TWO KITES
Fern Lindzon (piano & vocals), George Koller (bass), Nick Fraser (drums)
Mike Murley (soprano & tenor saxophones)
recorded by Jeremy Darby at Canterbury Music, Toronto.
Fern Lindzon (arranger); George Koller (producer)
Released: March 27, 2011, ℗2011 iatros
1. Distance (Winstone, Vanier)
2. Two Kites (Jobim)
3. Moon In the Sky / My Romance (Lindzon/ Rodgers & Hart)
4. Dona Dona (Secunda)
5. Grey Green (Lindzon)
6. All Fall Down (Lindzon)
7. Basin Street Blues <small(Williams)
8. Ate Quem Sabe (Enio, Donato)
9. Yam Lid / Lustige Chasidm/ Balkan Bellabusta (trad)
10. If He’s Ever Near (Bonoff)
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Liner Notes Reviews Listen/Buy
Two Kites Liner Notes
Consider, if you will, the kite — graceful and quick to soar, responsive to the prevailing winds with a mind entirely of its own. Consider, if you please, Fern Lindzon’s new CD Two Kites, which is all of those things, musically and metaphorically speaking, and more.
Two Kites, of course, is also a quirky little song by the great Brazilian composer Antonio Carlos Jobim, a song that Fern sings here with a smile — a song that she clearly enjoys for its sense of abandon, its surprises and its non-sequitors. Not every song on this, her second CD is quite so light of heart, but she finds something to explore in each of them as a singer, pianist and arranger, be it the wary poignance of Distance, for example, the newly beckoning sensuality of Basin Street Blues, the stirring power in Yiddish of Yam Lid or the wistful hopes of If He’s Ever Near.
In that respect, Two Kites shows the same restless spirit of adventure that defined Fern’s first release, Moments Like These from 2008 — indeed, the same spirit of adventure that saw her begin as singer and pianist in the classical tradition before moving onto the Toronto jazz scene and now working comfortably beyond it, whether playing with klezmer bands, participating in free improvisation or writing the score for a classic Buster Keaton comedy.
This is typical of the 21st-century jazz musician — not eclecticism for its own sake, but a broad awareness of styles, traditions, sources and references employed smartly in the service of a meaningfully personal body of work that is increasingly like no other.
Fern is as comfortable toying with the titles and lyric turns of the illustrious Broadway composers Rodgers and Hart in her vocalese Moon in the Sky, sung here as a prelude to one of their most famous songs, My Romance, as she is drawing on the Russian composer Nicholai Medtner’s Sonata-Reminiscenza to set off the Yiddish song Dona Dona — which, in turn, she floats over a flowing rhythm in 11/4, rather as her contemporary in jazz, the New York composer Maria Schneider, might.
This is not simply for show. It works. It complements — and is complemented by — the clarity and directness of Fern’s singing, so admirably free of affectation, and the care and detail of her piano playing. With her fellow musicians, saxophonist Mike Murley, bassist George Koller and drummer Nick Fraser, wonderfully assured and attentive in support, she has caught the prevailing winds of contemporary jazz and responded, yes, with a mind entirely of her own.
Mark Miller
Jazz historian, author, critic
Toronto
Fern’s Notes:
1. Distance (Winstone, Vanier) I’ll never forget the first time I heard Norma Winstone in concert with pianist Glauco Venier and clarinettist/saxophonist Klaus Gesing. It was jazz, it was chamber music, and it left me breathless. When we were warming up to record this tune of theirs George began to lay out a groove, Jeremy hit “record”, and voilà! One take!
2. Two Kites (Antonio Carlos Jobim)
And by the way, have I forgotten to say how much I love playing this tune? Jobim wrote these imaginative and playful lyrics in English! Check out Nick’s beautifully subtle drumming!
3. Moon in the Sky/My Romance (Lindzon/Rodgers & Hart)
Maybe Rodgers and Hart don’t need a moon in the sky or a blue lagoon standing by for their romance, but as far as I’m concerned, it sure wouldn’t hurt!
