If you listen to music from other countries and other hemispheres, one thing you may notice is how the populations in warmer climes (Central and South America, Africa, The Middle East, the Pacific Islands, to name a bunch) create music that blends percussion with melody, often with delightful results. If one only listened to the ECM Records albums by Egberto Gismonti (pictured left), you might think he was an acoustic musician/composer with a great understanding in his country's indigenous music as well as European classical music. He is that and much more. Try and find Mr. Gismonti's Brazilian recordings from the 1970s and 80s. There, you hear music that combines even more influences, including the "Tropicália" movement of the late 1960s that produced such amazing artists such as Caetano Veloso, Gilberto, and Tom Zé.
Resonance Records owner George Klabin has been a huge fan of the Brazilian's music since he first heard his musician in the 1970s. In 2016, he introduced clarinetist/saxophonist Eddie Daniels to Gismonti's music and the seeds for "Heart of Brazil" were planted. Daniels made several suggestions, including hiring Ted Nash to write arrangements as well as the idea of pairing a string quartet with a "jazz" quartet. The producer picked the material, all but one piece ("Tango Nova", composed by Daniels) from Gismonti's Brazilian albums and employed the Harlem Quartet - violinists Ilmar Gavilán and Melissa White, violist Jamey Amador, and cellist Felix Umansky - putting them in the studio with Daniels, pianist Josh Nelson, bassist Kevin Axt, and drummer Marco Zottarelli. Besides Nash's five arrangements), long-time Resonance Records arranger Kuno Schmid arranged five pieces while pianist Nelson added two and Mike Patterson (who had arranged pieces on Daniels's duet albums with pianist Roger Kellaway).
Photo: Detroit Jazz Festival
The results are, in a word, magnificent. Bask in the delightful melodies of the faster pieces such as the two that open the album, "Loro" and "Baiâo Malandro". The former has been covered numerous times by artists such as Esperanza Spalding, guitarist Paolo Martell, and, most recently, by Anat Cohen on her Tentet recording "Happy Songs." That's understandable, with its joyous "Flight of the Bumblebee"-like melody line. Note here how strings flow around the melody but also how Daniels' solo is echoed by the rousing drum work of Zottarelli. The string quartet introduces the latter tune hinting at the funky, fast-paced tune to follow. If anything, the melody line is even faster than its predecessor. Played here by Daniels and Nelson, it's absolutely breathtaking! (Check out the original version here). The drummer is quite the spark plug here as well.
The ballads chosen for the album each have their charms and surprises. "Trem Noturno" ("Night Train") opens as slow moody melody for tenor sax and piano before bursting into a fiery mid-section (including a splendid piano intro and give-and-take between strings and tenor), and then into a slower clarinet solo and the rapid-fire close. "Auto-Retrato" ("Self-Portrait") includes a lovely string quartet intro before Daniels (clarinet) and Nelson play the melody. The entire ensemble then enters and the piece moves forward gently. More of a classical feel is heard on "Adagio", the strings bathing the clarinet in showers of sweet counterpoint - take note of bassist Axt's fine accompaniment and Zottareilli's lovely brush work.
"Heart of Brazil" is a oft-times dazzling tribute to the music of Egberto Gismonti played with heart, soul, and wit by Eddie Daniels and company. It's a lot of music for one CD (nearly 78 minutes) yet I have no idea what the producer could have edited. Take your time and deep breath, dive in and no matter where you emerge, the guarantee is that you'll be bot entertained and refreshed!
Here's the official release promo video from Resonance Records:
Guitarist and composer Jean Chaumont, born in France, moved to Princeton, New Jersey, in 2014 and slowly, steadily, began playing his own music in the United States. Back home, he had composed music for advertisements, short films, and documentaries plus arranged pieces for several different artists. For his debut album "The Beauty of Differences" (Misfitme Music), he gathers an excellent group of musicians - saxophonist Sam Sadigursky, pianist and Rhodes player Michael Bond, bassist Ike Sturm, and drummer Rudy Royston - to play nine original works. Chaumont plays an electric acoustic guitar (with effects) plus steel string and nylon string guitars. While he is intimately involved in all phases of this music, he does not hog the spotlight giving plenty of room for others to solo. Sadigursky plays both tenor and soprano saxes throughout (but no clarinet) with the tenor adding weight to the music. Bond, who has worked with the Captain Black Big Band and saxophonist Tim Warfield among others, often matches the guitarist's impressionistic work - even his Rhodes work has a lighter quality. Royston, who can light a fire under any ensemble, does not only play with his usual gusto but also displays his sensitive brush work and ultra-musical use of cymbals.
