The Cole Porter Mix
by: Patricia Barber
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Leave it to the intrepid Patricia Barber to take on so well-worn a songbook as Cole Porter's with such smoldering originality. Of course, for 15 years now, Barber has been something of an Ella Fitzgerald meets the madwoman-in-the-attic, a sheen of peerless respectability masking an uncompromising taste for the respectfully subversive.With 2006's seminal Mythologies, Barber took the Guggenheim and ran with it, planting one foot in Ovid and the other in Harlem. Here, her unflappable taste for danger takes her deep into the Porter oeuvre. But in Barber's hands, every old familiar lyric takes on new and usually devious entendre. Delivered in her heavily honeyed timbre, shopworn standards like "I Get a Kick Out of You" (with its new chord structure) and "You're the Top" (with its new lyrics) suggest the fecund extra layers that their titles--generously interpreted--imply.As usual, Barber's top-notch band delivers a flawless performance. If the arrangements lean a bit heavily on the sax, it's because one doesn't record with Chris Potter and not give the guy some breathing room. "I asked Chris if he ever plays schmaltzy," Barber explains. "He said no, but he could if I wanted him to." And so he does, not least on "The New Year's Eve Song," the album's closer and one of three Barber originals included here.Despite the self-admitted "hubris" involved in including her own material amidst this most canonical set list, the gamble pays off (check out the incomparable "Snow"). Since Patricia Barber has never been interested in mere nostalgia anyway, the result is an album that--although it looks at first glance like a relaxing sinecure--packs all the daring, velvet punch that Barber fans have to come to expect. And (more importantly) to trust. --Jason Kirk
Album Description:
Sublimely intimate but hugely expressive investigation of the brilliant songs of Cole Porter by the wonderfully artful singer/pianist and composer Patrica Barber. She breathes fresh life into his music as well as contributing three typically intelligent originals. Like her label mate Wilson, Barber is a genuine one off and Cole Porter Mix is un-missable."One of the most accomplished female jazz singer-pianists on the planet. Chicago-based Barber has avoice that caresses and challenges and cajoles and taunts and teases every nuance of meaning from eachambiguous syllable". The Guardian"Even a casual listener would soon be won over by her seductive voice, her forceful soloing and, not least,her immaculate quartet arrangements". The Times"The most fearless, most intellectually stimulating and, by extension, most interesting singer-songwriterpianiston the American jazz scene." JazzTimesFor more than two decades, Barber, based in Chicago, has led her own band and released a series ofhighly acclaimed, strikingly singular albums, that have seen her recognised as one of the greatest songstylists on the planet. For her latest album, singer/pianist Barber applies her austere but beautiful heartfeltexpressiveness to breath new life into the music of one of the Great American Songbook composers. TheCole Porter Mix not only spotlights her artful interpretations of Porter's songs but also features threePorter-inspired originals. "Cole Porter has always been my songwriting idol," says Barber. "I love his musicand I've been singing his songs for so many years."Barber's band includes guitarist Neal Alger, who has been performing with her the past six years, andbassist Michael Arnopol, who has worked with her since 1980. "We're like brother and sister," she says."We learned jazz together and played all those gigs in Chicago together when I was coming up." Drumduties are shared by Eric Montzka and Nate Smith, while tenor saxophonist Chris Potter guests on fivetracks. Barber plays piano throughout as well as contributes melodica colours to some tunes, including hergem, "The New Year's Eve Song," that closes the album. Another original on The Cole Porter Mix is the
Leave it to the intrepid Patricia Barber to take on so well-worn a songbook as Cole Porter's with such smoldering originality. Of course, for 15 years now, Barber has been something of an Ella Fitzgerald meets the madwoman-in-the-attic, a sheen of peerless respectability masking an uncompromising taste for the respectfully subversive.With 2006's seminal Mythologies, Barber took the Guggenheim and ran with it, planting one foot in Ovid and the other in Harlem. Here, her unflappable taste for danger takes her deep into the Porter oeuvre. But in Barber's hands, every old familiar lyric takes on new and usually devious entendre. Delivered in her heavily honeyed timbre, shopworn standards like "I Get a Kick Out of You" (with its new chord structure) and "You're the Top" (with its new lyrics) suggest the fecund extra layers that their titles--generously interpreted--imply.As usual, Barber's top-notch band delivers a flawless performance. If the arrangements lean a bit heavily on the sax, it's because one doesn't record with Chris Potter and not give the guy some breathing room. "I asked Chris if he ever plays schmaltzy," Barber explains. "He said no, but he could if I wanted him to." And so he does, not least on "The New Year's Eve Song," the album's closer and one of three Barber originals included here.Despite the self-admitted "hubris" involved in including her own material amidst this most canonical set list, the gamble pays off (check out the incomparable "Snow"). Since Patricia Barber has never been interested in mere nostalgia anyway, the result is an album that--although it looks at first glance like a relaxing sinecure--packs all the daring, velvet punch that Barber fans have to come to expect. And (more importantly) to trust. --Jason Kirk
Album Description:
Sublimely intimate but hugely expressive investigation of the brilliant songs of Cole Porter by the wonderfully artful singer/pianist and composer Patrica Barber. She breathes fresh life into his music as well as contributing three typically intelligent originals. Like her label mate Wilson, Barber is a genuine one off and Cole Porter Mix is un-missable."One of the most accomplished female jazz singer-pianists on the planet. Chicago-based Barber has avoice that caresses and challenges and cajoles and taunts and teases every nuance of meaning from eachambiguous syllable". The Guardian"Even a casual listener would soon be won over by her seductive voice, her forceful soloing and, not least,her immaculate quartet arrangements". The Times"The most fearless, most intellectually stimulating and, by extension, most interesting singer-songwriterpianiston the American jazz scene." JazzTimesFor more than two decades, Barber, based in Chicago, has led her own band and released a series ofhighly acclaimed, strikingly singular albums, that have seen her recognised as one of the greatest songstylists on the planet. For her latest album, singer/pianist Barber applies her austere but beautiful heartfeltexpressiveness to breath new life into the music of one of the Great American Songbook composers. TheCole Porter Mix not only spotlights her artful interpretations of Porter's songs but also features threePorter-inspired originals. "Cole Porter has always been my songwriting idol," says Barber. "I love his musicand I've been singing his songs for so many years."Barber's band includes guitarist Neal Alger, who has been performing with her the past six years, andbassist Michael Arnopol, who has worked with her since 1980. "We're like brother and sister," she says."We learned jazz together and played all those gigs in Chicago together when I was coming up." Drumduties are shared by Eric Montzka and Nate Smith, while tenor saxophonist Chris Potter guests on fivetracks. Barber plays piano throughout as well as contributes melodica colours to some tunes, including hergem, "The New Year's Eve Song," that closes the album. Another original on The Cole Porter Mix is the
Disc 1:
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Customer Reviews
Average Rating:
Rating: 
- Can't get much better...
I bought this cd for my husband for Christmas.It's great wrapping a gift that you just know is going to be what they want!We've seen her in concert, so no, this isn't as good as that, but Patricia Barber is just one of the most sublime muscians out there.Even my 3-year old loves the CD.We had friends over for a casual dinner and it was just the perfect music playing.
Rating: - One of America's Finest Artists
I thought 2006's "Mythologies" was one of the most creative "jazz" recordings ever, and one of the best c.d.'s of that year.When I heard that Ms. Barber was going from that Guggenheim-funded project to a c.d. of Cole Porter covers, I thought, "Huh?"
But in a weird sort of way, it makes sense.Say what you will about Patricia Barber:this is an artist who pushes the envelope.And discovering how to make new and fresh an idea that has been done a thousand times before is, in its own ... Read More
Rating: - Patricia Barber Scores Again
Another wonderful jazz r5ecording by the very t5alented Patricia Barber.I have enjoyed many of her previous releases and this is added to my top jazz recordings.Her arrangements are creative and capture the soul of the music.
Rating: 
- Not impressed.
With all the critical hype I thought this CD would be better. I listened a couple of times but didn't like the songs or the arrangements so I don't play it anymore.
Rating: - Intriguing and fascinating.
If any more proof were needed of the timelessness of Cole Porter's sublime melodies and sophisticated lyrics, then this atmospheric new release by Patricia Barber is it.
Cole Porter was famously touchy about singers embellishing his melodies or altering his lyrics in any way, so there is a slight frisson of the forbidden about the various "liberties" the singer/pianist Patricia Barber takes with some of his songs on this, an album mixing three of her own songs into a programme that contains ten ... Read More
- Can't get much better...I bought this cd for my husband for Christmas.It's great wrapping a gift that you just know is going to be what they want!We've seen her in concert, so no, this isn't as good as that, but Patricia Barber is just one of the most sublime muscians out there.Even my 3-year old loves the CD.We had friends over for a casual dinner and it was just the perfect music playing.
- One of America's Finest ArtistsI thought 2006's "Mythologies" was one of the most creative "jazz" recordings ever, and one of the best c.d.'s of that year.When I heard that Ms. Barber was going from that Guggenheim-funded project to a c.d. of Cole Porter covers, I thought, "Huh?"
But in a weird sort of way, it makes sense.Say what you will about Patricia Barber:this is an artist who pushes the envelope.And discovering how to make new and fresh an idea that has been done a thousand times before is, in its own ... Read More
- Patricia Barber Scores AgainAnother wonderful jazz r5ecording by the very t5alented Patricia Barber.I have enjoyed many of her previous releases and this is added to my top jazz recordings.Her arrangements are creative and capture the soul of the music.
- Not impressed.With all the critical hype I thought this CD would be better. I listened a couple of times but didn't like the songs or the arrangements so I don't play it anymore.
- Intriguing and fascinating.If any more proof were needed of the timelessness of Cole Porter's sublime melodies and sophisticated lyrics, then this atmospheric new release by Patricia Barber is it.
Cole Porter was famously touchy about singers embellishing his melodies or altering his lyrics in any way, so there is a slight frisson of the forbidden about the various "liberties" the singer/pianist Patricia Barber takes with some of his songs on this, an album mixing three of her own songs into a programme that contains ten ... Read More
