Spellbound
With a music library of over 1400 CDs, I listen to a lot of musical variety, but I have to have my daily fix of Mythologies, and have now for a whole year. Maybe I'm "in it too deep" to give a reasonable review, but I think Patricia Barber`s compositions about several Greek mythical figures are extraordinary beyond words because they strike at so many levels. It is very listenable as background music, although the first piece, The Moon, as a bookend, has a somewhat unapproachable (to some) intro. But then the rhythm kicks in and everyone takes off. On a musical level, the songs fascinate me at every listen, with her melodies, voice, unusual timings and long time-close knit innovative quartet creating exciting phrases, verses, solos and refrains, giving us little breaks long enough to catch our breath. Her totally current interpretation of the stories is intelligently descriptive and poetic, at times conversational, and expresses the essence of their timeless relationship to us all. How many of us need Morpheus, the god of dreams, to help us sleep? And Pygmalion, who creates a love that cannot love in return, is certainly universal. Then there's Hunger, too often insatiable. Icarus is driven to soar and fly above the masses, while Orpheus wallows in the despair of loss. Provocative Persephone mesmerizes and evokes the need to reveal both our admirable and our dark sides. Narcissus - we must love our own self to enable the deepest connection to another. The dual destruction of native cultures and our Earth is contrasted in Whiteworld and Phaeton, while musically integrating some rap and a large vocal chorus. The Hours is the other bookend and the time of our lives. I've given many copies of Mythologies to loved ones, desiring to share this incredible gift that I enjoy every day.

The art song returns after a long absence...
Who would have guessed that Patricia Barber would be the newest entrant in the art song world? She's written in the great tradition of the 19thC and early 20thC classical composers (Schubert, Berg, Randall Thompson, etc.) but in a jazz genre that really makes sense for the material. Thanks for some really great music.

somehow, she pulls it off...
A jazz song cycle based on Ovid's Metamorphoses? Sounds like a recipe for a pretentious self-indulgent disaster, but somehow Ms. Barber pulls it off in a way that is not only literate but accessible and mostly (gasp) entertaining. She even gets away with an "Endangered Species rap" of sorts, and you gotta give her mad props for that... or something...

Intriguing.
Patricia Barber, one of the most accomplished female jazz singer-pianists on the planet, has made yet another album of subtle, original songs. This time it's a suite based on Ovid's Metamorphoses, composed with the support of a Guggenheim fellowship (Barber is the only songwriter ever to get a Guggenheim).
So in some respects Mythologies is closer to a contemporary classical project, detached and carefully scored, with clever, uncliched meshing of lyrics and melodies. It doesn't completely hang together, but Barber's vocal artistry is superb, expressing intelligent, elliptical words in a voice as seductive as ever: listen to Morpheus, Icarus (for Nina Simone) or Narcissus, which she suggests could become a "gay wedding song". Using her close-knit band - fearless guitarist Neal Alger, bassist Michael Arnapol and drummer Eric Montzka - she generates a wide range of timbres and feels.

simply stunning
I was introduced to Patricia Barber via the audiophile route as her cds
recording quality has always been excellent. Over the years I got to appreciate her music. What I love about Partricia Barber is that she has a sound like no one else, her piano playing is first class, and her songwriting is sublime and original. Each of Miss Barber cd been another step forward, and this one is full of surprise catching you unaware
at every turn. I am really tired of the old format of a singer being backed by the standard piano trio, singing the same old songs.
Miss Barber is different she is absolutely unique and I am sure in the years to come will be regarded as one of the great innovator in vocal jazz.
Coming back to the audio quality, this is simply the best recording I ever heard, natural, dynamic etc it has everything a real show stopper.
Can I give it a million stars??
Definetely my choice for cd of the year, in all categories.