Phil Collins - A Hot Night In Paris
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Free Music Notes for A Hot Night In Paris
Free Music Review: Good - But don't get just to hear Genesis and Phil Covers
Hit: 3 Stars
One reason why Phil Collins departed from the group Genesis was to focus more on his own projects. These projects probably included (for good or bad) his own solo career, his film/soundtrack career, and a Big Band Project. "A Hot Night in Paris" represents a collection of Phil's Big Band recordings that were done live (I'm assuming Paris, but it never gives a date or specific location - the liner notes say he took the band out in the USA and Europe). This collection was released in 1999 and it marks something different that Phil Collins had done. "A Hot Night in Paris" is an instrumental collection and Phil focuses his efforts on the drums. Although this is something different, it isn't radically different. For most of Phil's career he has worked with a horn element in his music and with the Big Band, this allows him to focus the horn element in slightly different way. For the collection, Phil teams up with legendary Jazz Sax player Gerald Albright (who actually gets the second billing in the credits behind Phil Collins). There are 10 selections included on the CD. For the majority of the songs, Phil dives into his own library by using 4 Genesis ("That's All", "Invisible Touch", "Hold On My Heart", and "Los Endos[Suite]") songs and 3 of his solo songs ("Sussudio", "I Don't Care Anymore", "Against All Odds"). There also is one Albright song ("Chips and Salsa"). There also are 2 'external' cover songs - Miles Davis' "Milestones" and Average White Band's "Pick Up the Pieces". What is surprising is for the most part it is the cover song and the Albright song that really make the impact on this album and not Genesis or Phil Collins solo stuff.
If you are familiar with Phil Collins' solo work, Phil brings two of the musicians that have worked with him through the years. Daryl Stuermer has been Phil's guitarist and right hand man in both Genesis and the Solo department for almost 20 years. Daryl not only contributes some guitar work, he is also the co-producer of the album. On the Horns end, Harry Kim has been a trumpet player and horns director for Phil. Harry assumes the musical director role on this collection and Phil gives him a some big props in the credits for his tireless efforts.
I don't claim to be an expert in Big Band music, but I do think I know a good Big Band sound when I hear it. For the most part, the Genesis stuff doesn't translate all that well. For songs such as "That's All", "Invisible Touch" and "Hold on My Heart" - you will hear traces of what the original song will sound like when played Big Band style. For the most part, I would categorize these as loose covers of the Genesis material. It's not bad, but I think they could have done stronger covers that better represented these songs being played Big Band Style. "The Los Endos Suite" is the final song on the collection - this is a cover of an old Genesis song "Los Endos" from "A Trick of the Tail". This is a terrific cover and definitely one of the stronger sets on the collection. Phil's solo work covers a little better. "Sussudio" and "Against All Odds" are pretty strong covers and remain true to the original roots. I would say that "I Don't Care Anymore" is a much looser cover by the Big Band.
The real surprise of the collection is the cover of Average White Band's "Pick Up the Pieces". I am not a fan of AWB, but I always felt "Pick Up the Pieces" was a strong song - dominated by the Sax. It seems natural that this song would translate to Big Band Style and in this case it really does translate well. On most of the collection, I don't think we see enough strength from Phil himself in the drumming department. On this song, Phil's drums really add a great dimension to this classic song. I was glad to see a Miles Davis song covered and Phil and the band do a terrific job on "Milestones". This is another song that really translated well and although Phil's drumming isn't as strong as on "Pick Up the Pieces", it still is good when you hear it. Finally, "Chips and Salsa" is the song contributed by Gerald Albright. This is terrific Latin Jazz song and again showcases a lot of the talent the band has.
As for the collection itself - you do get sort of a feel for a live set. The Phil Collins Big Band is introduced at the beginning and "Los Endos Suite" does give a feel for a finale song. In general I don't like live collections that are "best of" recordings from several nights. I prefer the live recording to be for a single night to get the continuity and magic of the single night. This collection does do a decent job at giving the perception that this is a single night, so it isn't all bad. Since much of the audience of this CD is going to be Phil Collins fans as opposed to Big Band fans, Phil could have done a better job during the tour at telling some of the background of the cover songs - particularly the non Genesis and non Phil covers. Perhaps language problems due to the European recordings prevented this from happening.
The liner notes do give all of the credits of the Big Band and point out who did the solos in each number. As mentioned above, I would have liked to have known when and where these recordings were taken from. All in all, this isn't a bad effort. I wouldn't purchase this collection on the sole basis of hearing the Genesis and Phil stuff because you may be disappointed.
Free Music Review: Thankfully
Hit: 3 Stars
Phil Collins has always been a weak singer, good drummer and percussionist and long been a mediocre keyboardist. Thankfully this album does not showcase Phil Collins dry and rangeless voice. Instead its pretty much all instrumental which is its plus. Collins has assembled a strong group of musicians to help him out and came out with a acceptible instrumental jazz album. This album is far better then Phils horrid studio work but suffers the serious flaw of having many of the covers of Phil and Genesis pop songs still come out too poppy though there is a great live version of Los Endos at the end of the album, the best version out there.Free Music Review: It's jazzy
Hit: 3 Stars
Phil Collins goes jazzy. We had that already when he played with Brand X, which was a marvelous adventure. But here he kind of fails. It's ok, but on the whole there's not much pepper in it. Good old Phil has lost something after But seriously.Free Music Review: Very Predictable
Hit: 2 Stars
nothing really here to get excited about.the Arrangements just kind of Go Along.despite doing a Miles Davis Cover&Average White Band take nothing really stands out here.His Studio stuff in the 80's was cool.but upon listening to it now he sounds way too much like the radio.Sussido sounds way too much like Prince's 1999.the Guys on here can Play but it has no Soul for me.Free Music Review: Beware! It is an instrumental CD!
Hit: 2 Stars
I thought this concert would provide different versions of Phil's best known songs and some rarities, but instead it is about a good jazz band playing his songs INSTRUMENTAL!If you were looking for Phil Collins in this CD, you'll only find him on the drums...