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| Barb Jungr the Songs of Bob Dylan and Leonard Cohen NEW CD Barb Jungr "Hard Rain" The songs of Bob Dylan and Leonard Cohen (Kristalyn Records KLCD1) Street Date May 27, 2014 Vocals: Barb Jungr Bass: Neville Malcolm, Bass on tracks 1, 3, 8 + 10: Steve Watts, Percussion: Gary Hammond, Shakuhachi: Clive Bell, Talking drum and additional percussion: Richard Oletunde Baker, Piano, hammond organ and synthesisers: Simon Wallace International Acclaim For "Hard Rain" The songs of Bob Dylan and Leonard Cohen 5 stars The Independent Hard Rain Live Review 4 stars The Times Hard Rain Live Review 4 stars The Daily Mirror Hard Rain album review 4 stars The Independent Hard Rain album review 4 stars I Paper Hard Rain album review 4 stars Jazzwise Hard Rain album review 4 stars R2 album review 8/10 Uncut Hard Rain album review 9/10 Peterborough Today Track listing, track times and composer: 1. Blowin' In The Wind (Bob Dylan) 2. Everybody Knows (Leonard Cohen and Sharon Robinson) 3. Who By Fire (Leonard Cohen) 4. Hard Rain (Bob Dylan) 5. First We Take Manhattan (Leonard Cohen) 6. Masters Of War (Bob Dylan) 7. It's Alright Ma (Bob Dylan) 8. 1000 Kisses Deep (Leonard Cohen and Sharon Robinson) 9. Gotta Serve Somebody (Bob Dylan) 10. Land Of Plenty (Leonard Cohen and Sharon Robinson) 11. Chimes Of Freedom (Bob Dylan) Musicians: Vocal: Barb Jungr, Bass: Neville Malcolm, Bass on tracks 1, 3, 8 +10 Steve Watts, Percussion: Gary Hammond, Shakuhachi: Clive Bell Talking drum and additional percussion: Richard Oletunde Baker Piano, Hammond organ and synthesisers: Simon Wallace Arranged by: Simon Wallace and Barb Jungr Produced by: Simon Wallace Executive Produer: Independent Voices Recorded and mixed at Underhill Studios by Simon Wallace Tracks 4 + 7 mixed by Simon Wallace and Richie Stevens Mastered by: Dick Beetham at 3670 Mastering Artwork photography and design: Steve Ullathorne Hair: Jason Welch at Eleven The UK's finest interpreter of song, Barb Jungr erturns to the songs of Bob Dylan and Leonadr Cohen with the release of Hard Rain. Oft referred to as "the politicised chansonnier" and cited as one of the worlds' best performers of Dylans' material, Barb turns to six of his most politically hadr-hitting songs along with five of Leonadr Cohen's most impassioned songs of conscience. Barbs' selection for Hard Rain reflects her despair with the political times that we live in an dshe has deliberately chosen songs that resonate as strongly today as they did when they weer originally written: Blowin' In The Wind is now 51 years old nad its sentiments are as relevant today as they ever weer. "The space in between has always been my default position. Between song and singer, lyric and music, arrangement and performance. So I am amazed to be so clear about this collection. I knew right from the start it was all the tougher songs of Bob Dylan and Leonard Cohen that I wanted to sing. I knew there was somehow a through thread to them - that the world they described and the actions they rejected and celebrated were of as much importance today as the day those songs were penned. There's something in both writers that transcends the material itself, as though the words and music have powers beyond the paper and the groove, beyond the voice and the piano. So I'm entering a new decade with singing a clutch of special songs that have moved and shaken, caressed and struck me. I hope you'll love the glorious music of both of these writers as much as I do....if that's possible.... and let's watch the dawn of the new day together." —Barb Jungr The album comes complete with insightful liner notes by writer Liz Thomson, who as Elizabeth Thomson prepared "the director's cut" of No Direction Home: The Life and Music of Bob Dylan (2014). She was also the co-editor of The Dylan Companion. As a young journalist, her first ever interview was with Leonadr Cohen. All of the arrangements on the album aer by Barb and her long-standing collaborator and accompanist, hte pianist Simon Wallace, who also produced the album. In addition to Simon (piano, Hammond organ and synthesizers), Barb is also joined by Neville Malcom on bass (with Steve Watts providing bass on tracks 1, 3, 8 and 10); Gary Hammond (percussion); Clive Bell (Shakahachi) and Richard Olatunde Baker on talking drum and additional pecrussion. Together with Barb, they inject new life and energy into each song. Hard Rain will be released on Kristalyn Records on 24th March 2014. The album will be supported by an extensive run of liev dates and will be launched with a special premiere performance of this Dylan/Cohen collection at Londons' Purcell Room on Friday 14th February befoer going on tour throughout the UK. "In 2002, the British singer Barb Jungr released "Barb Jungr Sings Bob Dylan: Every Grain of Sand", which is, as