REVIEWS
"A jazz singer
in the widest sense of the word...defies any description..."
Michael Aarens, Jazzdimensions, Germany 5/08*
_____________________________
Jazz
Times Magazine
Vox
from the April 2008 issue
KATIE
BULL
The Story, So Far (Corn Hill Indie)
What happens when performance art slams into vocal jazz? Two words:
Katie Bull. Though it is easy to detect myriad influences in Bull, extending
from the cool minimalism of Helen Merrill and Chet Baker to the boplicious
ingenuity of Jon Hendricks and the bold vibrancy of Sheila Jordan (one
of Bull’s earliest mentors), attempting to categorize the native
New Yorker, and leader of the city’s inter-arts movement, is rather
like trying to get a few dozen wriggling snakes to lay orderly and still.
If you want pretty ballads prettily sung, look elsewhere. But if you’re
in the mood for envelope-pushing experimentation on a grand scale, dive
into the 17 tracks that comprise this dazzling voyage into a beyond
so beyond that even as intrepid a pioneer as Bobby McFerrin is left
miles behind.
Opening
with “Which?,” a thunderously asymmetrical dissection of
a partner’s cunning changeability, she segues into the butter-soft,
Sondheim-worthy lullaby “A Song for Hudson’s Heart,”
then proceeds to insert sharp thorns among the velvety rose petals of
“For All We Know” before multi-tracking herself into a wonderful,
Dali-esque frenzy on “Twisted.” Her “Half Full”
seems a lover’s pursuit interpreted as a looming barroom brawl,
her “Next Generation Doodlin’” is a peanut butter-lined
head trip and her “Go Ahead” suggests a bemused cynic’s
spin on the old Mamas & the Papas anthem “Go Where You Wanna
Go.” There’s more, including a kaleidoscopic, four-part
“Dream Cycle” and an accompanying DVD of a quasi-medieval,
costumed romp-cum-clownfest (billed as a “walking dance”
through the streets of New York) shaped around Rodgers and Hart’s
“Lover” and Rodgers and Hammerstein’s “Some
Enchanted Evening,” but I think you get the brilliantly cacophonous
picture.
-Christopher
Loudon
_____________________________
JAZZ
IMPROV MAGAZINE (Featured
Interview in April '08 Jazz Improv Magazine is on national
stands now, look for the Frank Sinatra cover).
Vocalist
Katie Bull defies easy labeling. She has certain similarities to Sheila
Jordan, a mentor of sorts and major influence on Bull, in that her voice
can take on a variety of tonal traits and stylistic characteristics
without every sounding contrived or prone to imitation. “Which?,”
the album opener on The Story, So Far, features some biting questions
and snazzy delivery from Bull as she shoots vocal daggers this way and
that atop an easy, though powerful, swing feel. Gritty saxophones and
rhythmic punctuation follow her every statement and the barroom atmosphere
is intensified with the yells and shouts behind the saxophone solo.
As aggressive as this track is, Bull instantly changes gears and retains
this characteristic, with a slight hint of Rickie Lee Jones-esque wavering
added, through the lovely “A Song For Hudson’s Heart.”
A few spoken word lines come in during “For All We Know”
and Bull playfully scats and contributes some aural oddities as she
plays around with bassist Joe Fonda toward the top of the track. Pianists
Michael Jefry Stevens and Frank Kimbrough, alternating piano duties
throughout the album, do an excellent job supporting Bull and integrating
the piano within the framework of her songs. Bull’s voice is saxophone-like
during the first notes of “Twisted” and she engages in some
harmonizing and back and forth vocal discussion with herself. She twists
and turns around the saxophone solo on this song and then quickly removes
herself for a short time. “Half Full” begins with a stormy
mish-mash of sounds that quickly takes shape with swinging cymbals and
deep throaty saxophone sounds leading the way.
