A Whole New World - Native

Japan has its share of great jazz artists, and one of the better groups is the four-piece combo from Nagoya, NATIVE. Their webpage sums them up the best when they say "the sound of Native is an open minded interpretation of classic Acoustic Jazz, and their music features many memorable melodies alongside delicate interplay between drum and bass."

The memorable melody in this case is A Whole New World, but this cover is unlike any other version of this song. It is upbeat and fun, but I tend to sit and listen carefully to the interesting chords and rhythms that lie underneath the familiar tune. Here is what saxophonist Tomoyoshi Nakamura had to say about arranging this cover:

It is my pleasure to reproduce Aladdin's theme song since it's my favorite Disney movie. The original song is a romantic ballad sung by a duet with a male and a female but I made it to up tempo afro-beat and swing combination. The key is changed from major to minor but the beauty in the melody remains the same. I truly feel how important the presence of the melody is. Hope you like a danceable Whole New World with club jazz taste by native.

You can find this track on the Japanese exclusive MODAL JAZZ LOVES DISNEY.