Thursday, March 23, 2017

Tania Maria - Europe

This is a compilation of live performances recorded during the early '90s while Maria was touring Europe. The seven tunes are mostly high energy numbers. On "Funky Tambourine," "Senso Unico," "I Can Do It" and "Bom Bom Bom," Maria plays in a quartet format, with Mitch Stein on guitar; Anthony Jackson, bass; and Steve Gadd, drums. "Chuleta" and "O Bom E" has a rhythm section of bassist Kip Reed, percussionist Armando Marcal and drummer Kim Plainfield. Trumpeter Rick Savage and saxophonist Jim Clouse are also heard on these cuts. "She's Outrageous" features bassist Sergio Brandao, percussionist Sammy Figueroa and drummer Ricky Sebastian. All tunes and arrangements are by Maria. "Funky Tambourine" builds to a crescendo with Maria's staccato piano and percussive scatting, Stein's soaring guitar, and Gadd's intense drumming. "Chuleta" [pork chop] is frenzied and spontaneous. "Senso Unico" and "O Bom E" are balladic numbers. Maria's emotional style, her funky drive and drama, propel her bandmates to exceptional levels of musicianship. - JazzTimes.com

Artist: Tania Maria
Album: Europe
Year: 1997
Label: New Note
Runtime: 51:35

Tracks:
1.  Funky Tambourine 10:09
2.  Senso Unico 8:22
3.  I Can Do It 5:47
4.  Chuleta 5:03
5.  O Bom E 5:50
6.  She's Outrageous 10:03
7.  Bom Bom Bom Tchi Tchi Tchi 6:21
All compositions by Tania Maria 

Personnel:
Tania Maria (Vocals, Piano, Keyboards)
Steve Gadd (Drums) - 1-3,7
Anthony Jackson (Bass) - 1-3,7
Mitch Stein (Guitar) - 1-3,7
Kim Plainfield (Drums) - 4,5
Kip Reed (Bass) - 4,5
Armando Marcal (Percussion) - 4,5
Rick Savage (Trumpet) - 4,5
Jim Clouse (Saxophone) - 4,5
Ricky Sebastian (Drums) - 6
Sergio Brandao (Bass) - 6
Sammy Figueroa (Percussion) - 6

Monday, March 6, 2017

Anouar Brahem - Conte de l'incoyable amour

Conte de L'incroyable Amour is Tunisian composer and oud virtuoso Anouar Brahem's follow-up to his excellent ECM debut, Barzakh. Like its predecessor, this release contains original material that mixes Arabic music and jazz improvisation and features a stellar band comprised of some of Turkey's finest musicians (this time out Brahem is joined by clarinetist Barbaros Erkose, nay (reed flute) player Kudsi Ergune, and the percussionist from Barzakh, Lassad Hosni). In contrast to Barzakh's livelier mood, though, the sound here is more meditative and even stark at times, especially on solo flights by both Brahem ("Iram Retrouvee") and Erkose ("Etincelles") and by way of Erguner's ethereal improvisations ("Diversion"). The pace picks up on the sympathetically played and joyous ensemble piece "Conte de L'incroyable Amour" and on the impassioned Brahem and Erkose duet, "Nayzak." ECM's typically sparse and airy production compliments Brahem's ascetic material without making it sound too dry. A wonderful album that, upon repeated listening, reveals many transcendent moments. - by Stephen Cook, AMG

Anouar Brahem is a Tunisian who is one of the leading present exponents of the oud, a lute-like stringed instrument. Brahem's music is anything but 'exponent'-sounding, however--he makes regular excursions into the world of jazz and crossover (a project of some years back with Norwegian saxophonist Jan Garbarek was wonderful), along with recording pieces with a more traditional sound. This cd is langorous and exotic-sounding with a good bit of a jazz feel thrown in for good measure; it is mostly quiet, introspective and wandering (even ambient), with occasional explosions of what might be termed "rhythmic urgency." It frankly takes a bit of getting used to, but if you like unpretentious, intimate music and can get into this particular blend of North African instrumentation (oud, clarinet, nai flute, and bendir and darbouka), you may well find it very attractive.- by C.H. Smith, Amazon.com

What you will hear in this album is magic solitude. Is silence. Brahem explores the mystical sounds rooted deep inside us, and only giving these his most familiar form, through his oud. This music is born for artists, for sensitive creative people. For rare moments of true happines.- by Alex Balint, Amazon.com

Artist: Anouar Brahem
Album: Conte de l'incoyable amour
Year: 1992
Label: ECM
Runtime: 59:26
Recorded: 1991. October at the Rainbow Studio (Oslo, Norway)

Tracks:
1.  Etincelles (Anouar Brahem) 3:21
2.  Le Chien sur les genoux de la devineresse (Anouar Brahem) 3:44
3.  L'oiseau de bois (Anouar Brahem) 4:48
4.  Lumiere du silence (Anouar Brahem) 5:15
5.  Conte de L'incroyable amour (Anouar Brahem) 10:51
6.  Peshrev Hidjaz Homayoun (Veli Dede) 5:03
7.  Diversion (Kudsi Erguner) 5:39
8.  Nayzak (Anouar Brahem) 5:32
9.  Battements (Anouar Brahem) 1:56
10.  En souvenir d'Iram (Anouar Brahem) 3:02
11.  Iram retrouvée (Anouar Brahem) 3:48
12.  Epilogue (Anouar Brahem) 6:21

Personnel:
Anouar Brahem (Oud)
Barbaros Erköse (Clarinet)
Kudsi Erguner (Nay)
Lassad Hosni (Bendir and Darbouka)

LinkWithin

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...