While
Bull’s vocals and the jazz content herein are the foundations
of this recording, it’s important to note that her other artistic
endeavors and associations with theatre and dance related projects inform
and strongly influence this music. A dramatic flair is present in every
song on this CD. “Next Generation Doodlin’” moves
from an explanation of making a peanut butter sandwich, to a confused
musical moment with a bizarre disco-vibe accompanying the “It’s
Your Birthday” chant. David Phelps’ guitar underscores Bull’s
breathy sounds and busier strains on “Paleontology.” Darting
saxophone lines, percussive accents and some musical direction changes
occur in “I Should’ve Noticed.” A bass vocal duet
between Bull and Fonda, on “Go Ahead,” makes for a nice
change of pace and sound. “Topanga Canyon” moves between
a (mock?) new-age-ish landscape, with vocal “ohhmmmm” sounds,
and a more vibrant, though occasionally bizarre, musical realm. Swooping
saxophone lines move over drums and bass at the start of “There
Will Never Be Another You” and Bull, delivering the lyrics and
demonstrating some scatting, really gets into this song. The easy swing
feel, Bull’s largely straightforward delivery and the great instrumental
soloing on “Jack” makes this track a joy. “Wake Up
Time” transmits a political message via a carousel and circus-like
musical theme toward the end of the song. “Dream Cycle 1,”
the first of four bonus tracks, is a subdued and soft track with any
signs of anger completely absent from the music. The ostinato beneath
Bull’s singing and spoken word-like statements on “Dream
Cycle 2” has more of a performance artist vibe than a jazz sound.
Bull’s voice seems to bend pitch more than usual on “Dream
Cycle 3,” the penultimate track on the CD, and I began to notice
some similarities between the timbre of Bull’s voice to that of
Fiona Apple when I hit this point on the CD. Piano and dissonant strings
come up beneath Bull’s voice on “Dream Cycle 4” and
this song brings the CD to a close. The Story, So Far doesn’t
end when the CD does. A DVD, featuring some bizarre footage of Bull
and her friends in medieval costumes costumes, comes as part of the
package. While the footage on this disc relates to the story that Bull
lays out in the liner notes, the music deserves the focus. Bull’s
performances of “Lover” and “Some Enchanted Evening”
act as the soundtrack and Bull puts her own unique stamp on both pieces.
The Story, So Far is an album with varied and eclectic sounds and styles
that come together under Bull’s vocal direction.
(December
2007)
_____________________________
Lira Magazine (Sweden):
May , 08 Press
KATIE BULL
The Story, So Far
Corn Hill Indie
Vocal Jazz and Street Theater
http://www.lira.se/article.asp?articleid=1824
English
Translation by Magnus Ericksson:
The Story, So Far is Katie Bull’s third cd. The bargain includes
a dvd where some standards form an integral part of a street masquerade,
which reminds one of the avantgarde street theater in Haight Asbury.
That kind of happy avantgardism also characterizes Katie Bull’s
music. Its exploratory joy, unbiassed aeshetics and charming whimsiness
also bring forward the spirit of the Canterbury school of the 70’s
English rock scene.
The music moves in different directions: singer/songwriter rock, bebop
vocals, capricious ballads, smoky club jazz. The blowers alternates
between energetic New Orleans riffs and free jazz exploration. Frank
Kimbrough swings incessantly, and the rhythm section flows forward with
easy-going and delightful swing.
Katie
Bull’s musical expressivity is sharp and a little edgy, bold,
brave, and inquiring, but joyful and happy as well. It vibrates everything
with a silent joy. It expresses a kind of wild happiness, which is totally
irresistible.
Magnus Eriksson, Lira, No. 5, December, 2007. Reprinted & Released
On Lira Website - May 08.
_____________________________
GERMAN
REVIEW: JAZZ DIMENSIONS; Michael Arens
Subject: Re: Media Alert: Katie Bull The Story So Far Corn Hill Indie
1004
CD Review: review of Katie Bull's album is online. Direct link:
http://www.jazzdimensions.de/reviews/jazz/2008/katie_bull_story.html
Katie
Bull - "The Story, So Far"
We
begin with the conversation of "The Story, So Far" with the
knowledge that Katie Bull is a singer. A Jazz singer in the widest sense
of the word. And now we are, straight away in the dilemma. Katie Bull
and her album are all in its own universe that in itself defies any
description.
I
hear dissonance in her singing, real jazz, but also playful homage to
the nineteen twenties, a remembrance to the middle ages, an arrangement
that could be born out of a musical. The album itself seems to tell
stories, with pictures and illustrations that are designed luxuriously
within a double CD and DVD compellation. (the body of work includes
a CD as well as a DVD....)
Because
Katie Bull is at once or most likely foremost a performer.
The
New Yorker shows in her DVD, where her story begins and ends, in the
street. Dream like sequences of her performance with costumes from the
middle ages underline the mystique, as well as the fragmented impression
of the piece as a whole.
A
few sentences do not do justice to describe "The Story, So Far".
