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This is a hip album, or, if you prefer, contemporary or edgy. It ought to
be, what with Antonio Sanchez on
kit and Paoli rounding out
the rhythm section, both the definition of "forward looking". Then
there's Miguel Zenon and Jaleel Shaw on saxophones, Hans Glawischnig
on bass, and the list goes on. You want to talk groove? Drop the needle
around 5:55 of the first tune, "Encomienda". It's an example of
a montuno that grows with everyone respecting the soloist's space.
Elsewhere the tune is graced by a devious harmonic sense and crafty
stops that please and disorient the listener. You want to be on your
toes when listening to this CD, lest you miss something.
Another standout is the third track, "Conflict of Interests",
which opens with an arousing conversation between saxophone and drumset.
As with much of the music on this album, this track defies conventional notions
of "jazz" and "Latin jazz". More often, the players negotiate
the marvelous arrangements and simply blow-do what they do best. The current
track is a stellar example. Is it jazz when the piano solo begins to really
stretch-out at approximately 2:35? Or when Sanchez takes one of customarily
crisp solos at 3:50? The piano backdrop is scarcely common Latin fare. The
horn solo at 4:50, again, is accompanied by Latin percussion but it is more
a page from Wayne Shorter's book. Than salsa.
The intricate horn line in "Bailamo'" is killing, the horn-doubling
particularly effective. The same goes for the magnificent jazz lilt that
prevails in "Eshu L'ona". Check out a typical resolution where
a horn line devolves into solo space, say from 1:40 to past the 2:00 mark;
so much light and shade here! And, again, the solos know no stylistic boundaries;
it's very much the sort of playful and intense interplay one would expect
from a group of New York elite musicians launching into a third set at a
crowded club.
The title track is as compelling as it suggests. "Transcend" begins
with a high-pitched chant and saxophone, suggesting later Coltrane. During
a section of repose, you see just how superb the production values get on
this album (credit Paoli). For example, there is a sort of breakdown to a
soft dynamic at 1:54, where the piano is lush but leaving space for other
timbres. All these little overtones become obvious, especially what appears
to be an Udu or otherwise talking instrument. The pitch-bend is understated
and effective and demonstrates Paoli's careful use of space. This is a longish
section, dark in mood, which creates tension. The build is slow, gradual,
and the sax takes it out, way out. The interesting thing is that the team
of Mejias and engineer Dave Kowalski don't let their console faders fly;
they assume firm control. As a result, there is never ear fatigue, even when
the sax visits Archie Shepp Land.
This could be another Grammy nomination for Paoli
Mejias and we haven't
even mentioned the LP artist's superb percussion contributions!
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