Steven Kroon was born in Harlem and raised in Queens, NY. The music of New York was of paramount influence on him as he grew up. He listened to Tito Puente and Machito from his father’s record collection and to all the jazz greats at his friends’ houses. In his very own neighborhood he could hear Count Basie and Lester Young and more. This is the music that has informed his own approach to music and musicianship.

He has recorded and/or toured with the greats of the day: Aretha Franklin, Roberta Flack, Diana Krall, Ron Carter to name only four. The longest gig of his career was as a member of Luther Vandross’ band from 1981-2001. All this was in preparation for a great solo career of his own recordings and tours beginning in 2006.

“Without a Doubt” is his fourth CD release in the last six years. It was released in 2011 but has deserved greater attention that it has heretofore received. It is not too late to take note of this album so worthy of hearing.

The band he has chosen is tight and responsive to each other. They have established a relationship between themselves that grows from one album to the next.

The first track is the hot number from renowned composer Oscar Hernandez and was arranged by Hernandez himself. The piece is entitled “Monterrey” and sets off the CD with a nice pop. Pianist Igor Atalita and Ruben Rodriguez on bass start things off as Steven Kroon (congas) and drummer Diego Lopez supply the percussion that creates a cool groove that works wonders as the foundation for the solos that come after.

Bryan Carrott on the vibraphone is one particular example of a soloist working on top of that groove that comes across so very fine. He has twice received New York’s “Meet the Composer Foundation” notice and has been cited seven times by Down Beat Magazine’s International Critics’ Poll as “Talent Deserving Wider Recognition” in the vibes category.

Special Guest Bobby Franceschini wastes no time is establishing himself within the context of the group. Bobby is also a native New Yorker and he began his musical training on piano at age five and picked up the saxophone in at age 11. His sax work alongside Craig Rivers’ flute creates a very complimentary duet.

But on “Monterrey” under it all is that very understated groove from Steven and Lopez. It carries immediately into the next piece composed by saxophonist Bobby Franceschini who again trades off with Rivers for some splendid moments of interplay. For a sax players’ song, Rivers gets great solo time as does Carrott’s vibes. The song is entitled “Sabro Songo” and is indeed sly.

Barry Harris’ “Nascimento” is the third track. Harris had released the song on his 1982 album “The Bird of Red and Gold” and was the lead-off track. It is a great tribute to the iconic Milton Nascimento and the tribute is truly golden under Steven’s treatment of the James Shipp arrangement.

The instruments give beautiful imagery to the voice that is Milton’s. Atalita’s piano is in the spotlight for the greater part of this phenomenal piece with Rivers’ flute again adding such delicacy and delight. One of the nice surprises of the song is Ruben Rodriguez very low-end and subtle acoustic bass. The inline progression of piano and bass provides an undercurrent that is remarkable.

Flute, piano, guiro, bass and drums kick off the next track, a brilliant composition by the young master Zaccai Curtis, a 2005 graduate of the New England Conservatory. The song is entitled “Mizu (Agua)” the Japanese word for water, as if the hint in parenthesis were not enough.

The vibes join in and the flute holds a fluttering sustain that carries a vibrato of running water. Craig Rivers gets the center stage for most of this piece and he makes use of the position well. Bobby Franceschini actually doubles with Craig on flute and Ruben hangs onto the acoustic bass for this piece as well. Once again the piano and bass march together with great effect. This is a well-written number that is performed to perfection.

“Tombo 7/4” is a lively samba in 7 (4+3) that Airto Moreira is credited for composing but is arranged by Steven Kroon and Bryan Carrott. The original recording by Moreira was keys and guitar with bass and drums but Steven’s performance and arrangement is better loaded for expanded expression. The additional features of rubbed percussion and shakers cause this song to spiral upward as it should. The song reaches its zenith and disappears.

Igor Atalita is the musical director on this CD and he deserves great credit for his direction. Igor was born and raised in Curacao, Netherlands Antilles. He moved to Boston in 1987 in order to study at the Berklee College of Music. He graduated in 1993 with studies in performance and jazz composition. Igor has performed with Bobby Sanabria and others.

However, four of the final six songs are arranged or composed by Steven Kroon himself and his distinct touch becomes evident.

“The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face” was co-arranged by Steven and the foundational percussion allows for freedom of expression from Atalita’s piano and the guest vocalist Carla Cook. Carla’s cool scat improvisations mark the interpretive nature of the band’s treatment of the Ewan Maccoll classic.

Steven leads off the next track “Pamela” with the lone congas until joined by Ruben’s electric bass, then piano and drums are added all as part of the introduction. The Bobby Watson piece takes on a corps advance as the musicians play in unison between sax, flute, vibes and piano. While this and the vibe solo are carrying forward, the rhythm section of Steven, Ruben and Diego have their own groove that catches the listener and doesn’t let go. Diego Lopez’ drumming is high and tight here.

Born in Milan, Italy Diego began playing drums at the age of eleven. He played for Italian television before moving to the US in 1991. He has played with many well-known musicians and has toured extensively.

Marty Sheller’s “On 2” jumps right in with almost all instruments coming in at the beginning. Franceschini gets the nod for this piece and he does not disappoint. This song features some of Bobby’s best sax work. He is again joined by Craig Rivers on flute and this duo makes great things happen between them.

Again, Ruben Rodriquez performs well under the radar. His subdued style is exactly what the ensemble requires. One would think that Ruben had been the one to receive John Lennon’s admonition to Tony Levin: “I hear you’re good. Don’t play too many notes.”