Who ever would like simplicity would be better of picking an album of
a different artist. Katie Bulls album is very unusual,and for sure fascinating
to hear and digest.
Michael Arens
translation by Ilse Pfeifer
_____________________________
AMERICAN REVIEW: May 20, 2008
Media Alert: Katie Bull The Story So Far Corn Hill Indie 1004 Street
Date November 1, 2007
Katie Bull, vocals, Frank Kimbrough, piano, Michael Jefry Stevens, piano,
Joe Fonda, bass
Matt Wilson, drums, Harvey Sorgen, drums, Jeff Lederer, Saxophones,
David CasT, Saxophones, David Phelps, guitar
CD
Review:
http://acousticlevitation.org/katiebull.html
KATIE
BULL. The Story So Far.
Corn Hill Indie 1004, CD 66:55 + DVD 18:00, cdbaby.com; katiebull.com
Review by Steve Koenig
Katie Bull couldn't have picked a better crew of musicians to support
her work, among them pianists Frank Kimbrough and Michael Jefry Stevens,
bassist Joe Fonda, drummers Matt Wilson and Harvey Sorgen, each beloved
by jazzfolk. The Story So Far is a frolic. She mixes standards with
her own compositions, which are lively, sly, wicked and wistful and
straddle the jazz/cabaret/singersongerwriter continuum. Lyrics to her
own songs on the main album are included in the booklet.
Opening with "Which," asking the age-old question whether
you are a good witch or a bad witch. The answer is a healthy mix of
both...Bull toys with being naughty, which is a treat... She demonstrates
a charming scat-ability in the standard "For All We Know."
Risking
"Twisted," her musicians work for her, egging her on, and
maybe she is nuts...
The
duo with Joe Fonda, "Go Ahead," is the track to audition:
excellent phrase manipulation by both; a solid joy.
"Next
Generation Doodlin'" is a nod not to Horace Silver's classic "Doodlin'"
but to her young daughter drawing and writing, about peanut butter sandwiches,
and eventually to a senator about Martin Luther King. "Jack"
finds her using a full deck in a clever love song based on playing cards.
Naughtier is "Half Full": "I don't just swallow it/ I
taste it too/ I'm going for the whole ride."
The final cut before the "bonus tracks," "Wake Up Time,"
has an oom pah pah rhythm and a blunt riposte to Bush: "No weapons
of mass destruction found/WMD."
The album proper is followed by a quartet of so-called bonus tracks,
labeled "The Dream Cycle," another reference to Dr. King"
and continues the fairy tale-meets-politics-and-cabaret concept. Darker
in tone than most of the album, it is backed by a piano quintet, where
the piano takes the lead, the strings mostly slashing.
The packaging is visually striking, a threefold digipak with a booklet
and bonus DVD with the musicians caricatured as medieval creatures.
Performing on the DVD (and under the disc trays), hippie-colored actors
from Atlantic Studio, as if the Incredible String Band joined the Radical
Faeries, a vaguely mime-ish romp through the streets of Soho, as Bull
sings a pair of standards, Rodgers and Hart's "It's a Waltz,"
plus "Some Enchanted Evening."
Katie Bull has certainly intrigued me. From The Story, So Far, I look
forward to hearing what tales will she will next conjure.
_____________________________
January
7, 2008
Media Alert: Katie Bull The Story So Far Corn
Hill Indie 1004 Street Date November 1, 2007
Katie Bull, vocals, Frank Kimbrough, piano, Michael Jefry Stevens, piano,
Joe Fonda, bass
Matt Wilson, drums, Harvey Sorgen, drums, Jeff Lederer, Saxophones,
David CasT, Saxophones, David Phelps, guitar
CD
Review by
Jim Santella
View
the article here:
http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=27871
Review Courtesy AllAboutJazz.com
The Story, So Far
Katie Bull | Corn Hill Indie
By Jim Santella
A genuine jazz singer, Katie Bull pulls no punches when it comes to
interpreting original material. She tosses in a few classic songs on
The Story, So Far while portraying lyrics convincingly, scat singing
with natural ease, adding a sincere blues texture to each selection,
all of it coming from the bottom of her heart.
