The Standard

Take 6

Product Details

• Audio CD (September 30, 2008)
• Original Release Date: September 30, 2008
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Heads Up
• ASIN: B001D94L3O
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #16,261 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

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Editorial Reviews

From the Artist

The Standard showcases a new jazz-influenced approach for the group. "While we sing lyrics that always exemplify our spiritual and moral convictions, what we really are at the core is a jazz vocal group," says David Thomas, a member of the Take 6 lineup since 1985. "So we decided to do an album of jazz standards, a record that will stand up as the jazz vocal album for all time."

Product Description

A cappella powerhouse Take 6 marks a new jazz vocal milestone with The Standard. Winners of 10 GRAMMY Awards, 10 Dove Awards, one Soul Train Award and two NAACP Image Award nominations, the influential sextet - Mark Kibble, Claude V. McKnight III, Dr. Cedric Dent, David Thomas, Alvin Chea and Joey Kibble - raises the bar with a recording of mostly jazz (and some R&B) standards, including "Straighten Up and Fly Right," "A-Tisket, A-Tasket," "Someone To Watch Over Me," "What's Going On" and "Windmills of Your Mind."

The Standard features guest appearances by veteran jazzmen George Benson, Al Jarreau, Jon Hendricks, Roy Hargrove, Till Brönner and others, as well as R&B luminaries Aaron Neville and Brian McKnight (Claude's brother).

Take 6 gives definitive vocal treatments to such jazz classics as "Sweet Georgia Brown," "Straighten Up and Fly Right" with vocalist/guitarist George Benson, "Someone to Watch Over Me" with trumpeter Roy Hargrove, and "Seven Steps to Heaven" with Jon Hendricks, Al Jarreau and German flugelhornist Till Brönner (featuring new lyrics by Jon Hendricks). The Standard's crowning glory is a version of "A-Tisket, A-Tasket," Ella Fitzgerald's signature song - created in the studio using her original vocal from the classic 1938 Decca Records 78.

Other highlights include "Do You Know What It Means to Miss New Orleans" with Aaron Neville, Marvin Gaye's "What's Going On" with Brian McKnight, Quincy Jones' "Grace" and "Windmills of Your Mind" (from the 1968 film The Thomas Crown Affair).

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Fun Listen, October 2, 2008

By	R. McRae (Saugus, CA) - See all my reviews

A collection of Jazz, R&B and Inspirational recordings with a twist of Take 6 arrangements and vocals, unmatched by anyone else out there. Not your typical Take 6 Gospel recording, but a fun listen with superb guest appearances. Leaning more towards secular jazz tunes may cause some a bit of concern that they've left their gospel roots. But after attending a very recent performance in Los Angeles, their testimony is still as strong as ever. Good music from the best vocal ensemble out there.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Still the Finest Sounding A Capella Group Around, December 9, 2008

By	Rick Cornell "RC" (Reno, Nv USA) - See all my reviews

I've expressed my profound admiration for Take 6 before. To repeat myself, I thought the first c.d. and "So Much 2 Say" were two of the finest a capella recordings ever made; but I became profoundly disappointed when the group went pop in "Join the Band." So, I ignored them for about 12 years. Then, I became excited when the group released "Feels So Good" in 2006, and returned to its rich gospel roots. But when I heard they were following up that one with this c.d. regarding standards, I thought, "Oh, no, is this 'Join the Band' again?"

Answer: no, not at all. In fact, this c.d. confirms in my mind that Take 6 is the finest sounding a capella group in the U.S.

In this release, the group explores its jazz roots and does riffs on a number of standards. On most of them, they sing back-up - and prove that they are a number of levels above the Pips, the Vandellas, the Blue Notes, the Miracles, and any other long-time a capella backup group you may care to name.

So many highlights; where to begin?

Let's start with possibly the most impressive cut on the disc: Verve gave them the rights to borrow an old Ella Fitzgerald solo of "A Tisket A Tasket" (the liner notes don't say when, but I'm guessing some time in the '50's), and the group does some heavenly back-up over Ella's "solo." Ah, but if only these 7 artists could have met in the flesh!

Or consider "Seven Steps to Heaven." Jon Hendricks does the vocalese lyrical honors (who else?) and the leadoff vocal, with Al Jarreau taking over thereafter. With Till Bronner doing a tremendous impression of Miles Davis, this cut just shines.

Or consider "Someone to Watch Over Me." With Shelea Frazier taking the lead, this is the most soulful rendition of this Gershwin standard ever.

And I adore "Do You Know What It Means to Miss New Orleans." With Aaron Neville doing the honors, I think this is my favorite rendition of this song ever (including Satchmo's!).

Or look what they do to the old Nat King Cole classic, "Straighten Up and Fly Right." With George Benson doing the honors, Take 6 kicks butt. Again, if only Take 6 had been around at the time Natalie's father had made this popular!

To prove that the group has not lost sight of its gospel roots, however, they end the disc with "Shall We Gather at the River?" and a wordless "Grace." It's quite clear that everything these guys do is with the glorification of God in mind; but it's equally clear that they don't have to wear their religions on their sleeves to pump out great recordings.

20 years later, I must say: Take 6 still rules! RC

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A cappella at its best, November 14, 2008

By	Sophia Bilides - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I've waited years for this amazing a cappella gospel group to make a recording of jazz standards, and the results were worth the wait. Their incredibly tight harmonies, ambitious arrangements (kudos to Mark Kibble), and glorious ensemble sound bring a cappella singing to another level entirely. Sweet Georgia Brown is pure joy, Straighten Up And Fly Right is pure swing, and A Tisket A Tasket is pure fun. There's also a lushly beautiful Do You Know What It Means To Miss New Orleans, with Aaron Neville's honeyed voice and a delightful brass band imitation. Their greatest achievement here, though, is the R&B classic What's Going On, which their unaccompanied voices soulfully blend into a soaring, powerful groove that demands repeated listening. Enjoy.