Record Boy Ink:
What happens when an ex-member of a huge rock band
records an album using jazz elements? Well, if you’re Sting, you sell millions
of records. If you’re Andy Summers however, you sell about 10!
Y’see, Andy doesn’t have the marketing push that his
former bandmate has. No deals with Compaq or Jaguar. No Super bowl appearances
or Millennium special deals going on. But Andy has something that Sting doesn’t
have. That’s right, a Record Boy Review!
On Andy’s latest project “Peggy’s Blue Skylight”
(RCA), he explores the music of Charles Mingus. Yeah I know, this has been done
before by Joni Mitchell, but outside of his raucous interpretation of “Boogie
Stop Shuffle”, Summers approaches Mingus’s material as a jazz artist would.
The album is largely instrumental, built around Summer’s
guitar voicings. Andy gets some pretty cool tones, especially on the title cut.
A few tracks have some vocalizing and on “Goodbye Pork Pie Hat/Where Can A Man
Find Peace?” rapper Q –TIP recites Mingus’ words. This track proves to be the
album’s only speed bump in terms of repeated listening in Record Boy’s opinion,
but ain’t that the beauty of the CD player remote control?
The only song sung on the album is “Weird Nightmare”.
Stepping up to the mic is none other than Debbie –oops- DEBORAH Harry. Ms.
Harry actually delivers one of her best ever vocal performances here. She can
actually be a credible jazz chanteuse, truly singing as opposed to posturing.
Also making appearances on this CD are the Jazz
Passengers and Randy Brecker. On
“Myself When I Am Real”, Summers teams up with the Kronos Quartet to great
effect. With an arrangement by Sy Johnson, this track is the most arresting on
the album. Rich and complex musically, this performance would surely have made
Charlie Mingus smile.
All in all “Peggy’s Blue Skylight” is a real treat. It
might be too jazzy for rock heads and vice versa, but anyone who appreciates
good music coupled with solid performances will appreciate what Mr. Summers is
doing. Even without commercial endorsements.
(Click Peggy's Blue Skylight if you wanna buy this CD online!)