Her
voice remains strong and accurate as she relates memorable stories in
the pure jazz idiom. She and bassist Joe Fonda describe her aims perfectly
on their duo piece “Go Ahead,” with an ironic message about
blind ambition and how it takes people out of focus. This session proves
that carving a piece of mainstream vocal jazz works quite well for Katie
Bull and company. As she interprets “There Will Never Be Another
You” tenderly along with Fonda, soprano saxophonist Jeff Lederer,
pianist Frank Kimbrough and drummer Matt Wilson, the singer reveals
incredible chops to go along with her true spirit. Except for a change
to alto sax and multi-tracked vocal harmony on “Twisted,”
the same unit surges forward with courage to give this classic Annie
Ross-Wardell Gray tune a facelift.
A
New York native, Bull took to the arts as a multi-faceted discipline
early on, her father teaching modern dance at NYU. A graduate of SUNY
Purchase, she’s been thoroughly immersed in music, dance, writing
and directing. The influence that singing teachers Jay Clayton and Sheila
Jordan have left upon her soul remain quite apparent. As pianist Michael
Jefry Stevens, Fonda, drummer Harvey Sorgen and baritone saxophonist
David CasT assist Bull with a dramatic original on “Half Full,”
you can feel the fierce forces of her creative spirit turning corners.
Later, she and guitarist David Phelps deliver “Paleontology,”
another original with a tale about life’s cares that is siphoned
through the blues.
Underlying
Bull’s focus on jazz as a partner in multiple disciplines, the
accompanying twenty-minute DVD features dreamlike sequences with medieval
costumes as a cast of players work with the singer on city sidewalks
to extend her musical session. The DVD includes vocal versions of “Lover”
and “Some Enchanted Evening,” which conclusively complement
this recommended audio CD.
Track Listing: Which?; A Song for Hudson’s Heart;
For All We Know; Twisted; Half Full; Next Generation Doodlin’;
Paleontology; I Should’ve Noticed; Go Ahead; Topanga Canyon; There
Will Never Be Another You; Jack; Wake Up Time, Dream Cycle.
Personnel:
Katie Bull: vocals; Frank Kimbrough, Michael Jefry Stevens: piano; Joe
Fonda: double-bass; Harvey Sorgen: drums; Matt Wilson: drums; David
Phelps: guitar; David Cast: baritone saxophone, bass clarinet, tenor
saxophone; Jeff Lederer: soprano saxophone, alto saxophone, tenor saxophone;
Nick Brough: synth (1); Theo Hill: piano (14); Michelle Stewart: violin
(14); Anastasia Solberg: violin (14); Siobhan Solberg: viola (14); Aaron
Minsky: cello (14).
All
material copyright © 2007 All About Jazz and contributing writers.
All rights reserved.
_____________________________
THE
STORY, SO FAR just made the All About Jazz - New York Best of 2007 LIST
in the HONORABLE MENTION category!!!!
View the article here:
http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=28039
_____________________________
THE
STORY, SO FAR - CHOSEN for JAZZ IMPROV TOP CDs 2007 (December 2007 Issue,
Jazz Improv NY Magazine)
_____________________________
JAZZ
IMPROV MAGAZINE December
Vocalist
Katie Bull defies easy labeling. She has certain similarities to Sheila
Jordan, a mentor of sorts and major influence on Bull, in that her voice
can take on a variety of tonal traits and stylistic characteristics
without every sounding contrived or prone to imitation. “Which?,”
the album opener on The Story, So Far, features some biting questions
and snazzy delivery from Bull as she shoots vocal daggers this way and
that atop an easy, though powerful, swing feel. Gritty saxophones and
rhythmic punctuation follow her every statement and the barroom atmosphere
is intensified with the yells and shouts behind the saxophone solo.
As aggressive as this track is, Bull instantly changes gears and retains
this characteristic, with a slight hint of Rickie Lee Jones-esque wavering
added, through the lovely “A Song For Hudson’s Heart.”
A few spoken word lines come in during “For All We Know”
and Bull playfully scats and contributes some aural oddities as she
plays around with bassist Joe Fonda toward the top of the track. Pianists
Michael Jefry Stevens and Frank Kimbrough, alternating piano duties
throughout the album, do an excellent job supporting Bull and integrating
the piano within the framework of her songs. Bull’s voice is saxophone-like
during the first notes of “Twisted” and she engages in some
harmonizing and back and forth vocal discussion with herself. She twists
and turns around the saxophone solo on this song and then quickly removes
herself for a short time. “Half Full” begins with a stormy
mish-mash of sounds that quickly takes shape with swinging cymbals and
deep throaty saxophone sounds leading the way.
