Paul McCartney
Paul McCartney's songs travel far beyond their rock origins. Melodic, singable and built for reinvention, they turn up here in jazz sets, a cappella harmony, intimate guitar ballads and even harpsichord with drums and bass.
The best of them are built like standards: a strong melodic line, room for harmony, and a lyric that still lands when the band falls away. Across these recordings the songs meet new rooms, from male a cappella Beatles sets to jazz ballads, from guitar and voice to harpsichord with rhythm section. Eleanor Rigby and Yesterday hold their own beside theatre and art song. Blackbird, Fool on the Hill, Norwegian Wood and For No One keep their character whether the setting is intimate or playful. That durability is the writing.
Compositions by Paul McCartney appear on
The Art of Melody
Jazz legends Tony Gould (piano) and Graeme Lyall (saxophone) offer superb readings of well-known standards, joined by Ben Robertson on double bass and Joe Batrouney on drums.
Songe
Emma Gilmartin’s follow-up to her collaboration with Tony Gould, Tomorrow, just you wait and see, is a poised jazz vocal set: standards, two of her own songs, and a clear, understated delivery.
Pablo
Melbourne a cappella sextet Pablo make their Move debut with pop, folk and spirituals. Close harmony takes in Billy Joel, The Beatles, sea shanties and gospel-tinged arrangements.
A Classic Case of Love
Soprano Helen Noonan and guitarist Peter Constant present an intimate programme of love songs spanning centuries, from folk and early music to Schubert, Satie, Villa-Lobos and the twentieth-century stage and songbook.
Bizarre or baRock
Elizabeth Anderson explores harpsichord music across four centuries: from Conceição’s raw 17th-century battle piece and traditional Baroque repertoire to jazz, blues, Gershwin and the Beatles with drums and bass. Weird, wild, wacky and wonderful – you’ve never heard the harpsichord like this.
Just For The Record
Renowned jazz singer Linda Cable gathers moody ballads and up-tempo standards in a polished set that moves from cool and slinky to full swing.
Polyphony
The Phones were an a cappella group with a comedic bent. This 1984 album largely reflects their interest in contemporary music of the preceding twenty-five years, mixing pop classics with Australian songs and original pieces.
Are you dancing too?
Love Rhapsody
Emma Sidney’s debut jazz album Love Rhapsody traces love in every mood, from triumph to loss. Standards sit beside three of her own songs, sung with swing, Latin colour and intimate ballad feeling.
titlewave
On their first Move disc, titlewave, Loco Tempo – vocalist Colleen Hunt and pianist/arranger Rick Freeman – are joined by a first-rate jazz combo, including guitarist Mark Viggiani and trombonist Jordan Murray, in standards chosen for their timeless quality.
Rhythm of Life
A delicious blend of highlights from Broadway shows, popular music theatre, traditional songs and operatic hits, sung with style by Melbourne vocal ensemble Pot-Pourri.