Connie Han • The Richard Rodgers Songbook

 

"Connie Han is a young Los Angeles-based pianist who makes her recording debut as a leader on this CD with her very original interpretations of eight Richard Rodgers songs. She is joined by bassist Chris Colangelo and drummer Bill Wysaske, both of whom are important parts of the sound of her trio. Their close interplay and ability to react immediately to her musical ideas consistently uplift the music.

Ms. Han is the main solo voice throughout this continually intriguing outing. Her modernizations of the vintage songs make even the most familiar tunes such as “There’s A Small Hotel” and “Some Enchanted Evening” sound brand new. But while she often alters the chord structure, sometimes adds tricky accents and rhythms, and creates new advanced harmonies, the melodies of the Rodgers songs are usually kept close by. Rather than deconstructing the songs, Han often reinvents them.

“The Sweetest Sounds” opens the set with a transformation that often refers to the theme even while transforming it into 21st century jazz. The ballad “He Was Too Good To Me” is given a dreamy and atmospheric treatment that ultimately becomes quite dramatic. In contrast, “There’s A Small Hotel,” while alternating dark and light moods at the beginning, is overall a bit playful and even includes bits of stride piano before the trio gets a chance to joyfully swing. “It Never Entered My Mind,” which is combined with “Spring Is Here,” is gloomy and downbeat as were Lorenz Hart’s original lyrics.

“Some Enchanted Evening” is given an ominous bassline and completely reinvented, with the theme not emerging until a couple of minutes into the performance. “Bewitched Bothered And Bewildered” is treated with relative tenderness and affection even while it is molded into something new. Perhaps because it is so obscure, “I’ll Tell The Man In The Street” retains its original melody and character while being interpreted as a jazz waltz. Ending the set, Connie Han and her trio play an uptempo original romp (well titled)  “Red Herring” on the chord structure to Have You Met Miss Jones.

It is clear while listening to Interprets The Richard Rodgers Songbook, that Connie Han is a youthful innovator who, with any luck, will be creating thought-provoking music for many years to come."

— Scott Yanow, jazz journalist/historian and author of 11 books including The Great Jazz Guitarists, The Jazz Singers, Jazz On Film and Jazz On Record 1917-76
http://www.conniehan.com/press/2016/6/9/jazz-critic-scott-yanow-reviews-connies-debut-album-the-richard-rodgers-songbook

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"Connie Han es una joven pianista afincada en Los Ángeles que hace su debut discográfico como líder en este CD con sus originales interpretaciones de ocho canciones de Richard Rodgers. La acompañan el bajista Chris Colangelo y el baterista Bill Wysaske, ambos parte importante del sonido de su trío. Su estrecha interacción y su capacidad para reaccionar inmediatamente a sus ideas musicales elevan la música de forma constante.

La Sra. Han es la principal voz solista de esta intrigante producción. Sus modernizaciones de las canciones antiguas hacen que incluso los temas más conocidos, como "There's A Small Hotel" y "Some Enchanted Evening", suenen totalmente nuevos. Pero aunque a menudo altera la estructura de acordes, a veces añade acentos y ritmos complicados, y crea nuevas armonías avanzadas, las melodías de las canciones de Rodgers suelen mantenerse cerca. En lugar de deconstruir las canciones, Han suele reinventarlas.

"The Sweetest Sounds" abre el set con una transformación que a menudo remite al tema incluso transformándolo en jazz del siglo XXI. La balada "He Was Too Good To Me" recibe un tratamiento onírico y atmosférico que al final resulta bastante dramático. Por el contrario, "There's A Small Hotel", aunque alterna ambientes oscuros y luminosos al principio, es en general un poco juguetona e incluso incluye fragmentos de stride piano antes de que el trío tenga la oportunidad de balancearse alegremente. "It Never Entered My Mind", que se combina con "Spring Is Here", es sombría y pesimista, como la letra original de Lorenz Hart.

A "Some Enchanted Evening" se le añade una ominosa línea de bajo y se reinventa por completo, sin que el tema aparezca hasta pasados un par de minutos de la actuación. "Bewitched Bothered And Bewildered" es tratada con relativa ternura y afecto, incluso mientras es moldeada en algo nuevo. Tal vez por ser tan oscura, "I'll Tell The Man In The Street" conserva su melodía y carácter originales al tiempo que se interpreta como un vals de jazz. Para terminar, Connie Han y su trío interpretan un tema original (bien titulado) "Red Herring" sobre la estructura de acordes de Have You Met Miss Jones.

Al escuchar Interprets The Richard Rodgers Songbook, queda claro que Connie Han es una joven innovadora que, con un poco de suerte, seguirá creando música que invite a la reflexión durante muchos años".

- Scott Yanow, periodista/historiador de jazz y autor de 11 libros, entre ellos The Great Jazz Guitarists, The Jazz Singers, Jazz On Film y Jazz On Record 1917-76
http://www.conniehan.com/press/2016/6/9/jazz-critic-scott-yanow-reviews-connies-debut-album-the-richard-rodgers-songbook


www.conniehan.com ...

Tracks:
1 - The Sweetest Sounds - 4:12
2 - He Was Too Good to Me - 4:42
3 - There's a Small Hotel - 7:52
4 - It Never Entered My Mind / Spring Is Here - 8:55
5 - Some Enchanted Evening - 6:16
6 - Bewitched, Bothered & Bewildered - 4:00
7 - I'll Tell the Man in the Street - 7:54
8 - Red Herring - 6:22

Label:    Connie Han – B01AHKHJ74
Released:    Dec 11, 2015
Genre:    Jazz
https://www.discogs.com/release/18969424-Connie-Han-The-Richard-Rodgers-Songbook

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