While
Bull’s vocals and the jazz content herein are the foundations
of this recording, it’s important to note that her other artistic
endeavors and associations with theatre and dance related projects inform
and strongly influence this music. A dramatic flair is present in every
song on this CD. “Next Generation Doodlin’” moves
from an explanation of making a peanut butter sandwich, to a confused
musical moment with a bizarre disco-vibe accompanying the “It’s
Your Birthday” chant. David Phelps’ guitar underscores Bull’s
breathy sounds and busier strains on “Paleontology.” Darting
saxophone lines, percussive accents and some musical direction changes
occur in “I Should’ve Noticed.” A bass vocal duet
between Bull and Fonda, on “Go Ahead,” makes for a nice
change of pace and sound. “Topanga Canyon” moves between
a (mock?) new-age-ish landscape, with vocal “ohhmmmm” sounds,
and a more vibrant, though occasionally bizarre, musical realm. Swooping
saxophone lines move over drums and bass at the start of “There
Will Never Be Another You” and Bull, delivering the lyrics and
demonstrating some scatting, really gets into this song. The easy swing
feel, Bull’s largely straightforward delivery and the great instrumental
soloing on “Jack” makes this track a joy. “Wake Up
Time” transmits a political message via a carousel and circus-like
musical theme toward the end of the song. “Dream Cycle 1,”
the first of four bonus tracks, is a subdued and soft track with any
signs of anger completely absent from the music. The ostinato beneath
Bull’s singing and spoken word-like statements on “Dream
Cycle 2” has more of a performance artist vibe than a jazz sound.
Bull’s voice seems to bend pitch more than usual on “Dream
Cycle 3,” the penultimate track on the CD, and I began to notice
some similarities between the timbre of Bull’s voice to that of
Fiona Apple when I hit this point on the CD. Piano and dissonant strings
come up beneath Bull’s voice on “Dream Cycle 4” and
this song brings the CD to a close. The Story, So Far doesn’t
end when the CD does. A DVD, featuring some bizarre footage of Bull
and her friends in medieval costumes costumes, comes as part of the
package. While the footage on this disc relates to the story that Bull
lays out in the liner notes, the music deserves the focus. Bull’s
performances of “Lover” and “Some Enchanted Evening”
act as the soundtrack and Bull puts her own unique stamp on both pieces.
The Story, So Far is an album with varied and eclectic sounds and styles
that come together under Bull’s vocal direction.
_____________________________
KATIE
BULL "THE STORY, SO FAR" - CITIZEN JAZZ, France
Un
objet multimédia à la pochette gothique aguicheuse. Si
le DVD laisse un peu perplexe, le jazz vocal de Katie Bull sort des
autoroutes rebattues du genre. Son chant certes assez classique se mélange
à merveille avec des saxophones que les notes suraiguës
n'effraient pas. Il n'est donc pas choquant que ce disque flatte d'abord
les yeux avant de séduire l'oreille. http://www.citizenjazz.com/
FUN & BIZARRE ENGLISH TRANSLATIONS of Citizen Jazz Review!!!
Google/language
translation tools:
"A
multimedia object to the cover Gothic aguicheuse.
If
the DVD leaves a bit puzzled, jazz voice
Katie
Bull highways reshuffled fate of the genre.
His
certainly quite classic song mixes wonderfully
with
saxophones that notes peracute N'effraient not.
It
is therefore not shocking that this
Disk
flatters first before our eyes deceive
The
ear." http://www.google.com/language_tools
I ran this through Alta Vista's Babelfish and got the following equally
cryptic but very different version:
"A
multi-media object with the Gothic small pocket teaser. If the DVD leaves
a little perplexed, the vocal jazz of Katie Bull leaves the motorways
rebattues of the kind. Its rather traditional song certainly mixes with
wonder with saxophones which the overshrill notes do not frighten. It
is thus not shocking that this disc flatters initially the eyes before
alluring the ear."
Katie's
favorite quote so far: "A gothic pocket teaser.." - Citizen
Jazz
(Jazz
that's not only "in" the pocket, it "teases" the
pocket!!)
_____________________________
Google
News Alert for: katie bull, the story so far
Katie
Bull
Metro Spirit - Augusta,GA,USA
If you're a fan of GREAT JAZZ WITH SOME CONTEMPORARY TWISTS,
then listen to Katie Bulls' "The Story So Far" CD, available
at www.katiebull.com.
