Details
Track Listing
1. I Wanna Be Good
2. My Stove
3. Vacation
4. Breaking Up
5. People Die
6. My Cat Arnold
7. Best of Friends
8. Fear of Pain
9. Major Love
10. Green Beans
Album Notes
Personnel: Karen Mantler (vocals, harmonica, piano, organ); Eric Mingus (vocals); Pablo Calogero (baritone saxophone); Steven Bernstein (trumpet); Steve Weisberg (synthesizer); Marc Miller (guitar); Jonathon Sanborn (bass); Ethan Winogrand (drums).
Recorded at Grog Kill Studio, Willow, New York in 1988.
To say that Karen Mantler grew up around music is putting it mildly; her parents are trumpet player Michael Mantler and pianist Carla Bley. Karen made her recording debut at the age of four, singing a part on one of her mother's albums (she's delightful on TROPIC APPETITES). By the time she was 10 she was playing glockenspiel in the Carla Bley Band.
For her debut she created this set of 10 songs that draw on jazz, but are more accurately pop with shadings of cabaret. Her band has the chops and smarts to embellish her songs with appropriate wit and subtlety. Mantler sings and plays harmonica, piano, and organ. On some tracks she's joined by Charles Mingus's son, the vocalist Eric Mingus. The songs examine aspects of her life, in personal yet oddly universal ways. This album also introduces to the world her cat Arnold, who would go on to play an ever-increasing role in her following releases.
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