Jazz On The Beach 125: Rachelle Ferrell
Jazz On The Beach 125: Rachelle Ferrell
This week's radio show and playlist
On this week’s Jazz On The Beach radio show is Rachelle Ferrell’s version of Sam Cooke’s You Send Me, the opening track from her debut album Rachelle Ferrell (somethin’else, 1990). It’s a fabulous vocal performance and features her hard swinging trio of pianist Eddie Green, Tyrone Brown on Chapman Stick bass and drummer Doug Nally. Quite an introduction to an extraordinary talent.
I remember hearing this album for the first time over the powerful sound system in the jazz department at Tower Records, Piccadilly Circus. By the time the third track Bye Bye Blackbird came on, almost all of the customers were just standing and listening. By the end of the final track, a live version of Autumn Leaves with tenor saxophonist Wayne Shorter, pianist Michel Petrucciani, bassist Stanley Clarke, drummer Lenny White and synths from Gil Goldstein and Pete Levin, every copy bar the one playing had been sold.
The story goes that Blue Note President Bruce Lundvall was convinced that this remarkable jazz singer with a six octave range also had major mainstream pop potential, so Ferrell was offered a deal calling for both jazz and pop albums. Lundvall was wary not to brand her as solely a jazz artist in the US, so the jazz album was only released in Japan on somethin’else, a local Toshiba-EMI owned company that acted as a sister label to Blue Note.
This album did extremely well in the Japanese charts, and her pop album, (also confusingly called Rachelle Ferrell) was released internationally two years later on Capitol (owner of Blue Note), also becoming successful and featuring a number of hit singles. The jazz album was finally released internationally a couple of years later with new artwork and renamed First Instrument (Blue Note, 1995). I know, it’s confusing!
But these were different times when categories in marketing and radio were clearly defined (this wouldn’t be anything like an issue today), and the success of both albums caused confusion as to whether she was a jazz or pop artist among the public, the media and even at her own company. It should have been obvious that she was great at whatever she wanted to sing, but it caused problems that deeply affected her career, and she didn’t release another album during the ‘90s until the ominously titled Individuality (Can I Be Me?) (Capitol 2000).
Sadly, Ferrell has been struggling with a pile up of health and life-related issues recently, and the Sweet Relief Musicians Fund has set up a campaign for her. You can donate here.
Also on the playlist…there’s guitarist Kenny Burrell’s Wavy Gravy from Midnight Blue (Blue Note, 1963) that often gets overlooked for either the album’s iconic title track or Chitlins Con Carne. This has an irresistible groove thanks to the ubiquitous Ray Barretto’s congas, drummer Bill English and double bassist Major Holley giving tenor saxophonist Stanley Turrentine and Burrell the space to do their thing. No piano needed!
We’re hard boppin’ with trumpeter Lee Morgan’s These Are Soulful Days from Lee-Way (Blue Note, 1961), written by Cal Massey with the incredible lineup of alto saxophonist Jackie McLean, pianist Bobby Timmons, double bassist Paul Chambers and drummer Art Blakey. I’ve played organist Don Patterson’s version from 1974 on the show but never this one, and it’s great.
Among the new releases is the rather enjoyable No Edge In The Sky from guitarist Veda Bartringer’s new album Deep Space Adventure that’s released on April 19th. Bartringer has a great tone and a strong sense of melody, and this atmospheric and accessible track is one of the strongest compositions on the album where she leads her quartet of fellow young Luxembourgers - saxophonist Julien Cuvelier, double bassist Boris Schmidt and drummer Maxime Magotteaux.
The ‘70s are well represented this week by three fine horn players, starting with alto saxophonist Charles McPherson’s Serenity from Charles McPherson (Mainstream, 1971) featuring Carl Lynch (or possibly Gene Bertoncini?) on guitar. But we do know for certain that there was pianist Barry Harris, trumpeter Lonnie Hilliard, double bassist Ron Carter and drummer Larry Williams.
There’s saxophonist Eddie Harris’ Fragmentary Apparitions from Excursions (Atlantic, 1973) playing his electric saxophone setup with electric pianist Larry Nash, trumpeter Frank Gordon, trombonist Billy Howell, bassist Rufus Reid and drummer Ndugu (Leon Chancler). Many thanks to Tyler King for reminding me of this great cut.
And finally…I’ll take any opportunity to play alto saxophonist Art Pepper’s Patricia from Today (Galaxy 1979) a latter day Pepper masterpiece with pianist Stanley Cowell, double bassist Cecil McBee and drummer Roy Haynes. As Maddie rightly said: ‘It almost sounds like the saxophone is crying’.
You can listen live to Jazz On The Beach every Wednesday evening from 10.00pm - midnight and to Blues Beach every other Thursday from 6.00pm - 7.00pm on DealRadio.co.uk or via the TuneIn Radio app.
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Both shows are broadcast live from the Deal Radio Studio at 69a High Street, Deal, Kent CT14 6EH, a stone’s throw from the beach.
Jazz On the Beach and Blues Beach radio shows are sponsored by our good friends at Wellingtons with two fine locations: Park Avenue at Welly’s Coffeehouse and Bar, 6 Park Avenue, Deal and Wellingtons Coffeehouse and Bistro, 9 High Street, Dover.