Album Notes
Flutist Rachel Choe's debut album Après Un Rêve breaks barrier between classical and jazz, enriching and magnifying each genre’s beauty. Not only are many beloved jazz standards relived in this masterwork but it also includes folk tunes and film music, as well as the premiere of Jason Webb's Baltimore Blues. Cool and hot, traditional and modern, Rachel weaves the far opposite areas and creates a perfectly new world of sound.
Après Un Rêve is originally written by Gabriel Faure, and now is beautifully rearranged into a Jazz ballad. The title means “After a Dream”, and is accurately depicted by Rachel in the mysterious and searching atmosphere of the song. It is impossible to taste the classical scent in her playing regardless of her high endeavor as a classical musician. Rachel plays so freely and naturally as if she has been wearing the “jazz shoes” for her lifetime. In fact her active involvement in pop, contemporary, and ethno music explains her unique musical language. Now her adventure is taken to yet another level; a jazz trio with flute, bass and jazz piano.
Drumless jazz trios are rare to find, and the combination of flute, bass and jazz piano, even rarer. In this case, rare is better. A unique cluster of sound is painted by each instrument and the magical tone color of each player as well as the highest level of sensitive music making. One can sense both infinite space and oneness in their unity.
Jason Webb, one of the most in-demand, consummate musicians in Nashville, takes the piano with his musical versatility. Craig Nelson is on the bass, who has been reigning in countless world-class recording projects over 30 years with his magnificent playing. Jason also is the exclusive arranger of this recording work.
"Take Five", probably one of the best-known jazz standards of all time opens the album. Interesting 4/5 time and the uplifting atmosphere catch the ear of all who listen. Other than the rearrangment of "Après Un Rêve", four jazz compositions are included by legendaries such as Miles Davis and Charlie Parker. "Over The Rainbow" and "My Favorite Things" which are one of this century’s most beloved film music, satisfy audiences of all taste.
Arirang, her native folk tune from the East, gets transformed into the modern jazz style of the West, as she naturally sings it out from the deepest of her soul. "The Water Is Wide," is the only solo piano track, and Jason interprets this British traditional into his imaginative monologue. The ambience is dramatically changed in "Baltimore Blues," the only original composition written by Webb to celebrate Rachel’s debut album, and named it after the city she has been living since she came to the U.S. after leaving her motherland. This song is in the Blues form, and the flute and the piano interact tightly in unison, still expressing a lot of motion with great freedom. For two out of eleven works, Rachel plays on the alto flute: "My Favorite Things" and "You Don't Know What Love Is."
Jake Bay from the Fieldstone House is the producer of this album; he is a highly distinguished and sought after recording artist, arranger and music director from the East Coast.
Producer: Jake Jaekyung Bay
Flute: Rachel Jeeyoung Choe
Piano: Jason Webb
Bass: Craig Nelson
Percussions: Eric Darken (Track 5)
Arranger: Jason Webb
Recording & Mixing Engineer: Daniel Taemin Choi
Mastering Engineer: John Mayfield
Recording Studio: Wildwood Recordings, Franklin, TN, USA
Mixing Studio: ODPC Recording Studio, Herndon, VA, USA
Mastering Studio: Mayfield Mastering, Nashville, TN USA
