Various Artists – Ice on the Hudson: Songs by Renee Rosnes and David Hajdu CD

CD in 4-panel digipak with an 8-page booklet featuring liner notes by Will Friedwald and photography by Carlo Allegri and Takako Harkness.

“The pairing of an eminent jazz artist with an equally distinguished author isn’t unprecedented…But pianist Renee Rosnes’ teaming with David Hajdu, one of the sharpest music and culture observers around, is deeper, filling a complete album, more fully collaborative—Rosnes wrote all of the music—and expansive, with four top-drawer singers divvying up the 11-track playlist…All are exceptionally good.”
— Christopher Loudon, JazzTimes

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ICE ON THE HUDSON features vocalists René Marie, Janis Siegel, Darius de Haas and Karen Oberlin and an all-star ensemble interpreting diverse songs about the emotional complexities of adult life in today’s world.

There’s a special chemistry that’s found only in the rarest of songwriting partnerships, forever linking the names of composer and lyricist in the minds of listeners. The names Renee Rosnes and David Hajdu are already well known to music lovers: Rosnes as one of her generation’s most acclaimed jazz composers and pianists, Hajdu as an award-winning author and critic. With ICE ON THE HUDSON, their first collaborative album of songs, the pair reveals a breathtaking synergy, crafting a collection of deeply felt and genre-defying songs that join words and music with alchemical results.

ICE ON THE HUDSON brings together four magnificent vocalists: revered, GRAMMY® Award-nominated jazz singer René Marie; Manhattan Transfer co-founder and nine-time GRAMMY® winner Janis Siegel, celebrated musical-theater and art-song interpreter Darius de Haas; and acclaimed jazz/pop performer Karen Oberlin. Their voices are matched by a stunning ensemble, featuring Rosnes at the piano with cellist Erik Friedlander, saxophonists Steve Wilson and Seamus Blake, clarinetist Ken Peplowski, bassist Sean Smith, drummer Carl Allen, and percussionist Rogério Boccato.

While both Rosnes and Hajdu can boast considerable accomplishments in their respective fields, songwriting was a fairly new endeavor for both. Rosnes had had a handful of her instrumental compositions set to lyrics, and Hajdu had collaborated on a few songs with Fred Hersch and others. When Rosnes and Hajdu decided to try writing together, five years ago, “Everything clicked,” in Hajdu’s words.

Given the tantalizing complexity of Hajdu’s words, Rosnes found herself exploring a wide range of sensibilities, never concerned with genre. Ultimately, while some pieces fit comfortably into the jazz songwriting tradition of Jon Hendricks or Bob Dorough, others evoke the world of musical theater or such respected singer-songwriters as Joni Mitchell or Randy Newman. “When I embarked on this project with David, I put the idea of genre out of my mind,” she explains. “I was most interested in allowing the lyrics to inspire and move me in whatever direction that musically translated to.”

released October 12, 2018

René Marie – vocals (1, 7)
Janis Siegel – vocals (2, 6, 9)
Darius de Haas – vocals (3, 5, 11)
Karen Oberlin – vocals (4, 8, 10)
Renee Rosnes – piano
Sean Smith – bass
Carl Allen – drums

Steve Wilson – alto (1, 10) and soprano saxophone (2)
Seamus Blake – tenor saxophone (6, 11)
Ken Peplowski – clarinet (5)
Erik Friedlander – cello (2, 7, 8)
Rogério Boccato – percussion (6, 7, 8, 11)