My Flame Burns Blue [LIVE]

Marc Scholten (Performer), Olof Groesz (Performer), Burt / Costello, Elvis Bacharach (Composer), Dave Bartholomew (Composer), Elvis Costello (Composer), Charles Mingus (Composer), Billy Strayhorn (Composer), Michael Tilson Thomas (Conductor), Vince Mendoza (Conductor), Christopher Laurence (Performer), Metropole Orchestra (Performer), Peter Tiehuis (Performer), London Symphony Orchestra (Orchestra), Peter Erskine (Performer), Steve Nieve (Performer), John Harle (Performer), Paul van der Feen (Performer), Jos Beeren (Performer), Leo Janssen (Performer), Bart van Lier (Performer)

Product Details

• Performer: Marc Scholten, Olof Groesz, Christopher Laurence, Metropole Orchestra, Peter Tiehuis, et al.
• Orchestra: London Symphony Orchestra
• Conductor: Michael Tilson Thomas, Vince Mendoza
• Composer: Burt / Costello, Elvis Bacharach, Dave Bartholomew, Elvis Costello, Charles Mingus, Billy Strayhorn
• Audio CD (February 28, 2006)
• SPARS Code: DDD
• Number of Discs: 2
• Format: Live
• Label: Deutsche Grammophon
• ASIN: B000E0OF0W
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (25 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #58,575 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Elvis Costello takes the occasion of his first official live release (recorded with the 52-piece Metropole Orkest at The Hague's North Sea Jazz Festival in 2004) to not only recap the various non-rock/pop genres the restless veteran singer-songwriter has explored in recent years, but recast a few of his songbook favorites in striking new musical arrangements as well. The widow of Charles Mingus commissioned Costello to pen lyrics for the rousing revamp of the jazz legend's "Hora Decubitus" that anchors the album, a task he also performs for the bluesy title track, a reworking of Billy Strayhorn's final composition "Blood Count." Elvis wends through such oblique compositional corners as "Favourit! e Hour" and "Upon A Veil of Midnight Blue," a moody song originally written for blues great Charles Brown, but ultimately thoroughly reworked as "I Wonder How She Knows." "Clubland" is charged with savory Latin rhythms, "Almost Blue" recast as autumnal orchestral lament and "Watching the Detectives" re-imagined as jazzy, Bernard Herrmann-esque ‘50s TV theme. Other standouts include a swinging big band cover of Dave Bartholomew's "That's How You Got Killed Before" and a gorgeous rendition of his first Burt Bacharach collaboration, "God Give Me Strength." The set's bonus disc explores yet another intriguing corner of Costello's contemporary non-pop career via the 45-minute orchestral Il Sogno Suite, music culled from his '04 score for the Aterbaletto dance troupe's Italian production of A Midsummer's Night Dream. --Jerry McCulley

Product Description

Elvis Costello's My Flame Burns Blue is a live album with the legendary Metropole Orkest, a 52-piece jazz orchestra from the Netherlands, recorded in concert at The Hague. A bonus disc offers a 45-minute suite from Il Sogno, Costello's first full-length orchestral work. The album alternates between imaginatively reinvented Costello favorites like "Almost Blue," "Clubland," and "Watching the Detectives" (arranged "in the style of a 1950s television theme"), Costello compositions seeing release for the first time on a Costello album, and unexpected collaborations. "This recording captures a very joyful evening at the North Sea Jazz Festival and collects together songs and arrangements that have been developed over the last decade," writes Costello in his detailed liner notes.

For the opening track, "Hora Decubitus," Costello was invited by Charles Mingus's widow, Sue, to contribute lyrics to the jazzman's compositions. This song was completed in the immediate aftermath of September 11. "I could offer nothing more than a simple affirmation of life and rejection of vengeance," writes Costello. For the title track, Costello also wrote lyrics for Billy Strayhorn's final composition, "Blood Count."

Other highlights seeing release on a Costello album for the first time include "Speak Darkly, My Angel" and "Upon a Veil of Midnight Blue," which was written for and recorded by West Coast bluesman Charles Brown as "I Wonder How She Knows."

