Bending The Light

On this CD:

1. Tsunami, for cello, percussion & piano
Composed by Daniel Welcher
Performed by Core Ensemble, Hugh Hinton, Andrew Mark, Michael Parola

2. 1492
Composed by Judith Shatin
Performed by Core Ensemble, Hugh Hinton, Andrew Mark, Michael Parola

3. Tributaries
Composed by Ross Bauer
Performed by Core Ensemble, Hugh Hinton, Andrew Mark, Michael Parola

4. Nocturne
Composed by Peter Lieuwen
Performed by Core Ensemble, Hugh Hinton, Andrew Mark, Michael Parola

5. A Windo Always Open on the Sea
Composed by Marilyn Shrude
Performed by Core Ensemble, Hugh Hinton, Andrew Mark, Michael Parola

Tracks:

Bending Towards the Light Grady Tate
Silent Night Bob Kindred
One Star
The First Noel Jon Gordon
Angels We have Heard on High
Bending Towards The Light
What child is this? Jackie Cain and Roy Kral
Softly Falls The Gentle Night Gail Wynters
We Three kings Jon Faddis, Jimmy Slyde, Tito Puente
God' Love made Visible Dave Brubeck
Deck The Halls various artists
Joy To The World

Album Description

shows and soundtracks

Customer Reviews:

Not like being there but it will have to do........2002-12-09

(I'm raising my rating from 3 to 5 stars after a couple more listens. You may wish to start with the finale, a 30-minute, choreographed, moveable jam session for the ages on "Deck the Halls." I've never heard anything quite like it. Each group arrives at the manger--first saxes, then trombones, then trumpets--and blows the roof off of the stable, outdoing the previous group in its musical offering. And in between the groups are individual pilgrims--Toots Thielmans, Adam Makiewicz, Russell George--with equally spirited offerings.)

Not the usual jazzing up of pop Christmas tunes but a jazz nativity based on the Christmas story of the Gospels (though this did not prevent a Manhattan Rabbi from offering his synagogue for one of the performances), the musical pageant features the likes of Brubeck, Hampton, Puente dressed up as Wise Men, Shepherds, Angels. And as the title suggests, the production was as theatrical and visual as it was musical (veteran tap dancer Jimmy Slyde is one of the "stars"). All of which makes for a great experience for the spectator fortunate enough to have been in attendance (it's not clear to me whether the production, originally suggested by Rev. John Gensel in the middle 1980's and a regular annual event at least through the mid-90's, is still alive). As a recording, the miking is irregular in keeping with the moveable nature of the musical feast, but once each group of pilgrims arrives at the stable, the tuneful offerings are in sharp focus.

Musical highlights include the Grady Tate vocal that introduces the proceedings, Dave Brubeck's swinging hymn (in 5/4, of course), and the marathon "Deck the Halls" (sort of a "Jazz at the Philharmonic" all-star jam session on chord changes remarkably close to Charlie Parker's "Confirmation") that brings the show to a rousing, spirited close, with the trumpets of John Faddis, Byron Stripling, and Lew Soloff soaring into the stratosphere above Bethlehem skies. It's bracing, exhilarating music but certainly not, as another reviewer has stated, "shrill"--unless you're averse to unmuted trumpet virtuosity in the style of Maynard Ferguson, Cat Anderson, Arturo Sandoval, or early Dizzy Gillespie. (This baby Jesus was no Chet Baker or Chris Botti fan.)

I really wanted to like this CD........2002-12-02

I had such high hopes, but the main word that came to mind while listening to this CD is "shrill," with the word "grating" not far behind. Judging from the applause, the audience had a great time in 1992 when this was performed, but maybe the sound technicians were too into the music and not checking their levels enough. High notes are piercing, the mixes seem uneven, some of performances sound like they're taking place in an empty warehouse. But worse are that many of the songs just aren't pleasing to the ear--shrill horns, singers that are either too operatic or sound like they're struggling to hit the notes. Oy. The songs that I mostly enjoyed were "Softly Falls the Gentle Night" with Gail Wynters (and it's really an R&B song) and "We Three Kings," though both were still plagued with mixing issues. I recommend you take a listen to an NPR Piano Jazz Christmas with Marian McPartland (and others) instead of this album. (P.S. Shouldn't that be "Toward the Light"?)

Average customer rating:

outstanding!

Bending the Light
john amos
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD
ASIN: B000M9P6FI

Product Description

1 Everything Turns Blue 2 If You Lived In My House 3 After the Fall 4 Goin' NowHere 5 Prohibition Blues 6 Rima 7 Cold and Hard 8 Dangerous Woman 9 It'll Be Too Late 10 Gravity 11 Rise Up 12 Pray 4 Rain 13 Don't U Threaten Me With Love

Customer Reviews:

outstanding!.......2007-07-12

this record is one of the best indie releases of 2006. love every song and the players who came together for this effort ~ incredible talent. rock on!