4. Dona Dona (Shalom Secunda)
Take a beautiful old melody, add a dash of Nicholai Medtner and a hint of Maria Schneider and let it simmer. I’ve tried to evoke some of the song’s images — “the calf on a wobbly cart” with an asymmetric 11/4 ostinato, “the swallow high in the sky” through Mike’s gorgeous, soaring soprano saxophone lines, and “the wind laughing” with a shift to 4/4.
5. Grey Green (Fern Lindzon)
For me, it all started with Bill Evans. His Portraits in Jazz is one of my favorite records. This original composition was inspired by Blue in Green.
6. All Fall Down (Fern Lindzon)
Exactly what Autumn Leaves do. Another original composition.
7. Basin Street Blues (Spencer Williams)
I love learning new repertoire for specific occasions, in this instance a tribute to New Orleans for an evening at Chalkers Pub the night before Superbowl XLIV, when the New Orleans Saints played the Indianapolis Colts. I came up with some new chords and a different groove, and the song has become a favorite. Notice how George and Nick keep this ridiculously slow tempo moving forward!
8. Ate Quem Sabe (Joao Donato, Lysias Enio)
Until one day, Until Perhaps, Until who knows? I first heard this gorgeous Brazilian song on a cassette recording of Gal Costa. I still have it! Portuguese is a beautiful language to sing in.
9. Yam Lid/Lustige Chasidm/Balkan Bellabusta (Bialik/trad)
Yam Lid. Song of the sea. I have forgotten my loved ones, my family. I abandon myself to the sea. And west wind carry me off to a distant land where my heart can ride on wings of eagles. And on your way back tell my loved ones how happy I am…
My ancestral roots are in Eastern Europe, and although I had no knowledge of Yiddish growing up, when I heard my first concert of klezmer music in 2005 I had a very real sense of discovering a deeply buried part of myself.
10. If He’s Ever Near (Karla Bonoff)
A bonus track. A song I’ve always loved
Two Kites Reviews
Two Kites, Jazz Report, Best of 2012, Dec 28, 2012
by Paul Youngman
“These are a few of my favorite things… 1. Fern Lindzon – Two Kites”
CD review: Two Kites, jazzreview.com, April 16, 2012
by Paul J. Youngman
“Lindzon is a wonderful artist, she creates vocal magic for me and her piano playing – striking comes to mind, as does Monk and Evans.”
Two Kites, Juno jazz nominees capture breadth of Canadian talent, CBC.ca, March 29, 2012
by Stuart Broomer
“Fern Lindzon is a vocalist of rare talent and innate musicality, and she takes chances with repertoire and approach.”
CD review: Two Kites, La Scena Musicale, November 2011
by Alain Londes
“Overall this disc achieves a fine balance between Lindzon’s lyrical voice and the backing of her talented band. Its upbeat feel is like a fresh message of love very much needed for the times we live in.”
CD Review: Two Kites. CD of the Week, CKUA, Sept. 2011
by Dianne Donovan, Voices in Jazz
“Lindzon steers away from vocal acrobatics, and uses her voice like a painter’s brush. Her voice is airy but it is delivered in a focused stream with the control of a yogini.”
An artful, adventurous approach to music, The Senior Times, Montreal, July 2011
By Irwin Block
“Lindzon has emerged as a rare and fascinating talent, combining an artful and adventurous approach to her piano and vocals, writing and arranging”
CD review: Two Kites, The WholeNote, June 2011
By Lesley Mitchell-Clarke
“there is a unifying creative intent on this breathtakingly beautiful album.”
CD review: Two Kites, Los Angeles Jazz Scene, June 2011
by Scott Yanow
“Fern Lindzon has a warm and haunting voice that displays the influence of both classical and folk music along with excellent technique on the piano and an adventurous spirit.”
Live Review: Two Kites launch, Tandem, May 2011
By Kerry Doole
“she dazzled with fluent and elegant piano playing…while her vocals ranged from lighthearted to soulful with ease.”
Five Questions for Fern Lindzon, Ottawa Citizen jazzblog, May 2011
by Peter Hum
Live Review: Two Kites, Soaring Kites and Soaring Voices, The Purple Cabbage, May 2011
by Maureen Murray
“Each outing reveals more of Miss Lindzon’s talent and versatility, and like a kite, she continues to soar.”
Article: Two Kites, Tandem, April 2011
By Kerry Doole
“Fern Lindzon flies high with Two Kites”