Over the past two years Patricia Barber, USA jazz singer/songwriter/pianist extraordinaire, has been recording an eleven-song cycle. She called it MYTHOLOGIES and based it on The Metamorphoris of Ovid - the centuries-old classic of Western literature written by Roman poet Ovid; filled with gods, mortals and apparently, humour. Sounds crazy? Sounds dense and incomprehensible? Think again… This is Barber’s ninth album and it’s as accessible as those that went before, i.e. to music lovers and jazz aficionados she is one of the most accomplished and accessible jazz artists around. MYTHOLOGIES is a supreme example of the artist’s song writing skill, and is a must-have for any lover of serious contemporary music.

The Moon opens the album with wandering, muted piano notes before mythical sounds begin to circulate, and Barber finally gives forth with the opening salvo of verse. Oh that voice! It’s distinctive, elegant, and expressive yet understated. The song also reveals Barber’s ‘secret weapons’, namely her band of musicians who play so intuitively and expressively with their ‘boss.’ Michael Arnopol on bass and Eric Montzka on drums are magical, while guest tenor sax player Jim Gailloreto adds heady excitement during some memorable passages. The album meets and exceeds the audiophile recording standard of previous recordings, with vocals and instrumentals well defined, and a level of clarity you could set your watch by. The diversity of mood and tone here is remarkable; there’s the gentle, wistful contemplation of Morpheus and Pygmalion, the wandering pace and darkness of Hunger; the upbeat rush of Icarus (for Nina Simone); the mournful, glacial tone of Orpheus (ending on a rocky guitar note); and the Latin Sergio Mendes vibe of Persephone (with wonderful backing vocals by Paul Falk and Lawrice Flowers). Then there’s the rocky guitar riffs by Neal Alger and instinctive percussion/drumming by Montzka on the amazing, highly original Whiteworld (originally featured on Barber’s live album LIVE: A FORTNIGHT IN FRANCE), and the narrative style of final track The Hours with its beautifully judged gospel style vocal chorus, and more great guitar passages from Alger. Lyrically, the album is one of Barber’s best and marks her out as one of the finest writers of her generation. It’s also a contemporary music masterpiece, and essential listening.

5/5