Photo: Eastman Guitars
The title tune adds the vocals of Vinod Gnanaraj, sung in his native Tamil language, and the splendid percussion of John Hadfield. With the quintet swirling around them, the music goes in various directions at different tempi. Tierney Sutton adds her lovely voice to "Prayer For Creation" which celebrates the Creator in word and song (lyrics by Cathy Yost). The blend of acoustic guitar, soprano saxophone, and voice is quite pretty. Notice how the rhythm section moves the piece forward without force.
One can hear the influences of Chick Corea and progressive rock on pieces such as "PPCB" with its rapid-fire opening an d chordal progressions. Royston kicks hard during the solo section, pushing Bond and Sadigursky to really dig in. The album opener "Renewed Perspective" starts quietly but builds in intensity as Chaumont's long solo unwinds. The ballads engage the listener with fine melody lines ands intelligent solos. The rich tenor tones of Sadigursky dominate the first 2/3rds of "This One is For You", moving his way through the melody with emotion and grace. The leader takes a short but sweet solo over the shimmering cymbals. "For Each One of Them" starts ever-so-slowly with guitar, bass, and drums moving gracefully through the melody (note the excellent bass work). Then the tenor enters leading the piece forward until the guitarist changes the direction with his rhythmical chord strumming. Bond, Chaumont, and Sadigursky exchange short solo lines as Royston creates a storm below. The drummer gets his own spotlight, heating up the proceedings as he is wont to do.
Drawing: Jaynie McCloskey
"The Beauty of Differences" is a response to the New World that Jean Chaumont has moved to. Instead of being repelled by the craziness, he searches for beauty, for communication, for interaction, and for hope. The quintet is in sync throughout, not just respecting the composer's intent but building upon it, making his ideas sing. If you give this music more than a cursory listening, you'll be impressed by the depth and emotion of the performances.
The vast majority of the proceeds from the sale of the album go to finance the excavation of wells in Sakata region of Malawi, a landlocked republic in Southeast Africa. Particularly hard-struck by drought and the AIDS virus, the country is aided by the NGO, Villages in Partnership - to find out more, go to villagesinpartnership.org.
Peter Eldridge has such a wonderful vocal style; he can sing blues with great conviction, swing with great ease, caress a ballad with the best, and seems to have no fear taking chances with his music. "Disappearing Day" (Sunnyside Records) is his fifth solo album; the program is a mix of originals, covers, and standards, poems set to song, smart vocal arrangements, all built from his duo with bassist Matt Aronoff (known as Foolish Hearts) and his long association with drummer/producer Ben Wittman (Paula Cole, Lucy Kaplansky - the three men are pictured below).
There's an intelligent take on Paul McCartney's "Jenny Wren" (from his 2005 album "Chaos and Creation in the Backyard") . Led in by Aronoff's rich bass tone, the voices, cello and violin rise together in the background as Eldridge sings the plaintive melody (the arrangement plays a subtle homage to both "Eleanor Rigby" and "Blackbird"). The leader's handsome piano solo moves the song forward with grace (Eldridge is an intelligent pianist, knowing what his arrangements need and never playing too much). For Luciana Souza's "House" (from her splendid 2004 "Neruda" album), he sings the poem over the masterful bass and active percussion then adds a fine and, ultimately, playful piano solo.
Among the many highlights are the lovely vocal duet with Becca Stevens on the original "Wish You With Me" and the impressionistic "Driving To Town Late to Mail a Letter." The latter track features a poem by Robert Bly set to an original melody, the piano, bass, drums, guitars (Marc Schulman), cello (Mariel Roberts), and wonderful voices (Jo Lawry, Alan Hampton, and Eldridge) painting the snowy evening to perfection. For the leader's musical reading of a quote from author James Thurber, Eldridge has the Elm City Girls Choir (of New Haven CT) sing "Let us not look back in anger, nor forward in fear, but around us in awareness."
