Miri Ben-Ari Blends Violin, Hip-Hop on 2005 CD
The Hip-Hop Violinist Emerges As an Artist to Watch
Mar 5, 2009
One of the first rules of creating a good collaboration album is not to let guest musicians overshadow or outshine the album artist. This presents an even tougher challenge when the album belongs to an instrumentalist who invites guest appearances from vocalists.
Such is the case with The Hip-Hop Violinist, the debut CD from Miri Ben-Ari. This disc simultaneously showcases Ben-Ari's talents and those of her collaborators without allowing listeners to forget that the violinist is the centerpiece of each track.
Album Highlights
If a list of rules for hip hop collaborations existed, Rule #1 would be that any song can be improved with a chorus by Anthony Hamilton. The old-school singer, who is no stranger to guest appearances on rap records, lends his voice and its attendant earnestness to "Sunshine to the Rain," a track on which he ably shares the spotlight with rappers Fabolous Scarface (of Geto Boys fame). The track also benefits from some of Scarface's best and most personal lyrics in years. (Hamilton also appears again on another track, "She Was Just a Friend").
In another highlight of The Hip-Hop Violinist, Musiq Soulchild contributes a chorus while Kanye West contributes a strong verse to "Fly Away," the album's why-wasn't-this-a-huge-hit track. Even on this track, which combines the most popular artists on the compilation, Ben-Ari more than holds her own. The instrumental spaces on the song are just as memorable as (if not more memorable than) the rappers' clever lyrics.
On "Hold Your Head Up High," Lil' Mo's jazzy and soulful vocal stylings complement Ben-Ari's interpretation beautifully. Equally successful are the combinations of styles on "Miss Melody" (with Akon) and the haunting "Lord of the Strings" (with J. Ivy).
Room for Improvement
Not all the tracks' combinations are as compelling, however. The merge with reggae on "Jump & Spread Out" seems forced, and the duet of "The Star-Spangled Banner," which may well be an homage to the late Jimi Hendrix, is a noble failure at best and a train wreck at worst.
Professor Arrington's Grade
This is a strong album, and Miri Ben-Ari is a welcome addition to the hip-hop community. However, The Hip-Hop Violinist consists of hits and misses. The album's successes outnumber the flops, and some of the successes ("Fly Away," "Sunshine to the Rain," "Hold Your Head up High," and "Lord of the Strings") are exceptional as to make listeners tolerate the weaker songs.
For finding the golden mean between instrumental originality and hip-hop conventionality, Miri Ben-Ari earns kudos and a B+.
 |
