Beautiful Life

by Dianne Reeves

Overview

Throughout her career, Dianne Reeves has, perhaps more than any other vocalist, blurred the line that separates jazz from pop and contemporary R&B, extending the boundaries of each. Beautiful Life is her first recording in five years and her debut for Concord. Carefully produced by Terri Lynne Carrington, the musical cast includes Robert Glasper, Esperanza Spalding, Reginald Veal, Sheila E., Sean Jones, , Gregory Porter, Gerald Clayton, Richard Bona, Lalah Hathaway, and her late cousin George Duke. The opener is a thoroughly inventive Carrington arrangement of Marvin Gaye's "I Want You," which underscores the gossamer quality in Reeves' voice and jazz phrasing, sacrificing none of the original's seductive soul -- it's as much of the spirit as it is of the flesh -- and features a fine trumpet solo by Jones. A brilliant reading of Stevie Nicks' "Dreams" is introduced by Terreon Gully's tight, woody rimshots and Glasper's gospel piano and ethereal keyboards. Reeves subtly draws on her gospel roots in the lyric amid skittering breaks and beats. Nadia Washington's lithe backing vocal floats amid the atmospheric textures before Reeves carries it out with Afro-Latin scatting. Carrington's "Satiated (Been Waiting)" is a sensual, sultry duet with Porter. Colored by horns, piano, electric guitar, and Duke's subtle keyboard treatments, its singers wed the gospel of Ray Charles and the blues of Nina Simone to jazz. Bob Marley's "Waiting in Vain" is introduced by a glistening synth before Glasper's piano, and Romero Lubambo's nylon-string frame the melody. Reggae, bossa, and even a languid mambo wind through as Hathaway soars in the background, supporting the ache in Reeves' delivery of longing and affirmation with Afro-Caribbean scatting in the bridge. It's followed by a groove-laden funk redo of Ani DiFranco's "32 Flavors," with backing vocals by Carrington and Washington; Jones' layered trumpets pop amid wah-wah guitars and keyboards. It's sexy as hell. Spalding's "Wild Rose" is airy, jazzy R&B highlighting Reeves' trademark gift for syncopated phrasing. A thorough reconstruction of Harold Arlen's "Stormy Weather" teams Reeves' steamy contralto and effortless falsetto with Tineke Postma's soprano saxophone and Peter Martin's glistening piano arpeggios. Soul and contemporary pop and jazz are threaded through the original melody, underscoring its reputation as a "standard." Reeves' own "Tango," with Raul Midon, commences as one, but her wordless vocal improvisation and the simmering percussion are derived from Afro-Cuban sources. As a result, the tune mutates first into rhumba and then a furious salsa, with the singer soaring above the erupting rhythmic fury. Closer "Long Road Ahead" -- an original -- seamlessly combines neo-soul, jazz, and gospel. The unwavering conviction in Reeves' voice is gracefully and elegantly complemented by Gregoire Maret's harmonica. Beautiful Life is Reeves' finest record to date. It not only blurs genre lines but erases them. The end result is glorious, accessible R&B drenched contemporary jazz that is as sophisticated as it is honest. ~ Thom Jurek

Product Details

Release Date:	02/11/2014
Label:	Concord
UPC:	0888072341715

Tracks

1. I Want You
2. Feels So Good (Lifted)
3. Dreams
4. Satiated (Been Waiting)
5. Waiting in Vain
6. 32 Flavors
7. Cold
8. Wild Rose
9. Stormy Weather
10. Tango
11. Unconditional Love (For You)
12. Long Road Ahead

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Dianne Reeves   Primary Artist,Vocals
Raul Midon   Primary Artist,Featured Artist
Christian St. Louis   Bass
Leandro Pellegrino   Guitar
Leo Genovese   Keyboards
Robert Glasper   Piano,Keyboards,Featured Artist
Sean Jones   Trumpet,Percussion,Featured Artist
Cedric Hanriot   Keyboards
Peter Martin   Piano
Gregory Porter   Vocals,Featured Artist
Ray Angry   Piano
Camille Thurman   Flute
Nadia Washington   Featured Artist,Guitar (Acoustic),Vocals (Background)
Leonardo Osuna   Percussion
Sheila E.   Congas,Percussion
Terri Lyne Carrington   Drums,Vocals,Percussion,Vocals (Background)
Terreon Gully   Drums
Bobby Sparks   Organ,Clavinet,Keyboards
Shedrick Mitchell   Organ
Gregoire Maret   Harmonica,Featured Artist
Lalah Hathaway   Vocals,Featured Artist
James Genus   Bass
Tineke Postma   Sax (Soprano),Featured Artist
Carl Burnett   Guitar
Gerald Clayton   Piano,Keyboards
Tia Fuller   Trumpet,Sax (Alto)
Reginald Veal   Bass
Esperanza Spalding   Bass,Featured Artist,Vocals (Background)
George Duke   Soloist,Keyboards,Synthesizer,Featured Artist
Munyungo Jackson   Percussion
Ingrid Jensen   Trumpet
Marvin Sewell   Guitar
Dwight Sills   Guitar
Romero Lubambo   Guitar (Acoustic)
Richard Bona   Bass

Technical Credits

Harvey Jackson   Photo Assistance
Jerris Madison   Retouching,Photography
Kevin Gundlach   Engineer
Arthur Ross   Composer
Stevie Nicks   Composer
Jeremy Loucas   Mixing,Engineer
Humphrey Cobb   Stylist,Hair Stylist
Peter Martin   Arranger,Composer
Sinan Aksu   Retouching
Matt Hayes   Engineer
Matt Malikowski   Engineer
Albert J. Roman   Art Direction
Chris Hinderaker   Production Coordination
Paul Johnston   Engineer
Ray Angry   Arranger,Producer
Charles Overton   Programming
Rod Steger   Engineer
Ian Cassel   Engineer
Darya Latham   Make-Up
Nadia Washington   Composer
Angela Dean   Wardrobe
Omar Thomas   Horn Arrangements
Terri Lyne Carrington   Arranger,Composer,Producer,Programming,Horn Arrangements
Terreon Gully   Composer
Paul Vastola   Engineer
Ani DiFranco   Composer
Harold Arlen   Composer
Bob Marley   Composer
Lalah Hathaway   Vocal Arrangement
Erik Zobler   Mixing
Dianne Reeves   Composer
Leon Ware   Composer
Peter Sprague   Composer
Martin Walters   Mixing
Esperanza Spalding   Composer
Darryl Pitt   Management
Geri Allen   Composer
Paul Blakemore   Mastering
Ted Koehler   Composer
Romero Lubambo   Arranger