Never Assume

Never Assume

Track Listings

1. Never Assume

2. One Out of Three

3. When They Know Who We Are

4. Sound of a Train

5. Tell

6. Home Is Where the Dark Is

7. When Cats Take over the World

8. No Damn Factory

9. Harvest

10. Midnight Alice

11. Menstrual Tango

Never Assume,Jamie Anderson,Tsunami,Folk & Traditional,Folk-Pop,Pop,Singer/Songwriter

Average customer rating:
Never Assume
Russ Bryant Group
Manufacturer: Blue Goat
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Jazz | Styles | Music
General | Jazz | Indie Music | Stores | Music
ASIN: B00005QDSY
Release Date: 2001-06-22

Tracks:

Never Assume
Well You Needn't
Some Other Time
Atlanta Traffic
Falling Time
GO
Outta State Tag
I Got You (I Feel Good)
Introduction
One Day
A Cool Day
Body and Soul

Album Description

Russ Bryant has arrived.

He's talented, he's hip, and he's brightening the old world of jazz music. So don't giggle if he's only 23 years old. Just dim the lights, recline the chair, and light up a cigar. You're gonna need it when you hear Russ Bryant's CD, Never Assume, an innovative jazz recording that melts all colors of the rainbow into fluffy white candy for the ear.

A unique marriage between Russ Bryant and his golden saxophone, Never Assume is a cocoon of colorful ideas Bryant has been brewing for more than two years. Eight original tunes will prove, undoubtedly, that Russ Bryant is among the world's batch of young jazz lions.

Never Assume is an exotic collection of Russ Bryant's genius blended with local, broad-minded jazz musicians, including Mike Esnault, Roland Guerin, Troy Davis and Gino Giles.

My favorite tune on this album is Falling Time, Bryant's original blend of instrumental discipline and aged magic. One can taste the fun this rightfully acclaimed sax star is having with the street musicians of New Orleans. This artist embraces all spectrums, even in the remake of James Brown's I Feel Good.

Representing the growing jazz community in Baton Rouge, this youthful saxophonist has been performing in Louisiana for several years now with such artists as Wessell Anderson, Alvin Batiste, Bill Grimes and Tabby Thomas.

Russ Bryant uses different combinations of five instruments in Never Assume. The full quintet is featured on four of the tracks. Never Assume is a conversation between the saxophone and guitar, with bass. Some Other Time, a beautiful Bernstein ballad, features a harmony between the saxophone and guitar, leading to the guitar utilizing harmonics for added color. The quintet takes on a funkier approach with Bryant's composition, Altered Reality, a subtle approach at the more fusion side of jazz.

Never Assume has two different forms of quartet: a guitar as the harmonic instrument, as featured on A Cool Day; andagain in a harmonically rich ballad, as featured on One Day, a beautiful recording which has a solo saxophone introduction with the chorused guitar adding to the ethereal feeling of the composition. A Cool Day features the Latin percussion work of Troy Davis and a bridge reminiscent of great John Coltrane.

The second form of the quartet substitutes piano for guitar. The first example, Falling Time, features mixed meters and a solo section in five-eight, which winds around chords, bringing a unique feel to the session. Bryant uses a New Orleans feel of a second line beat in his interpretation of Well You Needn't. With a stirring version of Body and Soul and another original, Walkin', this combination provides a strong presentation of new and old jazz.

The two remaining tracks use smaller groups. GO uses only the saxophone, bass and drums. Based on the ever-popular "Rhythm Changes," Russ Bryant follows a long-standing lineage of musicians to write a new melody for these changes. This cut features the amazing technique of bassist Roland Guerin.

Last, but not least, is a return to Bryant's beginning: Outta State Tag a gorgeous blues duo of saxophone and guitar, shows how Bryant and Giles have grown since their debut album last year.

Bryant expresses his deep appreciation for the other musicians on this recording and for helping him to document his latest compositions and helping him progress musically. This recording is only one more step in the path of this young saxophonist, and we will continue to watch him move forward.

Tracks:

Never Assume
One Out Of Three
When They Know Who We Are
Sound Of A Train
Tell
Home Is Where The Dark Is
When Cats Take Over The World
No Damn Factory
Harvest
Midnight Alice
Menstrual Tango

Customer Reviews:

Always Assume Jamie Will Be Great.......2001-04-10

I laughed and I cried while listening to this album. We used the song "Menstrual Tango" as a pantomine number to raise money for charity and had to do an encore to have time to take in all the money. Even the DJ came out to "tip" the performer while laughing almost bent over.

fabulous voice, great guitar, remarkable variety!.......1999-01-07

Jamie Anderson's voice is rich, richer, richest and this CD shows it off with everything from funny songs to tear-jerkers. She's got an impressive array of back-up artists, too, whether a piece calls for sax or cello or nothing but 9 different kinds of percussion -- that last is my favorite, on a 3-minute cut called "When They Know Who We Are," that I wish could go on for another 20 minutes. Anderon writes great songs -- if you've ever fallen in love with your fist car, gotten misty at the sound of a distant train, or tried to see the world from the point of view of your cat, you'll like this CD.

Contains a song about when cats take over the world........1998-12-21

Driving in my car last spring listening to WUMB Folk Radio (Boston, MA)with my son, we heard Jamie Anderson's "When Cats Take Over the World". We nearly got in six accidents, we were laughing so hard. The CD is worth it for this song alone, so the rest is frosting on the cake. I've been looking for it ever since and I'm thrilled to find it at Amazon.com.

Humors, touching and beautiful.......1998-08-01

I heard Jamie for the first time at the Alaska Womens Music Festival .... I fell in love with her style. Jamie blends her promotion of womens issues with a good sense of humor. As an openly lesbian women in the music industry, she has couragiously expressed her tolerance of this intolerant world and challenges us all to be so accepting of one another.

In the song Never Assume, Jamie highlights the assumtions we all can make that cause a mis-interpretation of who someone really is. Jamies voice is magical at points. Jamies magic with music will stir your heart and encourage your sense of hope.

This CD is worth your investment if you enjoy womens music. Thanks Jamie vfor a great cd!!!!!

Music Review: