Product details
- Label Blank Recording Co
- Artist John Sangster
- Format 1LP
- Country United States
- Released Date 2015
- Genre Jazz
- Sealed Yes
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The Joker Is Wild by John Sangster.
There is a particular kind of magic that happens when a jazz sensibility meets the popular songbook of its era, and John Sangster's "The Joker Is Wild" lives squarely in that space. This is a record that takes familiar melodies and refracts them through an inventive, playful lens, turning tunes you might already hum into something with fresh swing and surprise.
The album opens with "The Joker," setting a mischievous tone that the title itself promises, before rolling straight into "Skokiaan," a piece with roots in African melody and an irresistible lift. From there Sangster reaches for the wistful "Love Is Blue," a tune that became a worldwide sensation, and reimagines it alongside the Beatles' "Your Mother Should Know," proving that pop of the moment could sit comfortably beside jazz interpretation.
Side A closes on ambitious ground with "Expo" and a reading of "A Day In The Life," one of the most adventurous songs the Beatles ever recorded. To take on that piece is no small undertaking, and its inclusion signals a musician unafraid to test the boundaries of the popular material he chose to explore. It rounds out a first half that moves easily between the light and the daring.
Flip to Side B and the mood broadens further. "Serenata" brings a graceful, lilting quality, while "I Think I'm Going Out Of My Head" and "What Now My Love" lean into the great romantic ballads of the age, giving Sangster room to shape a phrase and let a melody breathe. These are songs built for interpretation, and they reward an artist willing to find the emotion beneath the familiar surface.
The closing run is where the record shows its rhythmic muscle. "Peanut Vendor," the beloved Latin standard, sits beside the striking "Kaffir Song" before the whole set lands on "Watermelon Man," Herbie Hancock's soul jazz anthem that has anchored countless sessions. It is a finish that sends you out on a groove, tying together the album's mix of pop favorites, world melodies, and jazz instinct.
Taken as a whole, "The Joker Is Wild" is a wonderfully eclectic listen, a snapshot of a moment when jazz players cast a wide net across the hits and standards around them. For collectors drawn to inventive interpretations and the meeting point of jazz and popular song, this one belongs on the shelf and, better still, on the turntable. Slip it out of its sleeve, drop the needle on "The Joker," and let Sangster show you how much room there is to play inside a melody you thought you already knew.
Pressing Details:
Track Listing:
A1. The Joker
A2. Skokiaan
A3. Love Is Blue
A4. Your Mother Should Know
A5. Expo
A6. A Day In The Life
B1. Serenata
B2. I Think I'm Going Out Of My Head
B3. What Now My Love
B4. Peanut Vendor
B5. Kaffir Song
B6. Watermelon Man
Artist: John Sangster
Format: 1LP
Genre: Jazz
Label: Blank Recording Co
Catalog Number: BRC-014
Release Year: 2015
Country: United States
Condition: Sealed (New)
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