See all stories on this topic
_____________________________
October
26, 2007
Jazz
Listings
By THE NEW YORK TIMES - NATE CHINEN
"On
her recent self-release “The Story, So Far,” the singer
Katie Bull engages confidently with musicians like the saxophonist Jeff
Lederer and the bassist Joe Fonda..."
_____________________________
All
About Jazz - October 2007
"It
is reasonable to think that there’s nothing new under the sun
with jazz vocalists, and that everyone is simply rehashing the American
songbook to death. But might I propose my best counter for such opinions:
vocalist / composer Katie Bull, who has put together a recording that
mixes the idiosyncratic with the straight-ahead in white knuckle fashion.
In perfect pitch and tone, Bull mixes the freedom of Betty Carter with
the soul of a bohemian street singer. Add to the mix a collection of
open-minded and like-minded musicians like drummer Matt Wilson (who
nearly steals the show) and pianist Frank Kimbrough and Bull is practically
reinventing the vocal wheel. Most of the selections on The Story, So
Far (CD with DVD companion) clock in at under six minutes, so Bull wastes
no time in setting the tone and stage for each creative original. Tunes
range from the raucous “Which?” to the spacious “Jack,”
which features some emotional tenor work by David CasT. Standards like
“Twisted” and “There Will Never Be Another You”
are given extra dashes of Cayenne pepper, with multiple vocal personalities
present on the former, and eerie and provocative soprano accompaniment
on the latter. All throughout The Story, So Far, Wilson’s stick
work is fascinating, combining the irreverence of Spike Jones with the
sublime swing of Jo Jones. The Story, So Far is a wild roller coaster
of a vocal ride. The accompanying DVD is a form of street theater, reminiscent
of the local Renaissance Faire meeting Haight-Ashbury. Open-minded and
open-ended ears will find plenty to love about Katie Bull and her story
so far."
By
George Harris
_____________________________
"The
Story So Far" offers improvisational jazz from a unique vocalist
by : Rich McCracken II; Metro Spirit
Katie
Bull can be best described as an improvisational artist and actress.
This is what my perception was on compiling the information on this
unique vocalist. The big surprise on this CD was the great jazz music.
The singing is wonderful, too.
This
is one thing that you keep in mind as a CD reviewer: You can receive
some really good music and some that is new and innovative.
This
is jazz that is more in the style of Ella, Mingus, Coltrane, Charlie
Parker and Miles Davis. The song called "Which" has a lot
of great jazz playing. The saxophone, upright bass, piano, drums and
vocals really stand out in this track. The reverse, slowed-down vocal
effects add a unique touch. This tune sounds like it was a live recording.
The people there are really digging the saxophone playing.
That
makes this is very different stuff for the listener - more like easy
listening, laid-back jazz. It has sort of a maverick quality to it,
but still steeps itself in the traditional jazz melodies of yesteryear.
The
song called "Paleontology" has what could be an electric piano
at the beginning. It has a very ethereal, atmospheric sound. Also, there
is an electric guitar on this track. It is one of the more unusual songs
on the CD. The tone of this guitar is quite unusual.
The song called "Half Full" is another good jazz track. The
emphasis is on the instruments. This time we have Elvin Jones-type drumming,
upright bass plucking and piano. It sounds like a baritone saxophone
was used on this track. Some of the chordings on the piano parts reminded
me of Dave Brubeck and also some of the Charlie Brown soundtrack.
The
overall sound on the CD is very good. It shows that jazz is truly improvisational.
If you're a fan of great jazz with some contemporary twists, then listen
to Katie Bulls' "The Story So Far" CD, available at www.katiebull.com.
_____________________________
Andrea
Canter, jazzpolice.com
Back on the studio stage, another singer gathered an impressive band
and introduced the audience to her skills as vocalist, songwriter, and
performance artist arranger. Young Katie Bull, buoyed by a quartet of
such heavyweights as Frank Kimbrough, Jay Anderson, Harvie Sorgen (drums)
and Jeff Lederer (sax), provided a set of original compositions and
arrangements that transformed voice into horn and back again with seeming
ease, and melded related art forms (including spoken word and acrobatic
performance art) into a surprisingly cohesive whole. On “The Fountain,”
Bull’s elastic voice blended with the band into a soft and ethereal
haze; on “Jack,” several athletic cohorts tumbled in response
to the lyrics, nearly flying headlong into the audience in a much-too-small
space. “Wake Up Time” was written as an ode to the upcoming
election, and one could not help but think of Bull as a potential Mose
Allison or Dave Frishberg for Gen X. More of this creative approach
can be found on Bull’s new CD/DVD project, The Story So Far.
