The Jazz Age (The Bryan Ferry Orchestra album)

Last updated

The Jazz Age
TheJazzAge2012.jpg
Studio album by
The Bryan Ferry Orchestra
Released26 November 2012
Recorded2012
StudioStudio One, Olympia, London
Genre Orchestral jazz, retro swing, trad jazz
Length37:46
Label BMG Rights Management
Producer Bryan Ferry, Rhett Davies
Bryan Ferry chronology
Olympia
(2010)		The Jazz Age
(2012)		 Avonmore
(2014)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [1]
Impact Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svg [2]
Pitchfork Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [3]

The Jazz Age, his fourteenth studio album, is a re-recording of some of Bryan Ferry's compositions, as played in the jazz style of the 1920s, by The Bryan Ferry Orchestra. The 13 songs have been chosen from 11 albums, from his very first release Roxy Music (1972) to his then most recent solo record, Olympia (2010). The album was co-produced by Ferry and Rhett Davies, with arrangements by Colin Good, and released on 26 November 2012 as a 10in vinyl folio edition and on 12in vinyl, CD and digital download, on BMG Rights Management. [1] [4]

Contents

Ferry himself does not perform on the album, which consists entirely of instrumental performances. Talking about the inspiration behind the reinterpretations, Ferry told Clash , "I've sort of gone back to the music that I liked listening to when I was a young lad, nine or ten years old - I was really fairly precocious for that time." [5] Interviewed for The Telegraph, he added, "It came out of the desire to make an instrumental album of my songs. I was fascinated to see how they would stand up without singing." [6]

The album is Ferry's lowest charting of his career, peaking at #50 on the UK Albums Chart.

Cover Art

The artwork for The Jazz Age album consists of illustrations by the renowned French poster artist Paul Colin (1892–1985). [7] The album cover and internal booklet include elements from his 'Le Tumult Noir' portfolio of 1929. The introduction to an exhibition at the Smithsonian Institution, National Portrait Gallery states: "In 1925, Josephine Baker and her troupe, 'La Revue Nègre', exploded on the Paris stage with a wild new dance called the Charleston. The Jazz Age was at its height, and Baker was destined to become its high priestess. Four years later, French poster artist Paul Colin, Baker's one-time lover and life-long friend, published a portfolio of vividly colored lithographs titled "Le Tumulte Noir" ("The Black Craze") which captured the exuberant jazz music and dance that dazzled Paris." [8]

Sound Design & Production

The Jazz Age was recorded at Bryan Ferry’s own personal studio/office complex, Studio One, located at Avonmore Place in Olympia, London, England. Using some of the best available British jazz musicians, playing the standard instrumentation of the 1920’s, in arrangements by pianist Colin Good (Ferry’s musical director for ten years) in the Jazz Age style, with a banjo rhythm, and lead clarinets, it was produced (by Ferry and Rhett Davies) and engineered (by Simon Willey [9] & David Phelan) to achieve an authentic 1920’s sound as well. Recorded in 2012, with all the tools available at the time, but used to produce a vintage sound (Ferry’s original conceit?) as if these are the ‘lost’ recordings of the original ‘Roxy Music Band’ unearthed from the archives, being played on your great-grandparents’ old Victrola.

Critical Reception

Reviewing for AllMusic, Thom Jurek said, "All 13 of these tunes have been wildly revamped and offer interesting textures", "...but the music here is played so well, it doesn't feel gimmicky." concluding, "Given that Ferry doesn't sing on The Jazz Age, the appeal for casual fans is debatable. But for the faithful, trad-jazz heads, and open-minded listeners, the musical quality -- from expert arrangements, virtuosic playing, and the brilliant concept -- offer something wholly different and rewarding." [1]

Chris Roberts, writing for the BBC Music Reviews, sees a natural development of his solo career: "Bryan Ferry, never averse to a re-make/re-model (as his lifelong parallel career as a covers-crooner of "ready-mades" has established), has cooked up something completely unexpected and unprecedented here." "As fascinating as it is perplexing, anything but obvious, and therefore to be applauded." [10]

In his Pitchfork review (2013) Ned Raggett considers the absence of Ferry's vocal, "If anyone is the lead "voice" throughout it would be [trumpeter Enrico] Tomasso or saxophonists Alan Barnes and Richard White, whose various solo turns on a number of songs take the place of the singing. As a result, it becomes a strangely affecting blend-- Ferry is here almost by implication, a certain unavoidably melancholic sigh that emerges in hints in the arrangements, even at their merriest." [11]

Legacy

Film director Baz Luhrmann asked to use Ferry's song "Love Is the Drug" from The Jazz Age album for the 2013 film The Great Gatsby . This resulted in a collaboration with The Bryan Ferry Orchestra to create several jazz pieces throughout the movie, released as a separate album titled The Great Gatsby – The Jazz Recordings (A Selection of Yellow Cocktail Music). Ferry began touring with The Bryan Ferry Orchestra in 2013, including a performance at the 2013 Cannes Film Festival which was opened by Luhrmann's The Great Gatsby film.

