Personnel:  Laurie Antonioli-vocals;  Nenad Vasilic-bass;  Johannes Enders-saxophone;  John Hollenbeck-drums;  Armend Xhaferi-guitar

Foreign Affair

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Laurie Antonioli & Richie Beirach - Varuna

Size: 126,0 MB
Time: 53:33
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2015
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. Varuna (3:16)
02. You're An Angel Now (4:40)
03. Summer Night (4:29)
04. Prelude In E-Flat Minor/My Funny Valentine (5:42)
05. Gentle Rain (6:00)
06. Revelation (1:38)
07. Transformation (1:30)
08. Exaltation (2:58)
09. My Love (2:56)
10. Inside My Dreams (4:43)
11. Haunted Heart (5:30)
12. Impressions (4:55)
13. Over The Rainbow (5:09)

There is a tuneful Constellation in the West and her name is Laurie Antonioli. Returning to her native Bay Area in 2006 after an expatriate period in Europe where she served as professor of voice at Austria's Kug University, she formed her "American Dreams" band recording, most recently, the well critically well-received albums, American Dreams (Intrinsic Music, 2010) and what is considered her breakout, the excellent Songs of Shadow, Songs of Light: the Music of Joni Mitchell (Origin Records, 2014)

Antonioli returns in an anticipated paring with pianist and composer Richie Beirach on the intense and introspective Varuna. Antonioli's association with Beirach dates to the early 1990s when the two recorded(and released in 2005) The Duo Session (Nabel Records). This release demonstrated an already established report between the two artists that manifested in a mutual understanding and respect readily heard on the recording. The two picked up where they left off, in 2006, recording six pieces in Leipzig, Germany (while both were teaching there) and then in again 2012, recording seven pieces in Berkeley, CA.

After this lengthy maturation, Antonioli was ready to release these recordings, intelligently programmed as only she could do. Part of the recording focuses on the aesthetic beauty of Antonioli's durable alto which she employs in the wordless songs like, "Varuna" and the three pieces of the "Resolution Suite." She and Beirach reach a rarefied interface between instrument and voice and between heart and mind. They tie this foray into a nice bundle with an almost spiritual take on John Coltrane's "Impressions." This is where Beirach fully cuts loose and shows off his famous chops.

Antonioli uses an inspired collection of standards that perfectly meld with the originals. The two artists allow Alexander Scriabin's "Prelude in E-flat Minor" to carefully dissolve into "My Funny Valentine." Long relegated to the stack of standards that should no longer be covered, "Valentine" is daunting. Only the most original and creative interpretations need be tried with this piece of music. Gladly, the two transmogrify the piece into something delicate and special. They take "Valentine," "Haunted Heart," and "Over the Rainbow" and define the modern art song as if they breathed the same air as Schubert and Wolf. ~C. Michael Bailey

Personnel: Laurie Antonioli: vocals; Richie Beirach: piano; Pepe Bernes: bass (5-8).

Varuna

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Richie Beirach & Laurie Antonioli - The Duo Session

Styles: Vocal And Piano Jazz
Year: 2005
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 52:42
Size: 120,9 MB
Art: Front

(6:08)  1. Flamenco Sketches
(4:39)  2. You And The Night And The Music
(6:22)  3. Blue in Green
(4:48)  4. Green Dolphin Street
(4:37)  5. New Souls
(3:59)  6. The Island
(5:02)  7. Moonlake (Nightlake)
(4:36)  8. You Don't Know What Love Is
(5:01)  9. Sounds From Your Heart (Elm)
(7:25) 10. Memories, Dreams & Reflections

Recorded in 1992 in San Francisco, this session of piano/vocal duets features a silky-smooth singer in performance with an expressive pianist. Their warm, endearing approach brings you into their circle with open arms and a heartfelt embrace. Together, the two artists interpret moody standards, hip reflections, and searing originals with candor. Laurie Antonioli's clear alto voice and extensive vocal range allow her to express ideas and emotions freely and accurately. What she's thinking is what comes out naturally. Partnering with Beirach, she's confident and convincing. Richie Beirach's consonant harmonies and lush undercurrents provide a kind of acoustic depth that fills the room. His shadows cast far and wide. Each piece finds the pianist as musical partner to the vocalist, sharing in the experience with a lot to say. They give "Green Dolphin Street" a moody texture and "Flamenco Sketches" a dreamy whirl. Miles Davis had passed away the year before this date, and he was surely looking down from above with a smile. 