Bending Towards the Light: A Jazz Nativity

Average customer rating:

Swinging Stable--A Birthday Party for the Ages

Bending Towards the Light: A Jazz Nativity
Charles Kuralt , and Hilda Harris
Manufacturer: Milan
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Bebop General | Bebop | Jazz | Styles | Music

Hard Bop | Bebop | Jazz | Styles | Music

General | Jazz | Styles | Music

Modern Postbebop | Jazz | Styles | Music

Swing General | Swing Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music

General Christmas | Holiday | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music

General Christmas | Holiday Music | Special Features | Music
Similar Items:

Bending Towards the light...A jazz nativity

ASIN: B00008EXTX
Release Date: 1995-11-14

Tracks:

Bending Towards the Light - Grady Tate
Introduction - Charles Kuralt
Silent Night - Hilda Harris, Rose Marie Jun, , Maretha Stewart
Luke 2:7, 8 - New York Voices, , Maretha Stewart
One Star - The Shepherds
First Noel - The Jazz Nativity
Luke 2:9-13 - New York Voices, , Maretha Stewart
Angels We Have Heard on High
Luke 2:15 - New York Voices
Bending Towards the Light
What Child Is This? - Guardian Angels
What Child Is This? (Reprise) - The Jazz Nativity
Softly Falls the Gentle Night - Gail Wynters
Silent Night (Reprise) - The Jazz Nativity
We Three Kings
Bending Towards the Light (Reprise)
God's Love Made Visible - New York Voices
Deck the Halls - New York Voices
Closing - Charles Kuralt
John 1:15, Matthew 5:14 - New York Voices, , Maretha Stewart
Bows: Joy to the World - The Jazz Nativity

Customer Reviews:

Swinging Stable--A Birthday Party for the Ages.......2005-12-24

What a joy it is to learn that this tradition has been brought back to NYC for Christmas 2005 (wish it had been running a couple of years ago, when I was in town and had to settle for the Rockettes). And to imagine that a few of the original musicians are still with the production--namely violinist Russell George and the ageless wonder, tap dancer Jimmy Slyde--though it would be hard to top the personnel and performance captured on this 1995 release. You may wish to start with the finale, a 30-minute, choreographed, moveable jam session on "Deck the Halls." I've never heard anything quite like it. Each group arrives at the manger--first saxes, then trombones, then trumpets--and blows the roof off of the stable, outdoing the previous group in its musical offering. And in between the groups are individual pilgrims--Toots Thielmans, Adam Makiewicz, Russell George--with equally spirited offerings. What follows is my original review:

Not the usual jazzing up of pop Christmas tunes but a jazz nativity based on the Christmas story of the Gospels (though this did not prevent a Manhattan Rabbi from offering his synagogue for one of the performances), the musical pageant features the likes of Brubeck, Hampton, Puente dressed up as Wise Men, Shepherds, Angels. And as the title suggests, the production was as theatrical and visual as it was musical (veteran tap dancer Jimmy Slyde is one of the "stars"). All of which makes for a great experience for the spectator fortunate enough to have been in attendance (it's not clear to me whether the production, originally suggested by Rev. John Gensel in the middle 1980's and a regular annual event at least through the mid-90's, is still alive). As a recording, the miking is irregular in keeping with the moveable nature of the musical feast, but once each group of pilgrims arrives at the stable, the tuneful offerings are in sharp focus.

Musical highlights include the Grady Tate vocal that introduces the proceedings, Dave Brubeck's swinging hymn (in 5/4, of course), and the marathon "Deck the Halls" (sort of a "Jazz at the Philharmonic" all-star jam session on chord changes remarkably close to Charlie Parker's "Confirmation") that brings the show to a rousing, spirited close, with the trumpets of John Faddis, Byron Stripling, and Lew Soloff soaring into the stratosphere above Bethlehem skies. It's bracing, exhilarating music but certainly not, as another reviewer has stated, "shrill"--unless you're averse to unmuted trumpet virtuosity in the style of Maynard Ferguson, Cat Anderson, Arturo Sandoval, or early Dizzy Gillespie. (This baby Jesus clearly was no Chet Baker or Chris Botti fan.)

Average customer rating:

Bending The Light

Manufacturer: New World Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

Compilations | Classical | Styles | Music
ASIN: B00000IJUF
Release Date: 1999-03-23

Tracks:

Tsunami
1492
Bending The Light: I. Bending The Light
Bending The Light: II. Bending The Light
Bending The Light: III. Bending The Light
Tributaries
Nocturne
A Window Always Open On The Sea: I. In The Name Of A Name Lost
A Window Always Open On The Sea: II. Harsh Is The Voice That Summons
A Window Always Open On The Sea: III. Down Sunglazed Bluffs
A Window Always Open On The Sea: IV. Mother-Of-Pearl Glow
A Window Always Open On The Sea: V. The Tide Spreads, Enters Coppery Inlets
A Window Always Open On The Sea: VI. As The Sun Drowns
A Window Always Open On The Sea: VII. Hermit Of The Heart... Nothing Is Changed For A Name