Track listing

All songs were written by Bryan Ferry except where noted.

  1. "Do The Strand" – 2:10
  2. "Love Is the Drug" – 3:14 (Ferry, Andy Mackay)
  3. "Don’t Stop The Dance" – 2:51 (Ferry, Rhett Davies)
  4. "Just Like You" – 3:24
  5. "Avalon" – 2:23
  6. "The Bogus Man" – 2:07
  7. "Slave to Love" – 2:38
  8. "This Is Tomorrow" – 2:27
  9. "The Only Face" – 2:57
  10. "I Thought" – 2:36 (Ferry, Brian Eno)
  11. "Reason Or Rhyme" – 4:15
  12. "Virginia Plain" – 2:14
  13. "This Island Earth" – 4:24

Personnel

Production

Studios

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bryan Ferry</span> English singer and songwriter (born 1945)

Bryan Ferry CBE is an English singer and songwriter. His voice has been described as an "elegant, seductive croon". He also established a distinctive image and sartorial style: according to The Independent, Ferry and his contemporary David Bowie influenced a generation with both their music and their appearances. Peter York described Ferry as "an art object" who "should hang in the Tate".

<i>Avalon</i> (Roxy Music album) 1982 studio album by Roxy Music

Avalon is the eighth and final studio album by English rock band Roxy Music, released on 28 May 1982 by E.G. Records, and Polydor. It was recorded between 1981 and 1982 at Compass Point Studios in Nassau, Bahamas, and is regarded as the culmination of the smoother, more adult-oriented sound of the band's later work.

<i>Manifesto</i> (Roxy Music album) 1979 studio album by Roxy Music

Manifesto is the sixth studio album by English rock band Roxy Music. It was released in March 1979 by E.G. in the United Kingdom, Polydor in Europe and Atco in the United States.

<i>Bête Noire</i> (album) 1987 studio album by Bryan Ferry

Bête Noire is the seventh solo studio album by English singer Bryan Ferry, released on 2 November 1987 by Virgin Records in the United Kingdom and by Reprise Records in the United States. It was a commercial and critical success, peaking at No. 9 in the UK and was certified Gold by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Do the Strand</span> 1973 single by Roxy Music

"Do the Strand" is the first song from English rock band Roxy Music's second album, For Your Pleasure. In contrast to the songs from Roxy Music's eponymous debut album, this song starts suddenly without any instrumental fanfare.

<i>More than This</i> (compilation album) 1995 compilation album by Bryan Ferry Roxy Music

More than This a 1995 compilation album featuring music by Roxy Music and solo songs by the group's lead singer, Bryan Ferry. The name of the album is taken from the song "More than This" from the 1982 Roxy Music album Avalon.

Oliver Thompson is an English Guitar player, songwriter and singer. He has toured with Roxy Music and Bryan Ferry since 2005, playing with guitarists including Phil Manzanera, Chris Spedding and Johnny Marr. He has played on Ferry's solo tours, festival dates and recording projects since he began working with him at age 17.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alan Barnes (musician)</span> English jazz saxophone and clarinet player

Alan Barnes is an English jazz saxophone and clarinet player.

<i>As Time Goes By</i> (Bryan Ferry album) 1999 studio album by Bryan Ferry

As Time Goes By is the tenth studio album by English singer Bryan Ferry, first released in Japan on 14 October 1999 and then in the UK on 25 October by Virgin Records. Consisting of cover versions of popular songs and jazz standards, the album was co-produced by Ferry with Rhett Davies, who had worked with Ferry since his days with Roxy Music. It peaked at number 16 on the UK Albums Chart and has been certified Gold by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI), denoting shipments in excess of 100,000 copies.

<i>Dylanesque</i> 2007 studio album by Bryan Ferry

Dylanesque is the twelfth studio album by English singer Bryan Ferry, released on 5 March 2007 by Virgin Records. The album consists of cover versions of ten Bob Dylan songs and one traditional song that Dylan himself covered on his first album. It charted at number five in both the United Kingdom and Sweden. Soon after completion of the album, Ferry returned with most of the same musicians to film live re-recordings of the songs in the studio. The film, which includes interview clips with Ferry, is available on the DVD, Dylanesque Live: The London Sessions.