The session runs solemn and moody, befitting the legacy that the trumpeter left behind. Beirach and Antonioli collaborated on several original numbers, pouring the same heartfelt emotion into each one. They prefer slower pieces that allow ample room for patient expression. Their "Memories, Dreams & Reflections" summarizes the performance through its creative infusion and unique duet interaction. Today, Antonioli is head of the Vocal Jazz Department at KUG University in Graz, Austria and Beirach is head of the Jazz Piano Department at Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy in Leipzig, Germany. They're working together again in live performance. It's time they recorded a few more duo albums to let a worldwide audience enjoy the spirit of their work. Surely any followup to this highly recommended album would feature the same wholesome music. ~ Jim Santella  http://www.allaboutjazz.com/the-duo-session-richie-beirach-nabel-review-by-jim-santella.php#.VFKxVslZi5g

Personnel: Richie Beirach: piano; Laurie Antonioli: vocals.

The Duo Session

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Laurie Antonioli - Songs Of Shadow, Songs Of Light: The Music Of Joni Mitchell

Size: 140,1 MB
Time: 59:52
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2014
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. People's Parties (2:38)
02. Rainy Night House (4:57)
03. Barangrill (3:24)
04. Eastern Rain (4:24)
05. Cold Blue Steel And Sweet Fire (4:49)
06. Both Sides Now (5:15)
07. Hissing Of Summer Lawns (4:54)
08. Woman Of Heart And Mind (5:00)
09. This Flight Tonight (4:31)
10. River (5:02)
11. I Don't Know Where I Stand (4:33)
12. California (4:30)
13. Marcie (5:47)

The concept of a jazz-informed program of Joni Mitchell tunes isn't exactly novel anymore. Herbie Hancock's high profile River: The Joni Letters (Verve, 2007) took home two Grammy Awards; vocalist Tierney Sutton got some well-deserved attention when she put her own spin on Mitchell's work with After Blue (BFM, 2013); somewhat under-the-radar releases from artists like David Lahm and Rachel Z have made something of an impact on a smaller scale; and numerous other albums that aren't necessarily built around Mitchell's work have been sprinkled with her songs.

Joni Mitchell has become something of a lodestar for a jazz community that appreciates the range of her artistry, power of her music and words, and arc of her career, moving from folk singer to heart-baring emotional conduit to jazz-informed songstress to post-modern poetess and idol. Taking all of that into consideration, it's easy to see why so many have found comfort, promise and possibility in the experience of interpreting her work. But the question that still remains Does the jazz world really need another album of Joni Mitchell songs? is a valid one. In theory, it does not. But when the album in question is shaped by the voice of Laurie Antonioli, the answer is yes.

Antonioli's Songs Of Shadow, Songs Of Light is an invaluable collection that looks at some of Mitchell's infrequently-covered work with a truthful gaze. Only two numbers "Both Sides Now" and "River"—are covered with regularity. The other eleven tunes, including "Marcie," "Eastern Rain," and "People's Parties," are largely ignored, and that's a shame. In the right hands in this case, Antonioli's hands they're works of pure magic. This music is putty in those hands, but Antonioli doesn't bend the songs into radically new and unrecognizable shapes. She works an angle that's highly sympathetic to Mitchell. The tone and timbre of her voice are extremely well-suited to Mitchell's music, she captures the spirit of the songs, and her longtime working band finds a way to deliver those songs in faithful-yet-original fashion.

