On Together: Honoring My Father, saxophonist Carlos Averhoff Jr. not only pays tribute to his…
Reviews
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Despite earning a Grammy nomination for their work on Angelique Kidjo’s 2021 album Mother Nature…
Andy James has had a genuinely varied career. Raised in Australia, she performed internationally as…
The session was a serendipitous once. Veteran drummer Albert “Tootie” Heath, 82 at the time,…
The title Eighty Nine refers to saxophonist and clarinetist Charlie Gabriel’s age at the time…
The third installment in Robert Glasper’s jazz-meets-hip-hop series arrives a full 10 years after the…
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Even during more normal times, Eugenie Jones’ goal would have been difficult to achieve. The…
Madrid-born and New York-based Marta Sanchez outdoes herself as both a composer and a pianist…
Sanchez fronts the quintet democratically, allowing her sidemen to shine. On “The Eternal Stillness,” for instance, Carter mesmerizes with a lithe and intricate solo before Sanchez takes center stage, embellishing the main theme with vibrant and dynamic chords.
The most intimate piece on the recording, “Marivi,” highlights the evolution of Sanchez’s writing. An elegiac song dedicated to the pianist’s mother, who was a victim of COVID 19, it features several guest artists. Trumpeter Ambrose Akinmusire contributes mellow, burnished tones while guitarist-vocalist Camila Meza sings evocatively over her own sparse ethereal strums. A lush undercurrent of synths, courtesy of Charlotte Greve, enhances the overall kaleidoscopic effect.
Sanchez is a skillful leader, as heard on the melancholic “The Hard Balance.” The pianist’s erudite extemporization overlaps the saxophonists’ meandering phrases and the tense and subtle rumble of the rhythm duo, which creates a haunting mood. This hypnotic sonic tapestry ebbs and flows around the soloists’ equally mesmerizing flights of melodic fancy. The result is an exquisitely crafted tune that crackles with spontaneity.
On Spanish American Art Museum (SAAM), Sanchez expands her creativity both technically and thematically. A bold addition to Sanchez’s superb discography, the album is testament to her maturing musicianship. — Hrayr Attarian
https://open.spotify.com/album/3EXm7XrcmJedgEx1IyGqN4?si=sHyAjtbtRS2ltV7UHH2J2A