Sofia Tosello – Alma y Luna (Sunnyside Records 2009)

There is a story that bears telling about Brasilian musician and multi-instrumentalist, Egberto Gismonti and his legendary teacher, Nadia Boulanger. Upon hearing him and evaluating his technique and his knowledge of harmonic devices, the story goes that Madame Boulanger said to Gismonti, “Go back and master the music of your country. This will unlock your voice and the world will then hear you.” Gismonti returned to Brasil, spent years in the remotest parts of that country and has produced some of the most memorable music.

The same celebrated teacher did not give Sophia Tosello the same advice, but she may have had a celebrated learning regimen of her own. In addition, the benefit of Sheila Jordan – a great vocal musician and teacher in her own right. Alma y Luna is a result of all of that – a by-product of all the music that came before her and poured itself into her soul. Tosello grew up listening to her parents’ collection and this consisted of significant Brasilian artists: Cataeno Veloso and Gal Costa. Then there the great Chilean, Mercedes Sosa, the American legend: Duke Ellington, and soul brother, Luthor Vandross and no doubt a host of others. Then Tosello had instruction from Sheila Jordan, a legend, if ever you could call a living vocalist that. Jordan did not simply unlock Tosello’s voice; she woke up the young singer’s soul.

Jordan must have taught her how to control breath, how to recognize sorrow and joy – and how to express them separately or in shades of both, together. With deep blue indigo quarter tomes, Sofia Tosello is heard to be doing just this on “Me Falta la Imaginacion.” Tosello shreds the emotion with such sadness and so sharply that the words cut right through the heart. “Mi Musita Salteña” picks up the mood slightly as here the zamba demands a brighter, more confident mood and Tosello delivers this in a dizzying, spiral kind of dancing manner that is edifying and resonant.

Sofia Tosello can manipulate her voice—bend it and hold it back, choke and uncoil with tremulous ferocity (“Sin Piel”) and this stands her in good stead throughout the record. When addressing theses that may be slightly beyond her age, she digs deep into her lungs and delivers words with sublime authority and ravishing sensuality. The instrumentation –especially the guitars of Miguel Rivaynera, Pavel Urkiza and the great Aquiles Baez—add superb color and majestic timbral values to the soaring voice of Tosello.

It is entirely possible that Sofia Tosello will choose to explore more contemporary song forms. Alma y Luna, despite its edgy intent, stays in the relatively safe confines of folk classics in a realm that echoes Afro-American musical idioms. The choice is one a maturing Sofia Tosello will have to make. Whatever she chooses to do the music is certain to be edgy, graceful and brimming with thrilling highs.

Tracks: La Clarosa Cruz; La Seca; La Verdadera Llama; Que Bonito; Me Falta la Imaginacion; Mi Musita Salteña; Sin Piel; Nacida en Agua de Guerra; Alma y Luna; Zambita Pa Mi Coyita; Nada; Sentirme Libre Contigo; Caminos Del Cielo.

Personnel: Sofia Tosello: lead vocals; Julio Santillan: guitar, background vocals; Jorge Roeder: double bass (1, 4) Yayo Serka; bombo leguero (1, 6), drums (3, 5, 6, 7), darbuka, Cajon (7). palmas; Raul Lavadez: accordion, palmas; Pablo Farhat: violin (1); Miguel Rivaynera: palmas (1), guitar (2, 7, 8, 11); Raul Lavedenz: accordion (2), palmas (1); Pedro Giraudo: double bass (2, 6, 10) Franco Pinna: percussion set, bombo leguero (2); Pavel Urkiza: guitar (3, 9, 10), vocals (13), background vocals 3, 9), palmas (9); Yunior Terry: double bass (3, 9, 12, 13), vocals (12), Yayo Serka: drums, darbuka; Mauricio Herrera: congas; djembe, guiro, timbales (12), congas, Darburka; Ramiro ‘Capi’ Nieva: Zampoña; Dyan Abad: trombone (3, 13); Byron Ramos: electric guitar; Aquiles Baez: guitar (4, 6, 10) Anat Cohen: clarinet (3); Jair Salas: cajon; Yosvanny Terry: soprano saxophone (5, 9), alto saxophone, chekere (13): Osmany Parades: piano (5); Ignacio Freijo: Quena; Rob Curto: accordeon; Hector del Curto: bandoneon; Rafi Michale: trombone (11); Albert Leusink: trumpet (11); Axel Tosca: piano, Wurlitzer; Byron Ramos: electric guitar (12).

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Sofia Tosello on the web: www.sofiatosello.com

Review written by: Raul da Gama

Fernando Huergo – Provinciano (Sunnyside Records 2008)

This is not just another record of music by an Argentinean musician. Provinciano is a brave attempt to create a new metaphor based on traditional harmonics and rhythms that inhabit the Argentinean Tango and folkloric music. Fernando Huergo, bassist extraordinaire makes a huge leap of faith as he – first explains – and then demonstrates the depth of his creativity and staggering virtuosity in his musical sojourn and his organically evolving bass playing.

Alejo Carpentier once wrote, fictionally of course, of a journey that he once undertook to find the origin of sound. That mythical journey took him into the Amazon and where he lost himself among a very primitive, yet sophisticated people and discovered the magical elixir of sound – a pure sound itself. On Provinciano, Huergo makes a similar journey; only his is one that can no longer traverse a primitive sound scape. But his is a journey that takes place in the interior landscape of the musical mind. Here the musician has imbued the many magical rhythmic impulses that ignite creativity. Amazingly, these parallel the same impulses that have driven jazz music through the ages. The impulse to create continually through time and space – to improvise. Then there is the element of swing and the joyful heartache of the blues.

The music on Provinciano in many respects is a Latin refraction of jazzical modes, but daubed in the lush tones of the provincial. The rhythms are sometimes challenging and may appear to be a tad clever, which they are not… simply accurately describing a tradition that is given new meaning in the modern context. “One in Ten” a track written in 10/8 time is a case in point as is “A Mil,” where a Piazzolla tango might go musically if he were to play it today. Here Huergo is not only proficient technically, but also displays a wonderfully puckish sense of humor. There are two tracks written in Chacarera modes and others in the form of aire de milonga and aire de vidala – folkloric wonders that are completely modern in statement and form. Amazingly, even programmatic pieces such as “The Cost of War” and Coltrane’s lesser masterpiece, “Lonnie’s Lament” also work as folk forms. (Mingus did this many half a Century ago with Thad Jones on his own album, appropriately entitled Folk Forms). These two tracks may unconsciously hark back to that masterly excursion as well.

Finally, a word about the musicians. Huergo is a fine technician, but he plays his bass with great feeling and expression as well. The musicians who honor the compositions have also given a fine account of themselves. Andrew Rathbun and Yulia Musayelyan on saxophones and flute, respectively, have an uncanny sense of empathy for the music, which it would appear, is written with them in mind. Mika Pohjola and Franco Pinna are also artists of enormous rhythmic skill. Together these musicians have all the makings of a long-term partnership, which is to say more music of greater, import sooner rather than later.

Tracks: Provinciano; La Luz del Norte; One in Ten; Vida; A Mil; Chacarera Boogaloo; The Cost of War; El Chupacabras; Lonnie’s Lament; Instinto Matero; Bochis; Chacarera del Carancho; El Dia que me Quieras.

Personnel: Yulia Musayelyan: flute; Andrew Rathbun: tenor and soprano saxophones; Mika Pohjola: piano; Fernando Huergo: bass; Franco Pinna: drums.

Fernando Huergo on the web: www.fernandohuergo.com

Review written by: Raul da Gama