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Binding: Audio CDEAN: 0028947759614 Format: Live Label: Deutsche Grammophon Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon MPN: 000599472 Number Of Discs: 2 Publisher: Deutsche Grammophon Release Date: February 28, 2006 Studio: Deutsche Grammophon Editorial Review: Amazon.com: Elvis Costello takes the occasion of his first official live release (recorded with the 52-piece Metropole Orkest at The Hague's North Sea Jazz Festival in 2004) to not only recap the various non-rock/pop genres the restless veteran singer-songwriter has explored in recent years, but recast a few of his songbook favorites in striking new musical arrangements as well. The widow of Charles Mingus commissioned Costello to pen lyrics for the rousing revamp of the jazz legend's "Hora Decubitus" that anchors the album, a task he also performs for the bluesy title track, a reworking of Billy Strayhorn's final composition "Blood Count." Elvis wends through such oblique compositional corners as "Favourit! e Hour" and "Upon A Veil of Midnight Blue," a moody song originally written for blues great Charles Brown, but ultimately thoroughly reworked as "I Wonder How She Knows." "Clubland" is charged with savory Latin rhythms, "Almost Blue" recast as autumnal orchestral lament and "Watching the Detectives" re-imagined as jazzy, Bernard Herrmann-esque `50s TV theme. Other standouts include a swinging big band cover of Dave Bartholomew's "That's How You Got Killed Before" and a gorgeous rendition of his first Burt Bacharach collaboration, "God Give Me Strength." The set's bonus disc explores yet another intriguing corner of Costello's contemporary non-pop career via the 45-minute orchestral Il Sogno Suite, music culled from his '04 score for the Aterbaletto dance troupe's Italian production of A Midsummer's Night Dream. --Jerry McCulley Album Description: Elvis Costello's My Flame Burns Blue is a live album with the legendary Metropole Orkest, a 52-piece jazz orchestra from the Netherlands, recorded in concert at The Hague. A bonus disc offers a 45-minute suite from Il Sogno, Costello's first full-length orchestral work. The album alternates between imaginatively reinvented Costello favorites like "Almost Blue," "Clubland," and "Watching the Detectives" (arranged "in the style of a 1950s television theme"), Costello compositions seeing release for the first time on a Costello album, and unexpected collaborations. "This recording captures a very joyful evening at the North Sea Jazz Festival and collects together songs and arrangements that have been developed over the last decade," writes Costello in his detailed liner notes. For the opening track, "Hora Decubitus," Costello was invited by Charles Mingus's widow, Sue, to contribute lyrics to the jazzman's compositions. This song was completed in the immediate aftermath of September 11. "I could offer nothing more than a simple affirmation of life and rejection of vengeance," writes Costello. For the title track, Costello also wrote lyrics for Billy Strayhorn's final composition, "Blood Count." Other highlights seeing release on a Costello album for the first time include "Speak Darkly, My Angel" and "Upon a Veil of Midnight Blue," which was written for and recorded by West Coast bluesman Charles Brown as "I Wonder How She Knows." Il Sogno was originally commissioned by the Italian Dance Company, Aterbaletto, for their adaptation of Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream. Following its premiere in Bologna with the Orchestra del Teatro Communale, the ballet was staged throughout Italy, Germany, France and Russia. Il Sogno was subsequently recorded by the London Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Michael Tilson Thomas. The recording was released in September 2004 by Deutsche Grammophon and stayed at the top of Billboard's Contemporary Classical Charts for fourteen weeks. Il Sogno received rave reviews upon its release. Mark Swed at The Los Angeles Times declared "Costello's sound is surprisingly fresh. His melodies are memorable. The sudden swings into jazz prove pure delight... [The performance is] bursting with life." The Boston Globe's Richard Dyer proclaimed "You'd have to go back to George Gershwin to find a composer-performer undertaking a project as ambitious as Il Sogno... It is full of character and storytelling, and the orchestration is skillful, unusual, and colorful." More Elvis
Average Rating:
 Rating:  - 'My Flame' flickers (2.5 stars)This is one of Costello's more unique recordings. Perhaps it will grow on me with repeated listenings as has happened recently with 'All This Useless Beauty'. That said, 'My Flame Burns Blue' has proved a challenging listen early on. Some of my problem with 'Flame' is simply song preference. There are several selections that are among my least favorite Costello songs: 'Clubland', 'Almost Blue' and '...Forbidden Playthings' among them. YECCHH! The good stuff.....The ... Read More Rating:  - An undiscovered gem.I have not been able to get this cd off my player. I hum themes from it constantly. I Want More. Anyone who wonders about the amount of production that goes into an Elvis Costello rock record will be astounded by the writing here, the thought, the musicality, and the professionalism of a full-time orchestra that swings. I don't mean that stilted Boston Pops crap, but real honest-to-God chops! The sound clips here don't do this record justice. This is absolutely one of his ... Read More Rating: - Elvis Costello does jazz!My love & admiration for the work of Vince Mendoza, and my search for projects he's been involved with have led me in many different directions. Apart from some obvious places like Mendoza's own albums (some of which have been very hard to come by) and albums by the likes of John Abercrombie and Peter Erskine, they've also led me to people I would never have thought of on my own; people like Jane Monheit, Joni Mitchell, Stefano di Battista and Yuri Honing. But although I'd heard of him, ... Read More Rating: - Is It Elvis(Presley) or Duke Ellington Or both?Never an artist that can be labelled,EC's life as an expression of the music he makes is royally showcased here in the myriad of styles presented on this very interesting CD presenting so many shades of great music eras GONE BY BUT NOT FORGOTTEN that makes Elvis not only a very interesting musician but a historical personality that leaves the imprint of a man living life to its max. I have been fortunate to listen to the man from "My Aim Is True" saw the original Attractions more than once, and ... Read More Rating: - This man does it allElvis as a crooner? Oh yes. He pulls it off. I saw the tour for this release at the Fabulous Fox Theatre in Atlanta. It only supported my faith in this album. I am up for anything different and when I heard of this I couldn't resist. It holds up. "HORA DECUBITIS" & "GOD GIVE ME STRENGTH" are the openers and closers for this disc. They are the 2 standouts on the disc and let me tell you, all else in between makes the perfect sandwich. You chew, disolve and are left with a pleasant taste in your mouth. ... Read More |
