Few artists summon up the ghosts of a kinder, gentler era as convincingly as Leon Redbone: a private and rather mysterious figure with a voice steeped in vintage bourbon. Relying on that laconic, nasal-edged baritone of his, Redbone culls a repertoire consisting mainly of standards associated with the Golden Age of Tin Pan Alley, from approximately 1912 until 1945. It was when melody reigned supreme, lyrics were tasteful and intelligent, and the favoured tempo was generally a waltz that would move into swing mode as legions of jazz players let their imaginations take flight.
Successfully translating such impeccable classics into a contemporary setting has foundered for a variety of reasons: pallid arrangements and rampant over-production being near the top of the list. Pop affectations and/or ersatz jazz simply do not mesh with material that is witty, elegant, and understated. Redbone's nostalgic renderings, however, are true to the past, both in content and spirit. Adopting a sparse, minimalist approach, Redbone is a master of the "less-is-more" school, both in singing and playing. And he's always surrounded himself with unimpeachable jazz players, who invariably lend thoughtful extensions to the rhythmic ideas inherent in so many of these chestnuts.
Blues and jazz buffs will find a lot to savour on Redbone's latest Blue Thumb release, 'Any Time'. It remains true to a blueprint that's spawned ten splendid albums. On 'Any Time', the song titles themselves transport us back into the ethers of a bygone era ("Moonlight Bay", "Sitting On Top Of The World", "Sweet Lorraine", the title track). It's quite probable that Jelly Roll Morton, the founding father of New Orleans jazz, is Redbone's ultimate inspiration, so two Morton compositions are featured. "If You Knew" and "Sweet Substitute" both feature a quartet which incorporates the luscious tones of clarinetist Bob Gordon and the fluid brilliant work of pianist Tom Roberts.
Personal highlights are three relatively unknown selections that resonate with brevity, passion, and beauty. "Louisiana Fairytale" is a dream-like fantasy ride that rolls down the Mississippi river where it meets up with the Magnolia state. It was actually written by Dizzy Gillespie and Mitchell Parrish in the nineteen-forties, but, within this context sounds like it could've been written a century earlier by Stephen Foster. Again, Gordon and Roberts craft a drifting trance-like mood, a perfect backdrop to Redbone's "lazy-bones" summertime vocals.
Equally fascinating is "Blossoms on Broadway", a Leo Robins number written for a Depression-era musical. The instruments (tuba, harmonica, clarinet, piano, guitar) are a strange mixture indeed, but this is no novelty, as they simultaneously weave a delicately bluesy spell. Notable is the tuba's eerie contributions, an instrument normally associated with strident marches. But John Elliott's admirably restrained playing had me joyously mistaking it for a violin.
It's these delicious little surprises that afford 'Any Time' so much of its rootsy charm, but nothing accomplished that objective more resolutely than that "turn-of-the-prior-century" classic, "In The Shade Of The Old Apple Tree". The use of fife-and-drums, a North Mississippi tradition that pre-dates the blues, yields a thrilling musical ride-part shuffle, part march. Leonard Pickett is a commanding presence on fife, and Giampaolo Biagi drums provide a haunting percussive undertow. Add in Redbone's tasty guitar/banjo pickings, the gospel background humming provided by the Persuasions, and the impact is sweepingly majestic.
There are many, many other quality musicians that contributed to Any Time's artistic success, such as Frank Vignola (guitar), Herb Gardner (trombone), Alan Gout (piano), and Jay Leonhart (bass). Leon Redbone and his mates are illustrative not merely of how the lessons of the past can be immaculately absorbed; but also how they can be synthesized in ways that shed new insights and light into a distant universe abounding with intense memories.
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