The Whole Music Experience

Jazz Ibrahim Maalouf Wind Harmonia Mundi The first thing you notice about trumpeter Ibrahim Maalouf’s Wind is the packaging.   You’ll find the CD housed in a lacquered box with gray and brown tones emphasized.   When you open the box you find a booklet, not featuring much in the way of biographical notes, but the single titles of songs posted against the backdrop of abstract paintings by Jeanlou Joux.   The song titles too would give the impression that the music would lack passion or lean towards drab concrete gray-- Doubts, Suspicions and Issues . So a listener will feel greatly surprised that this “mood” music performed by Maalouf’s quintet echoes Miles Davis while also reflecting on how music shapes scenes in cinema.   Yes, this effort could be seen as arty or even philosophical despite the fact that Wind represents an instrumental album and the only words in sight are the song titles.   But even those song titles convey a sublimina...

World Lili Boniche Anthologie World Village Karina Feredj honored her late father, the Algerian crooner and lute player Lili Boniche with the retrospective Anthologie .   While I know little about Lili Boniche besides what I’ve read in the liner notes, the songs on this album, especially the Arab-Andalusian songs such as Ana Fil Houb sound familiar to my ears.   Have I heard these songs on Putumayo or Rough Guide compilations? Did Souad Massi cover these songs? It’s a mystery. I can see why international audiences, especially in France and Algeria revered this singer back in the day, and even in more recent years.   He possesses plenty of style, not to mention sings in different styles and he’s a master of vocal phrasing.   The music here dazzles with snaky saxophone solos, jangling ouds, and delicious polyphonic beats.   The ballads of yesteryear still resonate today with glittering pathos and unrestrained passion.   Anyone who enjo...

World Cantigas de Mulleres (Songs of Women) (Compilation of Galician Songs) Folmusica I’ve acquired a small collection of Galician recordings mostly featuring jazz and folkloric music.   The latest CD to come my way is a compilation, Cantigas De Mulleres featuring Galician women musicians such as bigger names Uxía, Cristina Pato, Gaudi Galego and Ugía Pedreira and upcoming talent such as 16-year old Sonia Lebedinsky whose mature vocals defies her youth and a musical elder Señora Carmen, age 86.   While the musicians focus on folkloric songs, the treatment of the songs range from medieval DOA’s Levousa Fremousa (which you can find a video on YouTube) to Celtic pipes (Susana Seivane’s Xoaniã ) to ultra-modern (Mercedes Peón’s Derorán ). Marful (Ugiá Pedreira) brings in a warm jazzy element mixed with folkloric elements on the song Tris Tras .   Whereas, SOAS (Cristina Pato and Rosa Cedrón) brings in Celtic piano, lush strings and aching vocals. ...

Jazz Chris McNulty The Song that Sings You Here Challenge Records If you didn’t know the story behind Chris McNulty’s album The Song that Sings You Here , you might find the album romantic and sensual.   And it is those things, but the irony of McNulty’s son’s death and the story that McNulty includes in the liner notes contributes pathos that hovers over both the covers and original tunes that grace the album.   For instance, when you hear the jazz chanteuse croon the words to One Less Bell to Answer (Bacharach/David), you feel McNulty’s heart breaking.   Then the vocalist closes the album with the titular song she composed before the death of her son.   She sings, “Just like the sun, an ageless flame.   Just like the moon and sand. Just like your eyes that shine forever here through all time, love’s a long road home.” Backed by a stellar band that includesUgonna Okegwo on bass, Marcus Gilmore on drums, Paul Bollenback on guitars...

World Franca Masu Almablava World Village Poetry reflecting the coming and going of the tide and sailors, lost loves, and the fragility of life pour from the songs on Franca Masu’s Almablava .   Hailing from the Italian island Sardinia, Masu possesses a powerful voice ten times bigger than her petite frame.   She paints a Sardinian landscape with an emotional palette fueled by longing, melancholy and hope.   In 2011, I reviewed a live album by the performer which reminded me of two Catalan favorite vocalists--Marina Rossell and Maria del Mar Bonet.   However, on her new studio album, Masu explores tango and other musical traditions along with Catalan and Sardinian songs.   Masu composed contributed poetic lyrics which she sings with great conviction. Laced with accordion, guitars, double bass, piano and percussion, the songs sound both warm and melancholic with Masu’s voice grabbing the spotlight.   The only sore thumb for me is Un ...

Jazz Trish Hatley Sing, Ask and It Is Given Independent release Trish Hatley, a super fine jazz vocalist, first told me about her affirmations CD in 2010.   Since I had heard unsatisfactory affirmation recordings set to cheesy programmed music, I wasn’t too keen on reviewing a new affirmation songs CD.   I also balked at any mention of the law of attraction which I didn’t jive with at that time.   Fast forward to the tail end of 2012, when I invited Hatley to appear in my book Whole Music and she mentioned the affirmations CD--a gentle reminder.   Since I was further on board with law of attraction, I agreed to give the CD a listen. Hatley’s CD swings and she joins her regular band of jazz players who defy the new age music genre.   The songs you hear on Sing, Ask and It Is Given represent Hatley’s first time as a songwriter where she combines catchy lyrics with driving melodies.   The songs have style to burn too from swing to j...