Customer Reviews

Odyssey of Funk & Popular Music

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Few artists are motivated or well-equipped to interpret the entire scope of 20th century music in the course of one album. Thank heavens for the unfettered spirit of Lester Bowie and his posse, Brass Fantasy. The Spice Girls' tune "Two Become One" is given an utterly captivating reading here. This one song is reason enough to buy this album. Bowie and company also navigate Puccini's aria "Nessun Dorma" (in a Nawlins street-carnival spirit), late rapper Notorious B.I.G.'s "Notorious Thugs" (complete with vocals by Dean Bowman) and oldies radio staples "If You Don't Know Me By Now" and "In The Still of the Night". Little brother Joseph Bowie guest-raps on "Next" and trombonist Josh Roseman shows true potential to become a jazz star of the next decade. The one downer is a bizarre rendition of Marilyn Manson's "Beautiful People" which I still can't bear all the way through. Otherwise Bowie's latest parade of pop music re-assemblages is a keeper.

Any jazz artist that can appreciate Marilyn Manson has got to be great. Thanks Lester.

It's not Kenny G. It's not "Bitches' Brew". It IS worth buying just for the Spice Girls' song which I've (proudly) never even heard done by the Spice Girls but makes my eyes glaze over on this CD. I don't know jazz but I know what I like.

Bowie's musical exploits were gutsy for a number of reasons, and it makes this album, among his others, a pleasure. Despite some great moments on this album (including a beautiful "Two Becomes One"), it ultimately does not reach the mastery it should.

Part of this is simply overreach -- Nessun Dorma, the superb aria from Puccini's Turandot, is shown to be beyond the reach of Bowie's arranging skills. I'm inclined to think it's beyond the reach of any jazz arranger's skills, so I give Bowie props for trying. Other tracks simply can't overcome the shortcomings of the original composition (Andrew Lloyd Webber's "Don't Cry for Me" is the prime example here).

In the end, "Odyssey of Funk and Popular Music" has its moments, but is probably not your best Bowie pick. Grab "When the Spirit Returns" first, then come back for this.

(By the way, the Amazon reviewer seems to think "In the Still of the Night" is the Cole Porter song. In actuality, it is the song by the Five Satins . I don't know how the reviewer made this mistake; Bowie's version does not sound remotely like Porter.)

If you've never listened to Lester Bowie's brass ensembles, you owe it to yourself.

He brings an orchestral sense of scale and sly sense of humor to his material, and he never forgets to swing. This music is utterly seductive, and accommodates itself to whatever mood you may be experiencing. It offers both emotional and intellectual rewards to delight the listener.

Lester Bowie's Brass Fantasy deconstructed pop music from 1985 until this 1998 CD. 11 players are credited, all horn players except for drummer Vinnie Johnson and percussionist Victor See Yuen. Vocalists Joseph Bowie and Dean Bowman are on a song apiece. With a varied program, the disc is a little uneven, but it's an overall winner. Even though some of the songs have flaws, the flawed ones are still worthwhile. "The Birth of the Blues" is a somewhat turgid traditional piece. "Next" has a rap by Joseph Bowie that's a little cringeworthy. "Two Become One" is a Spice Girls song that completely transcends the original. "Don't Cry For Me Argentina" is a little heavy on the drama. "Beautiful People" wisely doesn't stay to long, since it's a heavy romp. "In The Still Of The Night" keeps too much of the doo-wop rhythm. "Notorious Thug" has another rap, which fits better than the one on "Next". "Nessum Dorma" is classical-sounding. "If You Don't Know Me By Now" is another song heavy on drama. The listener just has to buy into the concept of each song, and the disc is a good listen.

Great