While it’s usually artists in the new age realm who are inclined to create projects celebrating nature and the importance of conserving and saving our precious natural resources, veteran composer, pianist and arranger Bevan Manson had a powerful dual motivation urging him to create his epic latest work Talking to Trees.
Driven by his concern about global warming and its effects, along with the sense of balance he gets from walking in natural environments, he draws upon his prolific dual careers in jazz and classical music – not to mention his penchant for massive, bold ensemble arrangements – to fashion an unforgettable, provocative conversation.
Well-beloved, nine-time Grammy nominated jazz vocalist Tierney Sutton’s dynamic contributions to five of the nine pieces presented here earns her “featured” credit. No other voice in the genre could so nimbly tackle the sensual subtleties and scat-ability of “All Blues,” the amiably trad-jazz charm of “Take The A-Train” (paired in medley with Bevan’s boisterious, witty original “Banyon Tree”), the dreamy sway of “Willow Weep for Me” and the curious, ever-ascending, meditative jazz adventure of the original “Redwood.”
Yet Sutton is only one of several amazing vocalists to grace the project, which also features Marina Pacowski (who artfully and playfully handles the scat portion of “Take the A-Train”) and Katherine Liner, who adds her excitement and dramatic flair to a windwood-centric arrangement of “A Sleepin’ Bee.”
On the instrumental side, Bevan’s vision for a tree-centric celebration and call to action includes working with countless top L.A. jazz session cats and The Hollywood Studio Symphony – 76 musicians in all (!) in various orchestral and small ensemble settings. For all its grandeur in presentation and purpose, its best moments (usually involving Sutton) are the intimate ones where the music and vocals are gentle and graceful, offering necessary moments of reflection on these crucial matters. Though the 13 minutes centerpiece tune “SpringSpring” explodes in the middle with one of Manson’s most expressive improvisations, the piece’s most engaging elements find Sutton drawing us into the powerful lyrics of Manson, Juliet Aucreman and Mandy Kahn.
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