| Natural Essence | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | May 20, 2016 | |||
| Recorded | November 17, 2015 | |||
| Studio | Yamaha Hall, New York, NY | |||
| Genre | Jazz | |||
| Length | 63:09 | |||
| Label |
HighNote HCD 7283 | |||
| Producer | Cyrus Chestnut | |||
| Cyrus Chestnut chronology | ||||
| ||||
Natural Essence is an album by pianist Cyrus Chestnut that was recorded in 2015 and released on the HighNote label the following year. [1] [2]
Reception
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |  
[3] |
According to the AllMusic review by Matt Collar: "While many of Chestnut's recordings lean toward the strait-laced and straight-ahead approach to modern jazz, he is by no means a reserved musical traditionalist. On the contrary, while he is adept at swinging acoustic jazz, one of his most formative experiences was as a member of vocalist Betty Carter's trio. A genre-bending maverick, Carter purportedly encouraged Chestnut to try new things and approach even the most well-known standard in an unexpected way. That expectation defying aesthetic fits nicely into Chestnut's work here with Williams and White, who come from a generation of jazz musicians who grew up playing electrified fusion, funk, and highly progressive post-bop influenced by the avant-garde. While the music here is more stripped down to the jazz essentials, they nonetheless tackle even the most well-known standard, like 'It Could Happen to You,' with a creative ebullience and in-the-moment spontaneity that grab your attention throughout. Also thrilling are the trio's takes on several original compositions". [3]
In JazzTimes, Mike Joyce stated: "Chordal jabs, light-fingered trills, cascading runs, robust turnarounds-no question: Pianist Cyrus Chestnut is in delightfully animated form". [4]
Track listing
- "Mamacita" ( Joe Henderson) – 5:33
- " It Could Happen to You" ( Jimmy Van Heusen, Johnny Burke) – 7:12
- "Faith Amongst the Unknown" (Cyrus Chestnut) – 6:15
- " I Cover the Waterfront" ( Johnny Green, Edward Heyman) – 6:57
- "I Remember" (Chestnut) – 7:34
- "Dedication" (Lenny White) – 8:01
- " My Romance" ( Richard Rodgers, Lorenz Hart) – 9:06
- "Toku-Do" (Buster Williams) – 6:20
- " Minority" ( Gigi Gryce) – 6:11
Personnel
References
- ^ Jazz Depot: HighNote discography accessed February 26, 2019
- ^ Cyrus Chestnut website: discography accessed February 26, 2019
- ^ a b Collar, Matt. Cyrus Chestnut: Natural Essence – Review at AllMusic. Retrieved February 26, 2019.
- ^ Joyce, M. JazzTimes Review accessed February 26, 2019