Ruben was born in East Harlem, NY but lived in Puerto Rico in his adolescence. He picked up the bass in junior high school and has played with everyone from Tito Puente to Roberta Flack to Grover Washington, Jr. He is the go-to guy among Latin Jazz players. He has an instinct and an understanding that makes him fit well in any ensemble.

However, on “Sou Eu (Luanne)” Ruben catapults the song from the start into something exciting in which the bass holds down the rhythmic line in dynamic cooperation with Steven and Diego. Moacir Santos composed the piece but it was arranged by James Shipp. Ruben gets prime solo time and makes it one of the hot points of the album. The vibes and flute get a share of time also and Craig Rivers gets to finish off the song with a great flute flourish.

Craig studied at the Philadelphia College of Performing Arts and is on the faculty at the Music School of Westchester. His musical lines are delicate and flowing. He takes the flute into often uncharted waters with some pieces that do not always seem suited to a flute part but Craig can interpose himself in the most unobtrusive ways while still staking his claim in solo and duet sections.

The album closes with all hands on deck for the title track “Without a Doubt” composed by Steven Kroon and Igor Atalita. This is the tight and precise highlight of the whole album. Ruben gets another shot at the title of best solo performance on the CD but then Igor makes his case. This is some of Igor’s most exciting work on an album that is full of great piano moments.

Likewise, Craig Rivers moves to piccolo and flute and recorder. The band was clearly intending to finish the album with shock and awe. This is exactly what happened as Diego Lopez and Steven Kroon lay down such a cool groove that the listener hates for the album to finish.

One of the things that Steven stresses is the live performances for the band before recording ever begins. This is an old-school approach that has always worked well in the jazz world. "This allows you to find the right tempo and groove for each tune. I've always loved this concept," Steven says.

This formula has worked exceedingly well for this line-up. They have certainly found that groove and they make it look effortless. This is a great fourth installment in Steven Kroon’s additions to the corpus of Latin Jazz. We look forward to the fifth. Can't get enough of that groove.

“Without a Doubt” is available at cdbaby here: http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/stevenkroon

The most difficult aspect of reviewing this album was in trying to extricate oneself from the literary enthrallment of the pieces, even from the start. For a lover of words, pulling one’s attention away from such beautiful word-craft would be a daunting task…where it not for the sheer fascination of the musicianship.

Somewhere Along the Road is Runa’s third release and it is tight and well-engineered with crisp vocals and nicely separated instruments. Best of all, Runa sounds like no one else.

In a market saturated by Clannad, the Chieftains, Maire Brennan’s solo work, Enya, Celtic Women and all the rest, being pleasantly surprised is no easy achievement. However, a pleasant surprise is precisely what awaits the first-time listener. It also awaits the ten-time listener because the material and the performance do not grow stale or tiresome.

This is especially surprising when considering that Fionán de Barra has written extensively with Maire Brennan and has toured with Clannad and his influence on Runa’s sound is profound in that he co-arranged, engineered, mixed and mastered the present album as well as playing and singing on it. Despite Fionán’s recording and touring with the giants of Celtic music, Runa’s sound is fresh and vibrant and most assuredly worthy of attention.

“The Dreadful End of Marianna for Sorcery” is the opening track and it is introduced by Tomoko Omura’s ominous violin. Fionán de Barra’s guitar assumes the lead and offers energetic and intricate acoustic riffs. His strum pattern fits extremely well with Shannon Lambert-Ryan’s clear and gifted vocals.

While known for his sound designing and producing, Dublin-born Fionán’s guitar work is impressive. There is a definition and punctuation in his playing that is very intriguing. He plays percussively and melodically and there is sometimes a flamenco feel to his attack.

It was Karine Polwart who composed “The Dreadful End of Marianna for Sorcery” and she has created a tale worthy of a novel. The music develops alongside the story and the introduction and disappearance of the various instruments heighten the interest…and tension. As when Cheryl Prashker’s percussion snaps into the music and creates a growing feeling of menace in duet with de Barra’s guitar. Isaac Alderson’s flute appears and recedes, as does Tomoko’s violin.

The conflict is given full voice and Shannon’s vocals carry above the struggle between flute and violin. The guitar carries the musical side of the story and Cheryl’s pulsating percussion keeps the listener riveted. The tale has an unseen twist and the conclusion of the story, with its driven music and Fionán de Barra’s almost flamenco guitar punch, leaves the hearer almost breathless.

Fortunately, the second track—“Here’s a Health to the Company”—is a slower tempo piece. The lovely lyrics, again so well enunciated by the clear-toned Shannon Lambert-Ryan, give pleasant relief from the sad end of the previous song.

It is opened by guitar and violin. Cheryl’s exquisitely subtle percussion is a picture perfect underscore for the play between guitar and violin.

Cheryl Prashker was born and raised in Montreal and studied classical percussion at McGill University there.  She has spent many years in New York City developing her skills of playing Celtic as well as Middle Eastern music. That particular style of percussion is a stunning addition to her experience and is another example of Runa bringing unique and varied elements and styles in harmony to create something very refreshing.

“A Stór, a Stór, a Ghrá” follows with throbbing guitar and bodhrán and duet vocals by Shannon Lambert-Ryan and David Curley. After the first vocal pass, a Celtic version of flamenco palmas is added, disappears and re-appears. Fionán’s vocals are added for great layering.

Again the trading between Fionán and Tomoko provide lively counter-play but it is their unison playing that is the most delightful –and this occurs often during the album.

Below is a YouTube link to "Lowlands of Holland" performed by Runa.

