You'll Hear It: Full Album Deep Dives with Jazz Musicians - Our 7 Favorite "Modern" Vocal Tracks

Episode Date: April 7, 2020

On today's edition of You'll Hear It, it's a good ol' fashioned listening sash as Peter and Adam pick their favorite contemporary vocal jazz tunes. Go to our Spotify playlist to hear each of these tunes in their entirety.Our 7 Favorite "Modern" Vocal TracksJacky Terrasson, Cassandra Wilson - "Old Devil Moon"Gretchen Parlato - "Butterfly"Kurt Ellini - "Undun"Esperanza Spalding - "I Know You Know"Gregory Porter - "Liquid Spirit"Cécile McLorin Salvant - "Obsession"Dianne Reeves - "Skylark"In light of the worldwide coronavirus pandemic, we understand that money is tight for a lot of people right now. That's why we've decided that for the duration of this crisis, we'll be running a Choose What You Pay campaign at Open Studio. Choose whichever course you want and then let us know how much you're willing to pay - that's it. For more info, click this link.Interested in more music advice? Go here to browse our catalog of jazz lessons and courses available for purchase. And be sure to check out our All Access Pass - every course from Open Studio on every instrument.Let us know what you think by leaving a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ review, or head over to our YouTube channel.Follow us on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Hey Peter What's up my brother? Are you ready for your seven favorite modern vocal chat? Not if it's going to be featuring you and me singing. Echacks. I'm Adam Mace. And I'm Peter Martin. And you're listening to the You'll Hear Podcast.

Daily music advice coming at you. Coming at you today, like always, sponsored by OpenStudio. Go to Open StudioJadio.com to check out all of our courses. We've got great piano courses. We have the piano access pass, which is all of our piano courses. A lot of great stuff. stuff. A lot of great stuff, a lot of exclusive content that comes there. Beautiful community, beautiful community of folks. Not just pianists. Well, the piano access pass is mostly

pianists, but we have all these folks that we've been talking with in meeting. Fogsy folks. Fockees folks that are on all access pass, which gives you everything, they're instrumentals and they're like, I've always wanted to get my piano chops together. I want to learn guitar, whatever, but especially piano. And so we've got jazz piano jumpstart. We've got jazz piano for beginners. we've got a really nice beginner kind of series that goes all the way up to the advance. We like to call it from the cradle to the grave for your jazz piano needs,

but I call it what you will. And then for your drive, the podcast, which is where we're at right now. We are just totally going to infuse ourselves. You are a loyal listener, into your life, if that's okay. We're going to get up in your bed with your husband or your wife, as it were,

if you're married. We're going to proverbially, proverbially lay down in between the two of you. This is getting really weird. Me and Adam, put our arms around both you and say, come on, let's listen to some music, let's hang out, let's do some lessons, let's do some podcasts. This is getting out, Alex. Isn't this getting out?

But that's the way, I mean, that's, you know what I'm saying. All right. Yeah. Well, one thing that our listeners have loved recently, like, some more popular episodes have been our listening episodes, which I like, because, you know, in our new pod suite set up, there's no headphones. No.

There's no like, oh, can you turn on the, so we can hear back? Just a couple crappy speakers and you and me and Alex or whoever see it's Alex So today we wanted to focus on some vocal tracks We don't do a lot of vocal stuff here But we do love vocalists

And both of you Well we don't do You were saying that before We have never done this But we infuse many of our best ofs With a vocal track Like it's really in line with what we do But in terms of exclusive

Like we're just looking at vocals And we have been singing more lately With the inclusion of our supreme listener Byron Lovelace Oh Byron has inspired the vocal Come all Come on, come on, Byron Lovelace.

So today we're going to do seven of our favorite modern vocal tracks. Modern isn't quotes because you like to make fun of me that things that are 20 years old are modern. But we got some stuff from, there's at least one thing from 2018. That's true. That's got to be modern. This first track, though, is 25 years old. So our new thing is going to be, because this will be a moving target. In order for it to be modern, truly modern, it has to have been recorded since your kids have been alive.

