ALBUM REVIEW: Andrew Bird Explores and Elevates Midcentury Jazz on ‘Sunday Morning Put-On’

It’s probably not surprising to know that Andrew Bird possesses a fondness for midcentury jazz and the Great American Songbook. Given his ability to explore different genres and styles, it should also come as no surprise that he can play the hell out of this material.

Andrew Bird (Alexa Viscius)

On his latest, Sunday Morning Put-On, The Andrew Bird Trio tackles this era of song and some of the most iconic composers of the era — Cole Porter, Duke Ellington, and Rodgers and Hart, to name a few — and do more than just pay tribute to the jazz of the 1930s and ’40s. They recorded one of the finest albums in Bird’s discography.

From a musical perspective, the performances on Sunday Morning Put-On are stellar. Bird and the rhythm section of drummer Ted Poor and bassist Alan Hampton (with occasional support courtesy of guitarist Jeff Parker and Larry Goldings on piano) present the material elegantly. On “Django” and “My Ideal,” Bird’s violin serves as a substitute for a horn section, and it showcases both his virtuosity as a musician and some of the most distinctive playing of his career. He’s aided in these efforts by his rock-solid rhythm section. Poor and Hampton provide a deft touch that give songs like “I Cover the Waterfront” and “Softly, As in a Morning Sunrise” a subtle swing or provide the oomph necessary to bring the gypsy jazz of “Caravan” to life.

But what really pops on the record are the vocals. Bird’s chops as a musician are well established, but he’s never tested himself as a singer quite like this before. The finest example of this is on “I Fall in Love Too Easily,” a rendition that’s more in line with the 1955 Chet Baker arrangement than the slightly schmaltzy Sinatra version from 1944. It’s a sneakily dynamic performance, and Bird nails the emotional inflection points of the lyrics. “Softly, As in a Morning Sunrise” is another peak for his talents as a singer. Much as it serves to highlight the trio’s ability to work through different tempos, moving from ballad to up-tempo shuffle with aplomb, Bird presents the full range and power of his voice in a way he hasn’t before, utilizing falsettos, crooning, and full-throated shouting.

There is one original track on Sunday Morning Put-On, “Ballon de Peut-Etre.” If Google can be trusted, the title translates to “Balloon of Maybe.” That would be apt, as the nine-minute instrumental cut serves as a vehicle for Bird to play and lead an improvisational piece. The song moves quickly, never settling too long on a certain theme or particular direction. Through improvising with the trio, Bird is able to take the inspiration he’s drawn from midcentury jazz and present it as something that is uniquely his own. It makes for a satisfying, logical conclusion to a superlative album.

The Andrew Bird Trio’s Sunday Morning Put-On is out May 24 on Loma Vista Recordings.