David Greenberger reviews the new CD from jazz musician Karen Mantler, called Karen Mantler's Pet Project. Karen Mantler is the daughter of jazz musicians Michael Mantler and Carla Bley, and she has made something of a career with her cat, Arnold, devoting all the songs on several albums solely to him. This is the fourth such album, though now she takes on the difficult subject of life after Arnold's death, trying to figure out if any other pet can replace him. Greenberger says that far from being in a rut on her subject matter, Mantler's sticking to this one subject has made it an entry point for dealing with issues like love, loss, longing, fear, and fun. (4:30) Karen Mantler's Pet Project, is on the Virgin Classics label. See http://www.virginclassics.com for more information.
Copyright 2000 NPR