Latin

Dan Costa ~ Pianist & Composer

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Dan Costa was born in London to Portuguese and Italian parents. He has lived in eight countries. I mention this, because Dan is somewhat of a troubadour, frequently travelling from country to country and always absorbing the musical influences. He listens carefully, interprets, and then takes it to a new level entirely, and this 

brings something essential to his music. It is not so much a sense of place but a sense of the world at large and its limitless possibilities. Nowhere is this more evident than in his second album ‘Skyness’. Check it out on the streaming platforms, and like me, you will return again and again. It is rare to encounter music with such heart-stopping beauty.    

Costa is an interesting interview subject, partly because he is so well travelled, but also because he is expansive and erudite. In fact, he speaks eight languages and judging by his English, many fluently. He is an internationalist and an environmentalist. He is also an advocate for animal rights. All of the above illustrates the point that a good musician is not just about the notes. Character and lived experience are the ‘finishing school. This is refreshing to encounter.

Costa is deeply influenced by Brazilian Jazz, but I can detect other Latin influences like Flamenco and Fado. He is a thoughtful player who makes every note count. His voicings and time feel, especially at the slower tempos, are impeccable. It is no wonder that such fulsome praise is being heaped upon him by the likes of Jazziz, Jazz Word, Jazz Weekly, Musica Brasiliero, New York Music Daily etc. 

And his collaborations with the likes of Randy Brecker, Seamus Blake, Hermeto Pascoal and the wonderful Ivan Lins have crafted wonder upon wonder. He creates such open vehicles; composed and arranged so as to invite maximum participation. The musicians he has worked with are quick to say so and their praise keeps coming.

His prior recorded output has set him on an interesting journey, so his newest album ‘Beams’ will be eagerly anticipated. It is about light in its different forms. With him on ‘Beams’ his core trio, John Patitucci and Paulinho Vicente, with guests Mike Stern, Dave Douglas, Dave Liebman, Anne Bocatto, Hermeto Pascoal and Teco Cardoso. The album teaser is posted here and I can’t wait to hear the rest of it. For information on albums and tours, go to his website www.dancosta.net

 JL32  Good evening Dan. Thank you for giving me a few hours out of your busy schedule. As a traveller myself, I must say that I am impressed by how much of the planet you have covered to date. 

DC  Hi John, nice to connect, Yes, I have lived in eight countries and travelled to around 60 as a musician or tourist, but there is still a lot to see. It is an interesting world and I hope to live in more countries and to keep travelling. One of my friends is buying a house but I am not interested in that for me. I think that you need to live in a country for at least two years. That’s how you get to know the culture. It removes the fear of the unknown when you do that. 

JL32 Increases empathy and negates racism right? 

DC Exactly, music is also a multinational language and one that has many dialects but it brings people together.  I like to associate the sounds I hear with colours. Harmony is just colour. I am looking at the painting behind you as we speak and I am immediately thinking of the French impressionist composers. 

JL32  The painting is impressionistic and is of forest and sky.  I love forests, the older the better.

DC Then you should visit the Amazon. When I was living in Brazil I spent some nights in the Amazon rainforest and in fact the title of my first album ‘Suite Tres Rios’ is inspired by the meeting of two great rivers in the Amazon. These rivers meet but keep their different colours. It’s a fairly unique phenomenon and it is a bit like my parents who each kept their unique cultures intact. That was my experience as I grew up. It was like two rivers meeting and when we moved to France or England new colours were introduced. Each keeps its essence but interacts. So the tunes on that album were inspired by the Amazon. For instance, one track is about the stars above the rainforest, the clearest stars I’ve ever seen.  

And my album Skyness was inspired by the blue of Greek Island skies. The skies above the Greek Islands are different to other places.  (We digress here into a long discussion on sky colours and rivers, so I recommend Cape Reinga where ocean and sea meet, as do the different colours touch each other)  

JL32  Tell me about the Brazillian singer-songwriter Ivan Lins. I love his voice and I first encountered him on a recording with trumpeter Paulo Fresu and the Sardinian Jazz Orchestra.

