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Eclectric
TRACK LISTING: Nilsen, arr.
Gunnar Eriksson: Danse, ikke gråte nå
"The nine-member vocal ensemble Chicago a cappella may spell its moniker in lower-case letters, but its artistry is upper-case all the way. It has two new albums in release at the moment, an appealing collection of choral songs on Shakespeare texts ("Shall I Compare Thee?" on Cedille) and this one. The format is very much like that of Chicago a cappella's concerts: short pieces and arrangements that cover a fascinating spectrum of musical styles and genres—classical, folk, jazz, rock, you name it. It's an overflowing cornucopia of choral delights. Within a few tracks, director Jonathan Miller and his singers whisk us from the hushed reverence of Jan Sandstrom's "Sanctus" to Chen Yi's joyously vociferous "The West Lake" to Morten Lauridsen's ecstatic and otherworldly "Contre qui, rose" to Bill Evans' deliciously silly "Waltz for Debby." Director Miller contributes a selection, and so do Hoagy Carmichael ("The Nearness of You") and k.d. lang ("Constant Craving"). The hour-long program concludes with a lovely arrangement of "Shenandoah." What unifies this musical grab-bag is the disciplined, highly musical shaping of every line of text; the group's forward, firmly balanced, beautifully blended sound; and the sheer exuberance of its singing. A lot of what Chicago a cappella sings, and how they sing it, reminds you of the male vocal ensemble Chanticleer. Pretty good company to be in, I would say. The album was recorded in late 2004 at the WFMT-FM studios in Chicago, produced by Patrick Sinozich and recorded by Christopher Willis. It is a testament to Chicago's rich musical life that such an accomplished disc can be produced entirely with local resources. I enjoyed it a lot; you will too." —John von Rhein, Chicago Tribune "I came across this amazing ensemble...last year. This particular disc has a fascinating repertoire list ranging from Swedish composers Nilsen and Mäntyjärvi, through Chen Yi, to the world's greatest exponent of the hammered dulcimer, Malcolm Dalglish. As if that's not varied enough, there's also music by Morten Lauridsen, and an arrangement by Jonathan Miller of "Constant Craving" by k.d. lang that makes my jaw drop each time I hear it! The balance of this ensemble gives the effect of each singer having a microphone in hand; the eccentric repertoire on this disc plus the group's impeccable tuning makes for an unusual and unbelievable listening experience. —Maxine Thevenot, Choir & Organ
CDs can also be ordered by phone (773-755-1628), or via mail or fax using our printable order form. |
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