There's a scene in
Oliver Stone's 1986 film Platoon that speaks volumes about the importance of Motown Records to the baby boomer generation. In that scene from Platoon -- which takes place in the jungles of Vietnam during the Vietnam War -- several American soldiers are singing
the Miracles' "The Tracks of My Tears" in an effort to provide some temporary relief from the horror that surrounds them. During that scene, the song is about much more than a great melody -- it's about camaraderie, solace, and comfort. Like
the Beatles,
the Rolling Stones,
James Brown, and Stax, Motown was -- to use Berry Gordy's phrase -- "the sound of young America." While the baby boomers aren't so young anymore, the Motown songbook holds up nicely after all these years -- a fact that is illustrated by
A Twist of Motown. This 2003 project finds guitarist
Lee Ritenour producing a jazz-friendly tribute to Motown and overseeing an all-star cast that includes
George Benson,
Gerald Albright,
Dave Grusin,
Chris Botti, and
Bob James, among others. The instrumentals (which range from "I Heard It Through the Grapevine" to
Stevie Wonder's "Creepin'") tend to draw on both soul-jazz and crossover jazz/NAC, while the vocal performances -- including
Brenda Russell on "The Tracks of My Tears" and
Will Downing on "Just My Imagination" -- are aimed at urban or quiet storm listeners. From a jazz standpoint,
A Twist of Motown isn't as adventurous or risk-taking as it could have been; if you want to hear some truly daring interpretations of Motown gems, check out
Joe Farrell's version of
Wonder's "Too High" or
Grover Washington, Jr.'s arrangement of
Marvin Gaye's "Inner City Blues." Nonetheless, the performances -- both instrumental and vocal -- are generally likable and satisfying, and when all is said and done,
Ritenour has affirmed how durable the Motown songbook continues to be. ~ Alex Henderson