Vocals on the top
Vocal jazz, jazz from the 30's, 40's, swing ... styles that were born before our grandparents, however, these styles are making us move our feet as they were new. And, as Miles Davis used to say, "If it makes you move your feet, it's jazz." We commented a few weeks ago (when we wrote about Geoff Dyer's book) that there are many doors to get to jazz. As we do not communicate with the fashions or the jazz magazines charts, we do believe that no style is outdated. And this is one of the best things of jazz.
O Sister! live. Malandar (Svq). from O Sister! on Vimeo.
Vocal jazz, jazz from the 30's, 40's, swing ... styles that were born before our grandparents, however, these styles are making us move our feet as they were new. And, as Miles Davis used to say, "If it makes you move your feet, it's jazz." We commented a few weeks ago (when we wrote about Geoff Dyer's book) that there are many doors to get to jazz. As we do not communicate with the fashions or the jazz magazines charts, we do believe that no style is outdated. And this is one of the best things of jazz. O Sister! have entered in the sensitive souls of the fans of swing with an album entitled Crazy people, that I never tire of listening. They display all their knowledge of the Golden Age of Jazz, the 30s. Not a bad door to enter into the world of jazz. At that time, jazz was dance music and it was in fashion. The big bands with crooner or pretty singer girl was the best, and female vocal groups (like the Boswell Sisters, first and brilliant inspiration of this group) shone above all others.
Paradoxical and happily, O Sister! is not a female vocal group in spite of its name. Marcos Padilla breaks this perfect triangle getting between the two female vocalists, Paula Padilla and Helena Amado. His male voice adds a juicy counterpoint and much experience to it. Matias Comino on guitar and arrangements is the fourth member (less visible) of the group.
The album was recorded in 2009 in Seville at Sputnik studies. They made it the old way, with all the musicians in the studio playing at the same time, which brings freshness (and risk) to music, a music that's not in the charts since the 40s. The CD contains fabulously arranged tunes and mesmerizing perfection. Tracks like "Sentimental Gentleman from Georgia" and "Heebie Jeebies" might be enough to present the album, but all the eleven songs deserve to be drunk note by note, arrangement by arrangement, not to miss any line or any touch of harmonica or any whistle or any of the tricks that make this recording sound as natural as if it had just been rescued from the tunnel of time.
The group O Sister! do "just that", swing-style vocal of the 30's, with all its dixie sounds, its deep American air and its vocal acrobatics. The humor is not a problem, even though some people only see an anecdote in their 30's style clothes, because those pearls, those charleston dresses and that boater hat are just a statement of intent, a war cry: There was a time when the jazz was fun!
Let's enjoy!
Watch this video as a sample, a seductive and delicious version of "Minnie The Moucher" live at Sala Malandar in Seville:
O Sister! live. Malandar (Svq). from O Sister! on Vimeo.
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* Photo by Manuel Ramos.
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