Okay. And then if we want to be moderately modern, it's going to be since. my kids have been alive because they're getting older, as are yours. You know what I'm saying? Okay. Well, we're going to start with a track from the late 90s. This is from Jackie Terrason, his album called Rendezvous. Also known as Jackie Terrason.

Jackie Tereson. Jackie Tereson. Yeah. All right, either way. How about the correct way? Okay, the correct way works too. It's Dogmatic Tuesday on the You'll Hear a podcast. Speaking, you're grammarian.

Jeffi Tarasen with Cassandra Wilson. This is from Rendezvous. This is a great trio. I used to love this trio when I was a kid. you were already a grown up with a career. And a beard. And a bald head. That's right.

And I was but a young teenager. A young farmer in High Ridge. The interplay between Jackie Tereson and Leon Parker's drummer on this record. But Cassandra Wilson is just killing this. This is Old Devil Moon. I love Cassandra. I mean, I think that, you know, when blue light till dawn came out, I think that was like 93, 94. around there on blue note like that really

set the tone I think for the 90 maybe it was even 91 but it was like to me that set the tone for the level of um in one direction of course yeah yeah yeah um well one direction the band later on it really set the tone but that was like 20 20 something no but it was like she set the tone for this kind of atmosphere or I hate you know what I always said I wasn't going to be one

to say atmospheric jazz but it is kind of atmospheric isn't it um but that record you know for that on blue note and stuff and then of course diane and Reeves on another channel had already kind of set a certain tone, like between the two of them, and then many others, and we're going to explore.

We'll get there. We'll get there. Yeah, but I mean, for Blue Note, like those two women, I think, you know, were so innovative and masterful at the same time and kind of, you know, parallel careers, but so distinctive.

Yeah. And it's so cool that some of their great albums were on Blue Note kind of during this time period. And they're both killing us still. I think Cassandra makes just such great, um, vibe choices with all of this stuff, man.

She just has this. so like this amazing soulful way about her her approach to a song that just brings me in from the beginning yeah and she's a master of surrounding herself and this was actually wasn't this a jackie tarrison record actually yeah yeah but but i mean she you know there was blue light till dawn and the new moon daughter which i really like to me that was sort of the extension of blue light till dawn but um you know cassander is and was already at this time was a master of surrounding herself with musicians vibe and sound and creating that, not just like, okay, I'm going to come

sing with whoever. She's definitely versatile, but she's more of the type of like I'm going to create a vibe with what I'm doing. So if you've got great musicians, that's why it's so important to have really good players like Jackie. Or I guess it's technically Jacques et a song. We maybe both are on this next

track is from Gresham Pardotto. This is Herbie Hancock's Butterfly. There's a YouTube Herbie Hancock. You've heard him? Pianist? This is Butterfly. There's a YouTube video of her And on the YouTube video, it's with Aaron Parks, and I think Alan Hampton and Mark Juliana. Yeah. I'm not sure if that's the same band for this recording.

I'm going to check it out. But I love this. This arrangement has become very famous now, the way she does there with the Belize up top here. It's a Russian doll of Reharmes. A hat on a hat on a reharm. Beautiful. What a vibe. I mean, what an entry point there. Isn't that nice?

Yeah. There's some good stuff going on. Gretchen Parlato, Butterfly. That's modern. I had to look it up to 2013. Is that the band? Did you see? I didn't see the band.

We'll get that information. Yes. Get it to you before the end of this podcast. Live in New York City. Oh, this is, no, we can tell you right now. Cool. I mean, you know, most likely as we talk here and look. Yeah, man, so how you been?

Pretty good. I think that's definitely Mark Giuliana, just judging from. I seen Kendrick's. Oh, yeah, that's Mark Giuliani. So part of it is Kendrick Scott. Oh, right. Part is Mark Giuliani, so I'm not sure which one. Alan Hampton on bass,

Or Bernice Travis. You know, it's one of those records where they're all mixed up, man. Come on. Benny Maupin's on some of it. Sweet. Oh, no, music by Herbie and Benny Moffin. I was going to say. Wow, that'd be amazing.

