Pangaea now available!
PANGAEA - Ingrid James and the Global Collective
(Nationally released by Newmarket Music on 17th September 2011
CATALOGUE NO: NEW9295.2
BARCODE: 9317102329429
AVAILABLE in retail stores, itunes, www.newmarketmusic.com &
from ingridjames@optusnet.com.au
PANGAEA REVIEWS
"This collection of covers of material from the 1970s and 80s by Ingrid James and The Global Collective is no nostalgic, sound-alike trip down memory lane. Nor is it an attempt to cash in on the musical flavour-of-the-month with squeaky adolescent vocals or rapping. It is a set of musically intelligent arrangements by trumpeter Paul Armstrong and multi-instrumentalist Todd Harrison performed by artists from quite literally around the world. The music draws together influences from South and Central America, jazz, bluegrass, folk and popular music. Such a project is only made possible (with a budget in the hundreds of thousands) through the advent of 21st century digital technology, and we are the luckier for it....Ingrid James' extraordinary range is showcased as her voice is variously warm and engaged, cool or contemplative, clear, or soft and hushed. Her diction is flawless... "The outstanding musicians in the Global Collective have asked themselves what these classic songs are really about and approached their material with fresh ears. The result is a refreshing new perspective on our musical past which points us towards a healthy musical future."
Louise Denson, Head of Jazz Studies, Queensland Conservatorium of Music.
Pangaea "is the title of this unique album whose members have bridged time and distance to create music that is challenging, beguiling, powerful and thoughtful. The players hail from widely separate locations as Australia, the United States, Nicaragua, France and Russia... Core members - Australian vocalists Ingrid James along with Texas-based musicians Paul Armstrong (Austin) and Todd Harrison (Houston) limned out repertoire and conception via email and skype..." All the songs "were hits during the 70s and 80s - nuggets from a rich lode of material...yet this is in no way a tribute album of the sort where lesser performers slavishly emulate their heroes. Rather, this a lovingly crafted revitalisation of repertoire from a richly musical era...Vocally speaking this is Ingrid James' album. Renowned for her clarity of diction and flawless pitch, she's funky to the max on Fame, beguilingly convincing on Kerry Livgren's Dust in the Wind and Latin savvy on Suzanne Vega's slow tango, Caramel. The word "pangaea"- derives from the ancient Greek words "pan" meaning "entire" and "gaia" meaning "earth". No other word expresses the spirit of Ingrid James & The Global Collective. This is music that bridges cultures and makes virtue of diversity. It has a freshness, vigour and soul..."
David Bentley - Australian pianist/singer/songwriter/journalist.
"Paul and Todd have taken various tunes that might be somewhat unexpected and slightly obscure in this present day, and re-arranged them into unbelievable versions of same, and adding the superb vocals of Ingrid James to top everything off... Highly recommended!!!"
Bobby Shew, US Jazz trumpet.
"Pangaea is not the fast-food version of today's albums. In fact, in order to fully enjoy this recording, you will have to get over yourself and your pre-conceived notions of what your ears are telling you is coming next. There are surprises around every corner, and it feels like James and the Global Collective set out to do just that... This music in not saccharine. Ingrid James vocals are like the perfect glass of wine with your meal, and the musical arrangements from Armstrong and Harrison form a bedrock of flavour from which a plethora of ingredients spring forth. Guitars, strings, saxophones, and a ton of percussion await you, and again, challenge you and your musical ears."
Andrew Layton, Freelance Saxophonist, Washington D.C.
"The musicianship is first class. The production is of international quality. The arrangements are wonderful and Ingrid's vocals are superb. She is a singer's singer - never tries to overdo it - just does it right. It's not easy taking a well known song and arrangement - change it dramatically from the original and have it accepted. We tend to fall in love with the original and can't see beyond that, but if they are done with passion, care and consideration, they can work beautifully and that is apparent with this album."
Peter Cupples, Australian singer/songwriter/producer
"Using an abundance of musical textures, color splashes and mixture of feelings, Ingrid James carefully takes her listeners through a captivating odyssey on her new album Pangaea. The Pangaea Theory puts forth the theory that the world's separate land masses were at one time unified as a super continent. Pangaea does not seek to reconnect the vast real estate puzzle, but as the subtitle, "The Global Collective" proclaims, it united musicians and ideas from around the world onto one audio sphere. With the able help of Paul Armstrong and Todd Harrison, the adventurous kaleidoscope of sound spins an eclectic panorama influenced by Baez, Miles Metheny, Jobim and The Carpenters through strings, horns, bass, drums, electronics and Ingrid's impeccable and amazingly beautiful voice".
Pangaea opens with Fame - a relentless rhythmical groove laid firmly in place from start to finish by one of the most explosive set drummers of our day, Todd Harrison. Arranger Paul Armstrong is heard on synthesized voices and muted trumpet. The listener will at once find himself in the spirit of Pangaea as Fame swirls about delivering a montage of music. Armstrong and Harrison converge on the Fame Remix, working an arrangement for Ingrid to moan and wait with funky, robotic voicings. Her tightly knit cast of top-shelf musicians resonate the funk with a bell tolling across the landscape. The groove vibrates concluding statements that confirm this presentation is loaded with unexpected turns. On Caramel Ingrid James' pure toned voice drips with emotion with the underpinnings of strings and guitars. Her disciplined delivery is mouthwatering, hitting each word with pristine clarity while accenting each thought with a silky, sultry resonance. Then pushing 240, the rhythm section is way up tempo from what the Carpenters did on the original recording of Close to You, Ingrid flies in over the top floating, twisting and turning with dreamy expressions on the head, laying on an array of long tones that demand a balance of control and endurance. The bridge pulls the rhythm section back and focuses the listener on her range, and she does not disappoint! Behind Ingrid is Paul's harmon muted trumpet, African chants and Middle Eastern accents all spinning sound and emotion...."
Mark Channon, USA Jazz Radio Presenter (WWUH Radio, W. Hartford, CT; WAPJ, Torrington, CT; WDJW, Somers, CT; WWEB, Wallingford, CT)
