The “Heart” of a team: Jazz vocalist Anne Walsh releases “Anyone Who Had A Heart,” the first single from her forthcoming album, “Reach Out For Me: Burt Bacharach Reimagined,” due November 14.
Jazz singer Anne Walsh and her GRAMMY® nominated arranger-producer-pianist Tom Zink are taking a different tact for her newly released single, “Anyone Who Had A Heart.” They submitted their version of the Burt Bacharach and Hal David tune for GRAMMY® consideration in the Best Arrangement, Instruments and Vocals category as a five-person team collaboration to recognize the contributions made by Walsh and the band: Zink, GRAMMY-winning bassist Hussain Jiffry (Herb Alpert), guitarist Mitchell Long, and drummer Kevin Winard.
“Anyone Who Had A Heart” will appear on Walsh’s forthcoming album, “Reach Out For Me: Burt Bacharach Reimagined,” which drops November 14 on the A to Zink Music label. The collection revisits ten Bacharach classics placed in a bossa nova meets straight-ahead jazz setting. Piloted by Walsh’s classically trained soprano voice throughout the session, the Budapest Orchestra ornately decorates each track with lavish strings, including on “Anyone Who Had A Heart,” adding dramatic flair to Walsh’s reading. It’s the inspired arrangement crafted by the team that’s under the microscope.
"We knew as a group that we wanted something different from this iconic song made famous by Dionne Warwick. The arrangement came to life in the studio where each musician’s ideas shaped the final sound, an interpretation that honors Bacharach and David’s songwriting artistry while showcasing our group’s collective voice. It started with Kevin (Winard) and Hussain (Jiffry) playing off the original 6/8 triplet feel while adding world music elements for a fresh approach,” said Zink before explaining the unusual tact of sharing the arrangement credit for GRAMMY® consideration with the quintet.
“We submitted ‘Anyone Who Had A Heart’ for a GRAMMY® nomination with all the musicians listed as arranger. This was done intentionally to recognize the contributions that frequently go unnoticed among the performers on a song. Usually there is one predominant arranger, but something truly unique happens when all the players contribute something special and distinctive from their playing style. So many session players get album credits, but not a recognition about the importance that each of their unique performances has on the overall arrangement."
On “Anyone Who Had A Heart,” Zink’s harmonious and melodic piano pairs perfectly with Long’s lively electric jazz guitar. Mid-tune Long’s searing solo invites Walsh’s most intimate, intricate, and impassioned vocal performance, forming a graceful pas de deux between voice and guitar. Rhythmically, Jiffry’s signature harmonic choices, light yet definitive, add depth alongside Winard’s astute drumming.
Zink received his GRAMMY® nomination for an arrangement on Walsh’s 2009 album, “Pretty World.” His arrangement of Bacharach’s "Say A Little Prayer" for Walsh’s 2016 “Brand New” album fueled the singer’s long held desire to do a deeper dive into Bacharach’s catalogue, which finally comes to fruition on “Reach Out For Me: Burt Bacharach Reimagined.”
For more information, visit https://www.annewalsh.com.
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