DownBeat May 1999 [antikvár]

On the beatMAY 1090'Strawberry Fields' Forget It!by David Zaworski Ed EnrightThere's no argument when it comes to our love for the i'"ah Four. Our ciiild-hood heroes in the 1970s, they inspired us to pick up an instrument and pursue ail activities musical. To this day, well spend an entire night laying down tunes like "Dear Prudence." "A Day in The Life." "Eleanor Rigby" and "Because" on a four-track, lliat's why it hurts us to stale a conviction we share aboul a recent trend involving oin* beloved Liveiiiudlians.So, like tearing off a Band-aid. well brace ourselves and get right to the point: Jazz musicians are no more qualified to cover Beatles tunes than William Shatner.Captain Kirk's alter ego once recorded an album of pop cover tunes that included an overwrought version of "Lucy In the Sky With Diamonds," which proved more laughable than listenable. Sure, Shatner should be expected to stink up any tune he attempts to cover. But anyone who treads shit on such holy ground as Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band should be locked up in a room and forced to listen to such puke as The Revolver Suite by BOZO Allegro, a little big band who force-fit all of the tunes from one of the greatest pop albums of all time into different styles of jiizz and rock.Obviously, Shatner isn't alone when it comes to covering Beatles tunes. And in recent years, we've detected a noticeable iti-crease in the number of jazz musicians going to the Beatle well: all but a few have drowned.Take, for example, guitarist John Pizzarelli, who has just released a CD dedicated to the Fab Four that brings back painful memories of Buddy Rich's over-the-top big band version of "Norwegian Wood." a supposedly hip hatcliel job of a song that was never meant to swing. IJsten lo Pizzarelli's take on "(let Back," as he turns a Beatles rocker inlo Vegas velvet. Pizziirelli in this mode is nol tmlike Pat Boone performing heavy metal, excepi Boone at least had a sense of humor.Indeed, jazz musicians' treatments of Beatles limes lend to he a little too erudite. com|)letely missing the si'iises of expk>-ration and fun that Ihe Beatles l)roughl toIheir ear-caUiiing melodies.Nol lo say that jazz musicians shouldn't like Beatles tunes; just let them be, 'i ritone subs, swing feels and mystic mfxlalitj^ are a blotch oJi Beatles tunes like cranberry sauce on a white album.Recent recordings by saxophonists Joshua Redman and Mark Turner demonstrate an obvious appreciation for the Beatles: Redman covers "Eleanor Rigby." while Turner gets points for tackling the somewhat obscure "She Said. She Said." (Gallant efforts, guys, but they just don't work as instrumentals. On the originals, the haunting lyrics combine wilh the music to make the songs memorable.Tlie younger generation of jazz musicians aren't the only ones responsible for butchered Beatles covers. A recent reissue found the 1960s-era Count Basie Band guilty while swin^g lethargically through a hand-Paul, John, Ringo and George: our beloved Liverpudliansful of Beatles songs. Poster child for stylistic clashes, the CD hasn't aged well and isn't sitting next to Rubber Soul on our shelves.Now before anyone starts sending us poisoned apples (or, worse yet, glass onions), we'll be fair and acknowledge some Beatles covers by jazz musicians that have made the grade in our book. NYC Records Guitar Tribute To The Beatles Volumes 7 and 2 feature stellar performances by Larry Coryell. Mark Whitfield. Robben Ford, Wayne Krantz. Terje Rypdal and Phillip DeGruy and others that are quite imaginative. Mike Westbrook's Off Abbey Road, a complete recasting of the Beatles classic, is a gem, as is Brad Mehldau's off-the-cuff sokvpiano version of "Blackbird" from his CD Art Of The Trio, Vol. I. Jaco Pastorius' take on "Blackbird" from the LP Word Of Mouth is another feast for the ears.But these are tiie rarities. As songs go. Beatles tunes are ctnsp ;uid tx)ncise, c-apmring lislenei-s wilhin seconds ;uid holding Uieir attention until the last cliord or fadiH)ul. lliey don't lend themst'lves well to exjxmsion ;uid intprovisalion because thoy are well-con-slruclal iuid sound compli-te in the first plaa\So here's another clue for you all: The next time sotne producer suggests itvoril-ing a bebop version of "Strawberry l-ields"forget it.OBh oownbeat