DC  I wrote to him asking him if he was interested in recording with me and I was pleased when he replied enthusiastically. He has written many great songs but we settled on ‘Love Dance’ which is one of the most recorded songs in musical history (everyone from Joe Pass, Quincey Jones, Sarah Vaughan and even Sting has recorded it). It is a love song and harmonically it has many interesting twists. He also has a house in Portugal so we recorded there and it was a nice experience as we recorded it in one or two takes. The studio was booked for two hours but most of the time was spent talking. He is a person who likes to be near different oceans or rivers. We had that in common, and we also connected because we like delving into musical styles. 

JL32  And you collaborated with Randy Becker (check out the teaser on YouTube). I love that, he is another musician who has an affinity with South American music. Brazilian music is sometimes referred to as the ‘other swing’. 

DC  Yes, 1917 was the date of the first Jazz recording and also the first Samba recording. So with Randy Brecker, the tune was already recorded on my album ‘Skyness’ inspired by the feeling of closeness to Mediterranean skies and by the notion of international togetherness. I had originally recorded the tune solo, so I wanted to re-release it with Randy and he loved it. 

JL32  What a great tune ‘Iremia’ is and how beautifully you both improvise around the melody lines. 

DC  So he came in on top and it was a special moment for me as he has played with some of the greatest stars in musical history. And many of the people who I recorded my first album with were also on his Grammy-winning album Randy In Brazil. The tune you mention is not Latin but the meaning of the name Iremia is peace in Greek. By coincidence, it was re-released at the moment the war started in Ukraine. It got quite a bit of attention, especially in Italy and it was featured on Sky News. This message of peace should be there at all times, but in times of war, more so. When I wrote it I was living on Paros in the Cyclades Islands, so it is about tranquillity and peace.

JL32  I must ask here. Do you have a working trio or involve different musicians in each project? Or to come at it slightly differently, is there a configuration that you prefer working with, solo, trio, quartet, or larger unit?

DC That is an excellent question. I am comfortable in all formats, in fact, the first concert will be in Hamilton with a big band.  I have worked with orchestras but not with my music, but on every album, there is a different type of lineup. I enjoy that.

JL32 I love the tune ‘Skyness’, it is the sheer beauty and architecture of it. Those voicings, the time feel like your left hand is gently pushing at your right hand, conversationally, and by the time Seamus Blake comes in we are mesmerised.  

DC  My third album ‘Live In California’ was a solo album, my next album will be a trio with special guests. One month ago I recorded in New York with John Patitucci and I enjoyed that. But to answer your question, no particular format and I like to give a voice to everyone. 

JL32  I saw Patitucci in a Roman amphitheatre, Verona, with Wayne Shorter, Danilo Perez and Brian Blade. Not an experience that I will forget. What’s the album called?

DC ‘Beams’ as in light, with John Patitucci and Paulinho Vicente as the core trio. The guests are Mike Stern, Hermeto Pascoal, Dave Douglas and singer Anne Boccato. Oh, and the saxophonist Tecō Cardosa, who is the only musician to appear on multiple of my albums. But I would record again with any of the above. I like the Brazilian percussionist Teco Cardosa very much. He is a multi-instrumentalist and plays flute, saxophone and percussion. There is really something special about him. He features in the piece ‘Compelling’ on the second album.

JL32  Yes an amazing and energetic track. People who don’t know this album or that piece need to check it out ASAP (on streaming platforms. Sadly, the physical album is hard to find but I located one). 

DC I created a video for World Earth Day which is on my website. That was recorded with Teco on the flute. It is one of my favourite pieces as I really like the fusion of the flute and piano. What do you think about that combination? 

JL32  Flute and piano and flute over a modal groove interests me greatly. Although it was always a significant presence in Brazilian Jazz, in American Jazz over the second half of the twentieth century the flute was often regarded as an instrument lacking sufficient expression. People who said that were clearly not paying attention and had not listened closely to Yusef Lateef, or Bennie Maupin. It is now regarded as an essential primary instrument as a renewed interest in Spiritual Jazz is evident. Yes, I love the combination.  

