What a discovery; what a great idea. Producer Jason Olaine has taken songs from a number of Disney movies—some rarely recorded by jazz musicians—and made fresh new versions, utilizing some of today's most well-known jazz artists.

The performers range from 90 year-old piano legend Dave Brubeck Dave Brubeck
1920 - 2012
piano to 17 year-old Canadian vocalist Nikki Yanofsky Nikki Yanofsky
b.1994
vocal ; established horn players such as trumpeter Roy Hargrove Roy Hargrove
b.1969
trumpet and saxophonist Joshua Redman Joshua Redman
b.1969
saxophone ; and international performers including Israeli-born/US-based guitarist Gilad Hekselman Gilad Hekselman

guitar and avant-garde Cuban pianist Alfredo Rodriguez Alfredo Rodriguez

piano . Olaine has given these diverse artists full control, and they have mined 13 gems from the Disney catalog.

Hargrove delivers a sprightly, hard bop rendition of the sparkling "Everybody Wants to Be A Cat," from 1970's The AristoCats, while accordionist Gil Goldstein Gil Goldstein
provides the haunting opening to Esperanza Spalding Esperanza Spalding
b.1984
bass, acoustic 's creative arrangement of "Chim Chim Cher-ee," from Mary Poppins (1964), the bassist later vocalizing along with her bowed lines to underscore the song's evocative mood

Brubeck gets two selections: first, a swinging version of "Someday My Prince Will Come," from 1937's Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, where the pianist breezes through the lilting melody, before coming on strong with his trademark chordal fury; later, he gives fine accompaniment to singer Roberta Gambarini Roberta Gambarini

vocal on the theme song to Alice in Wonderland (1951).

Regina Carter Regina Carter
b.1966
violin 's exotic violin merges with accordionist Gary Versace Gary Versace

organ, Hammond B3 and kora master Yacouba Sissoko in the captivating and ear-opening "Find Yourself," from Cars (2006), while Redman adds depth to the innocuous "You've Got A Friend in Me, " from Toy Story (1995), the tenor saxophonist's creative energy unleashed in a trio with bassist Matt Penman Matt Penman

bass and drummer Gregory Hutchinson Gregory Hutchinson
b.1970
drums .

The irrepressible The Bad Plus The Bad Plus

band/orchestra is mind-blowing on a rousing version of "Gaston," from Beauty and the Beast (1991), taking this French-flavored tune through creative hijinks to a stirring climax, delivered with the brio of an Edith Piaf Edith Piaf
1915 - 1963
vocal ballad.

On the many strengths of Olaine's Everybody Wants To Be A Cat: Disney Jazz Volume 1, hopefully Volume 2 won't be far behind.

Track Listing: Everybody Wants To Be A Cat; Chim Chim Cher-Ee; Some Day My Prince Will Come; Find Yourself; You've Got A Friend In Me; He's A Tramp; Feed The Birds (Tuppence A Bag); Gaston; Alice In Wonderland; The Bare Necessities; It's A Small World; Belle; Circle Of Life.

Personnel: Roy Hargrove: trumpet (1); Justin Robinson: alto saxophone (1); Ameen Saleem: bass (1); Thaddeus Dixon: drums (1) Esperanza Spalding: bass, vocal (2); Gil Goldstein: piano, accordion (2); Dave Brubeck: piano (3, 9); Michael Moore: bass (3, 9); Randy Jones: drums (3, 9); Regina Carter: violin (4); Gary Versace: accordion (4); Yacoba Sissoko: kora (4); Chris Lightcap: bass(4); Alvester Garnett: drums, percussion (4); Joshua Redman: tenor saxophone (5); Matt Penman: bass (5); Gregory Hutchinson: drums (5); Dianne Reeves: vocal (6); Peter Martin: piano (6); James Genus: bass (6); Alvester Garnett: drums (6); Kurt Rosenwinkel: guitar and piano (7); Joshua Thurston-Milgrom: bass (7); Tobias Backhaus: drums (7); Ethan Iverson: piano (8); Reid Anderson: bass (8); Dave King: drums (8); Roberta Gambarini: vocal (9); Alfredo Rodriguez: piano and percussion (10); Nikki Yanofsky: vocal (11); Paul Shrofel: piano (11); Rob Fahle: bass (11); Geoffrey Lang: drums (11); Rod DiLauro: trumpet (11); Pat Vetter: alto saxophone (11); Christopher Smith: trombone (11); Jean Frechette: baritone saxophone (11); Gilad Hekselman: guitar (12); Joe Martin: bass (12); Obed Calvaire: drums, percussion (12); Mark Rapp: trumpet (13); Jamie Reynolds: piano, keyboards (13); Rene Hart: bass (13); Greg Gonzales: drums (13).

Record Label: Disney Records

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