Il Sogno was originally commissioned by the Italian Dance Company, Aterbaletto, for their adaptation of Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream. Following its premiere in Bologna with the Orchestra del Teatro Communale, the ballet was staged throughout Italy, Germany, France and Russia. Il Sogno was subsequently recorded by the London Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Michael Tilson Thomas. The recording was released in September 2004 by Deutsche Grammophon and stayed at the top of Billboard's Contemporary Classical Charts for fourteen weeks.

Il Sogno received rave reviews upon its release. Mark Swed at The Los Angeles Times declared "Costello's sound is surprisingly fresh. His melodies are memorable. The sudden swings into jazz prove pure delight... [The performance is] bursting with life." The Boston Globe's Richard Dyer proclaimed "You'd have to go back to George Gershwin to find a composer-performer undertaking a project as ambitious as Il Sogno... It is full of character and storytelling, and the orchestration is skillful, unusual, and colorful."

More Elvis

Il Sogno, with the London Symphony Orchestra/Michael Tilson Thomas	The Juliet Letters, with the Brodsky Quartet	Painted from Memory, with Burt Bacharach
Imperial Bedroom, with the Attractions	King of America	The Very Best of Elvis Costello

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Elvis at middle age - I hope you're happy now!, February 28, 2006

By	S. Reiff (Scottsdale, AZ) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I've been an avid follower of Elvis' music since My Aim is True. Through the years he has explored a wide variety of styles, some of which worked (his brilliant early works) and some that didn't (do I have to even mention his classical forays). It's been hard to make sense of Elvis as I wondered if he was adopting more "mature" music in order to impress us with his feigned sophistication. After listening to his recent NPR CD with Marian McPartland, I began to see just how comfortable Elvis is with jazz and classical music. On My Flame Burns Blue (MFBB), Elvis pours his heart into his music, much like he did on his first few brilliant albums. It took a few listens to one of my favorite Elvis songs, "Clubland" before I could accept it as where he is musically. The other tracks also work - his voice has never sounded better. I am glad that he is continuing to present us with interesting new music - after seeing the Rolling Stones at the Super Bowl I shudder to think of Elvis at 60+ years old becoming a parody of himself. Elvis is the very rare artist that takes chances musically, seemingly paying no interest to sales figures, popularity, and radio play. How many other artists will follow this path? Don't buy the CD if you are looking for 1970's and 1980's Elvis. There will always be new angry artists being touted. It's a pity that this CD will be virtually ignored while the newest American Idol will sell millions.

15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Costello Takes On Jazz, February 28, 2006

By	Thomas Magnum (NJ, USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 50 REVIEWER)

My Flame Burns Blue is a live recording by Elvis Costello where he is backed by the jazz orchestra Metropole Orkest. The album consists of a reworking of several of his well-known songs, some his more recent material, songs he wrote for others that he never recorded and some instrumental jazz songs that he has written new lyrics for. The album sounds like it could be an experiment gone wrong, but it is yet another triumph by Mr. Costello. He is a true musical chameleon who can jump in between various musical styles with ease. The album really works due to the great interaction between Mr. Costello and the band. He doesn't treat them merely as a backing band, but allows the musicians to standout in their own right.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I can't get this darn thing off my CD player!!, March 16, 2006

By	J. A. Buss "Lack Of Sleep" (Kansas, USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

First off, let me premise by saying I wasn't that big of an Elvis Costello fan to begin with. I didn't really stick around after the first couple of albums. I mainly got this one after finding out Bill Frissel plays on three of the tracks.

All I can say is that I was blown away by this disc. I don't think I've ever heard a better-quality live recording. The music is amazing. If you even remotely dabble in Jazz, swing, or big-band, you will find something here you love. "Almost Blue" and "Veil of Midnight Blue" are so incredibly tender, while "Clubland" and "Watching the Detectives" are so electric, you can't not get up and shake it. The biggest gem for me had to be "Speak Darkly, My Angel". It doesn't get much better than this.