Cyrus Chestnut – My Father’s Hands (2022) [FLAC 24bit/96kHz]

Cyrus Chestnut - My Father's Hands (2022) [FLAC 24bit/96kHz] Download

There have been a number of famous jazz artists whose offspring have followed their father’s footsteps into music. Think only of Ellis Marsalis and his sons, Dewey and Joshua Redman, Papa John and Joey DeFrancesco, Bucky and John Pizzarelli, Walter and Nicholas Payton and Harry Connick Senior & Junior. But for every famous father in jazz there are an unknowable number of fathers who inspired and nurtured their progeny’s talent from the sidelines and encouraged them to go into music and pursue their dreams. Such a man was McDonald Chestnut whose internationally renowned son, pianist Cyrus Chestnut, remembers his dad with this touching memorial, My Father’s Hands. By carefully choosing a wide range of repertoire – including originals, standards and jazz classics – and with the great bassist Peter Washington and the legendary Lewis Nash on drums, Cyrus has crafted not just an intensely personal reminiscence but a truly beautiful jazz album in all respects. The material is strong, the sequencing uniquely satisfying and the performances display a unity of conception and execution that can only be called remarkable. Top it off with the exceptional recording quality and you have not only another fabulous jazz record, but a lasting and moving tribute to a father from his son.With the death of Cyrus Chestnut’s 85-year-old father, McDonald Chestnut, in 2021, the pianist lost not only his most passionate supporter but the man who first taught him to play. A self-taught pianist and organist, the elder Chestnut played in church (along with his wife, a choir director). He introduced the younger Chestnut to classical piano, gospel, and traditional spirituals, setting Cyrus on the path to eventually become one of the most accomplished jazz musicians of his generation. With 2022’s My Father’s Hands, Chestnut pays tribute to his dad, crafting a heartfelt album that touches upon jazz and pop standards, Latin rhythms, and originals. Joining him are two of his longtime associates and esteemed contemporaries, bassist Peter Washington and drummer Lewis Nash. Together, they play with an intuitive warmth and camaraderie. As the album is an homage to his father’s memory, one might expect it to be melancholy or sad. However, while there are certainly moments of tearful beauty, as on Chestnut’s lyrical rendition of the ballad “But Beautiful,” the record is never maudlin and finds him in a lively mood. This is especially true on the opening original “Nippon Soul Connection,” a blues swinger in the ’60s hard bop tradition. He also dives into Ray Bryant’s Latin number “Cubano Chant” and subtly subverts expectations with his bossa nova take on the classic “There Will Never Be Another You.” We also get a dusky and introspective reading of the Beatles’ “Yesterday.” His father’s essence is perhaps best captured on “I Must Tell Jesus,” a soulful hymn that Chestnut plays solo, infusing the measured gospel melody with warm chordal harmonies that shimmer with joy. – Matt Collar

Tracklist:

1-1. Cyrus Chestnut – Nippon Soul Connection (07:24)
1-2. Cyrus Chestnut – Thinking About You (05:19)
1-3. Cyrus Chestnut – Cubano Chant (04:04)
1-4. Cyrus Chestnut – Baubles, Bangles and Beads (04:42)
1-5. Cyrus Chestnut – Yesterday (04:14)
1-6. Cyrus Chestnut – I Must Tell Jesus (03:23)
1-7. Cyrus Chestnut – Working Out Just Fine (06:31)
1-8. Cyrus Chestnut – There Will Never Be Another You (04:15)
1-9. Cyrus Chestnut – But Beautiful (02:58)
1-10. Cyrus Chestnut – Epilogue (05:57)

Download:

mqs.link_CyrusChestnutMyFathersHands20222496

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