American Songs 1770 - 1998
Tom Varner, French horn; Pete McCann, guitar; George Schuller, drums; Lindsey Horner, bass; Mark Feldman, violin; Dave Ballou, trumpet; Steve Alcott, bass; Thirsty Dave Hansen, vocals*
“I wanted to do something different for this record. Instead of playing my own compositions, I wanted to simply explore a variety of songs that have an inner resonance, whether from family, religion, nation, or culture.” —Tom Varner
What Tom Varner has attempted on The Window Up Above is nothing less than a survey of the whole American song book, a millenium review of the last three centuries-and he succeeds brilliantly. Every song he has chosen has that American "thing," and his approach to every song is patently jazz, even where he chooses to play the melody "straight" to let its qualities shine through.
Highlights abound: The witty, off-center de- and reconstruction of the Revolutionary and Civil War smash hits "Stone Grinds All," "When Jesus Wept," "Kingdom Come, " and "Battle Cry of Freedom" will forever change the way you hear them; his understated, heartfelt renditions of "Lorena," "All Quiet on the Potomac," and "There is a Balm in Gilead" would make a stone weep; to say nothing of his splendid re-imaginings of standards like "Over the Rainbow" and "When the Saints Go Marching In."
Even Bruce Springsteen gets the treatment, his "With Every Wish" joining George Jones’s "The Window Up Above," Hank Williams's "Ramblin' Man,"(check out Mark Feldman's and Varner's hair-raising solos and closing duet) and Tammy Wynette's "Till I Get it Right" from the country canon.
In Varner’s unique arrangements, every song on this collection emerges freshly minted. Once heard, not soon forgotten.
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"Beautiful new arrangements of country music and traditional songs." —Bandcamp
Tom Varner: The Window Up Above
| MP3/320 | $9.99 | |
| FLAC | $9.99 | |
| WAV | $9.99 | |
| CD | $15.99 |
Track Listing
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Stone Grinds All
Traditional
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Buy
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The Window Up Above
George Jones
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Buy
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I Got it Bad
Duke Ellington
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Buy
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Kingdom Coming
Henry Clay Work
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Buy
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Over The Rainbow
Harold Arlen
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Buy
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My God Is Real (Yes God Is Real)
Kenneth Morris
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Buy
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The Man I Love
George Gershwin
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Buy
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When The Saints Go Marching In
Traditional
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Buy
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Lorena
Joseph Philbrick Webster
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Buy
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Till I Get Right
Red Lane
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Buy
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Memories of You
Eubie Blake
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Buy
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Battle Cry of Freedom
George F. Root
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Buy
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All Quiet on The Potomac
John Hill Hewitt
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Buy
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Ramblin' Man
Hank Williams
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Buy
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Abide With Me
W. H Monk
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Buy
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When Jesus Wept
William Billings
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Buy
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With Every Wish
Bruce Springsteen
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Buy
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The Best Thing
Tom Varner
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Buy
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There Is a Balm in Gilead
Traditional
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Buy
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