I’ll start this review with a joke; what does Chris Pratt playing Indiana Jones, Elvis Presley singing ‘Baby Got Back’ and this year’s Sony World Photography Award winning entry have in common? All of these things were achieved with the use of AI.
Yes, ok well I admit, it’s not a funny joke but it’s a pretty good example of how AI is affecting and challenging different areas of the media, so it wasn’t going to be long before it crept into jazz music and – apparently – there is a smattering of AI in this collaboration between Canadian pianist Chris Donnelly and British-born vocalist Nicky Schrire (for those of you that follow my jazz reviews – and I’m assuming there is an army of you! – you will remember a month or so ago I reviewed an album by Nicky Schrire). I say apparently because I don’t think I would know the impact of AI on jazz music if it stood in front of me waving a flag, to me this album is a spoken jazz EP where the music follows the words and the words follow the music. It’s whimsical, humorous, clever and harks back to my first introduction to spoken jazz which was in the movie ‘So I Married An Axe Murderer’ (which, incidentally, was written by another English/Canadian in Mike Myers…).
At four tracks long it arrives, tells a story or two and leaves without being intrusive or outstaying it’s welcome, I was hesitant but it won me over by the time the opening lyric of ‘Hi Terrence’ (“Hi Terrence, I hope you’re well, yes I remember you from the festival…”) started. I couldn’t decide if it was a voicemail or a letter being read out, but it’s pitched very well and the delivery of “we’re moving the piano… again!” is brilliant.
Opening track ‘She Walks’ reminds me of that old song by The Streets called ‘Dry Your Eyes Mate’, the song is basically three minutes of describing somebodies movement, and it happens here but to a shadowing piano track and punctuating cymbal work, it’s strangely catchy but nicely peculiar. Underneath the vocals the jazz band of Donnelly on piano and Blake Li and Andie Nguyen on double bass and drums respectfully weave a complex underscore that is interesting and intricate and is really only given space to play on ‘Late Bloomer’ which comes as a refresher moment, actually this piano-led moment is beautiful and goes on just long enough to welcome the return of Schrire.
Yeah sure this won’t be for everyone but it’s so positive and fun that it’s difficult not to fall under it’s spell, there is sunshine pouring from every word and the final kick comes in ‘I Put On A Dress’ where the lady puts on a dress for someone but the world will never see it, choosing instead to stay indoors. All in all, I like it, it’s fun, upbeat and something different from the usual ‘horn and rhythm’ music that seems to populate jazz.
Seek it out and give it a listen, I think if you’ve read this far, it will win you over…