Chrissie Hynde Streams Cover Of Charles Mingus Classic

Pretenders frontman Chrissie Hynde has digitally released her new track "Meditation on a Pair Of Wire Cutters," which is her take on the Charles Mingus classic.

The song comes from Chrissie's forthcoming album "Valve Bone Woe", which is set to be released on September 6th and features her covering songs from artists like Brian Wilson, Frank Sinatra, Hoagy Carmichael, John Coltrane, Nick Drake, Ray Davies and Rodgers and Hammerstein. Listen to the Mingus cover here.

She had this to say, "A few years back when I saw an obit in the paper for the valve-trombonist, Bob Brookmeyer, I mailed my jazz sax-playing brother, saying 'R. I. P. Bob Brookmeyer.' Terry, a man of few words, responded with 'Valve Bone Woe,' a kind of Haiku beatnik prose.

"I thought that was a perfect title for the album I'd been working on with producer Marius de Vries. After we'd recorded 'I Wish You Love' for the Eye Of The Beholder soundtrack I'd often expressed a desire to do more along those lines. What eventually emerged was the idea to do what we refer to as our Jazz/Dub album, the one you're now holding in your hand.

"I'm not hugely interested in branching out into other musical genres, being a devout rock singer as such, but jazz is something I grew up around (thanks to my bro) and I've always had a soft spot for it. I often bemoan what I regard as a decline in melody in popular music and I wanted to sing melodies. Plus, I have a penchant for cover songs, it's the surprise of singing something that I didn't think of writing myself that turns me on.

"Jazz got side-lined by Rock & Roll in the 60's, but now the demise of rock seems to be heralding in a newfound interest in it, the most creative and innovative musical forms of the 20th century. I'm happy to jump on the bandwagon."

Alone With Chrissie Hynde Coming To DVD

Robert Plant Joined By Chrissie Hynde At Recent Concert

Robert Plant Announces American Tour And Streams Chrissie Hynde Duet

More Chrissie Hynde News

Share this article