The problem I have with some tribute albums is that they fail to truly excite me beyond the novelty of hearing someone cover someone else for the first time. True, it can be interesting to hear it that first time, but after hearing it, the excitement is over. Unless the “cover” version is something unique, the novelty is over and you’re stuck with another album that you might not play more than a handful of times before tucking it away with other castoffs in your collection.

With that in mind, it’s heartening to hear Canadian jazz guitarist Michael Occhipinti tackle the music of folk artist Bruce Cockburn in such revelatory ways within Creation Dream: The Songs of Bruce Cockburn (released in 2000 on High Romance Music/True North Records).

Occhipinti has stripped Cockburn’s music down to its essential nature: composition, chords, and textures. Without having to deal with lyrical interpretations and other vocal nuances, Occhipinti was able to reduce Cockburn’s songs to their musical DNA. In this way, Occhipinti backs up his opinion that Cockburn’s music is jazz at its core, describing Cockburn’s music as “very jazz aware.” (Cockburn did study jazz composition at Boston’s Berklee College of Music according to the liner notes by Ross Porter.)

Occhipinti (acoustic and electric guitars, guitar loops)) enjoys terrific support on this endeavor from Don Byron (clarinets), Andrew Downing (bass), Jonathon Goldsmith (piano, producer), Hugh Marsh (violin), Jean martin (drums), Mike Murley (tenor saxophone), Barry Romberg (drums), and Kevin Turcotte (trumpet). The tributee, Bruce Cockburn contributes acoustic guitar on the title track.

Tracks/(Cockburn album):
Lovers in a Dangerous Time (Stealing Fire, 1984)
Mistress of Storms (The Charity of Night, 1997)
Love on My Mind (The Charity of Night,1997)
Wondering Where the Lions Are (giftbearer) (Dancing in the Dragons Jaws,1979)
Pacing the Cage (The Charity of Night, 1997)
Creation Dream (Dancing in the Dragons Jaws,1979)
One of the Best Ones (Nothing But a Burning Light,1991)
Rumours of Glory (Humans,1980)
Home Brulant (Circles in the Stream,1977)
If I Had a Rocket Launcher (Stealing Fire, 1984)
Lord of the Starfields (In the Falling Dark, 1976)

Jazz has a long history of delving into popular culture for inspiration, flights of improvisational fancy, and as a means of taking popular standards into new territory. Jazz purists may bicker about it, but it’s clear from listening to Creation Dream: The Songs of Bruce Cockburn, that Michael Occhipinti has added to the contemporary jazz canon with his original interpretations of Cockburn’s work; music known to be difficult, inspiring, romantic, and confrontational, all within a few measures.

[Aside: Occhipinti’s work here reminds me (in some ways) of Bill Frisell’s Have a Little Faith in Me which was notable for Frisell’s interpretations of some of Aaron Copland ‘s Billy the Kid compositions.]

Creation Dream: The Songs of Bruce Cockburn succeeds by being original and rather steadfast in its vision. Some tracks only touch on the original arrangements, using Cockburn’s tunes as a springboard to altogether different and alternative views. Longtime Cockburn fans may find themselves stumbling in trying to decipher the original tune from some of Occhipinti’s explorations. And that's a big part of the album's charm.

That’s not to say that Occhipinti abandons the originals totally throughout. Pacing the Cage, for example, brings Occhipinti’s and Cockburn’s guitars into a musical marriage heightened by Downing’s bass lines. It remains true to the original but slightly off kilter enough to be original and satisfying without any reference point. The version of One of the Best Ones here is perhaps the most note-by-note remake (featuring memorable piano lines by Goldsmith) in keeping with Cockburn’s romantic original.

Likewise, fans will find that the strength of the interpretations lies not so much in Occhipinti’s jazz guitar sensibility but in his pulling together the other voices into a compositional whole. Hearing the divergent “voices and nuances added by the work of Byron./Marsh/Turcotte/Murley, as merged into Cockburn’s originals, is what really makes Creation Dream: The Songs of Bruce Cockburn revelatory in my opinion.

Fans of both Bruce Cockburn’s originals and contemporary jazz should find much to agree on here. Creation Dream: The Songs of Bruce Cockburn is a satisfying look at Bruce Cockburn in a totally different and original light (fours stars) and recommended.

Cat Rating Scale
Freddie and Chester are Bruce Cockburn devotees and as such, their mixed paw response has less to do with the work’s worthiness and more to do with the general finicky malaise inherent in the feline worldview.

Sources:
www.michaelocchipinti.com, www.brucecockburn.com, www.allmusicguide.com



Recommended: Yes

Great Music to Play While: Romancing