Customer Reviews

If Less Is More...Nothing Is Everything

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We all have our bad days on the job, even Amazon music reviewers. A really, really, shamefully bad day, in this case. I sure hope that customers considering this album will take the time to read all the other editorial reviews posted here, as well as the listener reviews. But if they don't, maybe the fact that this album was nominated for a 2008 Grammy will make the difference. It is wonderful to see this album get the positive recognition it deserves.

This album blew me away on first listen, but has amazed me more and more with each listen. That's the beauty of Kate, IMHO, I could listen to just one tune over and over and always hear one more thing I just HAVE to play again, to savor, enjoy, and marvel at.

I invite you to do the same.

I've been a fan of Kate McGarry for many years - and this new album totally pays for my enthusiasm. It's deep, it's smooth, it's easy to listen to over and over and over again - yet it holds a power that makes it so compelling. Just as the title says- "Less Is More" - the use of space and silence enliven each and every song in the album with great awareness, and never in a studied or contrived way. Here is a master coming more and more into her own. HIgh marks!

Kate McGarry is a glorious, beautiful talent and human being. She has a clear and glorious singing voice, is a soulful writer of words and melody, a creative and respected band leader - and committed public servant by sharing all of these gifts with the world. Kate is admired by her many fans, and is a true musican's musician. It's a privilege to watch someone like her evolve and share her life experiences through music with each and every recording.

Clearly, Amazon's Eric C.P. Martin could learn a great deal from Kate and band in the humility and grace department. I'm deepy surprised to see something like this allowed to be used as the editorial for her new record. There must be more care in how a musician is represented if a staff writer takes on this task. Can't find anything nice to say? Then post her Bio or glowing NY Times review.

Kate McGarry's stunning new album, "If Less is More...Nothing is Everything," is an autumnal album for the new season, a sometimes harrowing, sometimes whimsical, sometimes thrilling collection of standards (Great American Songbook-era and rock-era alike) and originals. McGarry and her amazing ensemble start things off with a darkly knowing, timely interpretation of "Let's Face the Music." Although the classic Irving Berlin song was written as an acknowledgement of romantic transience ("there may be trouble ahead..."), here, with spooky, shimmering organ lines and McGarry's mournful vocal, it feels like nothing less than a harbinger of "last days." Call it "samba apocalyptica." This track along is well worth the price of admission (check out the moment 3-plus minutes in when McGarry purrs along with guitarist Keith Ganz's solo). But it doesn't end there. Track 2 takes an entirely different approach, with a wonky, quirky "You're My Thrill." You can practically hear McGarry smiling while she's singing. Then, maybe best of all, comes a stirring take on Ric Ocasek's Cars-era hit, "Just What I Needed." The album twists and turns from there, all of it underscored by the superb ensemble playing of her band and overscored by the inventive, thoroughly satisfying interpretive splendour of McGarry's voice.

I have to say I'm a little surprised by the Amazon editorial review of this record. From the first sentence it seems clear that this reviewer not only fails to understand or appreciate Kate McGarry, but is fairly confused and/or misinformed about what jazz music has become in 2008. (People who listen to and know about jazz music seldom begin a review by trying to sum it up in one breath.) I don't know what smooth jazz and a culture of self-defensiveness have to do with this album or its alleged "safe"ness. If I had to review this review, I would point out that it opens with a run-on sentence which doesn't make much sense, but provides the paragraph's only real "umph.:"

Now, to the matter at hand, this fantastic album. Ms. McGarry is in what I hope is the prime of her 20+year career. (I hope so because I'm not sure I can handle it getting any better.) This album features perhaps her most successful combination yet of profound emotion and masterful subtlety and restraint. (I really can't think of any better description of her music than 'SOUL' music.) Her touching re-conception of "Just What I Needed" stands out as a highlight for me, as does guitarist Keith Ganz's magical treatment of "Let's Face the Music and Dance." There are some great solo moments for both Ganz and keyboardist Gary Versace, who is quietly emerging as one of the great rhythm section players of his generation. Not much needs to be said about the bass and drum combination of Reuben Rogers and Clearance Penn, but suffice it to say they are excellent here, as is the anything-but-bland saxophonist Donny McCaslin. (Strange that Amazon's reviewer didn't mention him by name-- is it possible he's unfamiliar with the tenorist featured in both the Maria Schneider Orchestra and the Dave Douglas Quintet?)

