SuperBlue: The Iridescent Spree
Edition, 2023
9/10
Listen to SuperBlue: The Iridescent Spree
The esteemed vocalist Kurt Elling and world renowned guitarist/producer Charlie Hunter come together for this collaborative effort that treats us to originals and covers, and welcomes Corey Fonville and DJ Harrison, plus others.
The dreamy and soulful “Black Crow” opens the listen with Fonville’s frisky drums and Elena Pinderhughes’ airy flute complementing Elling’s smooth pipes, and “Freeman Square” follows with plenty of funk spirit, as Harrison’s playful keys suit the meticulous guitar from Hunter.
“Little Fairy Carpenter” lands in the middle, and is full of slow burning intimacy that allows Elling’s expressive voice to shine, while “Only The Lonely Woman”, an Ornette Coleman original, recruits plenty of ambience via the powerful jazz climate.
Close to the end, the Huntertones Horns are present, where “Not Here/Not Now” showcases Jon Lampley’s trumpet, Dan White’s saxophone and Chris Ott’s trombone for the lively spirit, and “The Afterlife” exits with spoken word around the stylish and melodic textures.
Elling and Hunter’s last work together was Grammy nominated, and this body of work certainly holds its own against that, where the blurring of genres and atypical approach to jazz makes every track a stand out.
Travels well with: Veronica Swift- Veronica Swift; Christian McBride’s New Jawn- Pawn