I’ve been able to listen to numerous interesting albums in 2022 even amid the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic. At the end of the year, I’d like to introduce two albums of this year which I’ve felt like listening to again, and surprisingly, Satchmo’s first Christmas album.

#199  Tribute Album to Leonard Cohen by Top Artists

Hear It Is: A Tribute to Leonard Cohen
(Universal Music UCCQ-1170)

Six years have already passed since Leonard Cohen, a singer and songwriter who should be recognized as a great minstrel, passed away, but his voice and a number of his works have inspired many artists, and have been loved and listened to by many people. In memory of Cohen, “Hear It Is” was released this autumn as a tribute album featuring 12 top artists singing and performing only Cohen’s pieces.

He sincerely faced his life, and continued to sing the philosophical lyrics on the dignity of living and infinite human love. Norah Jones is singing ＜Steer Your Way＞ from his last album. Gregory Porter is singing his early masterpiece, ＜Suzanna＞. The famous ＜Hallelujah＞ is sung by his fellow Canadian, Sarah McLachlan. The last number, ＜Bird on The Wire＞, is performed by the guitarist Bill Frisell. I feel the atmosphere that they all love and are crazy about Cohen’s music. The project was put together by Larry Klein, a renowned producer. Although they are all unique artists and singers, it is fantastic that the whole event is thoroughly imbued with the great receptiveness and deep warmth of Cohen. Getting new indicators, his music continues to live on into the future. This is the best tribute album which strongly embraces such feelings.

#200 “Space Jazz Orchestra” —Tenacity of Martino

Jazz Impressions / Harry Allen & John Di Martino Space Jazz Orchestra
(Venus Records CD VHCD-1300, SACD VHGD-380)

Among the various new experiments amid the COVID-19 pandemic, I can say that the “Space Jazz Orchestra” created by New York-based pianist, John Di Martino, is one of the most remarkable achievements. Shutting himself up in his home studio, Martino spent nearly a year sampling the sounds of various acoustic instruments, and using a computer to create the sounds of an orchestra. The nuanced sounds of the strings, oboe, bass clarinet, and other woodwinds even evoke the sound of Gil Evans. Although it is Martino’s one-man orchestra, if you are not told, you would think it is a live orchestra. Harry Allen’s tenor saxophone beautifully plays melodies accompanied by such a diverse and expansive orchestra.

The project began when Martino was inspired by Puccini’s and other classical tunes to write his original pieces. The first track of the album is ＜Dreaming of The Night Sky＞ making use of the melody of the famous piece “E Lucevan Le Stelle” from the opera “Tosca.” It is literally “dreamlike” and beautiful. The musical song ＜With Every Breath I Take＞ features Harry Allen’s ballad playing filled with breathtakingly romantic sentiment. I also want to focus on delicately arranged ＜Joanna’s Theme＞, written by Herbie Hancock, making full use of the timbre of woodwinds and a harp. While making free use of synthesizers to create background sounds has been common until now, I believe it has been quite rare that an entire orchestra was not only created as a product of his own making but also achieved such magnificent musical results. It certainly shows Martino’s perseverance during the pandemic. Although it was released on CD, I was able to fully enjoy the SACD released this autumn appreciating finer details.