Sting A Touch Of Jazz

Sting had a lot to prove on his first post-Police effort, and he proved himself up to the task of establishing a distinctive identity as a solo artist. Instead of replicating his reggae-tinged Police style, he ventured into new realms, hiring top drawer American jazz musicians like Branford Marsalis, Kenny Kirkland and drum monster Omar Hakim to accompany him on the kind of harmonically sophisticated (though decidedly non-jazz) tunes he'd begun working on towards the end of the Police's lifetime (see SYNCHRONICITY).

Falling somewhere between the pop sensibilities of Ten Summoner's Tales and the searching ambition of The Soul Cages, Mercury Falling is one of Sting's tighter records, even if it fails to compel as much as his previous solo albums. Though he doesn't flaunt his jazz aspirations as he did in the mid-'80s, Mercury Falling feels more serious than The Dream of the Blue Turtles, primarily because of its reserved, high-class production and execution. Building from surprisingly simple, memorable melodies, Sting creates multi-layered, vaguely soul-influenced arrangements that carry all of the hallmarks of someone who has studied music, not lived it.

Falling somewhere between the pop sensibilities of Ten Summoner's Tales and the searching ambition of The Soul Cages, Mercury Falling is one of Sting's tighter records, even if it fails to compel as much as his previous solo albums. Though he doesn't flaunt his jazz aspirations as he did in the mid-'80s, Mercury Falling feels more serious than The Dream of the Blue Turtles, primarily because of its reserved, high-class production and execution. Building from surprisingly simple, memorable melodies, Sting creates multi-layered, vaguely soul-influenced arrangements that carry all of the hallmarks of someone who has studied music, not lived it.

Falling somewhere between the pop sensibilities of Ten Summoner's Tales and the searching ambition of The Soul Cages, Mercury Falling is one of Sting's tighter records, even if it fails to compel as much as his previous solo albums. Though he doesn't flaunt his jazz aspirations as he did in the mid-'80s, Mercury Falling feels more serious than The Dream of the Blue Turtles, primarily because of its reserved, high-class production and execution. Building from surprisingly simple, memorable melodies, Sting creates multi-layered, vaguely soul-influenced arrangements that carry all of the hallmarks of someone who has studied music, not lived it.

Born in Argentina to an American father and Irish mother, guitarist Dominic Miller was raised in the U.S. from age 10 and then educated there and in England. Now he lives in France, though he has toured the globe for the past three decades. Aptly, Silent Light Miller’s ECM debut, featuring him solo and with percussion accompaniment has a very international feel, with the Latin influence strong in such pieces as “Baden” (dedicated to Brazilian guitarist-composer Baden Powell). “Le Pont” has an early 20th-century Parisian air, while “Valium” evokes Celtic tunes in the vein of Bert Jansch and “Fields of Gold” is a hushed instrumental take on one of Sting’s best-known ballads.

Born in Argentina to an American father and Irish mother, guitarist Dominic Miller was raised in the U.S. from age 10 and then educated there and in England. Now he lives in France, though he has toured the globe for the past three decades. Aptly, Silent Light Miller's ECM debut, featuring him solo and with percussion accompaniment has a very international feel, with the Latin influence strong in such pieces as Baden (dedicated to Brazilian guitarist-composer Baden Powell). Le Pont has an early 20th-century Parisian air, while Valium evokes Celtic tunes in the vein of Bert Jansch and Fields of Gold is a hushed instrumental take on one of Sting's best-known ballads. Miller has long been known as Sting's right-hand man on guitar and co-writer of the worldwide hit Shape of My Heart, among others. Miller has also worked with the likes of Paul Simon, The Chieftains and Plácido Domingo. The guitarist's playing has prompted praise from Simon, who points out, in a liner note to the album, that Miller has a beautiful touch, with a fragrance of jazz and English folk.