DC  I have several passions and interests beyond music. Things I have studied at University. I have worked as a language educator, I also studied philosophy for a time and history, both of which are interests of yours, I think. I’ve also worked a lot on environmental issues and especially animal rights. I am a vegetarian. Environmental aesthetics is extremely important and often overlooked. The environment and not only in the ecological sense but in everything that we do. And all of this is linked to my music. They are not separate worlds. 

The new album is called Beams because it is a celebration of light in different forms, the light that shines too and from you. The album refers to physical light for example, the tune ‘Star Dial’ which I recorded with Dave Liebman. Then there is also the more metaphysical light. The light which shines from Animals. I wrote a tune called  ‘Paw Prints’ when I was living on Pados, written for a dog that I saw mistreated (a homophone and play on the Shorter standard Foot Prints). And then a tune with Mike Stern called ‘Sparks in Motion’ which is about celebrating the city, the light of a city. 

JL32  When you release an album, do you have a preferred label?  

DC Self-release gives me my independence. Berkeley these days teaches musicians to do it for themselves and learn about the business that way, rather than waiting for a manager or a label to snap you up. Ethics and proper respect for music should be the impetus. Commodification makes an art form into something else. 

JL32  Well, we’ve been talking for hours and I know it’s late there. Thank you for your insights and for your music. I have enjoyed it and I hope that your tour goes well. I am sure that anyone listening to your music live will be as delighted with it as I am.

DC  I hope to see you at the concerts, John.

JL32  Ki kite

JazzLocal32.com is rated as one of the 50 best Jazz Blogs in the world by Feedspot. The author is a professional member of the Jazz Journalists Association, poet & writer. Some of these posts appear on other sites with the author’s permission. 

Bonita ~ July 2021

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The Bonita Project is fueled by good compositions, nice arrangements and above all by the exuberance of leader Chelsea Prastiti. It is the second time that Bonita has appeared at the CJC in recent times and people returned for more. It is a worthy project as it reimagines a time and rides on a powerful vibe; the sort that the world needs right now. There was always an easy-going breezy quality to post-war Brazilian music and that quality could beguile. Underneath, however, there is a powerful engine, as the melodies float over a plethora of complex rhythmic structures. 

It is impossible to listen and to keep your feet still as the urgency underlying the beachy vibe captures you. It is also true that in this golden era there were dangerous political undercurrents. Out of that dashed hope came a flowing of art forms and the authoritarian colonels who tried to snatch it all away could not silence the music. Many of the musicians like Elis Regina were harassed, but the music never faltered.

There were three arrangers credited on the gig, Prastiti, Sinclair and Passells. The compositions were by Prastiti (and with one co credited to Kenji Hollaway). Some of the tunes we had heard before, including the lovely ‘Cassandra’ (posted as a video last time). There were also new tunes and among them ‘Peter Pan’ was especially appealing.  The band had changed slightly from last time, with Connor McAneny replacing Crystal Choi. McAneny had been out of the country for a few years and his return is welcome. His piano playing has a muscular quality to it, which was less evident before he left. 

The opportunity afforded by a diverse sound palette was well utilised by the arrangers; bringing out the best in the music without overwhelming melody. This was achieved with three vocalists, an acoustic guitar, piano, double bass, percussion, kit drums, trumpet + flugelhorn,  clarinet + flute, tenor saxophone and a second flute. It was pleasing to hear a 12 piece ensemble perform in this way. A configuration like this allows an arranger to impart a degree of airiness out of a large ensemble sound. This was achieved by having the instrumentalists or the vocalists moving in and out of the mix as required. The tunes had lyrics, but just as often there was wordless singing. I love to hear the human voice used as a (non-verbal) instrument. Perhaps because of my ongoing enthusiasm for Winston/Wheeler/Taylor in their ECM ‘Azimuth’ days. This was a nice project and all the more so because it was presented with infectious enthusiasm.

Bonita: Chelsea Prastiti (vocals, arranging), Eamon Edmondson-Wells (upright bass), Ron Samsom (percussion), Tristan Deck (drums), Connor McAneny (piano), Michael Howell (guitar), Roger Manins (tenor saxophone), Elizabeth Stokes (trumpet/flugelhorn), Ben Sinclair (clarinet, flute, arranging), J Y Lee (flute), Rachel Clarke (vocals), Gretel Donnelley (vocals), Callum Passells (arranging). 

