Sacramento Bee, April 6, 2010

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Years on, Costello back in Davis with big resume


Marcus Crowder

He outgrew early punkishness

It's been more than 30 years since the self-consciously rumpled Elvis Costello and his band the Attractions rocked the scruffy Coffee House on the campus of the University of California, Davis.

He returns to Davis on Wednesday as a dignified musical auteur performing solo at the distinctly upscale Jackson Hall. (The concert is virtually sold out)

In the interim, he has been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (2003) and last year released his 29th studio album.

Defining Costello, 55, has always been a thankless, maybe useless task. He has deep roots in a broad range of music. Growing up in a household with a professional-musician father and music-loving mother, he was as aware of big-band jazz as top-of-the-charts pop.

At the start of his career with the 1977 album My Aim Is True, he was identified with the burgeoning punk movement. But that soon revealed itself as more manufactured image than substance. "Alison," a key song from Costello's debut record, is a minor-key ballad, as jazz-based as anything he would later attempt.

Expanding from that early rock period, Costello has gone pop, country, R&B, jazz and into art music.

"It never said in my contract I have to make the same record over and over again," Costello said in a Time Life documentary.

"It's harder for people to change the rules in rock 'n' roll. It's such a very, very limited form musically that it comes down to somebody's imagination, what they have in their heart."

Costello's imagination has been vast.

His collaborations range from Paul McCartney and Burt Bacharach to George Jones and T Bone Burnett.

Categories are nearly meaningless in today's music world, and part of that is due to artists like Costello, who can make records with the Charles Mingus Big Band and with opera star Anne Sofie von Otter.

Here are a few rough categories for some of Costello's extensive catalog in what is by no means an exhaustive overview.


The angry young man

These first three albums representing 2½ years of activity can compare to anyone's — Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, Stevie Wonder, the Beatles — for concentrated artistic quality. Of course Costello eventually tailed off, but they all did too.

My Aim Is True (1977)
This Year's Model (1978)
Armed Forces (1979)

R&B

R&B is relative with Costello but clearly present. Get Happy, a personal favorite, continues his early great run with an album overloaded with songs based on the songwriter's soul favorites. On The River in Reverse, Costello teams up with New Orleans piano legend Allen Toussaint. The songs come from throughout Toussaint's career, and there a few new originals, as well.

Get Happy (1980)
The River in Reverse (2006)
Kojak Variety (1995)

Jazz

Costello's love of jazz stems from his youth. Now he's married to jazz pianist and singer Diana Krall.

North commemorates his relationship with Krall with a series of sophisticated, piano-based songs with guests such as saxophonist Lee Konitz sitting in for a solo.

North (2003)
My Flame Burns Blue (2006)
Deep Dead Blue (1995)
Piano Jazz (2005)

Pop

The shimmering production of Imperial Bedroom melds perfectly with Costello's incisive songwriting. The later collaboration with Bacharach, Painted From Memory, is one of Costello's more underappreciated albums, containing one of his finest vocal performances.

Trust (1981)
Imperial Bedroom (1982)
Painted From Memory (1998)

Rock

Costello may think rock is a limited form, but he knows how to make great use of it. He can put a bitter sneer into his voice as well as anyone.

Blood & Chocolate (1986)
When I Was Cruel (2002)
The Delivery Man (2004)

Country

Almost Blue is a record of country covers; it's also a song that Costello wrote for jazz trumpeter Chet Baker. King of America is more Americana than country, but the acoustic-based album made with Burnett has some exquisite songs on it.

Almost Blue (1981)
King of America (1986)
Secret, Profane & Sugarcane (2009).


Elvis Costello solo concert
When: 8 p.m. Wednesday
Where: Jackson Hall, Mondavi Center, UC Davis
Tickets: $17.50-$65, limited availability, if any.



Tags: Mondavi CenterDavis, CaliforniaThe AttractionsMy Aim Is TrueAlisonUC Davis Coffee HouseRoss MacManusRock and Roll Hall of FamePaul McCartneyBurt BacharachGeorge JonesT Bone BurnettMingus Big BandAnne Sofie von OtterBob DylanBruce SpringsteenStevie WonderThe BeatlesThis Year's ModelGet Happy!!Armed ForcesThe River In ReverseAllen ToussaintKojak VarietyMy Flame Burns BlueNorthLee KonitzDiana KrallPiano JazzPainted From MemoryImperial BedroomDeep Dead BlueBlood & ChocolateTrustThe Delivery ManWhen I Was CruelAlmost BlueChet BakerAlmost BlueAlmost Blue (song)King Of AmericaSecret, Profane & Sugarcane

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Sacramento Bee, April 6, 2010


Marcus Crowder profiles Elvis Costello ahead of the concert, Wednesday, April 7, 2010, Mondavi Center For The Performing Arts, Davis, California.

Images

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Clippings.

2010-04-06 Sacramento Bee page D8 clipping 01.jpg



2010-04-06 Sacramento Bee photo 01 st.jpg
2007 photo by Sigi Tischler / AP.


2006 photo by Mark J. Terrill / AP.
2010-04-06 Sacramento Bee photo 03 mjt.jpg


Photographer unknown.
2010-04-06 Sacramento Bee photo 02 px.jpg


Page scans and clipping.
2010-04-06 Sacramento Bee page A16.jpg 2010-04-06 Sacramento Bee page D1.jpg 2010-04-06 Sacramento Bee page D8.jpg 2010-04-06 Sacramento Bee page A16 clipping 01.jpg

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