Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Taylor Hicks: The Jazz Side of Taylor Hicks

334

Taylor Hicks: The Jazz Side of Taylor Hicks

By

Sign in to view read count
Taylor Hicks: The Jazz Side of Taylor Hicks
Taylor Hicks defied the odds when he beat the competition to win first prize at the conclusion of the fifth season of American Idol. Although the Birmingham, Alabama native never expressed it on the show, he was also inspired by his father's extensive jazz collection, though he knew it would be difficult to make a living sticking exclusively to singing jazz rather than appealing to the far larger pop audience. But Hicks managed to get a release from his label contract to record a single jazz-oriented CD for the tiny Idlewilde label.

Although soul jazz-oriented material seems a natural choice, he also covers a lot of other ground. The surprising opener is "Caravan," from the Duke Ellington songbook, where he benefits from the brisk arrangement and fine hand drumming of Moroccan percussionist Ali Bahdum. The vocalist is obviously having fun as he tackles Bobby Timmons' "Dat Dere" (even if his attempts at a child-like voice are a bit awkward), backed by Jiri-Lee Paupenpilz's driving bass.

He offers dramatic interpretations of "Sunrise, Sunset" (From Fiddler on the Roof) and the timeless standard "Body and Soul," with excellent backing from Bosnian pianist Emil Kazhinaczech. His take of "Georgia On My Mind" is every bit as soulful as Ray Charles' famous version, but with a jazzier touch. Hicks' humorous two-minute wrap-up of Steve Allen's theme song, "This Could Be the Start of Something Big," is a scream as he makes it known in his liner notes that this jazz session is likely a one-shot opportunity.

Track Listing

Caravan; Dat Dere; On Green Dolphin Street; Sunrise, Sunset; What is This Thing Called Love; Mercy, Mercy, Mercy; You and the Night and the Music; Georgia on My Mind; Broadway; This Could Be the Start of Something Big.

Personnel

Taylor Hicks: vocals; Emil Kazhinaczech: piano; Jiri-Lee Paupenpilz: bass; Ali Bahdum: drums; Simon Cowell: liner notes.

Album information

Title: The Jazz Side of Taylor Hicks | Year Released: 2007 | Record Label: Idlewilde

Gotcha! April Fools!

Comments

Tags


For the Love of Jazz
Get the Jazz Near You newsletter All About Jazz has been a pillar of jazz since 1995, championing it as an art form and, more importantly, supporting the musicians who create it. Our enduring commitment has made "AAJ" one of the most culturally important websites of its kind, read by hundreds of thousands of fans, musicians and industry figures every month.

You Can Help
To expand our coverage even further and develop new means to foster jazz discovery and connectivity we need your help. You can become a sustaining member for a modest $20 and in return, we'll immediately hide those pesky ads plus provide access to future articles for a full year. This winning combination will vastly improve your AAJ experience and allow us to vigorously build on the pioneering work we first started in 1995. So enjoy an ad-free AAJ experience and help us remain a positive beacon for jazz by making a donation today.

More

Fiesta at Caroga
Afro-Caribbean Jazz Collective
Fellowship
David Gibson
Immense Blue
Olie Brice / Rachel Musson / Mark Sanders

Popular

Get more of a good thing!

Our weekly newsletter highlights our top stories, our special offers, and upcoming jazz events near you.