JazzLocal32.com is rated as one of the 50 best Jazz Blogs in the world by Feedspot. The author is a professional member of the Jazz Journalists Association, poet & writer. Some of these posts appear on related sites. 

Henrique Morales Sextet

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As pandemic upheavals continue, in New Zealand we count ourselves lucky. Not only are we one of the safest nations on earth at present, but we have also been experiencing more live music than most. Over recent months various streams of Latin music have come our way and last week we heard the Brazilian born Kiwi Henrique Morales at the CJC Jazz club. 

Morales has just released his first New Zealand album as leader ‘Alô Brasil’.  He has long been the frontman for the funky Batucada Sound Machine and Santiago Soul Stars and his current band is increasingly popular around town. His musical journey began at a young age in South Brasil, soon bringing him into contact with the most respected musicians of his region. This grounding proved fortuitous as it enabled him to become familiar with the many styles of Latin American music and in particular the regional variations of Brazilian music. 

While the music of central America frequently sheds sparks, the Brazilian musical styles are generally associated with a different vibe. They feel like a warm embrace.  Once the Jazz world had encountered Yao Gilberto, Elis Regina and the towering twentieth-century genius Tom Jobim, the linking of the two swing based styles was conjoined forever. Brazilian music in all its forms remains popular throughout the world and western influences like reggae and Jazz have readily been adapted and absorbed. Morales interprets the many styles of his home country including Brazilian popular music and Latin Jazz fusion. The material was mostly original compositions by Morales.

He appeared at the CJC with a slightly different lineup to that on the album. The saxophonist Thabani Gapara had been replaced by Daniel McKenzie. The remaining band members were Mark Baynes on the keyboard, Gustavo Ferreira on the bass, Jono Sawyer on drums and Fabio Camera on percussion. I liked the arrangements as they never overwhelmed the warm rhythmic pulse and the melodicism, both of which are so central to this music. 

After a long absence from the club, it is good to see Dr Mark Baynes back (twice in a month).  He has been concentrating on Latin musical styles for some time now and I can think of no one else locally who is better fitted to accompany South American artists on piano. He also brings his Jazz credentials to the music. His playing was a highlight for me with his Jarrett like vocalisations (freeing the spirit) and his Latin swing feel. Another treat was hearing the soft rich tone Morales evoked as he plucked the strings of his Godin A6 Ultra, a prince among guitars and perfect for Morales’s music. For a copy of the album check out a local store or best of all catch the band around town. 


JazzLocal32.com is rated as one of the 50 best Jazz Blogs in the world by Feedspot. The author is a professional member of the Jazz Journalists Association, poet & writer. Some of these posts appear on related sites.

Ben Frater & Rachel Clarke

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Emerging Artists night

It’s impossible to over-estimate the influence that the CJC (Creative Jazz Club) has had on the Auckland and wider New Zealand Jazz scene. For those unfamiliar with its history, the club was set up over a decade ago, as a place to bring original improvised music to discriminating listening audiences. A secondary function was to ensure that emerging artists were given a shot on select gig nights. Last week brought two bands, the Ben Frater Band and the Rachel Clarke band. 

Frater is an undergraduate at the UoA Jazz School and for an emerging performer, his drum-work shows surprising maturity. In common with many up-and-coming performers, his approach is not confined to any particular style and this openness has informed his approach. The gig was billed as swing influenced, but leaning towards fusion, and the descriptor was accurate. Frater is a compelling drummer and he will further enrich the local scene. 

The leader enrolled former and current students for this gig and in consequence, a shared vision was evident. CJC audiences are by now quite familiar with guitarist Michael Gianan and with keyboard wiz  Joe Kaptein; both have featured often during the last year. The other band members were Jimmy Olsen on electric bass, Andrew Isdale on tenor saxophone and Jack Thirtle on trumpet.   

Olson was a powerhouse with those urgent pumping bass-lines; the sounds of Jazz-fusion deserve slippery grooves like that. And Kaptein impressed as he always does, his calm demeanour belying what was flowing from his fingertips. He backed into the pieces like a pro and established grooves on top of grooves; then he reached underneath the bonnet and messed with the sound in a good way.  

