High Wall: Real Life Film Noir

"High Wall: Real Life Film Noir album by Chuck McPherson on BeMusic"

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Release Date: 2008-06-17 00:00:00

  • Afro 6/8 Minor Blues - Modern jazz musicians are at home in Afro 6/8 time. I was inspired by Coltrane’s version of Mongo Santamaria's "Afro Blue".
  • High Wall - First jazz recording of composer Bronislaw Kaper gem from film noir High Wall. He also wrote Invitation and Green Dolphin St.
  • Ow! - A tribute to the early '50s bebop era in San Francisco where I was lucky to hear live Dizzy, Miles, Bud performances.
  • Put It Where You Want It - Jazz-funk-boogaloo rhythms with strong blues overtones were popular from the '60s onward, led by Joe Sample and the Crusaders.
  • View from Telegraph Hill - Written for film noir festival, featuring House on Telegraph Hill, this ballad evokes beauty and mystery of '50s San Franciscio.
  • Gypsy Roma Mambo - My arrangement of Dark Eyes, a trad. Russian gypsy song, with hot mambo rhythms & bebop lines, opening with percussive sounds.
  • Lolita - This lively piece evokes the authentic bebop rhythms of its composer & my mentor, bebop master Barry Harris.
  • What's This? - This is a melodic, contemporary, swinging, edgy piece based on What is this Thing Called Love chord changes.
  • Concierto de Aranjuez - Solemn rubato opening moves into a lively 6/8 improvised rhythm with flamenco scales and fiery rhythmic exchanges.
  • A Handful of Stars - This solo ballad evokes the melodic, harmonic, and lyrical beauty of the ‘30s and ‘40s,
  • Lester's Minor Blues - Live bonus track from The Bach, a spirited tribute to Lester Young.
  • Locomotion - Bonus live track from The Bach. I first heard this Coltrane song on his Blue Train LP; it has a blues pattern with added bridge.