Reviewed: 2020—02-17
Genre: Jazz
FCCs: none
Review: On this ambitious 3-CD self-release, pianist Albero gathers a group of talented musicians to chart her life transitions. She also plays a psalterium (track 2). The music is vibrant & constantly changing. Discs 1 & 2 are all originals and disc 3 contains some covers with interesting arrangements. Each disc has a theme.
If You Like: Hiromi, Yelena Eckemoff, Geri Allen, Julia Hulsmann
Track Review (favorites denoted by *):
Disc 1 - Albero
**1/ Mi Secreto (6:50) – bass starts> slow song builds to midtempo> slow fade
**2/ Greek Dance (6:45) – psalterium starts slow swings into uptempo jam> chorus joins> female singer joins & music fades
*3/ Cardomomo (6:45) – piano starts> swings into uptemp jam, then fast tempo> quick stop
4/ Baile Corrido (2:02) – spoken intro> trumpet starts> uptempo jam with trumpet up front> quick stop
5/ Tarda d’Estiu (0:29) – short piano solo
6/ Mon Pou (4:40) – piano starts> midtempo jam with piano trio> quick stop
*7/ Indian Jam (7:17) – scat singing starts> violin joins> then table> midtempo jam swings uptempo> crescendo & fade
**8/ K’Antiga (4:11) – piano starts> swings to uptempo jam> quick stop
9/ Prelude To Agartha (6:04) – crowd noises & blurted vocal starts> piano builds into midtempo jam with piano trio> fade
*10/ Agartha (5:00) – scat singing with male vocal starts & becomes a rap song> chorus joins> uptempo jam & song> quick fade on vocal
Disc 2 - Agua
*11/ Overture (6:47) – piano solo starts midtempo & swings uptempo, shifting back & forth> fade
*12/ Agua Clara (4:26) – piano solo starts heavy> shifts between midtempo & slow> slow fade
13/ Indiana (3:37) – piano solo starts with a flurry of notes> midtempo swings uptempo> quick stop
*14/ Interlude (4:59) – sax starts> slow tempo jam> quick stop
15/ Not Quite Yet (5:34) – piano starts heavy & hesitating> slow solo> quick stop
16/ Superionic (1:51) – piano starts> slow duet with sax> quick stop
*17/ Cotracorrirnte (4:43) – piano starts> uptempo solo mellows to slow, then builds to crescendo & fade
18/ Nana Del Mar (4:14) – piano starts> slow duet with sax> fade
*19/ To Be Continued (3:30) – piano starts> midtempo solo builds in volume & intensity> pause> slow solo swings to uptempo & swinging> mellows to fade
Disc 3 - Music Is Love
**20/ My Favorite Things (5:03) – piano starts hard> midtempo solo swings into uptempo duet with percussion> fade
*21/ Calma/ Impressions Intimes l (5:17) – piano starts> gorgeous solo shifts into a different melody with shifting tempos> fade
***22/ I Thought I Knew (7:10) – piano starts> midtempo solo builds in volume, then subsides, like waves of sound> uptempo duet with flute builds to fast tempo with bass & drums> crescendo end
*22/ Nardis (6:45) – bass starts> slow tempo jam builds to midtempo> quick stop
23/ Unexpected You (4:04) – piano starts> slow jam builds to midtempo> slow fade
*24/ Mompou In Blue (4:40) – piano starts slow, swings into midtempo jam> crescendo end
**25/ 19 y 42 (3:09) – piano starts uptempo> uptempo jam> quick stop
***26/ The Sweetness Of The Edge (8:12) – piano starts, swings into uptempo solo, then mellows> duet with sax morphs into uptempo jam> crescendo end
**27/ What is This Thing Called Love (5:02) – female vocal starts with bass> slow song builds to midtempo> piano joins, swings into uptempo jam> uptempo song> quick stop
*28/ Music Is Love (3:51) – sax starts> midtempo jam> chorus joins> crescendo end