Album Review: Folk Songs, Jazz Journeys from Alex Martin

-

Album:  Folk Songs, Jazz Journeys
Artist:  Alex Martin
Label: Pajarito Verde Records
Website:  www.alexmartinmusic.com

Guitarist-bandleader Alex Martin documents a personal journey through his music on his latest CD Folk Songs, Jazz Journeys.  He toggles between the sounds of West Africa, America's Appalachia region, Northeast Brazil, and Celtic Europe, making an amalgam that he dubs New World Jazz.  The storytelling versing in his melodies is moving, impelling listeners to open their minds to the expressive lyricism in his harmonic models.

The pensive mood of "The Kudzu, the Dust, and You" spotlights the slow rocking motion of Martin's guitar chords joined by Ethan Foote's languid bass pulls and Keith Butler, Jr.'s sleek drum strikes.  "Viceversa" illuminates Martin's musical setting of a Spanish-language poem by famed Uruguayan writer Mario Benedetti, taking audiences to Brazil with the folkloric timbre of Martin's guitar and the island sway of Tyler Sherman's bass and Butler's drums.  The soft voicing in Maya Rogers's register cloaks the listener in a pleasing breeze.


The candlelight ambience of "Le Temps des Cerises," with words penned by Jean-Baptiste Clement and melody by Antoine Renard, features the meditative sway of vocalist Lynn Véronneau.  Her gentle treatment of the phrasing wraps listeners in waves of warmth that soothes the soul as Martin's guitar riffs reflect vignettes that portray the calming landscapes of Celtic Europe.  The soft traipsing of Jodi Beder's cello pattering across "I Once Loved a Lass" infuse a folksy, rustic texture emblematic of America's Appalachian region, which travels into the Latin flavored "Laridé" with Gaby Kerdoncuff's trumpet furls beautifully defined, brandishing attractive flutters.

Martin's New World Jazz brings together music cultures from different corners of the globe.  Connecting rustic folk with the suave versing of jazz, Alex Martin creates sonically sophisticated dishes for the world jazz connoisseur.

Musicians:
Alex Martin - guitar
Ethan Foote and Tyler Sherman - bass
Keith Butler Jr. -  drums
Elin Melgarejo, Maya Rogers, and Lynn Véronneau - vocals
Uasuf Gueye - balafon
Jodi Beder - cello
Deepak Shenoy - tabla
Bruno Lucini - triangle
Gaby Kerdoncuff - trumpeter


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Album Review: Becoming Marlene Dietrich from Myriam Phiro

-
Image
Album:  Becoming Marlene Dietrich Artist:  Myriam Phiro Label:  Self-Released Website:  www.myriamphiro.com Smooth jazz vocalist Myriam Phiro introduces a new generation of music listeners to jazz standards that made Marlene Dietrich famous in her time from the 1920's to 1940's with Phiro's new release Becoming Marlene Dietrich .  Although Phiro immerses herself in melodies that had been Dietrich's trademark tunes, Phiro tailors the songs to her likeness.  Her illustrious mezzo-soprano register is higher on the vocal spectrum than Dietrich's contralto pitch, which stamps the tracks with her own unique nuances and inflections.  Her treatment of the verses is finessed with a distinctly soft, feminine touch and a delightfully, hypnotic resonance, setting her style apart from Dietrich's. Her vocals cradle the lyrics of "Quand L’Amour Meurt," written by Georges Crémieux and Octave Millandy, with a warmth that penetrates the listener's soul as Hyuna Park...
Read more

Album Review: The Ways In from James Zollar

-
Image
Album:  The Ways In Artist:  James Zollar Label:  Label: JZAZ Records Websites:  https://www.rsberkeley.com/james-zollar https://www.discogs.com/artist/954763-James-Zollar https://wyntonmarsalis.org/personnel/detail/james-zollar A straight-ahead jazz oeuvre, The Ways In from bandleader and trumpet player James Zollar resumes a quest where pioneers of the trumpet's sympathetic vibrations like Clifford Brown and Bill Coleman left off.  Zollar shows audiences the delightful, melodious tone of the trumpet, moving in harmony with an array of brass, woodwinds, and rhythm instruments. The robust wails of Zollar's trumpet strutting languidly along "Do Nothing 'till You Hear From Me" emotes an enduring personable trait, unwavering persistence in the face of being dejected.  The recording switches to a joyful atmosphere in "Swing Spring" with jangly beats from percussionist Chembo Corniel, interfacing with the buoyant ripples generated by Michael Rorby's trom...
Read more

Album Review: Globetrotter from Luca di Luzio

-
Image
Album:  Globetrotter Artist:  Luca di Luzio Label:  Self-Released Website:  www.lucadiluzio.it   Guitarist Luca di Luzio's upcoming CD, Globetrotter  is an assortment of contemporary jazz tunes bridging funk, blues, soul, and Latin music.  Comprised of a few jazz standards and a handful of original works written by Luca di Luzio, a prolific guitar player who studied different styles of music, the recording expresses his personal vision of jazz guitar based on melody and groove.  Joining Di Luzio in his vision are bass guitarist Jimmy Haslip, drummer Dave Wecki, keyboardist George Whitty, and saxophonists Max Ionata and Alessandro Fariselli. From dance-funk numbers like "Jazzlife" and "Elisir" to the soft billows and reflective moods projected in "Smile" and " Buena Suerte," Di Luzio's artistry stems from his vision to make music that is aesthetically pleasing.  "Sunshower," a tune written by Kenny Barron, is a pr...
Read more