Bill Charlap Somewhere: The Songs Of Leonard Bernstein CD

Personnel: Bill Charlap (piano); Peter Washington (bass); Kenny Washington (drums).
Recorded at The Hit Factory, New York, New York on October 15 & 16, 2003. Includes liner notes by John Guare.
Personnel: Bill Charlap (piano); Kenny Washington (drums).
Audio Mixer: Joel Moss .
Liner Note Authors: John Guare; Joel Moss .
Recording information: The Hit Factory, New York, NY (10/15/2003/10/16/2003).
Photographer: Donald Dietz.
Arranger: Bill Charlap.
Similar to 2000's Hoagy Carmichael-based Stardust, Somewhere: The Songs of Leonard Bernstein finds pianist Bill Charlap continuing his exploration of great American composers. A longtime fan of Bernstein's work, Charlap conveys a very personal feeling throughout the album. Some may ask, why is another jazz trio album of standards necessary? Charlap answers this admirably with highly sophisticated yet direct arrangements and his usual stellar improvisational skills. Many of the songs from West Side Story work astonishingly well in a modern jazz format. Notably, "America" receives an expansive McCoy Tyner meets Tito Puente treatment, while "Jump" is serious post-bop Raymond Scott. Joining Charlap are his longtime collaborators bassist Peter Washington and drummer Kenny Washington. Together, the trio showcase an uncanny sense of timing and group interplay that only comes from years of performing together. ~ Matt Collar
Composer songbook albums performed by jazz instrumentalists are nothing new, but pianist Bill Charlap's takes on the exuberant and tender tunes of Leonard Bernstein make for an inspired addition to this tradition. From the opening trill on drummer Kenny Washington's hi-hat, "Cool" (from WEST SIDE STORY) kicks off the proceedings, crackling with excitement. The entire track is superb, and makes one wonder why this song has not become a standard.
The performers stretch out, listening intently to one another and coming up with a fine mini-opus on "Glitter and Be Gay" (from CANDIDE), a tune that sports the more European side of Bernstein's style. As groups are wont to do after having logged many musical miles together, Charlap's trio exudes an overall rhythmic adventurousness throughout the set. Nowhere is this better demonstrated than the playfully off-kilter "America," popularized by Rita Moreno in WEST SIDE STORY, which includes tasty Ahmad Jamal-esque chording by Charlap. "Lonely Town," "Lucky to Be Me," and, especially, "Some Other Time" remind listeners that Charlap and company approach ballads with a rarefied delicacy; these tunes truly sing. With smart arrangements, witty musical asides, and a broad dynamic and expressive range, the Bill Charlap Trio creates classic jazz for the 21st century.Mojo (Publisher) (p.108) - 4 stars out of 5 - "[T]he results are tremendous....An album full of highlights..."