Mixed Groups - Pieces of 8 Across the Blue Meridian (CD)

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Blue Meridian

It Don't Mean a Thing

Nice 'N' Easy

Some Other Time

Summer Dreamin'

Pieces of 8 Across the Blue Meridian (CD)

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The CD is subtitled "An A Cappella Journey," and this vocal jazz ensemble has been on a journey of its own over the past few years, moving from the Midwest to New York City and swapping out some singers in the process. The mixed octet spans the wide world of vocal jazz on this recording, beginning with Ellington's classic "It Don't Mean A Thing" and ending with a nod to the swingle singers on "Aria, Bach Goldberg Variations." The group's distinctive arranging style comes through on tunes like "Nice 'N' Easy," which minimizes the use of independent bass lines and soloists, maximizes homophonic voicing (and minimizes nonsense syllables) for big thick chords and eschews independent rhythmic expression, which sometimes breaks the rhythmic flow in order to achieve the impressively tuned harmonic fullness. Still, they achieve their totally unique vocal jazz aesthetic by performing difficult arrangements with impressive musicianship - don't try this at home! (46:27 2004)

Song List:
It Don't Mean a Thing (Ellington/Mills, arr. Charles Mead)
Blue Meridian (Mead/Hurt)
Nice N' Easy (Spence/Bergman, arr. Charles Mead)
Summer Dreamin' (Charles Mead)
Some Other Time (Bernstein/Comden/Green, arr. Charles Mead)
On the Street Where You Live (Lerner/Loewe, arr. Charles Mead)
A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square (Maschwitz/Sherwin, arr. Charles Mead)
Walk Between Raindrops (Fagen, arr. Charles Mead)
Orange Colored Sky (Delugg/Stein, arr. Charles Mead)
Hook, Line and Sinker (Mead/Lizarraga, arr. Charles Mead)
Music of the Spheres (Gerswhin Piano Prelude No. 1) (Gershwin/Hendricks, arr. Charles Mead)
Ara, Bach Goldberg Variations (J.S.Bach, arr. Charles Mead)
(46:27 2004)