Further Details

Title: Aria
Condition: New
Format: CD
EAN: 0074646186428
Genre: R&B
Description: EDITORIAL REVIEWS
AMAZON
Before God summoned saxophonist Grover Washington Jr. to Heaven in December 1999, the saxophonist recorded Aria, a magnificent recording that combines the rich operatic tradition of solo vocal performances with instrumental accompaniment and the improvisational vitality and phrasing of jazz. Known as the progenitor of today's contemporary and smooth genres, Washington reveals the full flower of his underrated musicianship on this beautiful and bittersweet CD. He's joined by conductor Robert Freedman--who worked on Wynton Marsalis's Hot House Flowers and The Midnight Blues, and here leads the marvelous Orchestra St. Lukes--and by bassist Ron Carter and the sensitive pianist Billy Childs. They beautifully buoy Washington's impassioned interpretations of the greatest aria "hits," from George Gershwin's Porgy and Bess to Bizet's Les Pecheurs de Perles (The Pearl Fishes), and his trademarked velvet vibrato is heard throughout the saxophone family. His timeless tenor sax sings sweetly on Massenet's "Porquoi Me Reveiller (Why Do You Wake Me?)" and Puccini's "Donna Non Vidi Mai (Never Seen a Woman Like That)." "O Soave Fanciulla (Oh Sweet Lady)," another Puccini gem, is graced by Washington's full-bodied alto tones. His angelic soprano soars on the after-hours version of Giordano's "Amor Ti Vieta (Love Forbids)," which contrasts his broad and rarely heard baritone lines on the Indian impressions of Delibes's "Flower Duet." The famous aria from Puccini's Tosca, "Vissi D' Arte (I Lived for Art)," showcases Washington at his lyrical best, and its title serves as a fitting epitaph for this incredible and sorely missed musician. --Eugene Holley Jr.

REVIEW
By the time of his unexpected death at age 58 in December 1999, saxophonist Grover Washington Jr. had been at the forefront of blending rhythm-and-blues and jazz for nearly 30 years. His big break came in 1971, when he replaced a truant Hank Crawford for a CTI recording session. The resulting album, "Inner City Blues," was a big seller and pushed Washington Jr. into the spotlight. Although he wasn't limited to pop-jazz, it constituted the bulk of his recordings and is what he will be remembered for most clearly. In 1980, he recorded what many consider the "Kind of Blue" of smooth jazz, Elektra Record's "Winelight." His soprano saxophone work on that recording and on many others, influenced all the big smooth-jazz soprano stars: Najee, Kenny G, George Howard, etc. Washington Jr.'s final album, "Aria" is a posthumously released recording that finds Washington Jr.'s lyrical soprano interpreting a collection of opera themes.

--- JAZZIZ Magazine Copyright © 2000, Milor Entertainment, Inc. -- From Jazziz
No Of Discs: 1
Artist: Grover Washington Jr.
Record Label: Sony Classical

Missing Information?

Please contact us if any details are missing and where possible we will add the information to our listing.