Customer Reviews

Gratitude

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I'm amazed that others could not like this album. Everyone has their own taste, as others have noted here, but if you know and like solo jazz piano, I don't get why you wouldn't love this CD. I'd definitely put it up there with my favorite stuff from Bill Evans, Keith Jarrett, Chucho Valdes. I heard "The Sheik" from this album on the radio and bought the CD, and am very happy with it. It's true that Jessica delights in certain techniques, but she does them so well that I delight in them too. She explores coherently, tastefully, imaginatively and soulfully.

Jessica Williams, contrary to another review posted here, is a WONDERFUL solo pianist--energy, imagination, verve, and highly-developed musicmanship.

I say this as a professional pianist in Atlanta, with 10 CDs of my own out in the market. Jessica's playing here is strong and powerful, fun to listen to--and I always find many things that I wish I could play nearly as well.

If you like non-restrictive solo piano--that is--playing that transcends narrow stylistic limits--then you'll like Jessica Williams, and this album.

Ouch! The posted reviews of Gratitude prove that the stronger the music, the more diverse the opinions created. I'm a big Jessica Williams fan, both of her trio and solo work (and if you can find it, check out her playing with Patty Waters on the Jazz Focus CD Love Songs--she's an amazing accompianist). Gratitude is one of my favorite CD's of Jessica's solo work, and that's saying a lot. She does get deep into each tune, and I can understand that some people may not yet have the ears to follow where she goes; but to say that she doesn't respect the form and melody of the original tune is just wrong. Perhaps her style isn't for everybody; or perhaps some listeners aren't ready for her. But Jessica Williams has both loads of technique and a deep "spiritual" approach to the music.

This is a Tribute album - Thelonious Monk, John Coltrane & Mary Lou Williams are paid homage, I so much enjoy Jessica Williams' chops and enthusiasm, which spills over on the session; A playful, stride-style and a more contemplative side is also showcased throughout. This is a typical brilliant effort by Jessica Williams, and a great introduction to her music - Highly recommended!

Leading women jazz pianists, if I may generalize, are more imaginative and witty than their male counterparts. Often with classical training, their technique is well honed and there are more colors to their musical palette. Among contemporary artists, Jessica Williams is a pianist's pianist, who in John Cage fashion, can reach into the instrument to strum the strings like a zither, as occurs in the first track of this album, her well-known composition, The Sheikh. Gratitude was the first of a dozen of her albums I have acquired since, and now can look back to this 1994 opus with some perspective. When I heard it for the first time, on radio, I was amazed. It was clever and clearly different. And I was delighted. Now, I see the album as too much of good thing; all her cards were put on the table. It is also too even in tone. The album is not my favorite of her solo recordings, but it stands as a brilliant milestone, the seed for many elaborations and explorations. If you have come to appreciate Jessica Williams, say from her Live at Yoshi's volumes, then you must have this album.

After reading both cd reviews, I feel like it is time for me to express my opinion. Before I give my views about this cd, I would like to say that music is personal, to each and everyone of us. No two people have the same likes and dislikes about music or anything else as far as that goes. Each of us is unique. Most of us could see a car wreck happen and see it differently than the next person.

Jessica definately has some talent when it comes to the piano. I think most people would agree with this. Now comes the sticky part. The interporation of the music. I really don't like where Jessica took the music. I had a miserably hard time following what she was trying to accomplish. She inprovised far too much. She semed to loose the melody time and time again. In other words she knocked the song down to where she could gain the spotlight and not let the song have any voice. So to speak, she stole the show.

Don't get me wrong, I believe in improvising, but in a modest form. I think there is the right time and the wrong time to showboat.

You may ask how I developed these ideas about performces. Well through listening to many giants in jazz, I have learned what I truely like. If people have something to compare, it's easy to see what you like.

As for the pianist from Atlantia that has 10 cds, I would like to find out how to buy some of this work. Maybe I would like it and maybe not. I would have to hear it to decide.

This cd in review is not one that I hold up with much estine. Don't buy it.

I would like to begin by saying that I have all the respect for Jessicia Williams and her musicianship. That being said, I would like to point out that not every pianist is cut out to play well on all types of venues. Some are ideal for soloing, while others are better at playing in groups. Some pianists are versatile enough to be able to play both with ease.

As for Jess, I think her cup of tea should be playing in groups. I have products by Jess playing in both solo and in groups and it is my belief that her strength is in that of being a leader of a small group (trio or quartet). She doesn't seem to have enough imagination to do very well with solos. She seems to take too many unnecessay chances. I really have a hard time trying to find the direction she is going with these tunes.

As far as this cd goes, I would have to say DUD best describes it. I didn't hear one encouraging thing on this cd.

The repertoire was even a little weak. I guess that's the way things go sometimes. On these days why even get out of bed.

Some advice for Jess would be to stick with group playing for all future projects and let's leave the soloing to those who are naturals. I have a lot of solo cds which are undiscribable, they are so beautiful.

Recommednation: Let's pass on this lemon.