Out of pain and destruction can come hope and celebration. That`s the genesis of jazz trumpeter and film composer Terence Blanchard`s new album, "Choices."
|Last Updated: Aug 30, 2009, 05:53 PM IST|Source: Bureau
Los Angeles: Out of pain and destruction can come hope and celebration. That`s the genesis of jazz trumpeter and film composer Terence Blanchard`s new album, "Choices."
Featuring spoken-word segments by educator/activist Dr. Cornel West and vocals by soul singer Bilal, the August 18 release -- Blanchard`s first solo album on Concord Jazz -- debuted at No. 5 on Billboard`s Top Jazz Albums chart.
Blanchard`s latest follows his Grammy Award-winning Blue Note CD, "A Tale of God`s Will (A Requiem for Katrina)." On that 2007 release, Blanchard and his band delivered a passionate discourse on Hurricane Katrina`s ravaging toll on New Orleans.
"Jazz is the language I speak," the New Orleans native says. "And there are so many things to say inside of that language. I wanted to continue the discussion about what`s happening in New Orleans. A lot of positive things are happening here, but there`s still a ways to go. Out of that, I wanted to create a debate about the choices we make as a society and as individuals."
Blanchard and band members Fabian Almazan (piano), Derrick Hodge (bass), Kendrick Scott (drums) and newcomer Walter Smith III (saxophone) wrote most of the album`s music. Blanchard traveled to Princeton University to record conversations with West about topics ranging from love and respect to how to live a decent life. The Bilal connection stemmed from the singer`s guest stint on a series of concerts with Blanchard showcasing music from Spike Lee films. Rounding out the guest list is guitarist and Blanchard protege Lionel Loueke.
The 15-track "Choices" was recorded at the Ogden Museum of Southern Art, itself a Katrina survivor.
A series of five webisodes chronicling the "Choices" evolution -- dubbed "Terence TV" -- was launched in advance of the album`s release. An upcoming documentary is in the works, as is a worldwide tour.
Blanchard, who has written and scored music for Lee`s "25th Hour" and "Miracle at St. Anna," is composing the score for the George Lucas-produced "Red Tails," a film about World War II`s Tuskegee Airmen. He also has completed the score for Disney`s fall release "The Princess and the Frog."
In his other guise, as artistic director of the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz in New Orleans, Blanchard contends that jazz is far from dead.
"There`s always been a look-to-the-past approach in promoting this music," he says. "But a lot of young artists out here are doing unconventional things that are unique. And we need to celebrate that, not deny it."
Bureau Report
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts.
Cookies Setting
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device and the processing of information obtained via those cookies (including about your preferences, device and online activity) by us and our commercial partners to enhance site navigation, personalise ads, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. More information can be found in our Cookies and Privacy Policy. You can amend your cookie settings to reject non-essential cookies by clicking Cookie Settings below.
Manage Consent Preferences
Strictly Necessary Cookies
These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off in our systems. They are usually only set in response to actions made by you which amount to a request for services, such as setting your privacy preferences, logging in or filling in forms. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not then work or you may not be able to login.
Functional Cookies
These cookies enable the website to provide enhanced functionality and personalisation. They may be set by us or by third party providers whose services we have added to our pages. If you do not allow these cookies then some or all of these services may not function properly.
Targeting Cookies
These cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other sites. They are also used to limit the number of times you see an advert as well as help measure the effectiveness of an advertising campaign. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising.
Performance Cookies
These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of our site. They help us to know which pages are the most and least popular and see how visitors move around the site. All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. If you do not allow these cookies we may not know when you have visited our site, and may not be able to monitor its performance.