I must admit that I had my reservations when Mark Zandveld contacted me and told me about a new Deborah J. Carter album of Beatles songs. While I know that Deborah really can adopt a song and make it her own - like she has proved on ‘Round Moonlight and Girl Talking (the latter also features an impressive live version of Yesterday), I wondered if it will really work for a whole album with Beatles songs. And besides I have never been a fan of the Beatles and their music. I know everybody tells you they wrote such great songs. But for me artists like Stevie Wonder, Donny Hathaway, Marvin Gaye or even Prince (after all it was Prince who introduced me to funk and soul back in the 80s) mean so much more because they’ve (and hundreds of other soul and jazz musicians) provided my personal soundtrack of life (and still do).
On the other hand it might be helpful not to be too familiar with the songs of Paul, John, Ringo and George. Of course I know the old chestnuts like With A Little Help From My Friends, Yellow Submarine or Yesterday but I never felt the need to listen to their whole oeuvre. And I remember very well how I hated Yesterday back in school when we discussed this particular song in music classes. Of course jazz or soul never happened in school and the pop music of the Beatles was the most recent kind of music one would hear in school.
So does Daytripper work? Yes, surprisingly well. Actually Deborah makes you forget the bland original versions by putting the songs into new arrangements within a jazz context and just using the melody and lyrics as a foundation to create her own songs. As on her previous albums Deborah is accompanied by her husband Mark Zanveld (bass), Coen Molenaar (piano, keys) and Enrique Firpi (drums). And as a well-rehearsed band they provide the perfect background for Deborah’s rendition of Beatles tunes.
Can’t Buy Me Love for example celebrates its resurrection as a soulful jazz song. What a great way to start this album. And I Love Her/Him is done as a moving ballad. Things get a little funkier and upbeat on Ticket To Ride with extra percussion by Daniel Patriasz.
The old chesnut Yesterday resurfaces as acoustic guitar driven midtempo song (thanks to Ed Verhoeff on guitar) with a slight Spanish touch. Did I ever say, I don’t like the songs Lennon & McCartney composed? Well, by all means I do like the way Deborah handles these songs. Daytripper for example brings us the best of soul and jazz with warm Fender Rhodes and a swinging Deborah. Oh! Darling gets revamped as releaxed late night bar jazz.
Most people may associate With A Little Help From My Friends more with Joe Cocker than with the Beatles and Joe’s version certainly has been mimiced to death by an endless numbers of impersonator. Of course, Deborah doesn’t fall for that trap. Instead she reflects upon her principle to identify a good song. “It must have a well-constructed melody and harmonies. If I can play a song I like on the piano with no extras - strings, horns, studio effects - and still love it, then it passes the test.“, she told in her jazz-not-jazz interview a few years ago.
So With A Little Help From My Friend is stripped down to the song’s core with just Coen Molanaar on piano and Deborah’s heartfelt vocal input.
To sum it up Daytripper is an impressive showcase for Deborah J. Carter and her band to show their ability to adopt even the most well-known composition to come up with something new you haven’t heard before.

Tracklisting of Daytripper - A Beatles Tribute: 1. Can’t Buy Me Love/ 2. And I Love Her/ 3. Ticket To Ride/ 4. Yesterday/ 5. a - Daytripper/ b - Trippin’ (Vocalese)/ 6. a - I Will/ b - Here, There, And Everywhere/ 7. Something 4:22/ 8. Fixing A Hole 3:14/ 9. Oh! Darling 4:06/ 10. Things We Said Today 3:55/ 11. With A Little Help From My Friends | released 2006 Timeless Records

For more infos visit deborahjcarter.com and timelessjazz.com.

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