<i>Another Time, Another Place</i> (Bryan Ferry album) 1974 studio album by Bryan Ferry

Another Time, Another Place was Bryan Ferry's second studio album as a solo artist. The album reached #4 in the UK charts in 1974.

Rhett Davies is an English record producer and engineer.

<i>Frantic</i> (album) 2002 studio album by Bryan Ferry

Frantic is the eleventh studio album by English singer Bryan Ferry, released on 15 April 2002 by Virgin Records. The majority of tracks were produced by the team of Rhett Davies, Colin Good, and Ferry; David A. Stewart and Robin Trower also co-produced several tracks.

<i>The Best of Roxy Music</i> 2001 greatest hits album by Roxy Music

The Best of Roxy Music is a greatest hits album by English art rock band Roxy Music, released in 2001. At least one song from all eight of the band's studio albums is represented, as well as some non-album singles. The songs are arranged in reverse chronological order.

<i>Live</i> (Roxy Music album) 2003 live album by Roxy Music

Live is a double live album by English art rock band Roxy Music, released in 2003. Their fourth official live album, it contains performances from a variety of venues on their 2001 reunion world tour, and represents the entire set list from those concerts. Live was packaged in a Digipak case.

<i>Olympia</i> (Bryan Ferry album) 2010 studio album by Bryan Ferry

Olympia is the thirteenth studio album by English singer Bryan Ferry, released on 25 October 2010 by Virgin Records. Co-produced by Ferry and Rhett Davies, Olympia is Ferry's first album of predominantly original material since 2002's Frantic.

The Bryan Ferry Orchestra is a retro-jazz ensemble founded and led by Bryan Ferry. They exclusively play his work in a 1920s jazz style. Ferry formed the orchestra out of a desire to focus on the melodies of his songs, and "see how they would stand up without singing". Their album, The Jazz Age, was released on 26 November 2012 as a 10in vinyl folio edition and on 12in vinyl, CD and digital download, on BMG Rights Management Ferry neither plays nor sings with the orchestra; BBC reviewer Chris Roberts called it a "peculiar concept then, with Ferry now, almost Warhol-like, sagely mute to one side while collaborators silkscreen his own icons. As fascinating as it is perplexing, anything but obvious, and therefore to be applauded."

<i>The Great Gatsby: Music from Baz Luhrmanns Film</i> 2013 soundtrack album by various artists

The Great Gatsby: Music from Baz Luhrmann's Film is the soundtrack album to the 2013 film The Great Gatsby, an adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald's 1925 novel of the same name. Interscope Records released it on May 6, 2013. The album was produced by Baz Luhrmann and Anton Monsted, with Jay-Z serving as the album's executive producer. The soundtrack comprises fourteen songs, including new material and cover versions performed by various artists. It contains a mixture of genre, including hip hop, jazz, and alternative music. Luhrmann specifically selected these styles of music to better immerse the audience into the story of The Great Gatsby.

<i>Avonmore</i> (album) 2014 studio album by Bryan Ferry

Avonmore is the fifteenth studio album by English singer Bryan Ferry, released on 17 November 2014 by BMG Rights Management.

<i>Bitter-Sweet</i> (Bryan Ferry album) 2018 album by Bryan Ferry

Bitter-Sweet is the sixteenth studio album by English singer Bryan Ferry, officially under the name of Bryan Ferry and His Orchestra. It was released on 30 November 2018 by BMG Rights Management.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "The Jazz Age - The Bryan Ferry Orchestra, Bryan Ferry | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic.
  2. ↑ "Album Review: The Bryan Ferry Orchestra - The Jazz Age - Impact Magazine".
  3. ↑ "Album Review: The Jazz Age - Bryan Ferry, The Bryan Ferry Orchestra". Pitchfork.
  4. ↑ music, Guardian (19 November 2012). "Bryan Ferry: The Jazz Age - exclusive album stream" – via www.theguardian.com.
  5. ↑ "From Roaring To Roxy - Bryan Ferry". Clash Magazine.
  6. ↑ "Bryan Ferry, interview: how his drug became Twenties jazz". The Daily Telegraph.
  7. ↑ "Bryan Ferry – Official Website".
  8. ↑ "National Portrait Gallery - Exhibition, 'Le Tumulte Noir'". Smithsonian Institution.
  9. 1 2 3 "Bryan Ferry Studio Tour - with Simon Willey, 28th October 2015 (Jazz Age refs. at 8'00" & 13'28")".
  10. ↑ "The Bryan Ferry Orchestra - The Jazz Age - Review". BBC Music.
  11. ↑ "Album Review: The Jazz Age - Bryan Ferry, The Bryan Ferry Orchestra". Pitchfork.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.