ELIF CAGLER - Misfit
(Nu-Dc Records nuDC0003)
Elif Cagler (vcl) Aaron Parks (pno) Harish Raghavan (bs) Eric Harland (drs) Ilhan Ersahin (saxes) Imer Demirer (tpt) Cenk Erogan (e bow & fretless gtr)
Elif Cagler is a Turkish singer based in Istanbul, this is the third album of her five year recording career. Very much a vocalist within the contemporary genre, with a minimalist approach she has produced here an album of ten songs where the lyrics, music and arrangements are all by herself. The choice of musicians is excellent, Blue Note pianist Aaron Parks is very much a man on the rise with seven albums under his own name and twenty five as a sideman with the likes of Terence Blanchard, Ambrose Akinmusire and Joshua Redman. Eric Harland is well established on the world stage and the first call drummer for McCoy Tyner and Charles Lloyd. Making up the core trio is Harish Rahavan who initially grew up in Chicago and is now one of the most prominent bass players on the New York scene. The other excellent Turkish musicians make only fleeting appearances as the album progresses.
This recording is very profound, underlined by the singers mission statement within the liner notes : " Dedicated to all dreamers who do not fit this system that perceives running after what we believe as sassiness and tries to mold our unique souls into one shape. How great it is to know that you've always existed". The style and subject matter of the lyric writing is very much from the "Leonard Cohen" school with topics such as solitude, god, weakness, feeling shallow, fairy tales, comfort, loved ones and running from reality etc. The leaders voice, although very much her own, does at times remind the listener of Christine Tobin both in accent and delivery.
Everything about this release is of very high quality, from the vocals, to the high standard and empathy of the musicians, all the way down to the packaging and lyric sheets provided. It is one of those very fine recordings that gives more with each listen.
Reviewed by Jim Burlong
(Nu-Dc Records nuDC0003)
Elif Cagler (vcl) Aaron Parks (pno) Harish Raghavan (bs) Eric Harland (drs) Ilhan Ersahin (saxes) Imer Demirer (tpt) Cenk Erogan (e bow & fretless gtr)
Elif Cagler is a Turkish singer based in Istanbul, this is the third album of her five year recording career. Very much a vocalist within the contemporary genre, with a minimalist approach she has produced here an album of ten songs where the lyrics, music and arrangements are all by herself. The choice of musicians is excellent, Blue Note pianist Aaron Parks is very much a man on the rise with seven albums under his own name and twenty five as a sideman with the likes of Terence Blanchard, Ambrose Akinmusire and Joshua Redman. Eric Harland is well established on the world stage and the first call drummer for McCoy Tyner and Charles Lloyd. Making up the core trio is Harish Rahavan who initially grew up in Chicago and is now one of the most prominent bass players on the New York scene. The other excellent Turkish musicians make only fleeting appearances as the album progresses.
This recording is very profound, underlined by the singers mission statement within the liner notes : " Dedicated to all dreamers who do not fit this system that perceives running after what we believe as sassiness and tries to mold our unique souls into one shape. How great it is to know that you've always existed". The style and subject matter of the lyric writing is very much from the "Leonard Cohen" school with topics such as solitude, god, weakness, feeling shallow, fairy tales, comfort, loved ones and running from reality etc. The leaders voice, although very much her own, does at times remind the listener of Christine Tobin both in accent and delivery.
Everything about this release is of very high quality, from the vocals, to the high standard and empathy of the musicians, all the way down to the packaging and lyric sheets provided. It is one of those very fine recordings that gives more with each listen.
Reviewed by Jim Burlong
