Pianist/Composer BEVAN MANSON's "TALKING TO TREES"

Manson is a composer, pianist, and arranger with one foot firmly planted in the jazz world and the other in the classical world. His father was an amateur jazz musician with a large record collection, and Manson spent much of his youth listening to the likes of Miles Dave, Coltrane, and Gil Evans, as well as music by classical composers. Manson began playing piano at the age of seven and says, “The only music I listened to growing up was my father’s record collection. Unlike other kids back then, I really wasn’t interested in the Beatles or other pop/rock music of that era. Most of my father’s friends were jazz musicians, and from a very young age, I just saw myself as a composer.”

Manson attended the prestigious Eastman School of Music and moved to Boston after graduating, where he lived for 13 years. It was there that he met Sutton and became an admirer of what he calls her “meticulous singing style.” Manson moved to Northern California to teach at UC Berkeley where he was Director of UC Jazz. He moved to Los Angeles 20 years ago, and now splits his time between Los Angeles and Albuquerque

TALKING TO TREES is Manson’s sixth CD as a leader after releasing four jazz albums and one classical album. Besides arranging for jazz artists like Cheryl Bentyne of The Manhattan Transfer, his composing and arranging commissions include ​the San Francisco Symphony, Sierra Chamber Music, Channel Islands Chamber Orchestra, French hornist Brian O'Connor, Pacific Philharmonic Foundation, clarinetist Gary Gray, and L.A. Chamber Orchestra violist Victoria Miskolczy, among others. His recent orchestral music, Odesa Overture and Santa Monica Mountains (Concerto for Guitar and Orchestra) were performed by Channel Islands Chamber Orchestra with Evan Taucher on guitar. The concerto was recorded and is slated for release later this year. He has written and arranged for movies and TV, including onscreen performances on several episodes of the popular show JAG.

Although Albuquerque has a thriving jazz scene, Manson recorded TALKING TO TREES in Los Angeles because of the A-list musicians who are drawn there from around the country and the world. The album features 76 musicians in different orchestral and small ensemble settings. Besides Sutton, the album also includes notable names from the jazz and classical worlds like JOE LOCKE (vibraphone), DONALD FOSTER (clarinet), ED NEUMEISTER (trombone), LUCA ALEMANNO (bass), KATHERINE LINER (vocals), GAYLE LEVANT (harp) JOE LaBARBERA (drums), BOB SHEPPARD (sax), and Manson on piano, with 60 other musicians throughout the album in orchestral and small ensemble settings.

Manson was inspired to make this album because of the threat of global warming and his own personal experiences. He says, “I love taking walks in natural environments. It gives you a feeling of balance. The Japanese have a term for this – forest bathing. It’s not only good for your health, but it also taps into spiritual feelings. After seeing all the destruction caused by fires in California, I’m becoming more and more concerned that the natural world is in danger.”

Manson’s composing and arranging can be described as polychromatic, which he achieves by combining different instruments and sounds, creating rich tapestries of musical ideas. The album opens with Miles Davis’ jazz classic “All Blues,” featuring Sutton’s haunting vocals. The tune has been performed by countless musicians, but Manson’s orchestral arrangement is unique. Solos by violinist RALPH MORRISON, trombonist Neumeister, and saxophonist DANNY JANKLOW enhance the mood.

“Banyan Tree/Take the A Train” is a mashup of a Manson original and the famous Billy Strayhorn tune. The composition features a flute solo by JEFF DRISKILL and a scat solo by MARINA PACOWSKI. “Willow Weep for Me” is Manson’s homage to the “restful beauty” of the trees valued for their ornamental beauty and the shade they provide. The song features GEOFF NUDELL’s tasty clarinet playing. Manson’s orchestral “Redwood” features lyrics sung by Sutton and Liner that urge all of us to love and respect nature. Also featured are Manson on piano, Locke on vibes, and trombonist Neumeister.

Mangrove trees thrive in conditions most timber could never tolerate. They can store vast amounts of carbon and are key weapons in the fight against climate change. Unfortunately, they are under threat worldwide. Manson pays tribute to these beautiful, important trees in his composition “Dance of the Mangrove Trees,” featuring members of the Lyris Quartet, violinist ALYSSA PARK, violist LUKE MAURER, and cellist TIM LOO, and a solo by jazz trumpeter GORDON AU. Manson sets the mood of innocent love in “A Sleepin’ Bee” with a sweet and dreamy woodwind arrangement. The tune features vocalist Liner and vibraphonist Locke.

Coltrane wrote “Mr. PC” for his stalwart bass player, Paul Chambers. Manson includes it because he says, “The bass provides the solid foundation for music to grow. They’re like oak trees whose deep roots supply stability to the soil.” Manson once again delivers a truly unique take on the song with a full orchestral arrangement. With lyrics by Juliet Aucreman and additional lyrics by Manson and Mandy Kahn, “SprigSpring” and “SprigSpring Epilogue” are soulful but gentle reminders that we must keep our eye on what is happening to our natural world. The song features vocals by Sutton and DEVON DAVIDSON with solos by bassist Alemanno, Manson, flutist Rob Kyle, and clarinetist Foster.

With a melding of his talents as a jazz and classical music artist, Bevan Manson’s TALKING TO TREES is a beautiful tribute to the natural world. His compositions and arrangements are filled with unexpected moments, and his truly different takes on several jazz standards make this album a compelling and eminently enjoyable aesthetic experience.

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TALKING TO TREES is available digitally as of August 23, 2024 on Tiger Turn. Physical copies will be available at Bandcamp.

Online:

Bevanmansononline.com

Facebook.com/bevan.manson

@bevanmanson