Pat Bianchi • Something to Say-The Music of Stevie Wonder

 

Review from All About Jazz (by Jack Bowers):
When considering pop artists whose music might readily lend itself to a jazz milieu, Stevie Wonder's name isn't one that springs readily to mind. Organist Pat Bianchi, however, felt that Wonder had Something to Say in a jazz context, so he set about canvassing Wonder's art and reimagining it in terms of an organ trio, accentuating the composer's singular gift for melody and harmony and replacing the lyrics with solos by organ, guitar and (in two instances) tenor saxophone. To fully appreciate the scope of Bianchi's vision, one would of course have to be a fan of Wonder's music; otherwise, what emerges is a sequence of well-drawn but otherwise unexceptional songs performed by an impressive trio: Bianchi, guitarist Paul Bollenback and drummer Byron Landham—with tenor Wayne Escoffery making it a foursome on "Superstition" and "Something to Say." Considered on those terms, Something to Say has a great deal to say, much of it admirable and well worth enjoying. Wonder wrote every song on the album save one—Bianchi's fast-paced "Just Callin,'" which is a variant of "I Just Called to Say I Love You." Bianchi took pains to assure that Wonder's melodies remained basically as written, which is true of tempos as well, adding improvisation as the jazz component. So fans of the author needn't "wonder" what's going down when the trio sets course on such staples as "Go Home," "Moon Blue," "If It's Magic" or any of the others including perhaps the most recognizable of Wonder's tunes (on this album), "Isn't She Lovely." Bianchi shows he has chops to spare on every one of them, as does Bollenback, while Landham provides sharp and perceptive rhythmic support and weighs in with a heated solo on "Just Callin.'" Escoffery's solos provide effective counterpoint without straying from the hard-bop premise, while Bianchi, whose voice is the most often heard, is always eloquent and in control. There are two ways to appraise the album: as a tribute to the remarkable talents of Stevie Wonder, or as a series of handsome songs ably performed by a first-class organ-led trio. Either way, the listener wins.
https://www.allaboutjazz.com/something-to-say-the-music-of-stevie-wonder-pat-bianchi-savant-records

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Al considerar artistas pop cuya música podría prestarse fácilmente a un entorno de jazz, el nombre de Stevie Wonder no es uno que viene fácilmente a la mente. El organista Pat Bianchi, sin embargo, sintió que Wonder tenía Something to Say en un contexto de jazz, por lo que se dispuso a examinar el arte de Wonder y reimaginarlo en términos de un trío de órgano, acentuando el don singular del compositor para la melodía y la armonía y reemplazando las letras con solos de órgano, guitarra y (en dos casos) saxofón tenor. Para apreciar plenamente el alcance de la visión de Bianchi, uno tendría que ser fan de la música de Wonder; de lo contrario, lo que emerge es una secuencia de canciones bien dibujadas pero de otro modo poco excepcionales interpretadas por un trío impresionante: Bianchi, el guitarrista Paul Bollenback y el baterista Byron Landham, con el tenor Wayne Escoffery convirtiéndolo en un cuarteto en "Superstition" y "Something to Say." Considerado en esos términos, Something to Say tiene mucho que decir, gran parte de ello admirable y bien vale la pena disfrutar. Wonder escribió cada canción del álbum excepto una: el rápido "Just Callin'" de Bianchi, que es una variante de "I Just Called to Say I Love You." Bianchi se aseguró de que las melodías de Wonder permanecieran básicamente como fueron escritas, lo cual también es cierto para los tempos, agregando la improvisación como el componente de jazz. Así que los fanáticos del autor no necesitan "preguntarse" qué está pasando cuando el trío se embarca en pilares como "Go Home", "Moon Blue", "If It's Magic" o cualquiera de las otras, incluyendo quizás la más reconocible de las melodías de Wonder (en este álbum), "Isn't She Lovely." Bianchi muestra que tiene habilidades de sobra en cada una de ellas, al igual que Bollenback, mientras que Landham proporciona un apoyo rítmico agudo y perceptivo y pesa con un solo ardiente en "Just Callin'." Los solos de Escoffery proporcionan un contrapunto efectivo sin desviarse de la premisa del hard-bop, mientras que Bianchi, cuya voz se escucha con mayor frecuencia, siempre es elocuente y controlado. Hay dos formas de evaluar el álbum: como un tributo a los notables talentos de Stevie Wonder, o como una serie de hermosas canciones hábilmente interpretadas por un trío de órgano de primera clase. De cualquier manera, el oyente gana.
https://www.allaboutjazz.com/something-to-say-the-music-of-stevie-wonder-pat-bianchi-savant-records

Tracks:
1 - Go Home
2 - Until You Come Back to Me (That's What I'm Gonna Do)
3 - Superstition
4 - Moon Blue
5 - Isn't She Lovely
6 - If It's Magic
7 - Something to Say
8 - Just Callin'
9 - Ribbon in the Sky


Credits:
Pat Bianchi - Hammond B3 Organ (MAG Custom Organ)
Paul Bollenback - Guitar
Byron Landham - Drums
Wayne Escoffery - Tenor Saxophone (tracks 3, 7)
All compositions by Stevie Wonder except track 8 ("Just Callin'" by Pat Bianchi, based on "I Just Called to Say I Love You" by Stevie Wonder)
Recorded by Jim Anderson at Trading 8s Recordings Studio, New Jersey
Mixed by Jim Anderson
Mastered by Ulrike Schwarz
Produced by Pat Bianchi

Label: Savant Records
Catalog: SCD 2217
Country: USA
Released: November 12, 2021
Recording Date: September 2-3, 2020
Recording Location: Trading 8s Recordings Studio, New Jersey
Genre: Jazz
Style: Soul Jazz, Hard Bop, Organ Jazz
Duration: 46:28

Notes: This album represents organist Pat Bianchi's second release on Savant Records, reimagining Stevie Wonder's compositions through the lens of a classic Hammond B3 organ trio. Bianchi plays a MAG Custom Organ, considered among the best portable B3 clones available. The project showcases Wonder's prowess as a keyboard player—he himself played Hammond B3 during the early 1970s. Bianchi deliberately maintained Wonder's original melodies and tempos while adding jazz improvisation as the primary transformation. The album was recorded during the COVID-19 pandemic in September 2020 but not released until over a year later in November 2021. Grammy-nominated engineer Jim Anderson handled both recording and mixing duties. Pat Bianchi has performed with jazz legends including Lou Donaldson, Pat Martino, Joe Locke, and Javon Jackson, and currently teaches jazz organ at Berklee College of Music, where he helped develop one of the first official Hammond organ programs and majors offered by a higher education institution. The album received positive reviews for its respectful yet creative approach to Wonder's songbook, with critics praising the tight ensemble work and subtle arrangements.
Sources:
https://www.allmusic.com/album/something-to-say-the-music-of-stevie-wonder-mw0003606221
https://www.allaboutjazz.com/something-to-say-the-music-of-stevie-wonder-pat-bianchi-savant-records
https://www.dustygroove.com/item/996908/Pat-Bianchi:Something-To-Say-The-Music-Of-Stevie-Wonder
https://propermusic.com/products/patbianchi-somethingtosaythemusicofsteviewonder

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