“Love’s the greatest healer to be found” – Willie Nelson
In The Blink of An Eye is a balladic vocals and piano conception that represents the first formal musical pairing for the duo of Philly cousins Ray Benson (75) and Marc Copland (78). To jazz listeners Copland is far better known. He built his reputation as a modern jazz pianist and composer, while to country listeners the nexus of involved interest swivels around a different axis, as Benson spent his career fronting Asleep at the Wheel, an American roots-music group formed in 1970.
Based in Austin, Texas Asleep at the Wheel do Western swing, a genre that blends traditional country, blues and big band jazz elements. With Benson as the central, consistent member through numerous lineup changes, the band has released more than 20 albums and received 10 Grammy Awards over its 55-year history. Their work focuses heavily on preserving and performing traditional American roots music, highlighted by signature hits like their US country chart success ‘The Letter (That Johnny Walker Read).’
By contrast Copland initially worked as a jazz saxophonist in New York during the 1960s before taking a decade-long hiatus to completely retrain on the piano. Since debuting as a leader as Marc Cohen with the 1988 quintet album My Foolish Heart, he has amassed a prolific discography of over 40 albums. His career is distinguished by extensive recordings for the prestigious ECM label and enduring collaborations with jazz icons such as Gary Peacock, John Abercrombie and Joey Baron. I very much liked his 2019 album And I Love Her [click for a review] with Drew Gress and the Frisellian Baron. I often go back and listen to beautiful old Steve Kuhn records especially today Three Waves when I think of Copland’s sound somehow trying to excavate it in my mind – but without resorting – honest, guv in this instance – to an algorithm.
Turning to this new release: it was recorded live at Benson’s Texas studio and involves renditions of original compositions, jazz standards and acoustic interpretations of songs by Willie Nelson and Hank Williams.
I think Benson utilises his fairly deep voice, where you will sometimes also find hints of Mark Murphy in the timbre perhaps, to evoke the stylings of Tony Bennett on several tracks best. And given the skill of the piano accompaniment that approach has authenticity, gravitas and a context. Copland’s sound is as expressive as Fred Hersch‘s and as modally compelling as the man from Plainfield, New Jersey himself – dear Bill. The album’s inclusion of ‘Some Other Time’, ‘But Beautiful’, and ‘Waltz for Debby’, the obvious and striking musical reference point for the project is Tony Bennett’s historical duet collaborations with Evans.
The title track, a Benson original, is quite poignant and one of the best numbers emotionally. However, it steps out of the main core direction of the album a little bit, as does the country song ‘I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry’, which I didn’t take to so much although I do like some jazz covers of it including Jack Walrath‘s brilliant treatment many years ago on Master of Suspense.
“I patched up your broken wing, and hung around a while, trying to keep your spirits up, and your fever down” – Willie Nelson
The tracklist of this new release includes intimate treatments of country staples, including Willie Nelson’s poignant Honeysuckle Rose ballad ‘Angel Flying Too Close To The Ground’ which lots of people have covered including Alison Krauss and Bob Dylan whose version is simply wonderful.
In the Blink of an Eye (issued on Benson’s very own Bismeaux Records) is a credible work that is stronger when it sticks to the Bennett and Evans type material but the country inflected material isn’t without merit either and given Benson’s expertise in the area that’s a genre mash up that resonates. An album that sounds more like a jazz album than a country one starts a weekend of new listening on the right footing.
★★★½☆