far as I'm concerned, the most significant vocal album of the 21st century thus far." —The Wall Street Journal, 2011 "The only word to describe her dramatic interpretations is revelatory…..I was open mouthed with astonishment." —New York Times, December 2013 What The Press Is Saying About Barb Jungr "Hard Rain" The songs of Bob Dylan and Leonard Cohen The Daily Mirror 4 stars "Jungr proved one of the greatest interpreters of Bob Dylan songs with two previous cover albums from his awesome songbook. This time, two towering masters of Jewish American song provide the raw material for Barb's rich voice and finely details jazzy arrangements. A notable achievement." All About Jazz march 14 2014 "The readings of these Dylan songs reaffirm Jungr's standing as a Dylan interpreter; her loose, easy version of "Chimes of Freedom"—made famous as a hit byThe Byrds—emphasises that Jungr rivals the group as one of the best. In no way does it detract from her abilities as a Dylan interpreter to say that the revelation of Hard Rain is that her versions of the Cohen songs all but steal the album. As an album, it is the equal of Jungr's two all-Dylan ones but, more importantly, it opens up a rich new seam for her to mine. More!!" The Independent 4 stars "It's a masterclass in the value of interpretive liberty, with songs transform in almost revelatory manner. As with the album generally, its a subtle balance of hot and cold, a work of fiery cool." Jazzwise 4 stars "Investing everything she sings with telling insight, Jungr's complete affinity with the material lends the collection a galvanising power. There are lyrical jewels a plenty." R2 4 stars "Barb Jungr affirms her reputation as a consummate Dylan interpreter with a collection of Bob's political and spiritual narratives augmented here by similar matieral from the pen of his contemporary, Leonard Cohen…nourish jazz bues arrangemtns compound her ethereal impressionism. Its quite some achievement to throw new light on these old tableaux." Uncut 8/10 "The commanding and rhapsodic singing brings connection and insight while superlative arrangements - majoring in opulent blues jazz noir settings, refresh songs as daunting as "It's Alright Ma (I'm Only Bleeding)" and "First We Take Manhattan". To give such standards precious new life is quite an achievement." Sunday Times "Once again, the British singer finds new paths through what, at first glance, might seem familiar material. 1000 Kisses Deep is simply heart-stopping. Jungr's attention to timbre and nuance brings new depth to every syllable." MOJO 3 stars "As an interpreter, Jungr's ace in the hole is an ability to personalise even age-old familiars like Blowin' In The Wind without resorting to deconstruct mode. First We Take Manhattan is beautifully reworked, with Jungr draping a delicate vocal line over Simon Wallace's piano back-drop of a kind that Gil Evans might have visualised for Miles. Fascinating Fare…it's more than alright, Ma." (Fred Dellar) Folking "Jungr has the ability to take a well known song and make it her own. This is a knockout album." Something Else Barb Jungr has a powerful tool in the box — and that is her voice. Combine this with the powerful songs of Bob Dylan and Leonard Cohen, and a group of good musicians, and you have something which has the potential to blow your mind. So, Barb sets high expectations and this album does not disappoint. Hard Rain is a great album, one in which to immerse yourself until you are soaked through. For Folk's Sake ...there’s no questioning the artistry of this rarest of things: a deeply challenging covers album. ALLABOUTJAZZ.COM CD Review: British vocalist Barb Jungr has never been known to play it safe. Her previous recordings have revealed an iconoclastic singer with little fear of any material. She has an affinity for Bob Dylan as seen in her two previous collections of Dylan songs, Every Grain of Sand (Linn, 2002) and Man in the Long Black Coat (Linn, 2011). On Hard Rain Jungr adds Leonard Cohen to her Dylan oeuvre, a pairing that contrasts the two different song writers, while, at the same time, demonstrating the social source of their music. A musical vision this refined and challenging comes rarely. Barb Jungr has been and will continue to be a creative force to reckon with, and aren't we fortunate for it. By C. MICHAEL BAILEY CULTURE NORTHERN IRELAND Feature - "what Jungr really is is an exceptional interpreter of popular songs, with a dramatic, sometimes theatrical style and a remarkable technique. Her interpretive skills are thrillingly apparent on her current album, Hard Rain, on which she sings six songs by Bob Dylan and five by Leonard Cohen." (Trevor Hodgett) THE ART OF THE TORCH SINGER "She has earned her place at the top table of influential singers, a write your comments about the article :: © 2014 Jazz News :: home page |