Much is often made of a singer's need to live within the songs and stories he or she spins, but many simply pay lip service to that idea without truly thinking about it. Antonioli thinks a good deal about it and actually does it. She inhabits every song that she sings, threading herself into fabric of the music. That's been apparent on every one of her releases, but never more than here. Hearing her work with pianist Matt Clark and multi-reedist Sheldon Brown on "I Don't Know Where I Stand," listening to her confidently bring "Barangrill" to life, and feeling her vulnerability on "River" are just a few examples of the way she makes this music her own without having to paint over what Mitchell created in the first place. Antonioli's stunning Songs Of Shadow, Songs Of Light is true to Joni Mitchell and true unto herself. ~Dan Bilawsky

Personnel: Laurie Antonioli: vocals; Matt Clark: piano, Hammond B-3, Fender rhodes; Dave Mac Nab: guitar; John Shifflett: bass; Jason Lewis: drums; Sheldon Brown: bass clarinet, clarinet, soprano saxophone, tenor saxophone; Theo Bleckmann: vocals (1).

Songs Of Shadow, Songs Of Light

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Laurie Antonioli - American Dreams

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 56:25
Size: 129.2 MB
Styles: Jazz vocals
Year: 2010
Art: Front

[4:33] 1. America The Beautiful
[6:22] 2. Dreary Black Hills Get Up & Go
[4:34] 3. How Long
[5:52] 4. Just A Dream
[4:47] 5. Long Way From Home
[4:35] 6. Moonlight In Vermont
[5:16] 7. Oh, What A Beautiful Morning
[3:58] 8. Samba Nada Brahma
[3:44] 9. Stimulus Plan
[4:19] 10. Sweet Sound Of Spring
[4:28] 11. Under Consideration
[3:52] 12. Vienna Blues

Calling American Dreams a jazz album is too narrowing a description. This record is actually an odyssey through the American musical landscape. After recording Foreign Affair (Nabel, 2004), with a multi-cultural cast of musicians while living abroad, vocalist Laurie Antonioli's mind drifted back toward thoughts of home. In exploring her vision of America, Antonioli touches on standards, country, folk and patriotic music. These entries are nestled within a collection that also includes a good amount of material resulting from a marriage of her lyrics with the music of pianist Fritz Pauer--the longtime accompanist for trumpeter Art Farmer.

In lesser hands, these disparate musical ideals might have resulted in an album that suffered from multiple personality disorder, but Antonioli and her exquisite band help fuse all of these songs into a unified musical expression. While a song called Samba Nada Brahma might seem like an odd way to start off an album that speaks of America, it provides instant excitement as Sheldon Brown's soprano saxophone work bounces around with boundless energy. Moonlight In Vermont gives Antonioli a chance to showcase her superb scatting skills and bassist John Shifflett provides excellent support here. How Long, one of five pieces credited to Pauer and Antonioli, has an alt-country vibe and--if one looks past the saxophone solo--it sounds like it could have come from the Emmylou Harris songbook. Brown--one of the key ingredients on this record--provides some harmonica work at the top of Dreary Black Hills and Antonioli's voice picks up a bit of country twang on this traditional tune. This song transitions into Get Up And Go--an earthy, appealing original from Shifflett--and Antonioli's voice takes on a firmer, focused quality here.

In addition to bringing stylistic authenticity into every song on the album, guitarist Dave McNab put together a gorgeous arrangement of America The Beautiful. Antonioli slowly lays out the visually rich lyrics over a warm bed of guitar and Brown's bass clarinet work adds volumes to the performance. Freer forms of expression come through on the loose and woozy Stimulus Plan, as Jason Lewis' jittery cymbal work scurries around and Antonioli moves in tandem with Brown's bass clarinet. Broadway also makes a brief appearance and Oh, What A Beautiful Morning is taken at a relaxed pace, with pianist Matt Clark providing the harmonic foundation for Antonioli and Brown--on tenor saxophone here. From start to finish, American Dreams proves to be a happy marriage of cultural appreciation and musical creation. ~ Dan Bilawsky

American Dreams

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