Vanessa-Mae featured on Xpectation - Vanessa-Mae's collaboration with Prince

Xanthippe · Post by **Xanthippe** » Sat Jan 04, 2003 11:44 pm

Vanessa-Mae participated on the experimental fusion jazz album of Prince. The album has yet to be released and is only available for memebrs of the NPG Music club (www.npgmusicclub.com). Thanks to Glenn, the mp3 files have also become available to memebers of this forum (pm or email Glenn for more info!!).

After listenig to the album several times, I find it very interesting despite it's experimental nature.

What is the album about? With 'Xpectation,'Prince has recorded a rather experimental fusion jazz album. The labum features several distinguished artists like our Vanessa-Mae and the Dutch female alto sax player Candy Dulfer. Candy Dulfer regularly plays with Prince on his albums and a guest at his live concert shows, for the first time about 10-12 years ago. At that time, Candy turned down an offer of Prince to join him on a world tour, because she wanted to launch abd proceed her own career as band leader. For more in on Candy Dulfer see www.candydulfer.nl.

Xpectation is by no means an easy listening cd and the role of our Vanessa-Mae is supportive of nature. Actually, there is no leading artist on htis complete instrumental album.

I think that it is a great honour for Vanessa-Mae to be asked by Prince to join for this recording. Prince could have asked a real jazz violinist. Afterall, Vanessa-Mae had not played jazz before. On this album, Vanessa-Mae once again shows her exceptional versatility as violinist, as she is capable to play all possible styles equally well. She appears on the following tracks:

track 1 Xhalation
track 3 Xemplify
track 6 Xogeneous
track 9 Xpedition

Vanessa-Mae's role is largest on trak 1 Xhalation. She plays solo violin in a very quiet number only accompanied by some keyboard synthesizer sounds. This piece is not typical for the whole album.

Xemplify is a number which has drums, sax, guitar and some violin at the start and at the end of the track. The violin of Vanessa-Mae plays in a jazzy style. Candy Dulfer on sax is also very present during this number.

Xogeneous starts and ends in the calm style of track 1 with Vanessa-Mae on violin together with keyboards. Afer the calm introduction drums and guitar start to play, later followed by other instruments including the sax. The end is more or less as the beginning of the track.

Xpedition starts with drum solo, later accompanied by guitar and sax. The track is quite experimental. Vanessa-Mae plays in a really jazzy style and sounds very good.

All in all, a very good performance of our girl. Vanessa-Mae shows that she can play jazz as well. I think she can only benefit from this guest performance on an allbum of such a well known and successful artist like Prince.

Well done Vanessa-Mae!!!

Kevin · Post by **Kevin** » Mon Jan 06, 2003 12:43 am

Of course I'm going to sound like Anti Vanessa Mae when saying this but...I dont really care :p

Vanessa Playing Jazz...Ok, now we all have to admit for those of us that have heard the tracks...shes not really doing all that much. And what she does play is just acc. to the other parts with the exception of her cadenzas in a feew tracks. I call them cadenzas because thats as close to jazz as I think Vanessa has come. Any professional violinist can swing some notes, and thats what shes done...Swung some notes, wrote (and had assistance writing) a few jazz like licks. Nothing Major. I only like her role in 1 of the tracks (I dont remember the name of it). She sounds too classical on the tracks for me.

I applaud her attempt, and maybe this is a first step in Vanessa exploring the realm of jazz, it just wasn't an impresive one to me.

Xanthippe · Post by **Xanthippe** » Mon Jan 06, 2003 1:56 am

You're entitled to have this opnion Kevin, but I do not agree with you.

The role of the violin on this album is supportive in nature; it is not an album for solo violin. Up till now, Vanessa-Mae is used to so far in her career to play the first violin always. To do that in a way that maintains your own unique sound without being dominant isn't that easy, in my opnion. Vanessa-Mae does that very well in her always recognisable style of playing.

Kevin · Post by **Kevin** » Mon Jan 06, 2003 2:55 am

Never said you had to agree with me, I'm just discussing my feelings on her role on these tracks.

Yes she has a supportive role, and even when its her turn to "shine" she does a decent job, but jazz just isn't something that I think Vanessa's good at, and as i said, this isn't bad for a first attempt. I just dont think one should approach jazz music the same way they approach classical music.

