Titans of modern jazz in their own rights, saxophonist Branford Marsalis and vocalist Kurt Elling bring their immense strengths together on their sophisticated and nuanced collaboration, 2016's Upward Spiral.
Perhaps not the first time Marsalis has showcased a vocalist on a recording, it is the first time he's worked exclusively with one singer throughout an entire album.
While the album never feels dated or retro, it fits nicely into the tradition of vocalist and instrumentalist collaborations like 1961's Nancy Wilson & Cannonball Adderley and 1963's classic John Coltrane & Johnny Hartman.
Like those albums, Upward Spiral is less an album featuring a singer backed by a jazz ensemble, and more of an album that details the meeting of two highly creative artists whose talents intertwine to find new avenues of expression.
Joining in the creative process here is Marsalis' longtime rhythm section featuring pianist Joey Calderazzo, bassist Eric Revis, and drummer Justin Faulkner.
Despite the high level of mastery on display, Marsalis and Elling don't overthink the proceedings and simply stick to a thoughtfully curated batch of covers and originals.
This gives the album the feel of like-minded artists communing over a shared love and appreciation of each song.
Some cuts, like the breezy Gershwin number "There's a Boat Dat's Leavin' Soon for New York" and the swinging, off-kilter Sonny Rollins composition "Doxy," sound like pick-up jams chosen in the moment.
Others, like Chris Whitley's "From One Island to Another," and the Marsalis and Elling co-write "Cassandra Song," have a theatrical, impressionistic flow born out of the duo's thoughtful arranging.
They split the difference on "I'm a Fool to Want You," transforming Frank Sinatra's torchy standard into a mournful, yet somehow still playful duet.
Elsewhere, they delve into a languid melodicism on Antonio Carlos Jobim's "So Tinha de Ser Com Voce," make room for spoken word poetry on "Momma Said," and deliver what is certainly one of the most delicate and otherworldly readings of "Blue Velvet." Primarily, Upward Spiral finds Elling and Marsalis communicating through song, both of them offering tactile, well-organized performances that linger in your mind.
| Title/Composers | Performer | Listen | Time | Size | Size | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | There's a Boat Dat's Leavin' Soon for New YorkGeorge Gershwin, Ira Gershwin, Edwin Heyward | Kurt Elling, Branford Marsalis, Branford Marsalis Quartet | Play | 05:25 | 12 MB | 106 MB |
| 2 | Blue GardeniaLester Lee, Sidney Keith Russell | Kurt Elling, Branford Marsalis, Branford Marsalis Quartet | Play | 04:39 | 10 MB | 84 MB |
| 3 | From One Island to AnotherChris Whitley | Kurt Elling, Branford Marsalis, Branford Marsalis Quartet | Play | 06:04 | 13 MB | 120 MB |
| 4 | Practical ArrangementRobert Mathes, Sting | Kurt Elling, Branford Marsalis, Branford Marsalis Quartet | Play | 09:49 | 22 MB | 178 MB |
| 5 | DoxySonny Rollins | Kurt Elling, Branford Marsalis, Branford Marsalis Quartet | Play | 03:56 | 9 MB | 79 MB |
| 6 | I'm a Fool to Want YouJoel Herron, Frank Sinatra, Jack Wolf | Kurt Elling, Branford Marsalis, Branford Marsalis Quartet | Play | 03:04 | 7 MB | 52 MB |
| 7 | West Virginia RoseFred Hersch | Kurt Elling, Branford Marsalis, Branford Marsalis Quartet | Play | 02:32 | 5 MB | 48 MB |
| 8 | Só Tinha de Ser Com VocêAntônio Carlos Jobim, Aloysio de Oliveira | Kurt Elling, Branford Marsalis, Branford Marsalis Quartet | Play | 03:41 | 8 MB | 71 MB |
| 9 | Momma SaidCalvin Forbes, Branford Marsalis | Kurt Elling, Branford Marsalis, Branford Marsalis Quartet | Play | 02:46 | 6 MB | 51 MB |
| 10 | Cassandra SongKurt Elling, Branford Marsalis | Kurt Elling, Branford Marsalis, Branford Marsalis Quartet | Play | 08:30 | 19 MB | 156 MB |
| 11 | Blue VelvetLee Morris, Bernie Wayne | Kurt Elling, Branford Marsalis, Branford Marsalis Quartet | Play | 03:47 | 8 MB | 68 MB |
| 12 | The Return (Upward Spiral)Joey Calderazzo, Kurt Elling | Kurt Elling, Branford Marsalis, Branford Marsalis Quartet | Play | 07:20 | 16 MB | 144 MB |
| 61 mins | 141 MB | |||||
| 61 mins | 1162 MB | |||||
| Artist | Job | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Greg Calbi | Mastering |
| 2 | Joey Calderazzo | Composer, Group Member, Piano |
| 3 | Aloysio de Oliveira | Composer |
| 4 | Kurt Elling | Composer, Group Member, Guest Artist, Primary Artist, Voices |
| 5 | Steve Fallone | Mastering |
| 6 | Justin Faulkner | Drums, Group Member |
| 7 | Calvin Forbes | Composer |
| 8 | George Gershwin | Composer |
| 9 | Ira Gershwin | Composer |
| 10 | Joel Herron | Composer |
| 11 | Fred Hersch | Composer |
| 12 | Edwin Heyward | Composer |
| 13 | Rob "Wacko" Hunter | Engineer |
| 14 | Antônio Carlos Jobim | Composer |
| 15 | Steven Jurgensmeyer | Art Direction, Design |
| 16 | Lester Lee | Composer |
| 17 | Branford Marsalis | Composer, Group Member, Primary Artist, Producer, Saxophone |
| 18 | Branford Marsalis Quartet | Primary Artist |
| 19 | Robert Mathes | Composer |
| 20 | Lee Morris | Composer |
| 21 | Eric Revis | Bass, Group Member |
| 22 | Sonny Rollins | Composer |
| 23 | Sidney Keith Russell | Composer |
| 24 | Frank Sinatra | Composer |
| 25 | Zach Smith | Band Photo |
| 26 | Sting | Composer |
| 27 | Bernie Wayne | Composer |
| 28 | Chris Whitley | Composer |
| 29 | Jack Wolf | Composer |
| Quality | Format | Encoding | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard | MP3 | 320kps 44.1kHz | MP3 is an audio coding format which uses a form of lossy data compression. The highest bitrate of this format is 320kbps (kbit/s). MP3 Digital audio takes less amount of space (up to 90% reduction in size) and the quality is not as good as the original one. |
| CD Quality | FLAC | 16bit 44.1kHz | FLAC is an audio coding format which uses lossless compression. Digital audio in FLAC format has a smaller size and retains the same quality of the original Compact Disc (CD). |