“Seinn O Ho Rò” is largely a vocal piece with Isaac Alderson’s gentle flute pronounced over the guitar. It is particularly poignant as the first lines are I am sad and weary/Alone in an unknown land. It is the agony of separation from life-long love that gives such depth to the sweet anguish of the song. It is indeed anguish, but it is not despair. There is strength from carrying a love such as that. It does not add to one’s burden but lessens it.

Fionán’s guitar and David Curley’s mandolin open the song “The Foggy Dew,” composed by Charles O’Neill. David opens the vocals and Shannon takes over in the second verse to be joined again by David. The unison and trading between guitar and mandolin is brilliant.

A leader of his own band Slide Ireland, David Curley is a fine instrumentalist of mandolin, banjo, guitar and bodhrán.  He fits exceedingly well as a touring and recording member of Runa. His talents add a graceful resonance to the sound of the band.

Chicago-born Isaac Alderson began studying Irish music when he was only 13 years old. He studied with the Irish masters and at the 2002 Fleadh Cheoil, Isaac became the All-Ireland Senior Champion on three instruments: whistle, uilleann pipes and flute.

It was his flute that opened the sixth track, “The Crooked to Road to Dublin Set.”  He is joined by the guitar after several bars and by Tomoko on violin at 2:00 into the lively instrumental and—after a few more measures—by Cheryl’s quick-fire percussion.  All instruments are brought to bear at the celebratory conclusion.

Tomoko Omura is another happy surprise to be found in Runa. Born in Shizuoka, Japan, Tomoko began playing violin at the age of four and eventually studied at Berklee College of Music in Boston. She is an innovative composer and a bandleader on her own. Her solo album Visions has been warmly received.

Classically trained, Tomoko moved to the US in pursuit of her jazz interests. In 2004, she won the “Roy Haynes Award.” She tours and performs with her own band and in the bands of others. It is this wide exposure and experience in music that brings a unique addition to Runa. There is a jazziness and a rock-sense (one thinks of Eddie Jobson and Jean-Luc Ponty) and ever-so-slight hints of Asian modalism in her musical vocabulary. She very well may be Runa’s secret weapon.

Her violin begins the seventh track, “Eppie Morrie,” alongside Fionán de Barra’s guitar. It is a rousing tune about a young maiden who refuses to be wed despite being abducted. The violin, guitar and percussion create a fast-paced and adventurous romp about young Eppie Morrie, defiant and resistant to the end.

Again, Shannon Lambert-Ryan keeps the clarity of her diction despite the breakneck tempo of the song. This is another stand-out feature of Runa as has been mentioned twice already. Simply said, Shannon’s voice is rapturous. Her voice is full of color and nuance and the listener can simply not hear enough of her.

“Farewell to Tarwathie/The Last Leviathan” is a binary piece concerning, on the one hand, a sailor who is setting sail in search of wealth by means of hunting whales and, on the other, the viewpoint of the whale being hunted; the last of its kind. The melody is carried by guitar and violin again with the subtlest of percussion. The song ends from the viewpoint of the young whaler about to sail from Tarwathie. Now that his prey has been given voice, his voyage is not so romantic as at first glance.

“The Maid That Sold Her Barley” is another vocally demanding piece that Shannon carries off beautifully. Again, it is violin, guitar and percussion that carry the song at a quick gait. The speedy imagery is well-suited to a song that tells of a hasty and lusty man who tries to seduce a young farmer’s daughter only to be out-spoken and out-witted by the clever and witty tongue of the maiden. Shannon carries it so well.

Shannon comes from Philadelphia and was grounded in musical styles from folk to classical to Celtic. She co-founded Runa with her husband Fionán de Barra.  Across the Pond, from 2008, was her debut solo album and Runa released their debut album, Jealousy, in 2009.  Shannon has also performed as a vocalist with Maire Brennan and others.  Also an actor, she has starred in M. Night Shyamalan’s “The Village.” In 2011, Runa released their second album Stretched on Your Grave to critical acclaim.

“Somewhere Along the Road/Toss the Feathers/The Mason’s Apron” is a suite of interconnected guitar solos that move from a raw, slow piece to more lively and energetic pacing. Fionán de Barra’s guitar work does not disappoint.

“Mae Colven” follows after and is initiated by Tomoko’s strumming of the violin—a very nice opening move. Another tale of a false nobleman and a trapped woman who outwits him is given full picture by the fighting and fleeing violin work of Tomoko Omura. She has great skill in painting beautiful sonic landscapes and portraits.

“The Parting Glass” is a very old traditional Irish and Scottish song. It was a song of farewell after a gathering of friends. The Scottish version is a bit faster while the Irish version is slower paced and better suited to the reluctant parting of good comrades. It is sweetly sung, almost sadly, and the drawn out violin carries the emotion of delaying departure as long as possible.

“Allison Cross” is an entertaining piece about a young man whom a witch is trying to entrap. He defies her advances and is turned into a frog. Finally a princess returns him to his “proper shape” and he maintains his defiance. Fun stuff this.

“Amhrán Mhuighinse” is the final track. It begins with Shannon’s solo voice and she is later joined by David and Fionán. The vocals continue until 3:15 when are joined by the violin. The vocal layers and the simple violin are almost agonizing in the realization that the album is about to conclude. The vocals fade and the violin lingers… but all-too-briefly.

Most of the songs on Somewhere Along the Road are traditional Irish pieces. Shannon once said that they like to take traditional Irish songs and Celt them up a bit. Whatever their approach, Runa has created a freshness and vitality that is surprising. The most surprising thing of all is that they have not gotten even greater attention than they already have. That will change.