There is no question: this is a beautiful album that anyone who buys it will be listening to for years and years and years. No explanation for why the unfriendly-sounding person who reviewed it for Amazon was so far off the mark-- guess there's nothing to say but "better luck next time."

Perhaps amazon's in-house reviewer should stick to his more- familiar terrain of "coffee shop open mic nights," and leave the assessment of "real" (vs smooth) jazz to more knowledgeable folk. Once his oddly-phrased review is deciphered, it's clear that he not only missed the excellence of this CD, but has no familiarity with the level of artistry involved ("Attempt" at scatting? "Bland" sax??) Differences of opinion are fine - that's why they make chocolate and vanilla, after all - but that disrespectful and condescending "better luck next time" business is unnecessary and mean-spirited, as well as the mark of a true amateur.

As the producer of this recording I'm not really in a position to judge its merits, but over the years I've grown comfortable with reviews both positive and negative. I've had negative reviews that I thought were pretty accurate, and positive ones that were idiotic. But it's particularly irksome when the retailer itself uses a reviewer who is seemingly not conversant in either the genre of music or the English language. In almost thirty years I've never publicly complained about criticism. I reckon there's a first time for everything!

The depth of emotion that Kate McGarry is able to convey through her music amazes me with every new effort. She gets inside of each tune in a way that is unlike other singers in the genre... truly remarkable. When I read that this album was nominated for a Grammy, it alleviated any doubt that the Recording Academy lacked a true knowledge of contemporary jazz. Their recognition of this recording shows that they understand the evolution of the music and the potential virtuosity of the vocal instrument -- even at its most pared down state.
Kudos to Ms. McGarry and the other stellar musicians on this offering!

Kate McGarry's "The Target" was one of the most noteworthy recordings of 2007; "Moss," a vocal jazz ensemble recording featuring Ms. McGarry (along with Peter Eldridge, Lauren Kinhan, Luciana Souza, and Theo Bleckmann), is one of the best recordings of this year; and now this. Without a doubt, Kate is on a roll!

The idea of the c.d.'s title is supposed to be that Ms. McGarry "sings the silences" of her songs. That she does, but she does more. She quickly finds the emotional essence in everything she does, and delivers her songs with focussed emotion. While she doesn't sound anything like Aretha Franklin or Bettye Lavette, she sings with soul. I mentioned in my review of "The Target" that she is a vocal Miles Davis, in terms of finding the core of emotion with minimal fuss; and this recording certainly supports my conclusion.

Take "I Carry Your Heart (With Me)", an old ee Cummings poem that Ms. McGarry has put to music. She did this on the "Moss" recording, and there it sounded great, albeit a bit academic. Here, it just sounds great; she sings the song here with emotion that she doesn't have to share with other singers.

And speaking of Moss, the most "Moss-like" song here but not on that album is the old Crosby Stills & Nash tune, "You Don't Have to Cry." The rendition here has more pizzazz than just about anything on that recording.

Assisting Ms. McGarry's soulful deliveries greatly are the organ of Gary Versace (esp. "You're My Thrill"), the tenor sax of Donny McCaslin (esp. "Let's Face the Music and Dance")and husband Keith Ganz' guitar (esp. Dylan's "The Times They Are a-Changin'" and "Man of God.") All in all, a beautifully produced affair by Mr. Balitsaris! Highly recommended. RC

12/5/08: Note - This c.d. received a Grammy nomination for best vocal jazz c.d. of 2008. Of the 5 selected, I enjoy this one the most.

I'm not sure that I could agree with the amazon reviewer's "unusually safe" claim. Sure, this album probably isn't going to cause street riots or anything but "unusually safe"? To me that sounds like the reviewer's saying "boring."

This album isn't boring. Really interesting writing. Great band. Cool tune choices. Kate sounds awesome. This is hip music and it's moving jazz forward while proving that in order to be edgy in jazz, you don't have to be all noisy and weird.

One note on the Amazon MP3 purchase option: you don't get the liner notes. I'd really like to know who did the arranging and who wrote the tunes.