ANYTHING GOES - Press Reviews

[Captain Bacardi]

THIS THREAD IS FOR PRESS REVIEWS ONLY!

PLEASE DO NOT PLACE COMMENTS FOR THIS ALBUM ON THIS THREAD. COMMENTS SHOULD GO TO: http://www.amcorner.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=10032



I just read the first press review of Anything Goes on the All About Jazz website: http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=33820

Anything Goes
Herb Alpert / Lani Hall | Concord Music Group (2009)

There is a very unique characteristic that permeates this CD from beat one throughout its entirety. And, given that this effort was recorded across a series of live performances, it makes trumpeter/vocalist Herb Alpert and vocalist Lani Hall's Anything Goes all the more special. That characteristic is intimate, and the result of that intimacy is joyous listening.

While this is their first combined CD, Hall and Alpert are certainly no strangers—they have been married since 1973. Their combined artistic efforts here do go extremely well; this CD is a thoroughbred winner. Sending up 14 perfectly chosen Latin-tinged selections from the Great American Songbook to Broadway—nothing unexpected from the Tijuana Brass' leader and former Sergio Mendes' Brasil '66 lead vocalist—Anything Goes features two mature artists with nothing to prove and every emotion to examine and deliver.

Hall's still recognizable vocal instrument has mellowed a bit since she gave us "Fool on the Hill" and other number one hits with Mendes. Here her voice is tonally and lyrically meticulous ("Who Are You?") and marvelous. She thrills across a rainbow of song types, grooves and languages (Portuguese on "Dinorah/Morning," for example). She is smooth, sultry, and wonderfully witchy with the beat, cooking jazz on "Morning Coffee," too

Alpert's trumpeting, whether playing solo ("The Trolley Song") or dancing around Hall's beautifully tosstructed lyric delivery ("Besame Mucho") displays minimalist virtuosity and taste. There is a "Jackie and Roy" touch when vocalizing with Hall, while "Accustomed to Her Face" is a moving me/you musical love letter signed, sealed and cliché-delivered with Alpert's "This Guy's in Love with You" tag.

The rhythm section supports beautifully and tastefully across the date—never too "studio tight." Pianist Bill Cantos is beautifully refined in his comping and harmonic support, while drummer/percussionist Mike Shapiro keeps fires glowing as bassist Hussain Jiffry splendidly pulses and pushes.

The production effort and engineering are outstanding. Anything Goes does indeed go—straight to being a marvelous, impeccably presented and produced performance. It is the other delights that Alpert's Whipped Cream & Other Delights (A&M, 1965) generated what seems like only yesterday. Forego the spoon and devour. Delightful.

Track listing: Fascinating Rhythm; Para Raio; The Trolley Song; That Old Black Magic; Dinorah/Morning; It's Only a Paper Moon; Let's Face the Music and Dance; Morning Coffee; I've Grown Accustomed to her Face; Who Are You?; Besame Mucho; Anything Goes; I've Got You Under My Skin; Laura.

Personnel: Herb Alpert: trumpet, vocals; Lani Hall: vocals; Bill Cantos: piano, vocals; Hussain Jiffry: bass; Mike Shapiro: drums, percussion.





Capt. Bacardi

 

[Captain Bacardi]

Another glowing review from the All About Jazz site:

http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=35177

Anything Goes
Herb Alpert & Lani Hall Live | Concord Music Group (2009)

By Edward Blanco

Though trumpet legend Herb Alpert and wife Lani Hall have been together for more than three decades, it's hard to believe that Anything Goes is their very first album together. A musician and entrepreneur, Alpert is best known for his work in the 1960s with his Tijuana Brass, five number one hits, eight Grammy Awards and fifteen gold albums. As co-founder of A&M Records, Alpert's impact on music has been even greater. After signing Sergio Mendes and Brasil '66 to A&M and producing the group's first recordings in the 1960s, Alpert met and later married lead singer Lani Hall. After being together on stage many times, Alpert and Hall collect a set of eight live performances recorded across the United States for Anything Goes.

The selection of music could not be better, as the duo draws on a total of fourteen pieces including standards from the songbooks of Harold Arlen and Cole Porter to Gershwin and Irving Berlin classics, Latin and Brazilian music. The years have treated Hall kindly, as her vocal energy has not diminished in any discernible way. Some of her finest performances can be heard on songs like "That Old Black Magic" and "I've Got You Under My Skin," but perhaps her best and most powerful vocals are on the two Brazilian songs, Djavan's "Para-Raio" and Ivan Lins' classic, "Dinorah," both sung in Portuguese.