Find this release at http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/runa13

Trumpet virtuoso Kevin Louis has released a CD with FNMUSICWEB that is adventurous, thought-provoking and hilarious all at once. The album goes after traditional notions of religion without attacking religion; it is open-minded and open-hearted towards those who see religion in more traditional ways. And he gets world class musicians to come clean on their own spirituality without ever sacrificing the musicianship that marks this intriguing CD.

The album was recorded in 2011 and released on CD but the label never got behind this brilliant recording nor garnered any exposure for it. Farnell Newton was so taken with the music that he knew that this album could not be allowed to simply disappear. With the consent of Vallen Music, Farnell Newton is re-releasing the album in a digital format at www.fnmusicweb.com.

The album’s introduction is a mock dialog between Kevin and someone who refuses to acknowledge that Kevin sees music as his religion. He is equally at home celebrating spiritual music with Christians, Rastafarians, Jews, or African traditionalists. He is called "confused" and "undecided," both of which he refutes. He and his fellow musicians then break into comparisons of religions to basketballs teams. “Everybody has different plays to run.” They conclude the introduction by intoning en masse “That’s all-l-l-l-l right with me!”

Antwan Barrett then opens the music with an electric bass solo introduction of “Amazing Grace.” This is not the first time that a bass solo has carried that particular song. Chris Squire of Yes added that to his solo repertoire during that band’s concerts beginning in the early 1980’s. However, Squire did it for progressive rock affectation. Barrett makes it something emotional and spiritual. It is harmonic and historic. Then the band picks it up with Robert Glasper’s bent notes opening a door that Kevin Louis steps through like Gabriel stepping out of the gates of heaven to earth below.

All the while, Koko Jones (percussion) and Jason Brown (drums) maintain a certain earthy tie in the rhythms. Glasper’s keyboard carries the theme from Gospel to avant-jazz in ways that only Robert Glasper can. Kevin resumes the more traditional approach in contrast to Glasper’s esotericism.

Below is the YouTube link to "Amazing Grace."

This is arranger/trumpeter Kevin Louis’ whole point, to see a traditional religious approach that is supplemented but not supplanted by new modes of expression of those same traditional thoughts and ideas. The earthiness of the percussion, the romanticism of the bass, the freedom of expression and exploration of the keyboards can all be seen as extensions of the traditional line. The traditional is not abandoned; it is expanded. This is not only good music, this is fine theology.

Kevin graduated from the New Orleans Center for Creative Arts and received his Bachelor’s degree in Jazz Performance at Oberlin Conservatory of Music in 1999 and was awarded a Master of Arts from the Aaron Copland School of Music at Queens College in 2001. He is a scholar and religion and spirituality have informed his musical approach.

The fourth track, “A Gift from God” was composed and arranged by Kevin. Robert Glasper and Jason Brown provide the nearly funky intro of piano and drums. They are soon joined by bass and by the horn section of Kevin on trumpet and Dion Tucker on trombone. Kevin has assembled a masterful array of musicians who have the hearts and minds to give life to the ideas in Kevin's head. Kevin often stands aside and lets Glasper and Brown drive the emotions and then returns to carry it home. Tucker’s trombone is firm support to the end.

The discussion continues on the next track regarding the subject of faith. The question is asked “What is faith?” The response is a direct quote from the Letter to the Hebrews: “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” To explain this, the position is offered that faith is really “a big bulk of confidence. That you believe this is going to happen.” Music was discussed as an inspiration of faith. People inspire faith.  Life is seen for what it is, and then faith offers something better.

The song that follows is the Gospel standard “Blessed Assurance” another arrangement by Kevin Louis of the 1873 Fanny J. Crosby and Phoebe Knapp classic. Kevin’s own trumpet opens the piece in emotional expressions.  The song is an expression of looking forward and resting in confidence—exactly what the musicians had described just before. They carry the song with conviction.

“What is My Purpose?” is another Kevin Louis original. Oshunyaye Brown provides a narrative behind the instrumental overlay and the words spoken are powerful and full of self-searching questions. The theme of the narrative is reflective of Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s poem “Who Am I?” She questions what her reactions to circumstances might be. “Will I jump or will I fall? / Do I dare to look upon my potential, to fill my own shoes? / … / Or do I cry like a motherless child?”

This last line is what proves Kevin to be a scholar of old Gospel music. It is a tribute line to one of the greatest of all hymns, sung as early as the 1870’s by the Fisk Jubilee Singers. The Fisk Jubilee singers were
a cappella vocalists from Fisk University in Nashville. TN. The song was later recorded by the great Paul Robeson and later by Louis Armstrong. However, it was the legendary Mahalia Jackson who gave it such immense popularity in later times. She even recorded it as a medley with Gershwin’s “Summertime.”

The instrumentals provide an anguished expression of the narrative. In the end, however, the line “Will I jump or will I fall?” is answered with a faith-filled response of “Geronimo...” Kevin and the musicians give new expression to what it means for a human being to have faith.

A fitting continuation of that idea is found in the Louis original, “Questions, No Answers.” The percussionists lay down a steady groove that acts as solid footing for the questions that follow. Trumpet and piano continue the inquiry and are joined by trombone. Kevin’s trumpet is the true standout on this track with the full support of the rest. The trombone picks up the questioning and then trombone and trumpet in unison. The delightful aspect is that these questions do not leave one in despair but are questions intended to drive one forward. Even the end of the song is left incomplete with the horns trailing off unresolved… but joyful.

The ninth track revolves about Dion Tucker’s monologue on Grace. It is backed by Dion's own solo trombone rendition of “Amazing Grace.”  Dion’s example of Grace is how often it has occurred that there is not enough money to even pay bills…and then comes salvation in the form of being called to a paying gig that provides what he needs. The other members of the group laugh as Kevin reveals that this is what each of them have said. Grace is not being rewarded by money from the sky; it is the chance to use one’s talents in order to earn the reward.