The two "standards" on the disc are given fascinating settings. The playful "low-fi" intro to "Witchcraft" (by Cy Coleman and Carolyn Leigh) sounds like an outtake from The Beatles' "Let It Be" before breaking into a rapidly paced take with just piano, bass, and brushes supporting the vocal. The album closes with the lovely "Some Other Time" (from the 1944 Broadway show "On The Town", music by Leonard Bernstein, lyrics by Betty Comden and Adolphe Green). Eldridge captures the inherent sadness and regret in the words while Aronoff and guitarist Jesse Lewis paint the background in a Country-Folk mood.
From the Theo Bleckmann collage on the front cover to the various moods throughout the music, "Disappearing Day" will not easily fade from your mind and heart. Peter Eldridge, who not only makes music but also teaches voice students at the Berklee College of Music, creates songs that touch us, gently reminding one to enjoy the day, cherish the people around you, and to allow music to push away the darkness. And, he's got such a great command of his voice, a baritone with a big range who never screams at the listener but always invites one in.
Guitarist and composer Alex Goodman, Canadian born and raised, moved to the United States in 2012 after the release of his Quintet album "Bridges". Since his arrival, Goodman has worked and/or recorded with bassist John Pattitucci, saxophonist Charles Lloyd, and drummer Ari Hoenig (among others). In 2014, he won the Montreux Jazz Festival International Guitar Competition and recorded an album of "Etudes for Solo Guitar" (self-released).
His new recording, "Border Crossing" (OA2 Records), stays focussed on the "Chamber Music" sounds of his previous two recordings and expands the composer-arranger's musical palette. He's replaced the saxophone and piano with the voice of Felicity Williams and the vibraphone of Michael Davidson, filling out the ensemble with Andrew Downing (cello, bass), Rogerio Boccato (percussion), and, on three of the seven tracks, Fabio Ragnelli (drums). Ms. Williams breathy voice blends nicely with the instrumentalists. Right from the opening cut "Acrobat" which starts with just acoustic guitar and percussion (sounding like a Ralph Towner composition), she creates a softer elegance when matched with the guitar, cello and vibraphone. Her wordless vocal rise above the ensemble on "Family Breakfast", paired with the vibes on the opening melody (reminiscent of the folk-jazz of the British group Pentangle). The leader, on electric guitar, digs into an exciting solo, pushed by the active percussion and drums of Ragnelli and Boccato. The pace slows for a restatement of the theme and then moves quietly into a fine vibraphone solo. Pay attention to how the rhythm section (with Downing on bass) push the piece forward.
A pair of excellent covers are included in the program. Goodman's delightful arrangement of W.A. Mozart's "Eine Kleine Gigue" captures the playfulness of the original, spreading the melody around the different voices while adding a counterpoint for guitar and vibes plus a cello spotlight. The final track is a wondrous arrangement of "Pure Imagination", the Anthony Newley - Leslie Bricusse song from "Willy Wonka and The Chocolate Factory." Again, it's a playful take with the different voices of the ensemble moving in and out of the solo section - when the musicians move back into the lyric section of the song, Goodman does so with a classical (and delightful) flourish. Listen closely to how the musicians create the "sound of wonder."
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The album is filled with moments that capture your ear, seducing you into really listening closely. The "conversation" that the vibes and guitar engage in at the start of "Collateral Damage", how the voice moves in-and-out of the forefront on "Style Brisé" (a piece that highlights the brilliance of Boccato's percussion), and the percussive work of Goodman, Boccato and bassist Downinn the opening of "With Thanks", a song that opens wide to feature the guitarist's most impressive solo as well as an animated percussion solo. Ms. Williams also stretches out several times through the piece (which you can watch below).
"Border Crossing" is a major step forward for a young musician with such great promise. Alex Goodman can certainly play his instrument but, on this new album, it's his songs and arrangements that capture your attention. This is music that makes you want to open the windows and let the breezes clean out the house. Enjoy!
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