CAROL EMANUELTOP OF TREES (1999)
320 KBPS
OK! Quick!! How many jazz harpists can you name? If you came up with more than two, you are clearly not a normal person and you are probably in need of professional help. The 4th edition of the "All Music Guide to Jazz" lists a grand total of seven - and that's going all the way back to 1934 and the list doesn't include Carol Emanuel. So who the heck is this lady?
I'm here to tell you that I've read everything there is to read about Ms Emanuel - and that took about 10 minutes, (I'm a slow reader). As near as I can tell, Ms Emanuel was minding her own business, playing classical music, and wondering if that was all there was to life - when she was liberated by avant-garde composer and alto sax player John Zorn. Ms Emanuel has been hangin' out with the New York "Downtown" jazz crowd ever since.
"Tops of Trees," (and I have no idea what the title means), is a set of ten songs, mostly composed by the Downtown guys - Mr Zorn, Guy Klucevsek, (if you were able to name more than two jazz harpists, how many jazz accordionists can you list?), Marty Ehrlich, (saxman, clarinetist and flutist), and drummer Bobby Previte to name four - many of whom also accompany Ms Emanuel on the album. Ms Emanuel's harp is the "constant" in what could have easily been anarchy otherwise. She has wonderful touch and tone - the music, (sometimes atonal, edgy and angular), just spills out.... Is it jazz? Yes! Is it challenging? Yes again!! Is it worth your time? Yes, absolutely!!!
Koch Records has handled the sonics well: The disc realisticly captures the warmth and resonance of Ms Emanuel's harp.
I'm here to tell you that I've read everything there is to read about Ms Emanuel - and that took about 10 minutes, (I'm a slow reader). As near as I can tell, Ms Emanuel was minding her own business, playing classical music, and wondering if that was all there was to life - when she was liberated by avant-garde composer and alto sax player John Zorn. Ms Emanuel has been hangin' out with the New York "Downtown" jazz crowd ever since.
"Tops of Trees," (and I have no idea what the title means), is a set of ten songs, mostly composed by the Downtown guys - Mr Zorn, Guy Klucevsek, (if you were able to name more than two jazz harpists, how many jazz accordionists can you list?), Marty Ehrlich, (saxman, clarinetist and flutist), and drummer Bobby Previte to name four - many of whom also accompany Ms Emanuel on the album. Ms Emanuel's harp is the "constant" in what could have easily been anarchy otherwise. She has wonderful touch and tone - the music, (sometimes atonal, edgy and angular), just spills out.... Is it jazz? Yes! Is it challenging? Yes again!! Is it worth your time? Yes, absolutely!!!
Koch Records has handled the sonics well: The disc realisticly captures the warmth and resonance of Ms Emanuel's harp.
1. Travel (Evan Lurie)
Carol Emanuel: solo harp
2. Christ Mass (Butch Morris)
Carol Emanuel: harp
Michelle Kinney: cello
Myra Melford: harpsichord
Brandon Ross: guitar
3. Singung Sands (Guy Klucevsek)
Carol Emanuel: harp
Mark Feldman: violon
Guy Klucevsek: accordian
4. Tazmanian Devil (John Zorn)
Carol Emanuel: solo harp
5. Blue Ridge (Amy Rubin)
Carol Emanuel: harp
Amy Rubin: bass & keyboard
Steve Solerna: guitar
Tiger Bemford: tabla
6. Diminishing Returns (Anthony Coleman)
Carol Emanuel: harp
Anthony Coleman: piano
Mark Ribot: guitar
Roy Nathanson: soprano saxophone
7. Parallel Play (Marty Ehrlich)
Carol Emanuel: harp
Hank Roberts: cello
Marty Ehrlich: bass clarinet
8. Listening to Robin (Wayne Horvitz)
Carol Emanuel: harp
Vickie Bodner: oboe
9. How Long is the Cost of Brittainy (Bobby Previte)
Carol Emanuel: harp
Bobby Previte: drums
Jerome Harris: guitar
Steve Gaboury: keyboard
Nickky Gregoroff: vocal
10. Looking for America (Bill Frisell)
Carol Emanuel: harp
Carol Emanuel: solo harp
2. Christ Mass (Butch Morris)
Carol Emanuel: harp
Michelle Kinney: cello
Myra Melford: harpsichord
Brandon Ross: guitar
3. Singung Sands (Guy Klucevsek)
Carol Emanuel: harp
Mark Feldman: violon
Guy Klucevsek: accordian
4. Tazmanian Devil (John Zorn)
Carol Emanuel: solo harp
5. Blue Ridge (Amy Rubin)
Carol Emanuel: harp
Amy Rubin: bass & keyboard
Steve Solerna: guitar
Tiger Bemford: tabla
6. Diminishing Returns (Anthony Coleman)
Carol Emanuel: harp
Anthony Coleman: piano
Mark Ribot: guitar
Roy Nathanson: soprano saxophone
7. Parallel Play (Marty Ehrlich)
Carol Emanuel: harp
Hank Roberts: cello
Marty Ehrlich: bass clarinet
8. Listening to Robin (Wayne Horvitz)
Carol Emanuel: harp
Vickie Bodner: oboe
9. How Long is the Cost of Brittainy (Bobby Previte)
Carol Emanuel: harp
Bobby Previte: drums
Jerome Harris: guitar
Steve Gaboury: keyboard
Nickky Gregoroff: vocal
10. Looking for America (Bill Frisell)
Carol Emanuel: harp
6 comments:
thanks, new to me, looking forward hearing this!!!
peace, E-mile
(BTW, like the new look also[:-)
Hey Stefan - thanks a lot for this one..
Surely is "unique one" .. - must have basically :)
Wondering if you have good scan 02 maybe .. cuz the one inside the "scan" sub-directory is of "0 size" and can't be seen at all.
Wondering if you can upload it separately (if you have good 02)?
Or did you get it this way somewhere yourself, etc..
Thanks again
Actually .. never mind Stefan..
I know this one (had it already)
Lucky posted it (if i recall correctly), long time ago..
And scanned like that .. - Great album anyhow!
It is not my rip and I couldn't recall from where I got it but I thought it was worth sharing and so I did.
Probably got it from Lucky if you saw it there. ;)
I thought Joanna Newsom cornered the market on "Harp Pop"?
As far as a few names under the Jazz accordionist worth a mention, a few can be found over in Brasil. Dominguinhos & Sivuca are both worth taking a closer look at. Domingo Menino Dominguinhos [1976 Philips] & Oi, Lá Vou Eu! [1977 Philips] are both masterpieces of accordion pop. So please try those, because they tower over everything else.
My favorite Sivuca session has to be, Barra Limpa [1967 Verve] by Luiz Henrique. So please give that one try, because Sivuca really stands out on that set.
Tantalizing! Thanks :D
Post a Comment