The groove tunes took a bold step in the direction of improvised Jazz electronica; the direction of Eivind Aaset in particular. I hope that Frater takes us further down that road. It has until now been a Nordic sound and it is extremely popular in the northern regions. This band gave it a Kiwi flavour, and I for one am ready for more. I have posted a clip titled ‘Montgomery’ (Frater).

The second set brought us, vocalist, Rachel Clarke’s band. Clarke had assembled some formidable firepower. Ben Frater and Jimmy Olsen were present again, Gretel Donnelly and Chelsea Prastiti as backing vocalists, Nathan Haines on flute, Alex Pies on guitar and Ron Samsom on percussion. Clarke is a recent graduate from the UoA Jazz Programme and I first heard her when she was called on at short notice to replace Caitlin Smith at a live gig, just days before the first lockdown.   

All of the tunes in Clarke’s set had a Latin flavour and more specifically, a Portuguese flavour. Many of the tunes were sung in Portuguese. Again, it is a credit to the Auckland University Jazz School that they nurture such diversity within their programme structure. Out of this diversity, an Auckland sound is being forged. 

It can be daunting to find yourself in front of a large discriminating Jazz audience, but Clarke demonstrated her ability to win an audience over. She has a fine voice and she mastered the rhythmic complexities of her Latin tunes with ease. Alex Pipes also nailed the rhythms, with Olsen, Samsom and Frater adding counter pulse and texture. Nathan Haines provided perfect fills and a gorgeous solo or two. His Latin Flute chops are legendary.   

JazzLocal32.com was rated as one of the 50 best Jazz Blogs in the world by Feedspot. The author is a professional member of the Jazz Journalists Association. 

Bonita ~ Chelsea Prastiti

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Chelsea Prastiti’s Bonita gig was a phantasmagoria of warm evocative sounds. I have the greatest respect for her work and in this case, she curated something rare; she conjured up the vibe from another place and time, and she did so without a hint of contrivance. The Brazil of the sixties and seventies with its Bossa Nova soundtrack was an era of infinite possibility. In the end, the dream was stolen by a repressive authoritarian regime but the music, a timeless gift to the world, lived on. Over the last half-century, the Jobim songbook, in particular, has remained popular, and while some interpretations have been breathtaking, others, have been pale imitations. 

What Prastiti has done here is both respectful and innovative. She has composed a suite of tunes that nails the vibe as it taps into the essence of New Wave Brasileira while evoking the founding era. The concept for this gig and many of the tunes were conceived years ago. Prastiti had other projects cooking back then, and so she waited her time. As it turns out, she timed it perfectly. With our borders closed, the desire for high-quality Kiwi music is at an all-time high. Audiences are not being distracted by ‘once again and for the very last time’ tours by fading greats, and the realisation is dawning that homegrown is often better. 

Stars above water below

Another plus for holding the gig now was that her friends and collaborators were all within reach: notably, Elizabeth Stokes and Ben Sinclair of ‘The Beths’. The recent winners in the Best Group category at the NZ Music Awards would probably have been back on a world tour right now, but the pandemic curtailed that. The ensemble members all go back quite a way with Prastiti and I believe that the warmth they radiate arises from those long-held connections. 

Cassandra

The ten-piece ensemble oozed a Brazilian vibe, with its flute players and fingerstyle acoustic guitar. Add to this the unmistakable rhythms of Samba and Bossa Nova and the course was set. There was a horn section of trumpet and a tenor saxophone and one of the flute players doubled on clarinet. Behind them was an upright bass, drum kit and percussion and in the darkness, and to one side, a piano. The arrangements were beautifully textured and the harmonies absolutely gorgeous. As well as the instrumental harmonies, there were vocal harmonies contributed by two of the instrumentalists (one being Stokes, who has a fabulous voice – the success of the Beths underscores that). Prastiti composed all of the tunes and arranged most of them. The other credits go to Sinclair who arranged Prism, Callum Passells who arranged Bumblebee and Kenji Iwamitsu-Holdaway who is co-credited for the composition titled ‘Stars Above and Water Below’. 

