ABBEY LINCOLN / “Brother? Can You Spare A Dime?”
Abbey interprets others, starting with a Depression Era song, “Brother? Can You Spare A Dime?” I had heard the song numerous times but it was only when I heard Abbey’s version that I really, really heard and understood the song—especially the anti-war sentiment. Also of note: Stan Getz reveals himself here as his own man, not a wispy ghost nor a lightweight version of Lester Young, but instead a full flesh and blood man with great vision and generous warmth. If only for Stan’s tenor solo this version is noteworthy, but given that this is an Abbey Lincoln recording there is much, much more, namely a peerless albeit painful presentation that eschews self-pity and instead is almost accusatory in its reminisces, like pointing to a criminal and saying, “You shot me! Do you remember? I remember.” Today, “Dime’s” subtext is easily read as a demand for reparations rather than a servile request for a handout. As if to underscore her intentions, the title of Abbey’s album is You Gotta Pay The Band.
“Blue Monk” is Abbey fitting her words to a Thelonious Monk classic and it is an excellent fit. This time the horn soloist is eminence grise Coleman Hawkins, the progenitor of the tenor solo in modern jazz. Trivia note: Hawkins was the first to bring Thelonious Monk to national attention. The arrangement saunters along at a half-fast strolling pace almost as if the musicians had no particular destination in mind, but that is just the cool exterior on an intense blue flame of a blues. After Hawkins’ masterful solo, Abbey does her wordless thing—not quite scatting, more like oohhhing and aahhhing her way up and down the scale. It’s a quintessential blues performance. This is from Abbey’s early solo recording Straight Ahead.
“Crazy He Calls Me,” is Abbey’s respectful tribute to Billie Holiday, the singer who first inspired Ms. Lincoln.
I heard Billie Holiday when I was 14, on a Victrola, in the country, where I was living. She was always a great influence on my life. She was social. And she didn't try to prove that she had a great instrument. This is not the form for people who use that approach. That's the European classical tradition. We have voices. Louis Armstrong was a great singer. It has nothing to do with having a great voice. So I had a chance to listen and to meet many of these great performers and singers, and I come from Billie Holiday, Sarah Vaughan, Ella Fitzgerald, all of these people. I sing in that tradition. I don't try for anything they do, just like they didn't try for anything that anybody else was doing, but interpret a song on a level of understanding and with skills, knowing where one is. —Abbey LincolnAbbey does Billie better than anyone in the business. Abbey’s got the behind-the-beat phrasing down pat, plus Abbey knows how to invest great meaning into simple syllables. Abbey understands her function as a diasporan griot. “Crazy” is from Abbey Sings Billie. We close with “Nature Boy,” a philosophical song popularized by Nat 'King' Cole. This one is also from A Turtle’s Dream. Repeatedly over her career Abbey's presence brings out the best in others. To share the stage with her is to be elevated, is to be inspired to go beyond your usual goings. The encouraging force of her gentle personality is massive. Well, that’s it. An introduction to Abbey Lincoln. If this is your first time hearing Abbey’s music, hopefully it will not be the last. If you find out that you like this music, please share it with others. If you don’t like it, please listen again. Abbey Lincoln is essential. —Kalamu ya Salaam Reasons to love Abbey Great songs. "Blue Monk" has always sounded like a New Orleans record to me and Abbey's version is no different. I usually hear it at a faster tempo. At this speed, it sounds like a funeral dirge. (In a good way.) I love the way Abbey sings. It's like she said in her quote: she's obviously not even attempting to sound 'pretty' or 'perfect' or, for that matter, like anyone else she's ever heard. Abbey sings like Abbey. And what a solo by Coleman Hawkins! His sound comes leaping out of the speakers. (Well, the speaker at least. It sounds like he's only in one channel.) "Crazy He Calls Me." Fantastic. I like how you can hear that Abbey's singing in Billie's style, but she still isn't exactly trying to sound like Billie. This one reminds me a lot of "I Should Care." Abbey is excellent at singing those slow, slow torch songs. Not so into this version of "Nature Boy." I don't know why. Maybe I'm too used to George Benson's uptempo pop/jazz version. That's the one I grew up with and the one I still like best. (I'm ducking now, 'cause Kalamu's about to let me have it.
)
Not so crazy about "Brother? Can You Spare A Dime?" either, but I get the feeling that one could grow on me. I don't have any personal connection with the lyrics—they sound like something indelibly marked as belonging to another era. It's also hard for me to get into a woman singing the song when it's obviously written from the point of view of a man (and Abbey even leaves the gender-specific lyrics in there). Anyway, two out of four ain't bad. That's just two more reasons to love Abbey Lincoln.
—Mtume ya Salaam
This entry was posted on Sunday, March 4th, 2007 at 1:03 am and is filed under Cover. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
Leave a Reply
| top |