With the Clayton Hamilton Jazz Orchestra [Import]

Charles Aznavour | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (December 1, 2009)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Import
• Label: Emi
• ASIN: B002SPEZR4
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #206,395 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Sound the trumpets, let the cymbals ring out, here's another Charles Aznavour, a new Aznavour, an Aznavour recalling the early Aznavour, before he had started singing. Who hadn't yet found his voice, who composed songs for others. The songs he wrote for others had a jazzy feel, a furiously jazzy feel, a sincerely jazzy feel. Here, refuting rumours of retirement in brilliant style, he's coming back with a bang. Not singing new songs. Singing his songs differently. Which is bolder than you might think, not only at the age of 85, because the punters, of all sexes, colours and ages, all know his great classics off by heart, inside out and upside down. Great classics are untouchable, with their inflexions, orchestrations, guitar licks, a waltz with a violin, you can't change songs at the drop of a hat. (.) When Charles first stepped into the legendary Capitol studios, 1750 North Vine St, Hollywood, he well knew which voices echoed in this futuristic temple, those of very real ghosts: Nat King Cole, Louis and Ella, Sinatra, Dean Martin, and just recently Diana Krall whose rhythm is set by two big names: John Clayton (composer and double bass player) and Jeff Hamilton (drums). Decked in shades, with the demeanour of a young rolling stone, we go down three blocks, to Sunset Boulevard, where Charles laughs that he might one day see his photo on the wall, up with the greats: "I'm not boastful, but it's a childish dream, to see a Frenchie up there". The entire album is imbued with this fresh spirit. It was an encounter with the Clayton Hamilton Jazz Orchestra, the most musical of big bands, the most sophisticated, the most powerful of the time, which set the ball rolling. Twenty-five years' experience and enough albums, nominations and Grammy awards to fill a villa in Malibu. A slew of saxophones, trumpets, trombones, just what you need in the way of bass clarinet and violins, cellos and violas, heavyweights at each music desk, with an overall sound that captures the imagination of frail humans and their meagre dreams of fraternity, swing to swing you to heaven or hell, whatever, since Charles claims he has "friends in both". To measure up to such an ensemble, you need depth: like all big bands, they are devoted, body and soul, but on one, non-negotiable condition. That you can and do hold your own.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant Work, April 14, 2010

By 

Sarkis Ekshian (Pasadena, CA, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: With the Clayton Hamilton Jazz Orchestra (Audio CD)

I think this album completes the full circle for Aznavour. Jazz was his foundation during the very early part of his career - from his late 50's works to the mid 60's era. After 40 years of experimentation and championing of various other pop genres, Aznavour has returned to his roots of straight-ahead jazz.

This time around, however, the arrangements are richer and bolder, with lots of harmonic and stylistic innovation brought on by John Clayton. This album is a suprisingly successful new marriage of an otherwise unlikely union between the 60's era french chanson and the 21st century american big-band jazz with a full spectrum of harmonic and diatonic complexity and experimentation.

I wish the best of health to Charles for another decade or two of his relentless magic.

5.0 out of 5 stars Charles the great, September 6, 2010

By 

Nikica Gilic - See all my reviews

This review is from: With the Clayton Hamilton Jazz Orchestra (Audio CD)

Yes, the age is audible in Charles' distinctive voice, but he is still a great singer and entertainer, with the sense for rhythm...
The arrangements are lovely, Clayton - Hamilton big band is, as expected, beautifully elegant so this is a nice example of intelligent jazzy pop music that suits my tastes...
Rachelle Ferrell and Diane Reeves are guests here, but this one is for the Charles Aznavour's fans
(in his youth he also used ellements of jazz so some of these tracks are reminiscent of his own personal musical history... pour fair le jam!)...

If you liked this one, you'll probably like
Jazznavour as well!