KENNEDY GERSHWIN

MEETS

1 RHAPSODY IN CLARET & BLUE (2:38)2 OUR LOVE IS HERE TO STAY (4:37)

3 THE MAN I LOVE (8:20)4 SUMMERTIME (5:47)

5 Time (3:18)6 PORGY & BESS (8:29)

7 HOW LONG HAS THIS BEEN GOING ON (5:52)

Fantasy on They Can’t Take That Away From Me8 Fantasy (10:07)

9 THEY CAN’T TAKE THAT AWAY FROM ME (6:44)

10 OH, LADY BE GOOD! (7:11)

All songs written by George Gershwin (1898-1937), adapted & arranged by Nigel Kennedy

except tracks 5 and 8 written by Nigel Kennedy (b. 1956)

For me Gershwin’s work is epitomised by three main ingredients: the fusion of jazz and classical music, the beautiful melodic influences of Jewish culture and the unique energy of New York City.

This music fits my nature, skill set and experience so well that if playing this music was a job my interview would end with my securing immediate employment with the employer deciding not to bother interviewing any other applicants.

My initial exposure to Gershwin’s music was very unpleasant in as much as having to listen to one of his musicals with all that abrasive pseudo cultured singing and two dimensional acting. However, when I was around 14 Stéphane Grappelli saved the day with his

elegant pathos and free flowing interpretations. I recall playing Lady Be Good with him at Ronnie Scott’s around that time. My Gershwin adventure came full circle when immediately prior to recording we played our Gershwin repertoire for a week at Ronnie’s.

Given that this music evolved as a live project I con-tinued along these lines in the studio. Hence the fact I haven’t used any glorious reverb and that the music is and sounds like five cats playing live in a room. This is the old style of recording, more similar to some of my favourite recordings from the 30s and 40s.

This is my particular way of arranging and interpret-ing Gershwin. For this style the choice of the right

guitar players was essential. Special mention should be made therefore of Rolf ‘die Kobra’ Bussalb (my incredibly versatile friend and colleague of too many years) and special guest Howard Alden (who has such a special and original understanding of swing music).

I would like to dedicate this album to the memory of Jazz Summers, the wonderful person and manager who introduced me to Howard 18 years ago.

Special thanks to Manfred Seipt who believes in this project and without whom this album would never have seen the light of day.

DEAR LADIES, GENTLEMEN AND OTHER TYPES OF PEOPLE,Thank you for choosing to listen to my music.

This album represents my personal trip into the magical world of Gershwin.

SEHR GEEHRTE DAMEN, HERREN UND ANDERE ARTEN VON PERSONEN,

Vielen Dank, dass Sie sich entschieden haben, meine Musik zu hören. Dieses Album repräsentiert meine persönliche

Reise in die magische Welt von Gershwin.

MESDAMES, MESSIEURS ET AUTRES GENRES DE PERSONNES,Merci d’avoir choisi d’écouter ma musique. Cet album

représente mon voyage personnel dans le monde magique de Gershwin. 

DROGIE PANIE I PANOWIE ORAZ INNE TYPY LUDZKIE,Dziękuje, że do słuchania wybraliście moją muzykę.

Załączony album przedstawia moją osobistą podróż w magiczny świat Gershwina.

Nigel Kennedy – Violin, viola, piano, harpsichord Howard Alden – Guitars Rolf “das Kobra” Bussalb – Guitars Tomasz “Insomnia” Kupiec – Bass

Members of the Orchestra of Life:Alicja Smietana – violin Sonja Schebeck – violin Beata Urbanek-Kalinowska – Solo Cello

David Heath – flutes

Arranged and produced by Nigel Kennedy

Orphy Robinson – Assistant producerMike Horner – Recording and mixing engineer, Assistant ProducerManfred Seipt – Executive Producer

Holly Topps – PA and all kinds of helpHuxley, Bully – K 9 mega-bitesFrankie O’Sullivan – luxury dog sittingChris Ward – Production Assistant Extra thanks to Agnieszka KennedyAlexander Skeaping – harpsichord supplier

Studios

RAK RecordingsWill Purton – Assistant EngineerTrisha Wegg – Studio Manager

MetropolisTim Young – Mastering EngineerShola Aleje – Mastering CoordinatorAlvin Collis – Mastering Coordinator

MetropolisTim Young – Mastering EngineerShola Aleje – Mastering CoordinatorAlvin Collis – Mastering Coordinator

Nigel Kennedy Management

Arts & Entertainment Productionsinfo@aeplive.co.uk

Manfred Seipt – Managing DirectorCharles Chaboche – Project Manager

Warner MusicAlain LanceronJean Philippe RollandPatrick LemanskiVictor Orive-MartinLD WoolardColombe DePoncinsSue Johns

Art DirectionPaul Chessell

PublicityMargaret Murray

PhotographerCarl Hyde

Special thanks to Manfred Seipt who believes in this project and withoutwhom this album would never have seen the light of day.

