Fred Hersch, Leaves of Grass - 1h 6m 25s

Tracks & Durations

1. A Riddle Song	3:35
2. Song Of The Universal	3:53
3. Whoever You Are Holding Me Now In Hand	0:48
4. Song Of Myself Part I	3:49
5. Song Of Myself Part II	3:26
6. Song Of Myself Part III	2:16
7. Song Of Myself Part IV	2:19
8. Song Of Myself Part V	2:59
9. Song Of Myself Part VI	3:57
10. Song Of Myself Part VII	3:31
11. Song Of Myself Part VIII	2:17
12. Song Of Myself Part IX	3:13
13. Song Of Myself Part X	3:28
14. Song Of Myself Part XI	3:04
15. The Mystic Trumpeter	5:04
16. At The Close Of The Day	4:15
17. Perfections	0:21
18. The Sleepers	5:41
19. On The Beach At Night Alone	5:18
20. After The Dazzle Of Day	3:00

Note: The information about this album is acquired from the publicly available resources and we are not responsible for their accuracy.

Review

In 1855, Walt Whitman--arguably the greatest poet the United States ever produced--first published his magnum opus, Leaves of Grass. Now 150 years later, jazz pianist Fred Hersch has skillfully adapted Whitman's work to music. With a mid-sized ensemble featuring cellist Erik Friedlander, saxophonist Tony Malaby, and vocalists Kate McGarry and Kurt Elling, Hersch, himself a fluid and finessed pianist, takes a back seat to his wonderful arrangements, which encompass martial cadences, hymn-like timbres, Latin rhythms, and ballads. Part VII and Part X of "Song of Myself," the longest work on the disc, range from Charles Mingus, Scenes in the City-style effects to a bluesy, down-home slow drag. Clearly, Elling's majestic baritone voice is the centerpiece of this work. He scats like a bop improviser, narrates like a Shakespearean actor, and sings like an opera star. It is fitting that that the elasticity of jazz truly captures the timeless essence of Whitman's words. --Eugene Holley, Jr.

Please note: we do not provide any Fred Hersch music downloads, have no any mp3 music including music samples and music ringtones, and can not assist you where to buy music CDs and used CDs. You can search for it on music sites all over the Internet or visit one of our advertisers. We appreciate any ideas and comments about this experimental music database.