The track fades out to Dion's playing “Amazing Grace” and transitions into his own arrangement of the same song. The track order is well thought-out. This is an album with an intention and a purpose.

Dion’s arrangement is almost contrapuntal in its beginning horn duet.  Then the trombone assumes a solo position and delivers a dynamic advance to the flow. Glasper’s keyboards are almost churchy in the support of the horns’ preaching. The piece has barely finished when the startling question “What is God?” opens as the topic of discussion for the next track.

Interestingly, the various responses from the different band musicians are overlaid as a collage and no definitive answer is discernible and that is exactly as it should be. Words like “spirit” and “power” and “creator” can be picked out but there is no dogma anywhere to be found. Kevin Louis is not going to provide the answers for anyone but he will ask the questions with which each person must grapple.

As if to drive that point further, the following track is entitled “Divine Ambiguity-Nebulous Divinity.” Again, leave it to Robert Glasper to lay down the chords to reflect that very idea. The horns adopt the theme and disappear leaving the solo keyboard only for the horns to reappear again. Glasper assumes a solo with right hand creating a series of runs as the left hand keeps up the chord structures that have been in place from the beginning of the song. The trumpet re-emerges followed by the trombone and then begins several bars of trading fours until they join in dissonant unity.  This is the music of creating the sonic imagery of Kierkegaard and Aquinas getting in a fist-fight.

The reasonable doubt of that track is replaced by the personal and ethical cry “Give Me a Clean Heart.” This was composed by Gospel great Fred Hammond. Kevin Louis turns it into beautiful and brilliant jazz. The playing from all corners is clean. It is necessarily straightforward and single-minded, leaving the listener to conclude that Kierkegaard must have won the previous fistfight since he wrote the book Purity of Heart is to Will One Thing.  This is a stirring and emotional piece.

The track concludes with a monologue that opens with the powerful line “What we have to focus on is how to become better human beings.” This is the message of all the great prophets; it is better to be ethical than to be religious.

It is that sentiment that leads to an understanding that is embodied in the title of the next piece, “Learn Not to Abuse the Things You Love.” It was composed and arranged by Kevin Louis. It opens with pure and heart-warming piano and trumpet. Then a sweet flute played by Brian Horton (who doubles as the recording and mixing engineer) appears which gives image to the fragility of what we love. At 1:49, it is by far the shortest song of the album which adds to the heartbreak. The sweetness and delicacy are far too short-lived. There is no time for abuse and no time to take for granted.

Percussionist Koko Jones takes the lead in the next discussion track. He speaks of the Bodhisattva ideal of relieving the suffering of others. For him, it is relief of suffering through music. Thus, music is never play but solemn work. After a brief Congolese chant, the music transitions into an explosive brassy jazz introduction of a piece co-written by Louis and Jones entitled “Bodhisattva Wonderful Sound.”

It gives way to the straight jazz rhythms of Koko Brown for the only drum solo of the album which is followed seamlessly by a consecutive solo from Jason Brown. Bass, keys and horns resume the melody but leave the drums to carry on underneath the melodic lines as they move into the next track “Mystic Law.”

There is slight dissonance between the horns but this is pointing to the idea of unity without uniformity which has characterized the whole recording. The horns break off into individual solos and Robert Glasper maintains the unifying element of the keyboard. The song finishes with the unified horns fading out.

The final piece is another traditional hymn of the church entitled “The Old Rugged Cross.” This is not the version you sang in church, however. This is more like a Dixieland version of the George Bennard 1912 classic. It is not mournful and slogging but joyful and vivacious. It reveals Kevin’s New Orleans roots like no other track does and it also shows just how diverse Kevin’s playing can be. He is a brilliant trumpet player and his own grace shows through at every moment.  The song is a happy way to conclude such a discussion. Except that it is not the conclusion, after all.

From 4:19 through 4:46 there is silence.  That contemplative silence is severely shattered by Robert Glasper breaking into a hilarious send-up of any preacher you care to name. Laughter from the other band members can be heard in the background which turns into near hysteria as Glasper continues his intonations. He tries to illicit the call and response but gets no response as his “congregation” is paralyzed with laughter. In the process, he continues to allude to Gospel songs, hymns and even the Doobie Brothers’ “Jesus is Just Alright with Me.” As the hilarity fades out, there is one last theme to be repeated. In unison they call back the original theme, “It’s all-l-l-l right with me.”

That is the message of Music is My Religion. Let the individual find the best expression of their faith, their spirituality, their God. Whatever it is, “It’s all right with me.”



Find Kevin Louis' Music is My Religion at www.fnmusicweb.com

The respect for the past is evident. The excitement of the present is clear. The hope for the future is bright as Chembo Corniel’s Quintet provides a scintillating and romantic musical experience with his forthcoming release.

Afro Blue Monk is the fourth CD release from the Chembo Corniel Quintet Grupo Chaworo and features Special Guests Jimmy Owens (2012 National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Master Award) on trumpet, lyricist and vocalist Ileana SantamarÍa (daughter of Afro Blue composer Mongo SantamarÍa) and Elio Villafranca on piano and serving as musical co-producer. The release date is September 11, 2012.

Wilson “Chembo” Corniel states that his purpose on the release was to pay homage to two of the great authors of modern jazz and Latin jazz, Thelonious Monk and Mongo SantamarÍa. He and his fellow musicians succeed convincingly.