Chelsea Prastiti is one the most innovative vocalists to appear on the local scene and she is never afraid to take risks or to explore new territory. The rest of her ensemble were: Elizabeth Stokes on trumpet and vocals, Crystal Choi, who appeared last week, this time on piano and vocals; bringing a beautifully voiced minimalism to the proceedings and echoing Tom Jobim’s delicate spidery lines. Roger Manins was on tenor saxophone with fills and some tasteful solos – J Y lee played an edgy melodic flute (it is not his primary, but he brought expression to an instrument that in the wrong hands can lack it). Beside him was Ben Sinclair (bass guitarist from the Beths), alternating between clarinet and flute, the ever-reliable Adam Tobeck was on the drum kit, with Ron Samsom on percussion. Lastly, and hidden in the shadows was Michael Howell, utilising the voicings and fingerstyle of the Brazilian acoustic guitar. He absolutely nailed those warm pulsing rhythms which fell about us like a warm summer shower.  

Eleven years ago, I began this Jazz blog and one of my first posts was an opinion piece about this era. I looked back at it today for the first time since writing it, and apart from a few missing commas, it stands up. I was worried when I wrote it that it might get something wrong, but a Brazilian musicologist messaged me to thank me for it. Anyone wanting to gain an additional sense of this era could follow the link to my original post. It is an opinion piece, but it could serve as a springboard to more authoritative, Brazilian-sourced information. https://jazzlocal32.com/2011/06/07/wave-antonio-carlos-jobim/

The gig took place at Anthology K’Road for the CJC Creative Jazz Club, November 25, 2020

JazzLocal32.com was rated as one of the 50 best Jazz Blogs in the world by Feedspot. The author is a professional member of the Jazz Journalists Association. Many of these posts also appear on Radio13.co.nz – check it out.

Albums to check out this Summer

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My general rule is to confine my posts to New Zealand or Australian bands, or to local gigs by visiting musicians. Very occasionally, I post from further afield or review albums from the wider Jazz diaspora. In this case, my self imposed categories both fit and they don’t. The first album is Polish in origin, but the leader, Michal Martyniuk, has lived in both New Zealand and Poland. Each alternate track was recorded with Kiwi musicians. The second album is the astonishing New Yor-Uba ensemble and I have a story to tell about my brief but memorable online interactions with the leader, New York-based Michele Rosewoman. The next album is by the Italian born pianist Roberto Magris, who I narrowly missed catching up with when I was in Prague and Trieste. And lastly a heads-up. Jason Miles is about to release an album featuring Jay Rodriguez, a frequent visitor to New Zealand. Anything with Rodriguez will be worth checking out. 

 

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Resonate (Michal Martyniuk)  

Resonate is an album that has shaped itself over time. The recordings took place in different countries and in three instances, the recordings were separated by more than four years. In spite of that, there is a remarkable cohesion throughout. I have reviewed Martyniuk previously and I follow his journey carefully. Anyone who has paid attention to his live performances and to his recorded output will understand why the spacial and time disparities are irrelevant. Martyniuk has an intense artistic focus and his mind-set is not to move on until he is completely satisfied. While it may not be a formula for producing albums in swift succession, it is a recipe which pays dividends for him. Like all strong leaders, he communicates his vision to the musicians and because of that, we get synergy and flow between tracks.

It is an album of beautiful pianism and an album that I would place firmly in the European modern jazz mainstream. I believe it is equal to the best coming out of Europe. He also has a keen sense of which musicians will work with his compositions and more importantly, which will react to the other musicians. His New Zealand trio is Martyniuk (keys) with Cameron McArthur (bass) and Ron Samsom (drums) (plus the Polish guitarist Kuba Mizeracki track two). His Polish quintet features Martyniuk (keys), Jakub Skowronski (tenor saxophone), Mizeracki (guitar), Bartek Chojnacki (upright bass) and Kuba Gudz (drums. Since reconnecting with his Polish roots and performing in Poland, Martyniuk has carved a strong niche for himself. With his career on the rise, we may see him less and less, but if you do get wind of a visit, grab a ticket. You can purchase the album through his Bandcamp site and if downloading I recommend the Wav option. 

https://michalmartyniuk.bandcamp.com      

 

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Hallowed: Michele Rosewoman. 

