Jazz Not Jazz

Hue & Cry, Mike Stern | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 12, 1999)
• Original Release Date: October 12, 1999
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Linn Records
• ASIN: B00001X52B
• In-Print Editions: Audio CD
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #499,833 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Free Like You [Featuring Tommy Smith]

2. Iron Cage [Featuring Mike Stern]

3. All True Man [Featuring Brian Kellock]

4. Remember Me [Featuring Tommy Smith]

5. Virus of Love [Featuring Michael Brecker]

6. I'll Be There for You [Featuring Michael Brecker]

7. Finally [Featuring Nigel Hitchcock/Steve Sidwell]

8. Good and Evil [Featuring Danny Gottlieb]

9. Makin' Whoopee [Featuring Randy Brecker]

10. Austere and Beautiful [Featuring Mike Stern]

11. How Do You Repair a Heart? [Featuring Brian Kellock]

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A breath of fresh air, December 7, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Jazz Not Jazz (Audio CD)

Glenn Astarita

What a better way to get the ball rolling for "Pop" stars Greg and Pat Kane aka "Hue & Cry" to cut a Jazz based record than to enlist the estimable services of guitarist Mike Stern, the Brecker Brothers, saxophonist Tommy Smith, drummer Danny Gottlieb and others. Some of the initial press releases are comparing this outing to the legendary hybrid rockers, Steely Dan. Are we getting suspicious yet? Well, Jazz not Jazz is actually a welcome surprise and rather entertaining thanks to the soloists, crisp horn arrangements, crystalline production and the pleasant compositional mix.

Pop-star, vocalist Pat Kane along with brother Greg who performs on acoustic piano call themselves "Hue & Cry" and have reportedly sold quite a few records in Europe while also touring with the likes of rockers U2 and Pop Queen - Madonna. The proceedings get off to a quick start with the piece titled, "Free Like You" which features saxophonist-arranger Nigel Hitchcock's mini-big band style horn charts, a burning tenor sax solo by Tommy Smith, punchy rhythms and some Bobby Darin type hipster vocals from Pat Kane. On "Iron Cage" guitar god Mike Stern adds his easily identifiable - chops of doom - via a mid-tempo swing although in certain spots, Kane does seem to convey a certain uneasiness with the jazz "vocal" language. This notion becomes a tad more prominent on the rapid swing-like numbers as Kane more than compensates with clear diction and soulful articulations on upbeat and rollicking compositions such as "All True Man". Here, Greg Kane provides the thrust with heavy-handed chord progressions along with Brian Kellock's tasty fender rhodes solo.

Tenor saxophonist Michael Brecker takes charge on, "Virus of Love" which boasts a powerful hybrid Latin-Rock motif yet vocal choruses of; "like a virus of love I will hate you and you, like a virus of love I will kick right on through to anybody"...seems a bit tacky or poetically disproportionate. "Makin' Whoopee" features Kane's breezy, grooving, vocals atop a sturdy Funk/R&B style backbeat along with Randy Brecker's riveting trumpet solo while guitarist Mike Stern brings down the house on "Austere and Beautiful".

At the very least, Jazz not Jazz could serve as a wake up call for many of those who are uninitiated to the world of jazz. With peppery arrangements, passionate vocals and a sterling production, "Hue & Cry" should be commended for their spirited approach and acute "jazz" sensibilities. We have a feeling that this recording will receive its fair share of radio airplay and deservedly so - Especially when considering much of the transparent, facile smooth jazz gracing the airwaves these days, this outing should provide a breath of fresh air.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars It's Jazz Alright - But not as we know it!!, August 27, 2000

By 

Conor Simpson (Dublin 15 Ireland) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Jazz Not Jazz (Audio CD)

This album is certainly a branch off for the Kane brothers and explores real Jazz as opposed to the commercial pop songs they are renowned for in Europe.

Tracks such as Free Like you and Iron Cage are a Jazz Success while other numbers stretch the bounderies. In saying that, the tracks have a Jazz soul although not maybe immediatley apparent to pure Jazz lovers like myself.

The album is full of energy and mischief, with great brass arrangements and extremely well executed vocals.

It's an album that may take one or two listens but after that you will listen to for a long time to come.