What do Flying Lotus, Kendrick Lamar, Sufjan Stevens, and Björk have in common? Besides their shared flare for artfully blending electronic and acoustic sounds, they are among the unintentionally curated set of non-jazz artists that jazz musicians, myself included, have almost universally anointed as worthy of seriously digging. And with its first three jazz albums, Kendrick Scott Oracle has dedicated a track on each to cover a song by one of these non-jazz artists.
In the band’s debut album, The Source, Scott arranges a contemplative version of Björk’s 107 steps. John Ellis’ melancholy bass clarinet sets up an evocative modern jazz ballad. But the song selection is as much a reflection of Björk’s influence on Scott as it’s an homage to drummer Jeff “Tain” Watts, who also covered 107 Steps back in 2004.