Review: Matt Baker Brings Gershwin Back To Its Jazz Roots With A RHAPSODY OF GERSHWIN at Birdland

George Gershwin did more than anyone to build a bridge between the worlds of jazz and Broadway and the world of classical music. Already a Broadway wunderkind by 1924 due to his work on several editions of the George White Scandals, his Rhapsody in Blue created a sensation when it was first played by the Paul Whitman Orchestra.

Written in only 5 weeks for an experimental concert at Aeolian Hall, the work melded jazz tunes with classical structure. Gershwin wasn't the first to bring jazz to classical music. Debussy, Ravel, Milhaud, Poulenc, and Stravinsky had all experimented with it. But Gershwin was the first to make it sound authentic. After the success of the Rhapsody, he wrote a series of classical works including the Cuban Overture, An American in Paris, a set of preludes, the Concerto in F, and of course his opera, Porgy and Bess.

On Monday, Australian jazz pianist Matt Baker returned to Birdland with a new version of his project A RHAPSODY OF GERSHWIN. The project is very much in the spirit of Gershwin's own mix of jazz and classical styles. Using Gershwin's original compositions as a launching board, he created inventive variations with his 5 piece band. There was a great deal of virtuosity on display. Gershwin's work lends itself to such displays of bravura. The material is so rich it can't help but yield fruitful improvisations. Matt Baker's ensemble definitely rose to the challenge. The joy of the evening was the addition of Grammy-nominated singer Nicole Zuraitis. Ms. Zuraitis has a supple voice that is both warm and delicate. In addition to providing the lyrics, she also had many numbers in which she was treated as another instrument in the band, providing haunting vocalises.

The evening began with a solo of the Rhapsody in Blue by Baker that eventually included the whole band and magically transformed into "A Foggy Day In London Town." After this Baker introduced Ms. Zuraitis who gave us a medley of tunes from Porgy and Bess, Including " I Loves You Porgy" and "Summertime" which was connected by a very beautiful vocalise on the 2nd Prelude. They followed with variations on the middle theme of the Concerto in F, with great solo work by Zuraitis and trumpet player, Benny Bennack, III. There was a piece of phrasing between the two that involved a descending passage that sounded like laughter that was very clever. Matt Baker next gave us one of Gershwin's perennials, "They Can't Take That Away from Me" from Shall We Dance.

The group turned back to the Rhapsody in Blue, concentrating on the sprightly middle theme. Bennack gave some inspired solo work here. The highlight of the night was a very simple, very seductive reading of "Do It Again." Nicole Zuraitis was all coy coquettishness. It was utterly charming. They next turned to An American in Paris, concentrating on the work's middle theme. It is one of Gershwin's most lovely melodies and it yielded some lovely variations. The finale of the concert was a medley of "I Got Rhythm" and "Fascinating Rhythm." Everyone who tackles this tune has the unenviable task of somehow finding an even more syncopated version of Gershwin's fascinating rhythm. The solution Baker came up with was clever if somewhat calculated. Nonetheless, there was amazing solo work here by all the members of the band, trumpet player, Benny Bennack, III, guitarist Max Light, Kevin Hailey on bass, Curtis Nowosad on drums, and of course the wonderful Matt Baker on piano.

For my ear, the mixing of this concert could have been better. Ms. Zuraitis with her dark and rich voice frequently had to struggle to cut through the brighter instrumentation. Even when her mic was replaced mid-concert, she could have been louder. Baker also has a tendency to double the vocal line with the trumpet line. It might have helped Zuraitis to sing in harmony with the trumpet rather than in unison. Also I could have used more of Kevin Hailey on bass. He frequently was buried by drums. But that's a small fly in the ointment. This concert was a series of beautiful inventions. Matt Baker is a fantastic jazzman, and his ensemble gave me a wonderful and transportive evening.

For more information about Matt Baker, go to mattbaker.com.au. to Find out more about Nicole Zuraitis, visit her website nicolezmusic.com. Their music is available on Spotify and all other streaming platforms. For more great artists at Birdland, go to birdlandjazznyc.com.

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