For those not so acquainted with jazz a solo is an improvised passage of music by one of the members of the band over the chords of the song.

Bearing in mind that we have two amazing guitarists I have listed the solo order for each song so that you can tell the two guys apart!

RHAPSODY IN CLARET & BLUESolos: Kennedy - Alden

Well, something on this album had to involve the greatest team in the world before American and now Chinese ownership.

OUR LOVE IS HERE TO STAYSolos: Kennedy - Alden

I have memories of Stéphane (Grappelli) playing this in my teenage years when I was playing with him. Check Howard Alden’s beautiful solo here.

THE MAN I LOVEIntro: Kennedy & Alden

Solos: Alden – Bussalb – Alden – Bussalb - Kennedy

The long lines of the melody with such amazing harmonies are what I tried to highlight here. Like all the songs on this album improvisation is dominant but harmonic structure is too.

SUMMERTIMESolos: Kennedy – Alden – Heath

Too many jazzers want a pat on the back (when a pat on the head might be more relevant) for playing a million notes, five hundred substitute harmonies and leaving the song unrecognisable. Here I enjoyed doing the opposite. The song has been stripped to the bare bones so one can see the heart and soul.

TimeSolo: Kennedy

PORGY & BESSSolo: Kennedy

Both these songs are beautiful individually but joined together they achieve greater intimacy as well as a more emotional build.

HOW LONG HAS THIS BEEN GOING ONSolos: Kennedy - Alden

Gershwin wrote a beautiful intro for this song which I have taken in a more hymnal direction. The song itself is uniquely wistful and powerfully reminiscent.

Fantasy on They Can’t Take That Away From Me

FantasySolos: Kennedy – Kennedy – Bussalb – Alden

THEY CAN’T TAKE THAT AWAY FROM MESolos: Kennedy – Bussalb – Alden - Kennedy

This is my solo piano debut! As I said before there are many piano players who pat themselves on the back for overcomplication and self-indulgence. Luckily my technique (and possibly a bit of attitude) prevent me from being one of them.

This is a longer form realization hence the titles.

OH, LADY BE GOOD!Solos: Kennedy – Bussalb – Alden - Kupiec

In the 30s people like Fats Waller and the Hot Club de Paris visibly and audibly had fun. This aspect of music hasn’t been censored from my band either.

Nigel Kennedy – Violin, viola, piano, harpsichord Howard Alden – Guitars Rolf ‘die Kobra’ Bussalb – Guitars Tomasz ‘Insomnia’ Kupiec – Bass

Members of the Orchestra of Life:Alicja Smietana – Violin Sonja Schebeck – Violin Beata Urbanek-Kalinowska – Solo Cello

David Heath – Flutes

Arranged and produced by Nigel Kennedy

Orphy Robinson – Assistant ProducerMike Horner – Recording and Mixing Engineer, Assistant ProducerManfred Seipt – Executive Producer

Nigel Kennedy Management

Arts & Entertainment Productionsinfo@aeplive.co.uk

Manfred Seipt – Managing DirectorCharles Chaboche – Project Manager

Warner MusicAlain LanceronJean Philippe RollandPatrick LemanskiVictor Orive-MartinLD WoolardColombe DePoncinsSue Johns

Art DirectionPaul Chessell

PublicityMargaret Murray

PhotographerCarl Hyde

Holly Topps – PA and all kinds of helpHuxley, Bully – K 9 mega-bitesFrankie O’Sullivan – Luxury Dog SittingChris Ward – Production Assistant Alexander Skeaping – Harpsichord SupplierExtra thanks to Agnieszka Kennedy

Studios

RAK RecordingsWill Purton – Assistant EngineerTrisha Wegg – Studio Manager

MetropolisTim Young – Mastering EngineerShola Aleje – Mastering CoordinatorAlvin Collis – Mastering Coordinator

P 2018 Nigel Kennedy, “Kennedy Meets Gershwin” exclusively licensed to Parlophone Records Limited, a Warner Music Group CompanyC 2018 Parlophone Records Limited, a Warner Music Group Company.