The album begins brilliantly with a composition by Elio Villafranca entitled Emiliano. The introduction opens with a solo piano which is quickly joined by Chembo Corniel’s percussion and soon after by Ivan Renta on sax. The intricate piano and sax trades and combos are tight and energetic, if not energizing. 

Villafranca has written a classic jazz piece where Chembo Corniel has underscored the intricacy with robust rhythms and energy. Chembo is the percussionist par excellence who has performed with the director of the conservatory where he studied-- the great Chucho Valdes--and with the legendary Machito, the superb Bob Baldwin, Blood, Sweat & Tears, the iconic Tito Puente, and with the astounding Bobby Sanabria Big Band. In other words, you can imagine how gifted he must be if the great percussionists and band leaders all want him in their bands. His 2009 CD Things I Wanted to Do received a Grammy nomination for “Best Latin Jazz Album.”

From this very first piece on the album, the band members light it up. Ivan Renta (sax) and Elio Villafranca (piano) seize attention immediately alongside Chembo on percussion and Vince Cherico on drums. Listen carefully, however, to the driven bass of Carlo DeRosa and a new delight appears.  DeRosa moves beyond the rhythm section to become a grand support for the melody in so many places, especially during the third song.

Indeed, the hook was firmly set before the conclusion of the very first track on the album.

The second track opens with percussion but the theme quickly emerges and the listener immediately recognizes the familiar strains of Afro Blue. This is the monumental classic from the pen and heart of Mongo SantamarÍa.

Born Ramón SantamarÍa RodrÍquez  in 1917 Havana, Cuba, “Mongo” became the greatest conguero of the 20th century. A band leader who employed such future jazz luminaries as Chick Corea and Herbie Hancock, SantamarÍa was continually in search of the sound to link Afro-Cuban rhythms and African-American jazz. Herbie Hancock’s composition Watermelon Man was exactly what Mongo was hoping to find. Herbie played the song straight-up and Mongo layered the Afro-Cuban rhythms on top. Mongo immediately knew that he had a hit on his hands. He asked Herbie’s permission to record it and the result was a 1963 top of the charts hit; his only one. That recording, however, was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1998.

In 2002, the year before he died, Mongo asked his daughter Ileana SantamarÍa to compose lyrics for Afro Blue which she did. The original instrumental version was recorded in 1959 and has become a jazz standard. Recorded first by Cal Tjader in 1959 then by John Coltrane in 1963, it has been recorded by musicians from Rahsaan Roland Kirk to Gov’t Mule, John McLaughlin, Andy Summers, McCoy Tyner and, very recently, by Robert Glasper on his brilliant album Black Radio.  Coltrane’s popular version had switched to a 3/4 swing time and other musicians have tinkered with the time, as well. Chembo’s quintet, however, restores the original time signature of the SantamarÍa composition.

On Afro Blue Monk, Ileana herself sings on the first-ever recording of the vocal additions. The results are breath-taking. Her rapid-fire Cuban intonations over the 6/8 tempo is… intoxicating. Villafranca and Renta trade leads along the way before surrendering to the rhythm section. In the end, though, it is piano, sax and Ileana that take it home.

The YouTube link below is the promo for the forthcoming album and gives the opportunity to see how charming Ileana really is. It also gives a behind the scenes look at the making of the album.

Victor Lewis’ composition Hey, It’s Me You’re Talking To was arranged by drummer Vince Cherico and is one of those arrangements that brings the listener back over and over again. Ivan Renta, again, is in perfect partnership with Elio Villafranca. The propulsion supplied by Cherico and Chembo, however, makes even a non-dancer want to, at least, move in some fashion.

Clarinetist/Flutist Frank Fontaine makes a guest appearance for Danzon Del Invierno with great effect. The opening by the solo piano, however, sets the imagery for a winter’s dance. Fontaine’s clarinet glides in sweetly and is accompanied so well by piano and percussion. Carlo DeRosa pleasantly surprises again with the bow and bass for an all-too-brief solo. Fontaine’s switch from clarinet to flute is another pleasant surprise with a little Ian Anderson madness thrown in for the fun. The treatment of the Nicki Denner composition and arrangement is riveting. This is a piano concerto within a tango and it works. For all that, DeRosa’s bass solo steals the show.

What follows is the second half of the album title, Blue Monk composed, of course, by Thelonious Monk and wonderfully arranged by Elio Villafranca. The piece is instantly recognizable but the Jimmy Owens appearance on trumpet alongside Renta’s sax makes one understand that something exciting is going to happen—and it does. Monk’s B-flat blues piece is handled marvelously in an Afro-Cuban tempo.  And this is where Chembo turns it all loose. If Mongo SantamarÍa was the 20th century’s great conguero, then Chembo Corniel has positioned himself to make a run for that title in the 21st century.

Blue Monk was Monk’s favorite composition and he recorded it over thirty times with every ensemble from trio to big band. While Blue Monk is certainly one of Monk’s simplest songs, it is so well structured for leaps into solos—with its four-note chromatic rise in eighth notes—that makes it a great showcase for musicians.

Monk admitted once that the trio setting was his favorite scenario for performing it. However, the Carnegie Hall Concert of November, 1957 with the quintet has got to be included in anyone’s list of great performances of that (or any other) song.

Chembo’s Quintet takes every opportunity for powerful solos and they do not disappoint. This Monk piece creates the ideal setting for this group of exquisite musicians to enthrall and thrill.

The following track is easily the most emotional and moving piece of the album. Composed by the great Chucho Valdés, Claudia was arranged by Chembo Corniel. This song is a smoky jazz sweetheart. Ivan Renta’s breathy sax solos are a smoldering expression of what must have been in Valdés’ heart as he composed this. Villafranca’s piano runs form intriguing counter-point to the sax.

