Podcast 836: A Conversation with Patricia Barber

"The harmonic language of jazz, as well as that of the Great American Songbook, is certainly rich -- look how much has come out of it -- but it's circumscribed. I started wanting to hear something else" – Patricia Barber Singer/Pianist/Composer Patricia Barber has found success mixing cutting edge projects like her 2019 release Higher, which featured an art song cycle "Angels, Birds and I…," with her unique takes on popular music and the Great American Songbook.  Her latest release on Index Records, Clique, is a selection of classic songs from the likes of Rodgers and Hammerstein and Lerner and Loewe, peppered with an occasional pop nugget or Barber original. The result is highly memorable, and a joy for those who can't get enough of her unique phrasing and song styles. Always one of the most literate jazz musicians of her generation, she has built on her early takes on tunes as deliciously different as "She's a Lady" or "Black Magic Woman," moving to an album length deep dive into the work of Cole Porter. The recipient of a Guggenheim fellowship in 2003, she moved into deeper waters with her 2006 album Mythologies. In 2019 she was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, an honor only a handful of jazz artists have received (including Keith Jarrett, Wayne Shorter, and Herbie Hancock). The recording has state of the art sound quality, allowing the listener to get deep into the sounds that Ms. Barber and her band, especially bassist Patrick Mulcahy, make in interpreting these songs. Whether she is re-examining "This Town," a song associated with Frank Sinatra or leading the band through  a tongue-in-cheek "The in Crowd" and an instrumental romp on "Straight No Chaser," there is plenty of Barber magic to enjoy. Podcast 836 is my conversation with Patricia Barber, who had lost power at her rural retreat just before our call, putting the kibosh on a planned Zoom meeting. We talk about the making of Clique, how the pandemic has allowed her to explore writing prose for the first time, and her next planned public appearance, a benefit concert in September at her home. Musical selections include the instrumental "Straight No Chaser," "This Town," and a haunting take on Stevie Wonder's "All in Love is Fair."