_____________________________
Suzanne
Lorge - All About Jazz (NY) Vox News Sept. 07
"..Bull gets it right...'it' being something wholly undefined
and unconventional."
_____________________________
Ron
Sweetman Picks KATIE BULL "THE STORY, SO FAR"
“IN
A MELLOW TONE”
Playlist
– December 5, 2007
Program
Topic:
SHOPPING
LIST: Some gift suggestions – 8 new CDs, two books, two magazines
and a calendar. We will also take a few minutes to honour the memory
of the 14 victims of the Montreal massacre of December 6, 1989.
Artist:
Katie Bull
Album: The Story, So Far
Tune: Which!
Label: Corn Hill Indie
Artist:
Katie Bull
Album: The Story, So Far
Tune: Go Ahead
Label: Corn Hill Indie
_____________________________
John
Book, www.musicforamerica.org
Katie Bull is a jazz vocalist with a lot of personality, and she presents
that on the album graphics and of course her new CD/DVD combo, The Story,
So Far (Corn Hill). She and her musicians get heavy on the jazzy side
of things where they gets to show off her vocal gymnastics, but she
also does a great job at performing delicate ballads, as she does in
"A Song For Hudson's Heart" and "Paleontology".
Even with jazz roots, Bell goes all over the place with her singing
and music, where it might sound a bit more rock oriented (or early jump
R&B) or... let's just say that her music has a lot of twists that
she probably pulls off very well in live shows. The DVD in this package
shows off a bit of that live finesse, and it's almost scary. Almost.
Experience
this or else.
_____________________________
CD
Review posted on the JPL list (Radio DJs):
Did
anyone mention Katie Bull?
This
young vocalist from Soho sent her CD my way for review, and my-o-my
has she got it goin’ on. Entitled "The Story So Far"
Ms. Bull stretches out in both her vocalese and her subjective estimation
of life on this planet...so far. Ten of the 13 cuts are (refreshingly)
originals…two are perfect for those of you who have a Halloween
show planned (listen to "Which?" or is it "Witch?").
And then there is "Wake Up Time" that will fit the programming
for the war (or anti-war) show that one of you is putting together.
In my subjective estimation, her rendition of "Twisted" is
the best in this era in jazz.
Being
from the Left Coast, I don’t know her musicians, but they are
stellar, and they too stretch out quite vividly. This is outré
jazz that is still quite
playable on-air. It is refreshing to witness such a young talent embrace
the art form in its truest sense. Like a well put together radio show,
this is one of those CDs where you keep listening to hear what she’s
going to do next. There is a fun, if not silly, DVD included with the
release that reflects just how young this songbird is...if anything,
it is fun to watch Katie and her posse storm the streets of lower Manhattan
in a bit of Medieval madness. My next visit to the City will include
a search for Katie Bull chant dans l'exécution.
Michelle Mobley - JPL
310-833-0947
michelle_mobley@sbcglobal.net
_____________________________
October 11, 2007
MIDWEST RECORD (Volume 30/Number 345)
CHRIS SPECTOR, Editor and Publisher
2007 Midwest Record
You
could almost call this jazz for people that don’t like jazz. A
vocalist writer inspired by kitties like Annie Ross and Anita O’Day,
Bull is a real swinger and has some free flowing cats like Matt Wilson
on board to insure such swingatude. Steeped in downtown attitude, this
is a real ear opener for the forward thinking listener that likes their
tradition cut with a heaping helping of cutting edge. This is certainly
not a date that will leave you high and dry. 1004 (Corn Hill Indie)
_____________________________
Marc
Nolis, Mazz Musika
RECOMMENDED CD
_____________________________
Kenny
Inaoka JazzTokyo
Excellent
review on Katie’s album with a big album color in the December
issue of Swing Journal,
the internationally well-known Japan’s most influential jazz monthly.
_____________________________
Skoot
Larson, skootsjazz.com
Taking the Bull With the Horns
http://www.skootsjazz.com/webcopy/KatieB.pdf
_____________________________
Fabio
Viola, Musica Black
http://www.musicablack.com
_____________________________
Tom
Hull, TomHull.com
Recommended
www.tomhull.com/ocston/nm/shop/vocal-80.html
_____________________________
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