A Song For You

Performer: Kenny Rankin
Artist: Roy Hargrove; John Beasley; Chris Potter; Lewis Nash; Christian McBride; Russell Malone
Engineer: Al Schmitt
Producer: Al Schmitt; Tommy LiPuma
Distributor: Universal Distribution

Notes: Personnel includes: Kenny Rankin (vocals, guitar); David Spinozza (acoustic & electric guitars); Russell Malone (guitar); Marilyn Baker, Carole Mukogawa, James Ross (viola); Jodi Burnett, Larry Corbett, Paula Hochhalter (cello); Steven Tavaglione, Donald Shelton (clarinet); Jack Nimitz (bass clarinet); Jon Clarke (oboe); Harvey Saltzman (bassoon); Chris Potter (tenor saxophone); Roy Hargrove, Rick Baptist, Warren Luening (trumpet); Richard Todd, Brad Warnaar (French horn); Charles Loper, David Waldrop (trombone); Leon Pendarvis (keyboards); John Beasley (synthesizer); Christian McBride (bass); Lewis Nash (drums). Recorded at Right Track, Avatar, New York, New York; L.A. FX, Los Angeles, California between October & December 2001. Personnel: Kenny Rankin (vocals, guitar); Russell Malone (guitar); David Spinozza (acoustic guitar, electric guitar); Carole Mukogawa, Peter Hatch, James Ross , Marilyn Baker, Harry Shirinian, Raymond Tischer, Denyse Buffum (viola); Paula Hochhalter, Jerome Kessler, Jodi Burnett, Anne Karam, Ernest Ehrhardt, Earl Madison, Larry Corbett, David Speltz (cello); Hubert Laws, Steve Kujala (flute); Steve Tavaglione (clarinet); Jack Nimitz (bass clarinet, reeds); Jon Clarke (oboe); Dan Higgins, Fred Selden, Karolyn Kafer (reeds); Chris Potter (tenor saxophone); Rick Baptist, Roy Hargrove, Warren Luening (trumpet); Richard Todd, Brad Warnaar (French horn); Charles Loper (trombone); Leon Pendarvis (keyboards); John Beasley (synthesizer); Lewis Nash (drums). Audio Mixer: Al Schmitt. Recording information: Avator Studios, NY (10/02/2001-12/14/2001); Right Track Studios, NY (10/02/2001-12/14/2001). Photographer: Jeff Dunas. Arranger: Kenny Rankin. The great Kenny Rankin makes a subtle shift in stylistic focus on this label debut, titled A Song for You. The recording shows just how rewarding the marriage of songs from the Great American Songbook with the smooth jazz style can be when played by a talent of Rankin's stature. His singing explores new musical trails on such great compositions as Harold Arlen's "When the Sun Comes Out," the Lorenz Hart favorite "She Was Too Good to Me," and "Love Walked In" by George & Ira Gershwin. Rankin also reprises his vocal version of "'Round Midnight," the Thelonious Monk standard previously released on his 2001 CD Haven't We Met?. This vocal version is performed with harmonically viable guitar strumming, with Rankin making it a much easier task than one who may be trying to de-emphasize the difficult piano stylings associated with Monk. Other songs deserving noteworthy mention are the subtle sensuality of "Spanish Harlem" and "I've Just Seen a Face" by Lennon/McCartney. The results of this great variety of musical planning are distinctly even and make for nearly an hour of great smooth jazz fused with excellent material from the songbooks of some of the world's greatest composers. ~ Paula Edelstein

JazzTimes (9/02, p.116) - "...Sweet in the high range and resonant in the lower registers, Rankin's voice communicates a closeness that sharpens the focus of these purposeful, carefully crafted arrangements even further."

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