No matter how many times I listen to ‘Hallowed and I have listened often, my evaluation is always the same. This is an album of extraordinary depth and a testament to Rosewoman and her unique perspective on Afro Cuban music in America. Hallowed is the culmination of thirty-six years work, and of many successful and innovative collaborations. This latest album follows her acclaimed ‘New Yor-Uba, 30 Years: a musical celebration of Cuba in America’. Rosewoman deservedly garnered a Cuban Jazz Grammy for that. It was rated #1 by NPR in the Latin Jazz category. Although what she plays is always accessible, Rosewoman has long been regarded as an adventurous musician but she defies easy pigeonholing. Her early influences like Mingus informed her trajectory while her association with the likes of Greg Osby, Steve Colman, Julien Priester,  and Oliver Lake plus a plethora of gifted Cuban musicians set her final course. The bulk of this latest album was the result of a commission by Chamber Music America. Long ago when websites were new, I decided to check out some online Jazz sites. I was enthusiastic about Rosewoman’s Quintessence albums and I found her site and typed her name into a message box. Within minutes her reply came back and it astounded me that I could talk to a musician in real-time. In the mid-nineties that felt like magic.

In the wrong hands, a large ensemble, weaving intricate clave rhythms can overwhelm. On Hallowed, the charts are meticulously crafted, allowing the music to breathe naturally. The orchestration here is simply exquisite. Each track begins with a particular rhythm, moving subtly to other rhythms and moods as the listener is drawn into the essence of the music, which in spite of its intricacy takes you on an expansive and heartwarming journey. As you listen you feel the warmth and undulating caress of a Cuban breeze. The heart of the album is the commissioned work titled Oru de Oro (Room of Gold). This should be listened to following the track order and the 10 tracks enjoyed as a whole. As with most Cuban music, the rhythms of the Bata are the threads upon which all else rests and although the warp and weft pulse and change, the centre always holds. There are many master musicians on this album and it could be described as an amalgamation of worlds, a uniting of times past and present.  Although not prolific as a recording artist, this is Rosewoman at her best. It is hard to see how she could surpass this, but given her previous albums, she probably will. 

https://michelerosewomansnewyor-uba.bandcamp.com/album/hallowed-michele-rosewomans-new-yor-uba-featuring-oru-de-oro

 

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Sun Stone: Robert Magris Sextet

To date Robert Magris has led or co-led around 30 albums and ‘Sun Stone’ is a recent offering from the Kansas City ‘JMood’ label. He is a veteran of the European Jazz scene and his consistent output has frequently brought him into contact with respected American Jazz musicians.  He travels widely, performing at festivals and gigs throughout the world. These fruitful collaborations have frequently taken him to America where he has cut some well-received albums in recent years. While a mainstream Post-bop stylist, he is never-the-less difficult to categorise precisely. Like many pianists who have been around a while, he has absorbed many influences and to these, he has added his own southern European voice. 

‘Sunstone’ the album features the respected multi-instrumentalist Ira Sullivan and the rest of the sextet apart from Magris hail from either Florida or Chicago. The first number and title track is a crackling energised number which sets the tone for much that follows, but there are also some reflective numbers. On several of the later tracks, Sullivan is heard to great effect on flute.  Magris is from Trieste and he often performs in nearby Prague with the MUH trio. It was in those two cities where I almost caught up with him a few years ago. Trieste appeals to me greatly, so perhaps next time?  

http://www.Jmoodrecords.co

JazzLocal32.com was rated as one of the 50 best Jazz blogs in the world by Feedspot. The author is a professional member of the Jazz Journalists Association. 