The listener is jolted from their sentimental reverie as Chembo and Cherico turn on the churning percussion to open the next track entitled Don Quijote. Another Villafranca original, it again allows for the corps progressions that bring all guns to bear. The rhythm section creates earthy support of the high-flying ideals expressed in the sax and piano solos. This is the second piece that keeps a listener coming back for more of it. Villafranca’s writing skills are well-honed and intricate. Think Chick Corea.

Vince Cherico’s drumming is pronounced and captivating. Come back for more of this one.

The last track is a Wayne Shorter number and arranged by Chembo. It is also Jimmy Owens’ second appearance on the album. He fits so well alongside Ivan Renta which makes them a dream horn section. It also features another sweet bass solo from Carlo DeRosa and now-to-be-expected fine piano work from Villafranca. The album concludes with all the players in unison; a fitting conclusion indeed.

One comes to expect that a band with a drummer or percussionist bandleader is going to simply be in support of that percussionist. Jack Parnell and Buddy Rich come to mind. Often the solos were simply interminable as the drummer/percussionist kept the spotlight firmly to themselves…especially Rich. Among the great Latin Jazz percussionist bandleaders like Bobby Sanabria and Wilson “Chembo” Corniel, this has not proven to be the case. While listening to Afro Blue Monk it is almost impossible to keep in mind that the leader of this band is a percussionist. In fact, no one musician stands out above the rest. This is shared ground. For a lover of jazz, this is sacred ground.

One of the great lessons taught to young musicians is on creating space for other performers. It speaks of selfless love for the music and the band-mates, pointing to the music as the goal. In this same way, Chembo has created a band and a band philosophy of creating space and he is the chief example of it. There is good reason that this band, Grupo Chaworo, has lasted for ten years.

He has also found the right way of taking historic pieces and mixing them with new compositions and brand new arrangements to create a sound and a feel that is fresh but grounded, innovative but reverent.

There have been precious few new recordings that have excited me so. I was captured from the opening bars of the first track and was relentlessly but delightedly held until the very end. There is integrity and exploration to be found here… and so much beauty.




Afro Blue Monk is issued on the American Showplace Music label (catalog no. 149635730), sold and distributed by Allegro Music.

Día y Medio (A Day and a Half) is the staggering new collaborative album by Berta Rojas and Paquito D’Rivera. In 2011, the duet toured Latin America together and spent 36 hours in Berta’s home country of Paraguay. D’Rivera declared that a day and a half was not enough time to enjoy the beauty of the music, the scenery, the people of this amazing nation in South America, thus giving their new CD its title.

In the dedication found in the liner notes, Berta simply states “To Paraguay, my country and my people.” This is the simple summation of the intent and inspiration of this magnificent recording. The CD features great composers and styles representing the music of Berta’s homeland; a land too long ignored for its rich contributions to astonishing music and musicianship.

Paquito D’Rivera is from Cuba and began his career as a child prodigy. To have a musician of D’Rivera’s performing and composing skills alongside Rojas’ dedication to her homeland makes for a moving and enlightening journey into Paraguay. Hers is the old love of home and his is the new love of a captivated traveler.

There are twelve songs on the CD and half of them are from the pen of Augustin Pio Barrios Mangoré.

Barrios is one of the pioneers in guitar recording as well as one of the greatest guitar composers of all time. His work was overshadowed by Andres Segovia and Heitor Villa- Lobos but even the great Villa-Lobos called Barrios “the Untouchable.”

Popular classical guitarist John Williams spoke in this way of Barrios: "As a guitarist-composer, Barrios is the best of the lot, regardless of era. His music is better formed, it's more poetic, it's more everything! And it's more of all those things in a timeless way."

The first piece by Barrios and the opening track on the album is Las Abejas (The Bees). As I read the sheet music for the piece, I was profoundly grateful that I had chosen to play piano. The virtuosity level is extreme. Segovia heard Barrios perform in 1922 and also remarked at the virtuosic elements in the music that he witnessed, saying the music was “ideal for the repertory of any concert guitarist.”

And the lovely Berta Rojas nails it. The piece begins with just Berta on guitar and the listener is enthralled from the very beginning. Then she is joined by the tenor sax of her virtuoso equal, Paquito D’Rivera. The result is more like Brubeck’s Rondo a la Turk than Rimsky-Korsakov’s Flight of the Bumblebee…and I mean that in a good way. But it is not all tempo and precision; there is great lyricism and melody at work here and it is a beautiful introduction to this album.

The YouTube link below will reveal this brilliantly.

I found myself wondering at the land that produced such a composer as Barrios, and music as Las Abejas, and a musician as Berta Rojas. I wondered at my country’s utter unfamiliarity with a country such as Paraguay.

Much of North America’s ignorance of all things Paraguayan is probably due to the cultural and political isolation suffered by that nation due to 35 years of repressive dictatorship under the control of General Alfredo Stroessner who assumed control in 1954 following two decades of war, civil war and dictatorships.

On February 3, 1989, Stroessner was finally overthrown in a military coup d’etat.  The June 1992 constitution embraced a democratic system of government and vastly improved the protection of fundamental human rights. In May 1993, fair and free elections chose the first civilian president in almost 40 years. Since then, Paraguay has achieved remarkable economic, political and legal legitimacy. In 2010, the nation enjoyed its greatest economic boom in over 30 years, and was ranked number three in the world in its increase in the GDP.

In a word, Paraguay has much to celebrate and the world should be celebrating with them, especially in the new-found exposure to the amazing music of this amazing country. This new CD from Rojas and D’Rivera is the soundtrack of rediscovery and celebration.

