Seasons, The
Reviews
Be Sharp
Reviewed 2017-06-07
Reviewed 2017-06-07
JAZZ PIANO TRIO
Havana born pianist/composer Manuel Valera leads a piano-bass-drums trio through a set of straight-forward, contemporary jazz (not especially Latin except here and there). Seven of eleven tracks are original compositions. Four tracks comprise a “Four Seasons” suite.
All instrumental. No FCC issues.
1 ** Very fast. Propulsive, forceful, very rhythmic. Especially good drumming. (5:10)
2 ** Very fast. Bright, expressive, high energy. Strong bass and drums. (6:37)
3 Slow. Impressionistic piano fantasy. Lovely melody; gentle rhythm section. (5:58)
4 * Mid-fast. Stirring, uplifting piano. Long bass solo. (6:24)
5 Slow. Improvisation on a Beatles tune. Pretty melody, but not much to it. (6:08)
Suite: “The Seasons”. (First three movements have similar tempo, texture, style.)
6 * Mid-tempo to fast. Expressive, powerful playing. Suggestive of a rain shower? (5:54)
7 Mid-tempo to fast. Some passages light-hearted; others are heavy, pounding. (8:24)
8 Mid-tempo. A bit more abstract, perhaps improvised. (5:52)
9 ** Mid-slow. Gentler. Expressive & lyrical. Some Latin percussion. Fade out. (3:36)
10 Mid-fast. Cole Porter song is deconstructed, abstracted, spun around, remade. (6:58)
11 * Slow. Theme & variations on Leonhard Cohen’s hymn. Deep & moving. (5:18)
Havana born pianist/composer Manuel Valera leads a piano-bass-drums trio through a set of straight-forward, contemporary jazz (not especially Latin except here and there). Seven of eleven tracks are original compositions. Four tracks comprise a “Four Seasons” suite.
All instrumental. No FCC issues.
1 ** Very fast. Propulsive, forceful, very rhythmic. Especially good drumming. (5:10)
2 ** Very fast. Bright, expressive, high energy. Strong bass and drums. (6:37)
3 Slow. Impressionistic piano fantasy. Lovely melody; gentle rhythm section. (5:58)
4 * Mid-fast. Stirring, uplifting piano. Long bass solo. (6:24)
5 Slow. Improvisation on a Beatles tune. Pretty melody, but not much to it. (6:08)
Suite: “The Seasons”. (First three movements have similar tempo, texture, style.)
6 * Mid-tempo to fast. Expressive, powerful playing. Suggestive of a rain shower? (5:54)
7 Mid-tempo to fast. Some passages light-hearted; others are heavy, pounding. (8:24)
8 Mid-tempo. A bit more abstract, perhaps improvised. (5:52)
9 ** Mid-slow. Gentler. Expressive & lyrical. Some Latin percussion. Fade out. (3:36)
10 Mid-fast. Cole Porter song is deconstructed, abstracted, spun around, remade. (6:58)
11 * Slow. Theme & variations on Leonhard Cohen’s hymn. Deep & moving. (5:18)
Recent airplay
In The Eye Of The Beholder
Rebop — Aug 25, 2017
Opening, Hallelujah, What Is This Thing Called Love
Clean Copper Radio Talk & Hot Topics — Aug 24, 2017
The Seasons: Movement I "Spring"
Rebop — Aug 18, 2017
Hallelujah
Rebop — Aug 11, 2017
Opening
Rebop — Aug 04, 2017
In The Eye Of The Beholder
No Cover, No Minimum — Aug 03, 2017
Charting
2017-06-21 — 2017-08-23
Jazz
| Week Ending | Airplays |
|---|---|
| Aug 20 | 1 |
| Aug 13 | 1 |
| Aug 6 | 2 |
| Jul 30 | 1 |
| Jul 23 | 1 |
| Jul 16 | 3 |
| Jul 9 | 1 |
Track listing
| 1. | Opening | ||
| 2. | In The Eye Of The Beholder | ||
| 3. | Tres Palabras | ||
| 4. | Hopeful | ||
| 5. | In My Life | ||
| 6. | The Seasons: Movement I "Spring" | ||
| 7. | The Seasons: Movement Ii "Summer" | ||
| 8. | The Seasons: Movement Iii "Fall" | ||
| 9. | The Seasons: Movement Iv "Winter" | ||
| 10. | What Is This Thing Called Love | ||
| 11. | Hallelujah |