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Diane Schuur’s interpretative powers and her legendary three-and-a-half
octave vocal range have earned her the title of “the new First Lady of
jazz,” five GRAMMY® nominations, two GRAMMY® awards, and acclaim
from critics worldwide, including the late Leonard Feather. The venerable father
of contemporary jazz criticism lauded Schuur most for her adaptability and
versatility. Indeed, the feisty and spirited vocalist is always ready for a
new jazz journey. On her new release, Schuur Fire (Concord Picante, CCD-2264-2),
she takes us island hopping in the Caribbean and kicks her 25th Anniversary
in the business—as well as Concord Picante’s 25th year—into
high gear with twelve memorable tracks given a fresh spin with passionate and
infectious Latin rhythms.
Schuur signed with Concord Records in 1999, and each of her
four subsequent releases has afforded her an opportunity to stretch
in a new musical direction, always guided by her deeply entrenched
jazz instincts. On Schuur Fire, she reaches into her musical
soul with world-renowned Brazilian guitarist, Oscar Castro-Neves
as producer and arranger. The CD is also the celebrated vocalist’s
first recorded collaboration with the fiery GRAMMY® Award-winning
Latin jazz ensemble Caribbean Jazz Project, led by vibraphonist
and marimba player, Dave Samuels. “The idea was to do a
Latin-oriented album with repertoire originally not recorded
as Latin music,” says Castro-Neves. “It’s a
twist, so people can revisit tunes they know, but this time they’ll
hear them fired up by Latin rhythms. If you set a song like ‘Ordinary
World’ by Duran Duran to Latin music, you really pay attention
to the lyrics,” he adds. “Diane gives such a powerful
delivery, and put a great deal of poetry into all this music.
This is a new voyage for Diane.”
In addition to Duran Duran, Schuur Fire features tunes made
popular by Frank Sinatra (“More Than You Know”) and
Ray Charles (“I Can’t Stop Loving You”), as
well as hits by James Taylor (“Don’t Let Me Be Lonely
Tonight”) and Stevie Wonder (“As”). “I’ve
always wanted to do ‘As;’ it’s one of my favorite
tunes,” enthuses Schuur. “It says a lot about the
constancy of love in peoples’ lives, and some very universal
insights about our planet, the sun, the earth. It’s beautiful.”
On the CD, three tunes more associated with the Latin world
are dusted off and revitalized with Castro-Neves fine arrangements
and Schuur’s distinctive interpretations. “I’ve
always loved “Poinciana” as an instrumental tune,
and it hadn’t been done much with vocals, except by Manhattan
Transfer,” says Schuur, whose lush vocals soar over the
Caribbean Jazz Project’s percolating rhythms. The aching
quality of her lovely rendition of Ivan Lins’ “Confessions”—with
new lyrics written expressly for Schuur by Brenda Russell—provides
a touching counterpoint to Castro-Neves’ poignant interludes
on classical guitar. “Yellow Days,” a Mexican song,
provides an equally tender showcase for Schuur’s mastery
of fullness juxtaposed with simplicity—her voice cascades
over and around notable solos by both Samuels and Diego Urcola
(featured throughout the disc on both trumpet and fluegelhorn).
Other CJP band members include Dario Eskenazi (piano), Oscar
Stagnaro (bass), Mark Walker (drums) and Roberto Quintero (congas,
percussion).
Schuur and the Caribbean Jazz Project make a lively entreaty
out of “Lover Come Back to Me,” one of several tunes
suggested by Castro-Neves. “It was a lot of fun,” she
says. “I did it as an up tempo ballad to really stretch
the lyrics out. And, with the pulse of the band underneath, not
to mention a great percussive stretch in the middle, the meaning
of the words really comes through.” “Close Enough
for Love,” by Johnny Mandel and Paul Williams is also transformed
into an up beat, yet still very romantic, ballad. And, Schuur
confesses, recording a Latin-influenced version of “So
In Love” is very fresh, unexpected, in the capable hands
of the CJP. “I’ve wanted to do this tune for a long
time as I’ve loved it ever since I was a kid,” she
says. “Michel Legrand did a beautiful album of Cole Porter
stuff, and I just started crying when I heard it. It’s
quite different on this recording, pretty intense.”
“Diane is an incredible performer and singer,” says
Castro-Neves. “She has golden ears, knows immediately what
she wants to do, and away she goes. The first time we met, the
rapport was fantastic, couldn’t have been better. I knew
her as an artist for many years, but this was the first time
we really worked together. When Hal Gaba [co-owner of Concord
Records] called me, I said, ‘how much do I have to pay
you?’,” laughs Castro-Neves. “This is the kind
of project you want to do, a personal and musical pleasure beyond
anything. The atmosphere of joy and interplay was very present
among all of us. I think feelings go on a record as much as the
notes.”
Schuur agrees, and for that reason, lobbied to keep a giggle
in the final cut of “Look Around,” a tune made famous
on Sergio Mendes’s immensely popular Brasil 66 release. “When
I heard Dave Samuels’ solo on that tune, I just let out
a little giggle, a Deedle giggle,” she says, referring
to her lifelong nickname. “They took my giggle out during
editing, but I made them put it back in. It brought out the human
element—Dave’s solo was so awesome that I couldn’t
contain myself!” Schuur selected the tune, “because
I thought Alan and Marilyn Bergman would enjoy my interpretation
of it,” she says of her old friends, the renowned songwriters
who penned lyrics for the huge Mendes hit.
“Look Around” and five other tunes feature Castro-Neves
on Brazilian classical guitar, a reprise of his ten-year tenure
with Mendes and Brasil 66. Britt Robson of the Star Tribune once
wrote of this forefather of the Bossa Nova movement: “It
was apparent that guitarist Oscar Castro-Neves was a collaborative
catalyst, who expertly shaded the tone and spurred the creativity
of everyone around him.” The same can definitely be said
of his role as producer/arranger on Schuur Fire.
“This was one of the most interesting, fun, creative projects
I’ve ever done; it was simply very special, really close
to my heart,” says Schuur. “It was really exciting
to work with Oscar and the Caribbean Jazz Project. Everyone just
had a blast.” The fun doesn’t stop with the release
of Schuur Fire. Diane and the CJP, led by Samuels, take to the
road in 2005 to bring their fiery Latin rhythms to audiences
across the United States, who will no doubt agree that this is
one incredible first-class musical journey.
For more information on Diane Schuur, visit her website at www.dianeschuur.com
Oleta Adams : Sara
Gazarek : Karrin Allyson : Diane
Schuur
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