Tale Of God's Will, A

TERENCE BLANCHARD: A Tale of God’s Will
Blue Note, 2007

ORCHESTRAL JAZZ – The devastation of New Orleans by Hurricane Katrina is captured in this suite for jazz sextet and full orchestra. Blanchard has extensive film score experience, and this often sounds like a soundtrack. Sophisticated, evocative, grandly written but very personal.

Fo’s Picks: 2, 3, 6, 7, 12

1. 3:02 – spirited percussion, bright trumpet & chant of the suite’s title
2. 8:11 – ominous strings, relaxed trumpet, builds up & surges, sad ending
3. 6:29 – tick-tock rhythm, sad but beautiful melody, cinematic and resolute
4. 8:19 – slow strings into a gentle, spiritual tune; thoughtful trumpet & piano
5. 7:53 – walking rhythm, wordless vocal, sax solo; a feeling of strength
6. 2:09 – very cool trumpet & bass duet fades in, grooves, fades away
7. 4:09 – ruined, watery soundscape; heavy strings, cinematic & memorable
8. 3:22 – introspective guitar, solo and with ambient backdrop, segues into…
9. 9:51 – contemporary sound: gently churning rhythm, powerful solos
10. 7:45 – big strings, heartbroken melody is like an old spiritual updated
11. 1:40 – trumpet/percussion/ambient chant fade in, swirl, fade out
12. 5:54 – stirring dirge for the dead: slow orchestral march, silent moments
13. 3:39 – trumpet and strings: slow, nostalgic, and tragic

[ Fo ] 1-Sep-07