- Aries
- Taurus
- Gemini
- Cancer
- Leo
- Virgo
- Libra
- Scorpio
- Sagittarius
- Capricorn
- Aquarius
- Pisces
5
1
0673203120129
Aaron Diehl Primary Artist
The Knights Primary Artist
David Wong Bass
Brandon Lee Trumpet
Alex Greenbaum Cello
Kristi Helberg Violin
George Meyer Violin
Sycil Mathai Trumpet
Chad Smith Clarinet,Clarinet (Bass)
Miho Saegusa Violin
Eric Jacobsen Conductor
Kyle Armbrust Viola
Gabriel Cabezas Cello
Alexandra Sopp Flute
Nate Mayland Trombone
Caitlin Sullivan Cello
Brad Balliett Bassoon
Nicole Glover Sax (Tenor)
Michael P. Atkinson Horn
Miranda Sielaff Viola
Mario Gotoh Viola
Aaron Kimmel Drums
Mikaela Bennett Soprano
Nanae Iwata Violin
Gustav Highstein Oboe
Njioma Grevious Violin
Evan Christopher Clarinet
Todd Whitelock Engineer,Mixing Engineer
Mary Lou Williams Composer
Raj Naik Design
Eric Jacobsen Producer,Liner Notes,Artistic Director
Chris Muth Mastering Engineer
Sharon Green Product Manager
Lorna Simpson Cover Art
Gretchen Valade Executive Producer
Neal Shaw Engineer
Aaron Kimmel Group Member
Teng Chen Pro-Tools
Maria Jarzyna Photography
Aaron Diehl & the Knights Orchestra Producer,Liner Notes,Group Member
Natalia Chen Design
Colin Jacobsen Artistic Director,Liner Notes

Zodiac Suite
by The Knights, Aaron Diehl, Aaron Diehl & the Knights Orchestra
The Knights

Zodiac Suite
by The Knights, Aaron Diehl, Aaron Diehl & the Knights Orchestra
The Knights
CD
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Overview
Pianist Aaron Diehl breathes new life into pianist Mary Lou Williams' criminally underappreciated extended work on 2023's Zodiac Suite. A massively gifted and influential performer, Williams transformed from a stride player and big band arranger in the '20s and '30s to a bebop modernist by the '40s and '50s. Along the way, she incorporated elements of classical and gospel into sound and brought many of her musical concepts to fruition with Zodiac Suite. A multi-part work inspired by the astrological signs of the zodiac, the suite also found her paying homage to some of her closest musical friends with songs dedicated to and aligning with the star signs of artists like Thelonious Monk, Duke Ellington, and Billie Holiday, among others. While she recorded the suite with her trio in 1945 and performed it with orchestra around the same time at Carnegie Hall, she never saw the composition fully realized on record. Working with producer Eric Jacobsen, Diehl (a virtuoso pianist in his own right) has taken Williams' original score for Zodiac Suite and expanded it, bringing to fruition the orchestral nature of the composition that Williams initially intended. Helping him achieve this is the experimental New York string collective the Knights Orchestra, whose broad-minded jazz and classical leanings are a perfect fit for Williams' ideas. Together, they craft gorgeously rendered versions of Williams songs that stray little from her original 1940's style, but with a crisp layer of modern fidelity and cutting edge musicianship. Joining Diehl and the Knights are several special guests, including trumpeter Brandon Lee, who adds his warm tone to "Virgo" and "Libra." Similarly, clarinetist Evan Christopher jumps on board for the kinetic, Raymond Scott-esque city rhythms of "Gemini." Elsewhere, there are equally vibrant appearances by saxophonists Nicole Glover and Mikaela Bennett. Many of Williams' compositions have a cinematic quality, as if they had been composed for a film like Disney's Fantasia. There's a narrative feeling to many of the tracks, including the opening "Aries" (the first sign of the zodiac, dedicated Ben Webster and Billie Holiday) with its moody flute and strings intro and swinging, dancerly mid-section evoking a mercurial, mutative origin for the rest of the signs to come. With the ambitious orchestral nature of the album, it's easy to lose focus of Diehl's immense contributions in adapting Williams' work. Not only does he play with a startling clarity, mixing classical technique with a swinging jazz lyricism throughout, but his passion and respect for Williams is palpable throughout. Zodiac Suite is a stunningly realized production that works both as a testament to Williams' enduring legacy and showcase for Diehl's ability to revitalize an overlooked gem from jazz history for a modern audience. ~ Matt Collar
Product Details
Release Date: | 09/15/2023 |
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Label: | Mack Avenue |
UPC: | 0673203120129 |
Tracks
Album Credits
Performance Credits
Aaron Diehl & the Knights Orchestra Primary Artist,PianoAaron Diehl Primary Artist
The Knights Primary Artist
David Wong Bass
Brandon Lee Trumpet
Alex Greenbaum Cello
Kristi Helberg Violin
George Meyer Violin
Sycil Mathai Trumpet
Chad Smith Clarinet,Clarinet (Bass)
Miho Saegusa Violin
Eric Jacobsen Conductor
Kyle Armbrust Viola
Gabriel Cabezas Cello
Alexandra Sopp Flute
Nate Mayland Trombone
Caitlin Sullivan Cello
Brad Balliett Bassoon
Nicole Glover Sax (Tenor)
Michael P. Atkinson Horn
Miranda Sielaff Viola
Mario Gotoh Viola
Aaron Kimmel Drums
Mikaela Bennett Soprano
Nanae Iwata Violin
Gustav Highstein Oboe
Njioma Grevious Violin
Evan Christopher Clarinet
Technical Credits
David Wong Group MemberTodd Whitelock Engineer,Mixing Engineer
Mary Lou Williams Composer
Raj Naik Design
Eric Jacobsen Producer,Liner Notes,Artistic Director
Chris Muth Mastering Engineer
Sharon Green Product Manager
Lorna Simpson Cover Art
Gretchen Valade Executive Producer
Neal Shaw Engineer
Aaron Kimmel Group Member
Teng Chen Pro-Tools
Maria Jarzyna Photography
Aaron Diehl & the Knights Orchestra Producer,Liner Notes,Group Member
Natalia Chen Design
Colin Jacobsen Artistic Director,Liner Notes
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