Wintertijd

Bertje, that's Jazz XI

Recently I've been feeling I wanted to get this compilation of Jazz over and done with. One reason is that currently I'm not listening to Jazz as much as I did in Sweden. Somehow it seems Israel is not the place to listen to Jazz. Something about the light and the surroundings that don't fit to the genre.

For this reason, the last track on the "Bertje, that's Jazz" compilation is something I've been mulling over in my head. Should it be French gypsy jazz, should it be more Brazilian jazz, or something contemporary, or just plain ragtime fun with Benny Goodman or the Dutch Swing College Band? But then I decided to give the slot to a gentleman I haven't been entirely fair to.

The entry on Jamie Cullum was pre-mature. While I am happy with song on the compilation, I'm not sure about the amount of praise I gave Cullum at the expense of Connick. At the time I thought it was great, but upon repeated listening I decided it's a bit of a fad. So I dissed Harry Connick Jr. too soon. Harry Connick, as opposed to some of Jamie Cullum's stuff, has more staying power. Granted, a couple of his albums like "30" and "Star Turtle" are mediocre at best, but "Come by me", "We are in Love" and "She" are albums I still greatly and regularly enjoy.

Therefore I give you my last track in the Jazz compilation, off the album "Come by me": Harry Connick Jr.'s Cry me a River. Technically this is a big band or swing album on which Harry acts more as a croner in the style of Sinatra and Darin, but I've always enjoyed this classic song. And this particular version highlights Harry's affinity for all things New Orleans quite nicely. So enjoy, and judge for yourself.

This makes the final playlist as follows:

01) Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong - Summertime
02) Joao Gilberto - Chega de Saudade
03) Bo Kaspers Orkester - Jorden Snurrar
04) Chet Baker - You're Driving me Crazy
05) Clark Terry and the Oscar Peterson Trio - Mack the Knife
06) Harry Connick Jr. - Cry me a River
07) Alice Russell - High Up on the Hook
08) The Oscar Peterson Trio with Milt Jackson - Work Song
09) Jamie Cullum - Nothing I do
10) Nat King Cole - Sweet Lorraine
11) Billie Holliday - Stormy Weather

Posted by Chris at August 20, 2007 05:44 PM