I was like, dang, Wayne Shorter's on it with Herbie Hank. Oh, that's the composers. Taylor Eatsy. Oh, yeah. That's Taylor, right. Big fan of Taylor. I don't think we've ever mentioned his name on the podcast. He's a modern.

He's incredible. Oh, I guess he's not a young guy. I mean, I remember when he was a young guy. Such an interesting career too. For a while, being propped up is like this sort of Harry Connick type singer, you know what I mean? Right. And then it's like turned it into this like serious piano.

Yeah, he's, he's, I'm big fan, big fan. It's awesome. All right, what we got next? What's all? Okay, next we have Kurt Elling. Oh yeah. This is one of my choices. I love this track.

Woo, fun fact. First heard this in LaGuardia. Come on Chicago. I heard this in LaGuardia Airport. And I remember like the intro I'm walking, the Delta Turkle. Is Kurt playing at LaGuardia? It was.

I was like, Kurt. It was like, And then the sooner came in, I was like, oh, that's Kurt. I was like, damn, what is it? You didn't know what she was headed for. And when she found what she was headed for,

it was too late. She's coming down. You know, classic Lawrence Hobgood, Chicago, arrangement, you know, vibe underneath. Sean, I hope you're digging this, man. I love these kind of rangements. They're like, they go in and out of other times, but they never feel like it.

It's almost like a simple, folksy, coffee shop, smooth jazz tracks. You saw the chart of this. Yeah. It's like a advanced bar graph. But, I mean, to me, like Kurt, he's just such a master of phrasing and just, you know. There's a reason he's Barack and Michelle Obama's favorite male vocalist. Jazz vocalist. One of them right now.

They're huge fans, yeah. That's awesome. Fun fact, he purchased a, no, I'm sorry, did he purchase or sell his apartment in Chicago to the Obamas? Did he really? Not that long ago. Like right before, no, he bought an apartment from them in Hyde Park when they were moving into their house or something. But it was just a couple years before he, it was like right when he was becoming senator from Illinois. He was a state senator and he was already elected.

They're like, we're going to move into another place. And they were fans. And they knew each other. He got there and he's a fan, you know. And they're like, oh, we love your music. And he said they gave him a potted plant, which was not part of the purchase sale agreement. That was just a little gift.

Not to get too political, but the Obama seemed like nice people. They're very nice people. All right. Next we have Esperanza Spalding. That's like, that was such an out like, really? The Obama's due? Of course they do. This is, I know you know.

Expert level right there. Yeah. Yeah. Oh, love me some Esperanza. I know you know, Esperanza Spalding. All right, damn, this is, we got, we're just like pumping out the hits here. Come on, man. Once you go to vocals, man, you're going next level.

Yeah, there's a lot of record sales going on in this list. It's amazing. Damn, they got us. They got good music and they sell a lot. Yeah, usually it's like. Maybe good music. Yeah, like we found a copy on the street somewhere, you know, and it's like the most classic monk record you can think about.

Now we're talking about, like, actual number one hits here. All right, let's go to Gregory Porter. We have some St. Louis cats and Gregory Porter's touring band. I don't think they're on this recording, but shout out to Emmanuel Harold and Jamal Nichols. That's right. And this is Liquid Spirit from Gregory Porter. I love this track so much. It's a hit.

Unre-re-rout the rivers. Let the damn water beat. There's some people down the way that's thirsty. So let the liquid spirit free. The people are thirsty because of man's unnatural hand. What happens when the people catch wind when the water hit the banks of that hard dry land Clap your hands now Yeah, and clap your hands now

Go ahead and clap your hands now. Mm-hmm. Get ready for a wave. It might strike like the final flood. The people haven't drank in so long. The water won't even make much. That might be. No, I don't think it is actually.

He did, he did, Ruben did play, Ruben Rogers played on that. recent record, the Nacking Pole record. Oh, yeah, yeah. They record with the orchestra in London. Man, you know what I love about Gregory Porter? Like, the way he sounds here is the way he sounds live. And the way, like, he is a pro. Yeah.

