A Sea Of Voices
Jazz
| Jan 2012
Reviews
Be Sharp
Reviewed 2012-02-26
Reviewed 2012-02-26
Bright sounding, easy to enjoy, mainstream jazz. Most songs done by a tight trio comprising piano, bass & drums; this core is augmented by a female singer on #4, a Latin percussionist on nos. 5 & 7, and another pianist on #10. Double bassist & composer Jamie Ousley teaches at Florida International University in Miami and performs in the south Florida region. There are five Ousley compositions here (several with watery inspiration) plus an interesting, eclectic variety of other things mixed in.
No FCC issues.
1 ** Up-tempo, joyous, exuberant. Solid ensemble playing; each player takes a solo.(6:39)
2 * Mid-tempo. Upbeat, jazzy improv on an Irving Berlin love song. Piano leads most of the way. Bass & drums take over near the end. Good but a bit ordinary. (7:16)
3 ** Hip 60s sound with a good melody. tight ensemble work. Improv on the piano with good propulsive rhythm on bass & drums. (5:26)
4 ** Slow. Trad folk song. Duet by female vox & bass. Vocal is parts English, Japanese, non-verbal. Track is lovely but hard to classify: not quite jazz, not quite Americana. (4:06)
5 *** Up-tempo with some syncopation. Interesting jazz reading of a well-known country hit. Bright, joyful playing on piano; exceptional play on bass. Made me smile. (4:36)
6 ** Slow. Very tranquil & lyrical, like a lullaby. Play early morning or late evening. Pretty melody on piano is answered on bass. Brushes on the drums. (6:15)
7 Coldplay song. Somber bowed bass, then music you could hear getting groceries. (5:55)
8 ** Mid to fast. Classic nightclub jazz, led mostly by piano with a cheery tune. Bass takes a terrific solo in the middle. Just a hint of drums, till he takes a solo toward the end. (5:34)
9 **½ Slow, peaceful and spiritual. Gorgeous piano. Just enough bass & drums. (5:17)
10 *** A gem! Argentine composer Ariel Ramírez’s song, about the suicide in the sea of poet Alfonsina Storni, is a suite: an up-tempo bass solo placed between 2 tangos played on piano (by Argentine Gabriel Saientz) w bass accompaniment. Sophisticated, stylish. (5:37)
No FCC issues.
1 ** Up-tempo, joyous, exuberant. Solid ensemble playing; each player takes a solo.(6:39)
2 * Mid-tempo. Upbeat, jazzy improv on an Irving Berlin love song. Piano leads most of the way. Bass & drums take over near the end. Good but a bit ordinary. (7:16)
3 ** Hip 60s sound with a good melody. tight ensemble work. Improv on the piano with good propulsive rhythm on bass & drums. (5:26)
4 ** Slow. Trad folk song. Duet by female vox & bass. Vocal is parts English, Japanese, non-verbal. Track is lovely but hard to classify: not quite jazz, not quite Americana. (4:06)
5 *** Up-tempo with some syncopation. Interesting jazz reading of a well-known country hit. Bright, joyful playing on piano; exceptional play on bass. Made me smile. (4:36)
6 ** Slow. Very tranquil & lyrical, like a lullaby. Play early morning or late evening. Pretty melody on piano is answered on bass. Brushes on the drums. (6:15)
7 Coldplay song. Somber bowed bass, then music you could hear getting groceries. (5:55)
8 ** Mid to fast. Classic nightclub jazz, led mostly by piano with a cheery tune. Bass takes a terrific solo in the middle. Just a hint of drums, till he takes a solo toward the end. (5:34)
9 **½ Slow, peaceful and spiritual. Gorgeous piano. Just enough bass & drums. (5:17)
10 *** A gem! Argentine composer Ariel Ramírez’s song, about the suicide in the sea of poet Alfonsina Storni, is a suite: an up-tempo bass solo placed between 2 tangos played on piano (by Argentine Gabriel Saientz) w bass accompaniment. Sophisticated, stylish. (5:37)
Recent airplay
Alfonsia Y El Mar, With You, Steam
Jazz Special — Apr 30, 2012
With You
Love Den — Apr 26, 2012
Rocky Top
Rebop — Apr 17, 2012
Rocky Top
No Cover, No Minimum — Apr 13, 2012
Alfonsia Y El Mar
Rebop — Apr 03, 2012
With You
Rebop — Mar 27, 2012
Charting
2012-03-10 — 2012-05-12
Jazz
| Week Ending | Airplays |
|---|---|
| May 6 | 1 |
| Apr 29 | 1 |
| Apr 22 | 1 |
| Apr 15 | 1 |
| Apr 8 | 1 |
| Apr 1 | 1 |
| Mar 25 | 1 |
| Mar 18 | 2 |
Track listing
| 1. | Hymn Of The Tides | ||
| 2. | How Deep Is The Ocean | ||
| 3. | Steam | ||
| 4. | Shenandoah | ||
| 5. | Rocky Top | ||
| 6. | Loving Beauty | ||
| 7. | Swallowed In The Sea | ||
| 8. | With You | ||
| 9. | Holy Water | ||
| 10. | Alfonsia Y El Mar |