Review: Tony Hightower | The New Standard
To take upon oneself the task of reviewing music, one must begin with simply listening. Not just for the instrument but every component that makes a recording session into something special. Sometimes it warrants a drive down the highway, accompanying a Saturday morning house cleaning or in some instances, a quiet place. Regardless of the locale, you approach each one with enthusiastic anticipation and pray the experience will be a pleasurable one.
In recent years there has been a cadre of singers who scour the Great American Songbook only to choose everyone’ favorite songs to record, leading the listener down a well-worn and tiresome road. However, there are an extraordinary few who hear something different and blaze new trails with the standards. I seek out those who choose to dip their proverbial ladles into the uncharted waters and successfully contribute impressive versions of great compositions and originals to the pantheon.
So, to step out and name a debut project The New Standard, in such revered footsteps as Herbie Hancock, takes not only faith but also a confidence in one’s ability to create something beyond ordinary. Unequivocally, this is what composer, arranger and vocalist Tony Hightower has accomplished with his penning of six original tunes, while taking out a loan from Burt Bacharach and Hal David, Eden Ahbez, and Thelonious Monk, thus making this an offering worthy of the title.
Throughout my Atlanta residency as a deejay I was privileged and honored to witness the maturation of the musicians and vocalists who keep the city alive with jazz. From this pool of talent Tony selected pianist Kenny Banks Jr., drummer Henry Conerway III and bassist Kevin Smith to be his principle rhythm section, interchanging pianists Phil Davis on “Minor Major”, Nick Rosen on “Close To You” and Mose Davis and Marcus Williams on “I Mean You”. It is evident he possessed clarity to hear the touch that is required to give each song new life.
Foresight is a gift that is given few and Mr. Hightower has blessed the world with an album of such magnitude. Enlisting Atlanta jazz royalty that defines the new face of the modern jazz generation, he brings the maturity of Kebbi Williams, Melvin Jones, Mike Burton, Dorran Thigpen, Frank Houston and Wilbert Williams to bear witness. If this is not enough to satiate your musical palate, he washes the orchestrations with the voices of Theresa Hightower, Natasha Brown, All Us Katz, Keasha Copeland, Sandra Miller, Donna Ector, Kelsie Broughton and Felicia Hardy.
As I listened to this project for the fourth, fifth and sixth time I never tired of hearing the “A” game this talented young man brought into the studio. Relentlessly he engulfs your senses with an accompaniment of strings by David Davidson, David Angell, Elizabeth Lamb and John Catchings. Wrap all this music up in a well-designed liner and you are told an equally compelling story through words and pictures, allowing you to take a peak into the mind of the man behind the music. I surmise, you will agree that this is a testament to his musical acumen and prowess.
The evidence lies before you. You only have to listen to the conversation to understand the brilliance of what you hear. Over a year ago, this young man said he was going to give me something I would enjoy. If this is what lies behind the marquee for the new standard, it was delivered as promised.
carl anthony | notorious jazz | november 30, 2014
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The Jazz Voyager
The Brisbane Jazz Club: 1 Annie Street, Kangaroo Point, Brisbane, Australia / Telephone: 61-7-33912006 / The venue is situated on Brisbane river and is open for live jazz every Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday evenings. Each month we also feature a Sunday riverside brunch show and also regular jam sessions. We present two major weekend festivals each year – our Brisbane Big Band Festival in May, and our Oz Manouche Festival in November with International Gypsy jazz artistes.
Next Stop: Jakarta, Indonesia – Taking off out of Brisbane at 9:45am, I kick back for the six hour 20 minute flight to Denpasar, Indonesia. there I have a two hour before getting on the connecting flight to Jakarta at 4:10pm, crossing another time zone and arriving what seems like an hour at 5:10 in Jakarta. I have a few days to enjoy the city before heading out to hear some great jazz.
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Hollywood On 52nd Street
Mona Lisa, written for the 1950 film Captain Carey, U.S.A. by Ray Evans and Jay Livingston. The title and lyrics refer to the renaissance portrait of the same name painted by Leonardo da Vinci. The song won an Oscar for Best Original Song in 1950. The movie is a drama starring Alan Ladd, Wanda Hendrix and Francis Lederer.
The Story: A group of agents of the U.S. Office of Strategic Services is sent to German-occupied Italy during World War II to knock out the German-held Italian railroad system. In accomplishing this mission, most of them are killed because of an inside betrayal. After the war, one of the survivors, Captain Webster Carey (Alan Ladd), resolves to find the traitor. Captain Carey returns to Orta, near Milan, to find out who betrayed his World War II O.S.S. team and caused the deaths of several villagers. Much to his surprise, his old love Giulia whom he thought dead at the hands of the Nazis, is alive and married to a powerful Italian nobleman, Barone Rocco de Graffi.The villagers are unfriendly, but Carey persists in his clandestine efforts to flush out the traitor.
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The Jazz Voyager
Katzy’s Jazz Club: Rosebank, Shop 70, Johannesburg, South Africa / The Firs / Hyatt Shopping Centre, c/o Oxford Road & Bierman Avenue / Telephone: 082 805 6855
Katzy’s is South Africa’s finest jazz club and is nestled in the Firs shopping centre in sophisticated Rosebank. It is the best place in town to hear live jazz, drink fine wines and over 100 whiskeys and smoke the tastiest cigars but be sure you can handle the smoke. Resident bands perform five nights a week offering a nightlife experience that defines class and entertainment.
Next Stop: Brisbane, Australia – Head out to Jo-burg Airport to catch A 15 hour and 45 minute flight on Qantas Airlines. It’s 11 hours and 55 minutes until we land in Sydney, Australia at 2:45pm the following day. An overnight flight with time szone changes at least I get to sleep. Then its a three hour layover before taking off again on Qantas for Brisbane at 5:05 for another time zone change finally landing an hour thirty0five minutes later in Brisbane. Off to the hotel and we’ll check out some jazz later.
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Hollywood On 52nd Street
Charade is a sad, lonely Parisian waltz composed by Henry Mancini with lyrics by Johnny Mercer for the 1963 film of the same name starring Cary Grant and Audrey Hepburn. Now a classic song getting perpetual jazz encores song and is the theme to this romantic comedy, thriller, mystery film. The supporting cast included Walter Matthau, James Coburn, George Kennedy, Dominique Minot, Ned Glass and Jacques Marin.
The Story: When husband Charles is murdered leaving town, Regina “Reggie” Lampert (Hepburn) is tasked by the CIA administrator Matthau) to deliver the $250,000 in gold that five men stole from the U.S. that was to be delivered to the French Resistance and that her husband double-crossed and took for himself. Insistent that she knows where it is even though she may not know it. In walks Peter Joshua (Grant) to help her move into her apartment and the hunt for the money begins. Reggie falls for Peter, names constantly change, there’s murder and chases through the streets of Paris. They realize the money is in a priceless stamp and this lead up to the discovery of the identity of Carson Dyle and who the government agent is.
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