Hall shares vocals with pianist Bill Cantos on the opening " Fascinating Rhythm" and the stunning Cantos original , "Who Are You," where she reaches high notes with ease. Cantos joins Alpert on "I've Grown Accustomed To Her Face," with drummer Michael Shapiro and bassist Hussain Jiffry rounding out the group's musical support. As for Alpert, he is simply amazing; whether on open trumpet or muted horn, he leads the music, providing a slew of gritty solos and holding court on several instrumentals including "The Trolley Song," Consuelo Velazquez's Latin classic, "Besame Mucho," and David Raskin's immortal "Laura."

Alpert may be viewed through the prism of pop music, largely because of his success in the genre and partly of his own doing when he stated that, during the 1960s and 1970s, "I was in the closet as a jazz musician because I wasn't quite sure where I fit in." He now firmly asserts that, "I'm basically a jazz musician...Jazz is always in my spirit." With Anything Goes, Alpert cements his jazz pedigree, and as for this long-awaited duo record, these two very special people and partners for life make beautiful music together...and lucky for us. Anything Goes immortalizes their performance once and for all; hopefully there is an encore in the waiting.


Track listing: Fascinating Rhythm; Para-Raio; The Trolley Song; That Old Black Magic; Dinorah; It's Only a Paper Moon; Let's Face The Music and Dance; Morning Coffee; I've Grown Accustomed to Her Face; Who Are You; Besame Mucho; Anything Goes; I've Got You Under My Skin; Laura.

Personnel: Herb Alpert: trumpet, vocals; Lani Hall: vocals; Michael Shapiro: drums, percussions; Bill Cantos: piano, keyboards, vocals; Hussain Jiffry: electric bass.


Published: January 07, 2010
Style: Straightahead/Mainstream



Capt. Bacardi

 

[Steve Sidoruk]

Herb Alpert & Lani Hall
Anything Goes: Herb Alpert & Lani Hall Live

Sometimes within a few notes of a recording you can identify polished, seasoned, talented professionals. That is the clearly the case with Anything Goes. Alpert—founder of the incredibly successful “Tijuana Brass” and A&M Records, and also a successful Broadway producer—and Lani Hall—former singer with “Sergio Mendes and Brazil ’66,” solo performer and Alpert’s wife—have not cooled off a bit. Alpert has said that despite his early career in pop music he is really a jazz musician at heart and it shows on this CD featuring jazz standards by Berlin, Gershwin, Lerner & Loewe, Mercer and Porter. There are also a couple of Brazilian classics and a couple of originals by band member, Bill Cantos (piano, keyboards, vocals) thrown in, adding up to an admirable 14-track work of traditional and Latin jazz.

The recordings were actually culled from live performances at eight East and West Coast jazz clubs. The CD title, Anything Goes is taken from the Cole Porter standard and track 12 on the CD. The CD begins with George and Ira Gershwin’s “Fascinating Rhythm.” Hall needs a warm up like this to lead into the Portuguese tongue twisting second track, “Para-Raio,” during the course of which she somehow manages to find a breath in which to tease the audience to sing along with her. They laugh in realization of that impossibility. She gets a much needed break for the third track, an instrumental version of “The Trolley Song” (“Clang, clang, clang went the trolley”). In total, Hall sings on nine of the 14 tracks. One of the best is the aforementioned “Para-Raio,” but another contrasting beauty is Irving Berlin’s “Let’s Face the Music & Dance,” a plaintive ballad about the Great Depression (“There may be trouble ahead but…Let’s face the music and dance”). Cantos simple but moody and inventive fills help make it a very interesting interpretation. Cantos also composed two tracks, “Who Are You?,” on which he sings backing vocals, and “Morning Coffee,” a caffeinated number with a very fast walking bass (Hussain Jiffry) and rapid fire vocals. The tile track, “Anything Goes,” is beautifully done with a uniquely pensive approach. The CD closes out with an upbeat instrumental Latin jazz version of David Raskin’s “Laura.” Alpert is unobtrusive but resolutely present throughout. His trumpet (occasionally muted) has a clear, distinct voice and he uses it to great effect in a seemingly effortless style.

The flawless performances, amazing recording sound quality, song selections and track layout give this collection of live recordings the essence of a studio production. Herb Alpert is inventive yet concise, Lani Hall’s voice is still strong and ranging and the rest of the band fits together tightly to form an impressive whole. Traditional jazz and Latin jazz lovers will find Anything Goes to be a good addition to their collections.

Mike Reynolds-MuzikReviews.com Staff

February 2, 2010

http://muzikreviews.com/reviews.php?ID=958