 

Mambo Macoco – Crayford/Haines

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Mambo Macoco (2)A lot of great live music happened this year but this gig was a favourite.  It was danceable, visceral and the deeply rhythmic pulse found its way straight to your heart. As the band played the room radiated an infectious joy and the swaying of the audience amplified it. One by one the feet tapped and the hands moved until no one was left unaffected.  Yes, this was music to wash away your cares but underneath that was something of real substance. Latin music that misses its groove is unsatisfying but when it’s done well like this was, it’s simply wonderful. No one in New Zealand could pull this off better than Jonathan Crayford and with co-leader Nathan Haines on board, it was locked down. The final ingredient to this potent tropical brew was master percussionist Miguel Fuentes.

This project has an impressive provenance as it is derived from the Bobby Vidal songbook, a selection arising out of his much-loved New York Latin/Bebop band. In the early nineties Crayford was living in New York and because he was intent on soaking up as many influences as possible he soon came across Bobby Vidal’s regular East Side, St Marks Bar gig. He loved the vibe and desperately wanted to become part of it and he started attending the gigs regularly. Through perseverance and after many knock-backs, he finally got an introduction to Vidal. Before long he was hired. After that, he spent three years with the band, describing the experience as ‘a pure joy’. Mambo Macoco (3)The songbook was a heady fusion of Bebop and Afro-Cuban (or more accurately Afro-Rican as Vidal was from Puerto Rica). When Crayford initially agreed to take the Vidal gig he knew little about Latin music, but a quick phone call to his friend Barney McAll gave him valuable tips. Fast forward to 2018 and it is obvious to anyone who hears him that he absorbed the complexities and rhythms of the music beyond caveat. Although the rhythmic patterns are fixed, for the music to work well it needs something else – a controlled fluidity – the ability to react to the other musicians. Crayford once described it as being a weave which can be tightened and loosened at precise times – without the shape being lost. When you hear the clave patterns skilfully executed and interwoven, the experience is unforgettable.

Co-leader Haines ranks among our best known and most loved musicians. His experience and good taste are always on display and on this gig, he pulled out an extraordinary performance. After his recent surgery and health issues, it would have been excusable for him to hold something back, but Haines is averse to half measures. His primary instrument on this gig was flute (although he did play saxophone as well). Anyone who has followed his career will know that he was in New York around the same time Crayford was and he undoubtedly absorbed gigs similar to this. A subsequent move to London had him performing with a variety of Afro Caribbean musicians. His wonderfully peppery flute playing attests to these tropical influences. Mambo Macoco (4)Many Jazz musicians avoided the flute, believing it to be expressionless, but when Haines blows, it has life, character, and edge. As a horn, it has pride of place in Latin ensembles and Latin lineups are diminished without it. Watching these two feed off each other’s lines or grooves is to attend a masterclass. Many years of collaboration has gifted them an acute situational awareness. An awareness that is now instinctual.

Then there is Miguel Fuentes. This is where the magic becomes supercharged. Fuentes like Crayford and Haines is an acclaimed musician and his background as a percussionist is mind-blowing. While skilled in the numerous percussion styles and on numerous percussion instruments, he played congas, Afro-Cuban style on this gig. He has performed with a large number of important artists (e.g.George Benson and Isaac Hayes) and since moving from New York to New Zealand he has been the first call percussionist.

Beside him on cencerro (cow-bell) was Adån Tijerina, his instrument being the ‘hammer’ – the instrument which holds the centre and it was deployed well.  On upright bass was Mostyn Cole, a versatile and able musician who fits in perfectly whenever he is called upon. At the end of both sets, an electric bass player was called to the bandstand. A young woman named Jacqui Niman from the South Island. The ease with which she hit her groove and dived into this deceptively complex music was impressive.

Both gigs were filled to capacity and due to the size of the audiences, dancing was rendered impossible. As Crayford later pointed out, “I’m sorry that there is no room to dance but do so if you can’. The Mambo Macoco music invites movement and deserves to be danced to. It is rumoured that a gig, perhaps even a residency, could occur soon at the nearby Anthology Lounge. I hope so – count me in.

Mambo Macoco: Jonathan Crayford (keyboards), Nathan Haines (winds and reeds), Miguel Fuentes (congas), Adån Tijerina (cencerro), Mostyn Cole (upright bass), Jacqui Niman (electric bass). The gig took place at the Backbeat Bar, Auckland for the CJC Creative Jazz Club 28th November 2018.