Michael Simon – New York Encounter (Fresh Sound – 2009)
It is not obvious that Michael Simon is a native of Venezuela, who owes as much to that tradition as he does to the jazz one that he weaves in and out of. But then nothing is obvious about Michael Simon: not his trumpet-playing antecedents, nor his compositional ones, or who he follows—figuratively-speaking, of course. However, it is safe to say that his musical voice burns with a quiet fire, just like that of his brother, the pianist, Edward and his other drumming sibling, Marlon. And this fire bursts forth with spectacular pomp and circumstance every so often, when the folkloric persona of the Simon’s bursts into flames on this fine album, New York Encounter. At least Simon does not reveal this Venezuelan folk persona until the roaring parranda sequence in his extraordinary suite, “House of Thoughts”. The ecstatic dancing nature of the music that pervades throughout the album culminates with abandon on Simon’s masterful composition “Joy is Within”, but its swing of delight is felt throughout.
Michael Simon is an extremely talented composer and musician. His horn-playing is marked with the blazing staccato accents that punctuate his playing as they emerge like fireballs from the bell of his horn. He rarely plays in long lines here, preferring to make short stabbing forays into the melody, entwined with his brother Edward’s galloping arpeggios and the swerving interloping of Peter Brainin’s tenor saxophone or Miguel Zenon’s alto horn. He is wont to tear down a melodic line, recasting it somewhere in the middle of a sequence to construct an altogether new melodic motif. Or he might retreat into a harmonic role, softly suggesting a muted chord that changes the complexion of the music altogether. All this suits his role as a musical facilitator of sorts throughout this album, where his voice appears to be heard not always at the forefront of the music, but when you least expect it, making for a delightful surprise always.
Thus, New York Encounter is itself an album of surprises. The superb blues of “Blues del Silencio trio” for instance, which is a soul-stirring minor blues, for instance, breaks down the swagger of his Latin rhythms after they are boldly stated. This is a wonderful surprise, as is the gentle, culo e’puya drums that rock throughout the myriad pirouettes of “Joy is Within”. In fact Simon’s drumming brother has much to do not only with the unwavering high quality of the rhythm section but with the wondrous character of the music itself. His subtle coloring of “Sabor Intimo” is brilliantly contrasted with the bold statements on “Mi Amigo el Machista” and the joyous celebration of “Fiestas”. Edward Simon completes the superb filial presence on this album.
It would be remiss if the presence of bassists, Andy Gonzalez and Boris Kozlov were not acknowledged here. Gonzalez plays with growling muscularity and his roaring accents match the sinewy thrusts of percussion and brass. Kozlov is a revelation as he negotiates the shifting rhythms of the Latin tinge with great intellect and purple-toned majesty. A word about Kozlov: He is a White Russian of a bassist and his lineage spans continents as he aligns himself as much with the complex structures of the music of Charles Mingus as well as with the twists and turns of his Latin peers. His insidious tone contains large dollops of joy as well and this bodes well for his sustained presence in the world of Latin rhythms. So full marks to Michael Simon with another splendid album that is both interminably joyful and utterly memorable as well.
Track Listing: Mi Amigo el Machista; New York Encounter; House of Thoughts; Sabor Intimo; Fiestas; Blues del Silencio Trio; Joy is Within; Equanimity.
Personnel: Michael Simon: trumpet (1, 2, 4-8), flugelhorn (3); Miguel Zenón: alto saxophone (1, 3-6, 8); Peter Brainin: tenor saxophone (1-5); Edward Simon: piano; Andy Gonzalez: bass (1, 2, 7); Boris Kozlov: bass (3-6, 8); Marlon Simon: drum set, bata drums, minor percussion, timpani, gong, vocals (7); Roberto Quintero: congas, güiro (4), parranda drum (3), culo e’puya drums—prima, cruzao, pujao—(7), vocals (7); Luisito Quintero: timbales (1); Noah Bless: trombone (7).
Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
Michael Simon on the web: www.michaelsimon.nl
Review written by: Raul da Gama
Brian Lynch Afro Cuban Jazz Orch. – Bolero Nights (for Billie Holliday)
For a fleeting moment -just one fleeting moment- it appears to be a bit of a stretch putting “bolero” and Billie Holiday together. There appears to be a tad too much “bolero” and not enough “Holiday” on Brian Lynch’s Bolero Nights (Venus Records – Japan 2009). Soon, however, the plaintive wail of Lynch’s trumpet and moan of his flugelhorn and the moody arrangements of “Afinque” start to tie “bolero” and Billie Holiday rather tightly together. Although the music is by no means ponderous and depressing to listen to, there is an elemental sadness to it. This is a masterstroke on the part of Lynch because Billie Holiday embodied something similar as she sang her heart out on so many classics. Mercifully, Lynch also avoids the obvious ones. However, he is masterful in mimicing the voice of the great chanteuse with long “blue” notes -especially in the first chorus of “La Sitiera,” when Lynch draws them out in his inimitable manner with dynamic expression. Only some of Ellington’s great trumpeters were known to have done this with untouchable effect, and trumpeters such as Larry Cramer and Reynaldo Melian.
Another masterstroke on the part of Lynch is the presence of Phill Woods. His malleable alto has become infinitely more distinctive with the passage of time. His narrative solo on Charles Mingus’ “Celia” is full of dramatic twists and turns. His is one of the most lifelike descriptions of Celia Zaentz as she swishes hips and high-heels it out of the bassist’s life into what is depicted as darkness, leaving Mingus alone to be swallowed up in the gathering gloom. Ron Blake is also superb and at his bellowing best. Lynch exchanges flugelhorn for trumpet in the climax of the song to heighten the sense of drama at the end of the song. In this arrangement, Lynch actually manages to give this old song new flair by recasting it as if Mingus might have done it in Tijuana Moods or on Cumbia and Jazz Fusion. Either way it is an exquisite reminder of the universality of Mingus’ music in the manner that Ellington’s was.
“Fire Waltz” is another superb arrangement of Mal Waldron’s classic. The heat is turned up by mighty trumpet work from Lynch and a wild and fiery alto solo by Ivan Renta on alto saxophone. Hoffman’s harmonics are completely and utterly alluring and unexpected. Both solos are elastic and breathtaking, especially with stretched out notes by both horn men. The use of guiro and surdo or tympani in percussion is especially noteworthy as it adds to the sombre nature of the song. “Delilah” is another song where the “blue” of the melody and the fact that Lynch uses his flugelhorn together with perfunctory blowing by Marshall Gilkes on trombone in the background makes a fine piece of work on this Victor Young chart. This track is also one where Boris Kozlov gives notice as to why he is a charter member of the Mingus Orchestra. His playing con arco for two choruses is majestic and soulful and fills the heart with a deep sense of wonder.
Woods and Lynch play off each other again; on “I’m A Fool To Want You”, they recall the relationship between Pres and Holliday, who often played off each other in a similar, dolorous manner. Again, the trombone of Gilkes is mournful and sublime as is the saxophone of Ivan Renta, yet again. As Lynch returns, again he is pitch-perfect and leads into a short, but pithy solo by the young Zaccai Curtis. Although Billie Holiday sung several of these charts in her day, “You’ve Changed” is the easiest to recall from her songbook. Lynch’s longish introductions add further drama to his arrangements of these fine charts and the one that introduces Phil Woods again is no exception. Again, Kozlov is outstanding here, with melodic pizzacato accompaniment to Woods’ second sortie, which he introduces with a series of short tripets in fine manner, before settling into a longish mellow tone.
There has been only one other record in the past five years that has sung in rich praise of the bolero as Brian Lynch’s Bolero Nights has done and that is Charlie Haden’s Nocturne and that record was showered with rewards. It is hoped that this record too will find favor in the festival of awards functions that are just around the corner. They will all be well deserved.
Tracks: 1. Afinque; 2. La Sitiera; 3. Celia; 4. Fire Waltz; 5. Delilah; 6. I’m A Fool To Want You; 7. You’ve Changed.
Personnel: Brian Lynch: trumpet and flugelhorn; Phil Woods: alto saxophone (3, 6, 7); Ivan Renta: alto saxophone; Alan Hoffman: tenor saxophone; Marshall Gilkes: trombone; Ron Blake: baritone saxophone; Zaccai Curtis: piano; Boris Kozlov: bass; Little Johnny Rivero: congas, bongos and percussion; Marvin Diz: timbales and drums.
Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
Brian Lynch on the web: www.brianlynchjazz.com
Review written by: Raul da Gama
