Rachel z

One of the most talented female performers in modern jazz, the versatile pianist Rachel Z has happy ants in her pants, doing everything in her career from bebop to pure jazz-pop and now this colorful tribute to the songwriting artistry of Joni Mitchell. Bassist Patricia Des Lauriers and drummer Bobbie Rae complement her lively, artful, and mostly percussive interpretations of such familiar classics as "Big Yellow Taxi" and more obscure but no less melodic and infectious gems like "Carey." There's a smooth, poppy sheen to those tracks, but the pianist goes a little more experimental on "Ladies Man," mixing hardcore swinging with slower, swaying passages – challenging the girls to keep up.

Rachel Z, a talented young keyboardist, sticks to acoustic piano and varies the personnel and instrumentation from track-to-track on this interesting set. In addition to a woodwind section, such players as violinist Regina Carter, tenor saxophonist George Garzone, bassist Charnett Moffett and drummers Terri Lyne Carrington and Cindy Blackman are among the supporting cast. Rachel's ten originals (which are dedicated to various women ranging from her mother and a 17th-century painter to Billie Holiday and Joni Mitchell) cover a lot of moods with the emphasis on relaxed and thoughtful pieces. Although her own piano playing sometimes recalls Herbie Hancock and Chick Corea (along with touches of Bill Evans and Keith Jarrett), Rachel Z is gradually developing her own style.

Legendary drummer Omar Hakim from Weather Report, Sting, Miles Davis and Chic has teamed up with pianist extraordinaire Rachel Z; whose work with such artists as Wayne Shorter, Steps Ahead, and Peter Gabriel has earned her international recognition and acclaim from her peers and fans alike. This exciting musical partnership features the tasteful virtuosity and sensitivity of these Grammy Award winning musicians as they take you on an exciting journey performing some of the most creative and unique arrangements of jazz standards and chart topping rock hits of the past 30 years.

Rachel Z’s new album, Everlasting, will dismay every jazz purist who hears it. Looking at the track listing, you might think that the cause of this disquiet would be her choice of songs, from artists like Johnny Cash, the Rolling Stones and the Smashing Pumpkins. But despite their nonsongbook origins, all the songs here offer numerous possibilities for dedicated jazzers; pianist Z, along with trio mates Bobbie Rae (drums) and Tony Levin (bass), should be able to use these raw materials to swing some tempi, explore some harmonies or simply rock out-but she often fails to do any of that.