From Las Abejas, the next track continues with another Barrios composition Maxixe. Barrios used a Brazilian dance rhythm as the framework for this uplifting work of such cheer. The trading between guitar and clarinet and the side-by-side playing of the two was a dance in itself. The partners were again of equal talent and of the same mind and heart. The result is overwhelming.

Recuerdos de Ypacaraí (Memories of Ypacarí) was written by Demetrio OrtÍz, born in 1916 in Paraguay. The song is reminiscent without being maudlin. The story goes that OrtÍz had visited Lake Ypacarí and saw a woman whose beauty left him breathless. After the passing of time, he was alone and the memory came to him as fresh as ever. This piece was born of that memory. It is not a memory of what might have been or of a lost opportunity but it is a souvenir of something that had touched him once and still.

Oddly enough, the song’s opening measure, or two, might recall to the hearer the song by William Best (I Love You) For Sentimental Reasons. Of course, the two songs are entirely unrelated but the comparable introductory measures are amusing.

Pájaro Choguí – Galopera opens with the most soothing guitar and is joined by the alto sax of such beautiful compliment. Berta’s playing is charming and captivating but, as the two of them glide into the second movement, Berta also begins to reveal the power of her playing. The strength and control she exhibits ranks her alongside any guitarist one would care to name. Consideration of her gender should never enter a discussion about her musicianship. Her delicacy is always ready to be displayed, but her precision and power are also always in evidence.

Berta Rojas’ name belongs in the very same breath as Segovia or Williams or Parkening or Bream. The truth is, Segovia was often heavy-handed and Rojas has never displayed that. Bream was influenced by Django Reinhardt and it shows in his energy. Williams is admired for his light touch and Parkening for his intricacy. Berta has all of those characteristics at her command; showing Bream’s jazziness and Williams’ gentleness and Parkening’s flawlessness, without being irrevocably enslaved by comparisons to them or any others.

Rojas is Rojas and that is the highest complement one could bestow upon another.

Preludio in Do Menor (Prelude in C Minor) is a Bach-inspired piece by Agustin Barrios, again. The arranger, Mauricio Cardoza Ocampo, is said to have arranged the play between guitar and clarinet as representing the encounter of Barrios and Astor Piazzolla. This piece is thrilling and, in many ways, the most satisfying of all the selections. It is like hearing words of love spoken between a mathematician and a poet—the intricate and complex meeting the unrestrained and emotional.

The track arrangement is perfect on this album. The seamless flow between songs is detailed and inevitable. Che Trompo Arasa (My Wooden Top) follows next and it opens sweetly and moves to excitement and energy. Rightly so, as the song portrays a child playing with a wooden top complete with the spinning following the dropping of the top. The simple excitement of the child is clearly felt, even more than heard, in this bright piece. Paquito’s attack is exuberant and wide-eyed. Berta’s steady handedness forms the successful basis for the resulting euphoria.

These two musicians should partner together again and again and again; like Reinhardt and Grapelli, Jarrett and Garbarek.

Another composition by Demetrio OrtÍz is the middle track and fits perfectly. Mis Noches Sin Ti (My Nights Without You) brought world-wide fame to the composer in 1946. The subject matter is not what may be expected. The sweetness is not romantic but almost child-like. The absence is not the agonizing missing of a lover, but is the departure of an anchor. OrtÍz composed the piece shortly after the death of his mother and that knowledge makes the composition even more heartbreaking. There is joy recalled but, in the end, there is absence.

Rojas and D’Rivera perform so unabashedly and so flawlessly that one might lose sight of the musicianship as the beauty of the compositions shine through the perfect playing of each piece. This is what they have created—a partnership that has shined the spotlight on the composers and the music instead of their own unique virtuosity. This is rare. They make the listener hear Paraguay.

Choli is a haunting melody that D’Rivera treats with affectionate respect as Rojas steadily pulls at the heart. José AsuncÍon Flores writes of the missing love that once burned so hotly within him for the woman who has left him and Rojas and D’Rivera have played it with a disowned coolness that carries the emotion certainly intended by the composer. It is a masterstroke.

Mario Miguel Clavel was born in Argentina who incorporated the native rhythm of the guarania form of Paraguay into his music. The astonishing clarinet playing alongside the elegant classical guitar truly gives voice to the emotions of desire and longing. These musicians possess a true mastery of interpretation and adaptation.

This is in full display for the three remaining pieces of the album—all composed by Barrios. Caazapá is followed by Choro da Saudade (Nostalgic Choro) and the album concludes with Danza Paraguaya (Paraguayan Dance).  While Barrios was considered a late-Romantic, so much of his music was informed by his love of South American and Central American folk music—especially, of course, the music of Paraguay.

Caazapá was a traditional folk melody that Barrios used as the structure for this piece. It recalls his home and his love for it, while Choro da Saudade (Nostalgic Choro) was written upon Barrios’ realization that he would never again see his homeland. The longing for home permeates every note.

Berta and Paquito do not leave the listener downcast, however. Danza Paraguaya (Paraguayan Dance) is the unfettered joy of being home (or of reveling in someone else’s love of their home). This is the shared emotion of Berta and Paquito. She sings through the guitar of a love of home and he raises his horn in celebration of her love. It is the joy of seeing something beloved through the eyes of one who loves it best.

Indeed Paquito felt that a day and a half was for too short a time to truly appreciate the beauty of Paraguay, but listeners will feel that Día y Medio (A Day and a Half) has given us exactly what we need to truly appreciate the beauty and the mastery of six composers and two magnificent performers.

This wonderful recording can be purchased right now at CDBaby. Here is the direct link to purchase.