(i will be starting a thread soon about Vanessas wanting to do for the violin what hendrix did for the guitar, because that makes absolutely no sense with the way her career has gone)

Xanthippe · Post by **Xanthippe** » Mon Jan 06, 2003 6:59 am

I think her tone setting is adequate for the music and her role on this album.

I wait for your opnion in the new thread that you've mentioned.

Kevin · Post by **Kevin** » Mon Jan 06, 2003 7:20 am

Its posted under General Discussions...have at it

Rijko, how many jazz violinists have you listened to?

Xanthippe · Post by **Xanthippe** » Mon Jan 06, 2003 8:51 am

I am not saying that Vanessa-Mae is the best jazz violinist in the world. I have heard several jazz violinists, but don't consider myself an expert on this.

I only think that Vanessa-Mae did a good job on the Xpectation album. I like her part!

Kevin · Post by **Kevin** » Mon Jan 06, 2003 10:23 pm

El_Guille · Post by **El_Guille** » Tue Jan 07, 2003 4:39 pm

Rijko, I must agree with Kevin. She's a classical violin player. And Jazz music is something completely different. It's impossible to play both correctly. Ok, trumpet player Wynton Marsalis is the only one who did both perfectly. As i've said in the general forum, Vanessa's "vocabulary" is not the adecuate for jazz, and the reason: she's a classical musician.

I love jazz music, and that's why i was so surprised and so happy to hear Vanessa playing her violin in a jazz album. This doesn't mean she's now a jazz player. In fact, she's quite far from being one. But yes, like you said Rijko, "she did a good job" (even it wasn't really a jazz job)

"Yes she has a supportive role, and even when it's her turn to shine she does a decent job, but jazz just isn't something that I think Vanessa's good at, and as i said, this isn't bad for a first attempt. I just dont think one should approach jazz music the same way they approach classical music"

Ok, i agree with Kevin, but i really would like to hear a V-M jazz album (and a Christmas album too) in the future. I think now is not the time for a jazz album and she need's to get some jazz "maturity" before recording one.

Anyway, I think being part of Prince's jazz album is a great beginning. I love this!!!

Xanthippe · Post by **Xanthippe** » Tue Jan 07, 2003 4:58 pm

I stick to my opnion that our girl did a good job on this album. Her sober way of playing is very nice in this particular setting. I see now obvious reason why a classical trained violinist like Vanessa-Mae isn't a priori suited for jazz playing. She has her own style, and in her own way she can play anything. Whatever Vanessa-Mae plays, she will always be recognizable immediately as Vanessa-Mae.

Kevin · Post by **Kevin** » Tue Jan 07, 2003 6:23 pm

I never said she did a bad job, and NOBODY has said she did a bad job, I think we all agree its decent. Her playing on the CD isn't jazz to me, of course its jazz influenced.

Whatever Vanessa-Mae plays, she will always be recognizable immediately as Vanessa-Mae.

Well yea... ??? If its her playing of course she'll be recognized for it

Xanthippe · Post by **Xanthippe** » Tue Jan 07, 2003 7:47 pm

Well I didn't accuse anyone of saying that Vanessa-Mae did a bad job.

Jazz is of course a very broad defined style. For me it is jazz and Vanessa-Mae is playing jazz!

amQhr · Post by **amQhr** » Wed Jan 08, 2003 8:58 am

Oh yellous good fellows,
nobody had the chance to be part of that Xprince of this private session that's named under Jazz. Candy Dulpher I think has the best work done for this and Vanessa was comming really to short for me that I would be able to say anything to her playing, if I only would. Nobody could say that she wouldn't be able to play Jazz bevor he eats himself but I think she mostly like to play some meditative style further inspite of her last album. I could imagine she would be a good part in a formation with Chick Chorea, Barbara Thompson, Susan Weinert Band so let Candy for Prince. I like to be private to her with her life chats, ICQ-Contest, hot Downloads and sneak previews and I wait and wait and wait for a longer new TV-concert.

amQhr

Niccolò Paganini · Post by **Niccolò Paganini** » Mon Jan 13, 2003 9:19 pm

I’m not really into jazz music so I wouldn’t know if Vanessa-Mae did a good job or not, but it’s nice that she’s trying out different styles of playing and it is admirable that she has not only specialized in 1 form of music but has applied her unique talents to a diverse and far ranging number of other musical genres.