I got a chance to play with him a couple times. And every time it was always like no rehearsal, kind of like, you know, kind of thrown together festival thing or whatever. Well, he's got those St. Louis guys at the band. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah, of course no rehearsal. Exactly. Whoa. No, but, I mean, it was like, you know, and then he actually, he sat it.

Not sat in. He was kind of like featured guests a couple times with Diane Reeves band when I was playing. And it was so fun because, dude, I'd go talk to him and hang or whatever. It's like, what do you want to do? He would just come in. It was never like, what key were we doing? And he's just like, no, whatever, however Diane does, that's cool. And he would just come in sounding like that.

That's great. He's very, like, relaxed, high level of musicality. Obviously, he's got the showmanship. Like the Obamas. He seems like a good guy. He can glide onto stage and deliver. Yeah, no, he's a deliver. I mean, you know what?

Everybody on this list is. Let's be. Including our next. singer, this is Cecilia McLuhan Salvant. A little younger, a little more contemporary. Man, her voice. Modern vocals. It's like a fine coat de reloin. It's like a

cashmere coat that you place on your... And she's so cool. Oh yeah. Sullivan Porter. Sullivan Ford. This is, I love this record. I believe they got nominated her one of Grammy for this. They should have the window. They have great chemistry. Yeah. You know I

never really... I love this song to Dori Kimey's obsession. Just when I think that you've gone, I feel you take a hold of my head. You're like the wind that blows in front of a storm. The electricity explodes in the night. She's very theatrical singer. And Sullivan has a huge range. It's almost like the greatest Broadway singer Broadway piano.

You could ever imagine. Yeah, yeah. Doing a rehearsal of a great song. Incredible. Open. Somewhere there must Where two heartbeats can touch Efferless

Where lovers can meet in the daylight She's listening to Saravan Oh you think? Yeah Oh Saravan does a great version of this song So do I really need the shadows you hide In this passion that lives in the door Show me your heart

I know this whole episode is about the vocalist But I have a question about Sullivan Because you knew him when he was a kid like kind of starting out. Yes. Did he come out with that kind of touch? That touch is that special. Well, not this good,

but he was at age like 13, 14, whatever when I first met him and was coaching him. He was already, like, the musicianship was already there at a high level, but it was just at the 14-year-old, but a genius 14-year-old level. But he hadn't really, when I first heard him,

he had like hardly heard jazz at all. And so it was kind of a little bit of a full pie. I gave him a CD like Herbie Hancock like Emprian Isles, I happened to have. I was like, here, go check this out. And then he brought it back the next day and then I had, like, learned half of it. I mean, I probably should have started

with something a little more basic or accessible. Because he could play, he could play a little bit of classical stuff. He knew a lot of church stuff. And, like, he could play a little bit of jazz, but he just hadn't really heard anything. I was literally like, have you ever heard of Herbie Hancock? See, I was already shrilling Herbie back then.

You had his podcast back then just without the microphone. And he's like, no, who's that? You know, and the next day, he's like, oh, yeah, mastered him. I was like, cool. You're going to have a good career. That's very cool. So that's number six.

We have one more, but before that, if you want to check out this playlist, look in the description here. We have a link to it for our seven favorite modern vocal tracks, our Spotify playlist. And don't forget to go to open studio jazz.com to check out all of our courses. We do have a vocal course by Diane Reeves, who is rounding on our list here. That's right.

And so this is from a Grammy winning record. A little moonlight. Oh, are you on that one? I don't remember. Let me look. Yes, I am. No, this is fun. And I put it on here because I love the whole record. I did a couple of the arrangements. But this one I did at a hotel room in Austria, I remember like before a gig, because Diane's like, we should do Skylark, and I wanted to make sure we did it.

So I just sort of just did it, kind of an idea that I had. It's very cool. And then we put on the record. Yes, you're very good. No, no, no. It's not that. It's just I love when like just a little idea what any great modern vocalist or otherwise can do is can make it seem. It's just a, they don't need a lot, just a little bit of an idea. And a great song.

That's all that's all she needed. This is Diane Reeves, Skylarc featuring Peter Martin. And until featuring me, well, okay. And until tomorrow, you'll hear me. Won't you?