The orchestras and jazz combos repertoire has been fed, from the very beginning, by extraordinarily diverse musical material. From the blues and gospel songs coming from North American black people folklore up to European classical music compositions, the wide range of subject matters has been quite clear: Ragtimes, military marches, traditional music from different kinds of European immigrant trends (polkas, waltzes, French crews, Irish ballads), themes coming from musicals or films and, of course, jazz musicians works of their own, as well. However, the themes which have mostly been performed by orchestras and jazz ensembles are called standards.
Standards are themes basically by North American composers and lyricists from musicals, soundtracks, dance orchestras or singers more or less commercial, which, once having achieved a great degree of popularity, as time passed by and having faced the ups and downs of fashion, have become landmarks of a period of time which goes from the twenties to the sixties. Standards have been a usual base and a rich source of inspiration for jazz musicians to build their improvised solos. Willing to pay homage to these compositions and their composers, La Locomotora Negra has recorded this CD: Golden Standards. From The Great American Song Writers.
Tracklist
01. I Got Rhythm (G.& I. Gershwin) 6:58
02. In a Sentimental Mood (Ellington-Mills) 4:04
03. Pick Yourself Up (Kern-Fields) 3:59
04. Georgia on my Mind (Carmichael-Gorrell) 4:47
05. Tea for Two (Youmans) 4:32
06. Blues in the Night (Arlen-Mercer) 8:44
Fats Waller Medley:
07. Ain't Misbehavin' (Waller-Razaf) 1:11
08. Black And Blue (Waller-Razaf) 1:30
09. Honeysuckle Rose (Waller-Razaf) 3:13
10. Stormy Weather (Arlen-Koehler) 3:27
11. I've Got the World on a String (Arlen-Koehler) 4:04
12. Gee Baby, Ain't I Good to You (Redman-Razaf) 4:39
13. Love or Leave Me (Donaldson-Kahn) 3:56
Songbook Medley:
14. Speak Low (Weill-Nash) 1:51
15. I Could Write a Book (Rodgers-Hart) 00:54
16. Let's Face the Music and Dance (Berlin) 2:04
17. Almost Like Being in Love (Loewe-Lerner) 3:43
18. That's All (Brandt-Haymes) 4:13
19. Everyday I Have the Blues (Chatman) 4:54
20. Let's Call the Whole Thing Off (G.& I. Gershwin) 4:22
Album details
Total time: 77:00 min. approx.
Personnel:
Ricard Gili (trumpet, lead & vocal); Miquel Donat, Isidre Delgado, Arnau Boix, Ramón Cuadrada (trumpets); Marc Trepat, Xavier Trepat, Oscar Font, Victor González (trombones); Lluis Trepat (alto sax & clarinet); Albert Gassull (alto sax); Tomás Gonález, Toni Gili (tenor sax); Àngel Molas (baritone sax); Tòfol Trepat (piano); Albert Romaní (guitar); Jordi Casanovas (bass); Carles Gili (drums). Enric Mestre (replaces Oscar Font on #2,3,5,11 & 13).
Susana Sheiman, Gemma Abrié & Marina Tuset (vocals)
Recorded live at 'The Jazz Room/Cova del Drac', Barcelona, May 25 & 26, 2014
Recorded, mixed & mastered by Ferràn Conangla
Recording assistant: Enric Giné
Special consultant: Ferran Cailà
Graphic design: Oscar Font
Photos by Lilí Bonmatí & Luis Freire
Produced by Swing 1971, S.L.
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Notes:
"'I Got Rhythm,' written by the Gershwin brothers for the musical Girl Crazy (1930), includes a harmonic pattern which has been used in lots of themes which jazz musicians use to improvise on.
'In A Sentimental Mood' (1931) is one of Duke Ellingtons most well known works, on which Duke himself and many others jazzmen have recorded multiple versions.
'Pick Yourself Up' was composed by Jerome Kern and Dorothy Fields for the film Swing Time (1936), which starred Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers.
'Georgia On My Mind' (1930) is the most famous song by Hoagy Carmichael and Stuart Gorrell and has given great jazzmen outstanding versions, such as Louis Armstrongs and Ray Charles.
'Tea For Two,' composed by Vincent Youmans for the musical No, No Nanette (1925), became one of the most favorite themes of many orchestras and soloists in jazz world.
'Blues In The Night,' composed by Harold Arlen and Johnny Mercer in 1941 for the film with the same title, was nominated as the best soundtrack original theme that year. The first musical pattern hit the headlines.
The 'Fats Waller Medley,' includes three of the most well-known themes by a pianist and composer who had a great importance in jazz ('Aint Misbehavin', 'Black And Blue', 'Honeysuckle Rose').
'Stormy Weather,' is the most famous theme by Harold Arlen and Ted Koehler. It was presented by the great singer Ethel Waters at the Cotton Club in Harlem, and in 1943 the film with the same title starred Lena Horne and Bill Robinson.
'Ive Got The World on A String,' was written in 1932 by Harold Arlen and Ted Koehler for the show Cotton Club Parade, which was presented by Cab Calloway and Bing Crosby.
'Gee Baby, Aint I Good to You,' was composed in 1929 by the saxophonist, composer and arranger Don Redman and gave very interesting versions, such as Nat Coles and Louis Armstrong-Ella Fitzgeralds duet.
'Love Me or Leave Me,' written by Walter Donaldson and Gus Cahn, was premiered in Broadway as taking part of the show Whoopee (1928). Ella Fitzgeralds version in 1962 together with Nelson Riddle got a Grammy prize.
The 'Song Book Medley' includes three of the most famous themes in musicals: 'Speak Low' by Kurt Weil and Ogden Nash, 'I Could Write A Book' by Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart and 'Lets Face The Music And Dance' by Irving Berlin.
'Almost Like Being in Love,' written in 1947 by Frederick Loewe and Alan Jay Lerner, it became famous in the musical Brigadoon directed by Vincente Minnelli, which starred George Kelly and Cyd Charisse.
'Thats All,' a ballad written in 1952 by Alan Brandt and Bob Hymes, has given us Nat King Coles warm vocal version as well as outstanding instrumental versions by Ben Webster, Benny Green and Milt Buckner.
'Everyday I Have The Blues' arouse from the deepest blues world by Peter Chatman (Memphis Slim). Thanks to B.B. King and Count Basie, and Joe Williams as a vocalist, a theme with such a humble origin has become one of the most famous standards.
'Lets Call The Whole Thing Off' is another of many works by George and Ira Gershwin, written in 1937 for the film Shall We Dance, which starred Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers."
—From inside liner notes
