Wednesday, April 4, 2012

CD Review: “After Carnival” New World Beat

After Carnival

After Carnival

Hey, bartender. Mix me up a drink, but not just any drink. I want to taste Sunday after champagne brunch, setting on a veranda with Return To Forever jamming with an acoustic Weather Report, playing Salsa to an African beat and D’Jango playing Flamenco jazz guitar. Yeah….

Then a generous shot of Brazilian jazz, a squeeze of World Rhythm. I want to taste journeys through exotic lands. I want to hear rainbows and silver linings. Run a little afoxé rhythm around the rim and dip the rim in some funky samba. Now chill that ‘vibe’ and strain it into a cool breeze and send it over with that waitress who is clearly the  love child of Pat Metheny, Milton Nascimiento and Airto Moreira. Let’s call this quaff After Carnival.

“Beyond The Clouds” New World Beat from the album “After Carnival”

Perfect! This refreshing sonic cocktail hit the streets (and all the best bars) on April 3. This exciting new group based out of Miami  consists of composer Richard Sprince - vibraphone;  Matt Vashlishan – soprano & alto saxophones & EWI sax-synth; Tom Lippincott - 8 String guitar; Diogo Brown – fretless bass; Goran Rista – drums; Tony Cruz and Terezinha Valois – vocals; Cezar Santana - nylon string guitar;  Dwili Dewongy –percussion; Gary Damanti – guitar solo, “The Dance Has Just Begun”; Jorge Pardo – flute solo, “Song For Brazil”;  Alejandro Pino-Sprince – tag vocal, “Last Train Home”.

Sprince and the international crew have iced down nine original, structured and beautifully rendered pieces plus two Metheny covers that are innovative and fresh. Up and coming sax man, Matt Vashlishan shines throughout. Spence is wonderful on the vibes and some of the things him and Lippincott do together, creating intricate improv weaving sonic sonnets around each other, I wanted to tell them to get a room. On the vocal numbers, Tony Cruz and Terezinha double melodies in the Brazilian style. the kitchen (rhythm section) of bassist extraordinaire, diogo Brown, Goran Rista on the skins, guitarist Cezar Santana and percussionist Dwili Dewongy sets the groove.

The album is atmospheric, infectious and uplifting. The moods run from bluesy to samba and some edgy funk. It’s a wonderful offering and we can only hope to hear more from this ensemble. To learn more about the band or to contact them about tickets, bookings and their schedule, just clickity-click right here. New World Beat.

 

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Copyright © 2012 Robert Carraher All Rights Reserved

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