Review

Nicholas Payton: Bitches (In + Out Records)

Feminists look away now! Nicholas Payton clearly cares not about being politically correct. Miles didn’t, so why should Nicholas, with the title of his ninth CD, “Bitches?” But after reading his sleeve notes, the bra burners would want to shove that trumpet up his a…..

He says that bitches are: “…..Fine-ass females. Anyone who you love and breaks your heart. Someone who relishes messing over people. A woman who stands up for herself. A man who doesn‘t. The girls who hang around looking to prey on one of “the cats“. The cats who hang around acting like girls…..”

The man may well have issues!!!! Having apparently broken up with his wife, this is his expression of himself. Hmmmm. Well, in over three decades of reviewing records, live performance, books, films, video, DVD, and even fine art, it is not often I am stuck for words. Here I struggle to adequately describe this album. To sum up what to expect. I struggled to listen to all 15 tracks, without the conclusion that old Nick is either so self indulgent and self obsessed with his current state of mind, and thoughts about the female of the species, he is not bothered what anyone else thinks about an album he is hoping people will buy.

Or I just don’t get it, it is all down to personal taste, and the next man could think this a work of sheer genius. (I.e. it is Jazz FM’s record of the week, as I write this!!!) I am told it seems to be an album that’s divided people. The jazz message forums have lots of debate about the title, but the jazz anoraks seem to be more hung up on that, than the actual musical content which has been ignored. Most insulted by the use of the word “Bitches.” That is not a major issue for me. I am not into censorship of artistic freedom of expression at all. One guy on a forum said he could not care if it was called “Let’s All Go Fuck a Moose,” if the music is good. I agree. I have never been Moosist. But some of the stuff on here is just plain bonkers. There are short bursts when you think, ok, here we go, this sounds ok. Then it goes back into itself, and this depressing relationships “concept.”

The guy is a 38-year-old hot shot jazz trumpeter from New Orleans, but a listen to this CD and you’d not know that, as his horn is not prominently featured that much really. When it is, he is a fine player. I personally do not enjoy his vocal that much, which at times is pitchy. He did play all the instruments on the album, sang, wrote and arranged all the songs, and produced it. The album lacks structure for me. None of the songs stand out. Described by him as creating “NuSoul landscapes”, which I would personally disagree with. It is to nu soul; what the theme tune to Eastenders is to dub step.

With 'Bitches' he presents what the blurb says is “an elaborate concept work” that sees him move away from straight-ahead jazz and toward a “modern Soul sound with 70's and 80's flavours.” Hmmmm. He's joined by five guest vocalists – four female and one male - including Esperanza Spalding and Cassandra Wilson, plus Chinah Blac, Saunders Sermons and N’Dambi.

His “associate producer” on 10 of the 15 is NZ producer/musician Mark de Clive-Lowe, known for his broken beat/soul releases on labels such as Strictly Rhythm, Masters at Work Records, Antipodean and Honest Jon's, and for his collaborations with Jody Watley, Omar, Sheila E and Leon Ware.

They say it is Payton's most genre-defying and ambitious work yet.” Yep, it is genre defying for sure. I don’t think anyone knows what it is, if we are being honest. Even Nicholas. If you are intrigued enough to check it out, please do so and then you decide what it is he’s doing, and if you like it. If you do; a result. Sound advice in the sleeve notes: “Dismiss the expectations.”

An extract from his marketing literature reads: “With Bitches, the Crescent city’s trumpet and piano player now presents an elaborated concept work that, first of all, will astound his audience.” Yes indeed, it’ll certainly do that. It did me, but probably not the way intended. Payton affirms that it was his intention to create a “modern R&B joint" with the flavour of the Seventies and Eighties, but which sounds very much like now. An album to think about, one that is provocative and stimulates on more levels than just its groove. A “very urban sound.”

But it is often the case that what an artist sets out to achieve, and what is actually achieved are two entirely different things. Perception versus reality. The case here for me, sadly. But still a brave and creative project from an undisputed talent.
Words SIMON REDLEY