Track Listing

1. Moon
2. Morpheus
3. Pygmalion
4. Hunger
5. Icarus
6. Orpheus/Sonnet
7. Persephone
8. Narcissus
9. Whiteworld/Oedipus
10. Phaeton
11. Hours

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #54875 in Music
• Released on: 2006-09-11
• Number of discs: 1
• Dimensions: .22 pounds

CD Description
Chicagoan singer and pianist Patricia Barber--one of the few jazz musicians to receive the prestigious honor of a Guggenheim Fellowship--expresses unique, personal ambition with this album, which consists entirely of Barber originals. Eachsong of MYTHOLOGIES represents a character from ancient Greek folklore. But fear not, this isn't some dry or pretentious mythology lesson--as most characters in Greek myth are ascribed human feelings, Barber draws on them to delve into emotional states (positive and negative) common to all. "Icarus(for Nina Simone)" represents a rise to dizzying heights with a high price to pay afterward. The contemplative "The Hours" is both a blues for humanity and a cry for salvation, intensified by an impassioned guitar solo and pleading gospel-charged chorus. Patricia Barber's voice is smoky, wise, and unhurried--that of a born storyteller. Her accompaniment (guitar, bass, drums, plus occasional alto saxophone and background vocals) provides unfussy, concise embellishments to herstory-songs, along with brief, inventive ventures into funkand hip-hop.

Customer Reviews

Serene, surprising and exciting - how refeshing!
What a fabulous album this is! I'll lay my cards on the table - I'm a big fan of Patricia Barber so I expected something super-good. But this exceeds my expectations by a good way.

For me this album marks a big step forward in the quality of Ms Barber's writing (not that it was less than excellent before). Each of the numbers has a more thoroughly "composed" feel to a it than previously, meticulously worked out and with truly stunning arrangements - detailed, multi-layered yet completely fresh and exciting. The range of musical style and nuance is particularly remarkable, with everything from pure torch vocals and delicious small-ensemble jazz, through rock guitar grooves to hip hop. Yet through all this she displays an ability to spin melodies of breathtaking lightness, beauty - and wistfulness. The effect is just jaw-dropping, since I have never heard her in such good voice as on this album.

If there is anything missing from this album, it is the driving, balls-out jazz-rock improvisation you get on something like "Companion". But that is no criticism, since this is a completely different type of work, and she has given us so much else to replace that here. I have had the album for a couple of weeks now and I just keep getting more and more out of it. What's more, I am pretty certain that will continue for a long time to come.

If you already know and like Patricia Barber, you'll want this anyway. If you don't know her, but you are looking for intelligent and beautifully crafted modern jazz that manages to be serene, surprising and exciting all at the same time - start here!