Volume 25 Issue 2 - October 2019

follow this strategy, whether channelling
acoustic romps (Remscheid Reggae) or sidling
up to reductionism with chiming guitar
flanges and shaded, valveless air from the
trumpeter (The Ball is in Your Court).
Despite sequences that flirt with atonality,
dissonant tendencies are kept in check, especially
on pieces such as The Great Hill and
Bon Ton that are introduced and subsequently
driven by the echoing slaps and pops of Bates’
nearly unwound strings. On The Great Hill,
the bassist creates an ostinato that buoys
Herberer’s plunger growls and McManus’
chromatic flanges. At the same time, Bates’
pulse is powerful enough so that the trumpeter
can switch to outputting fragile grace
notes, then back to growls without upsetting
the program. As for the loping Bon Ton, drum
rumbles and string thumps keep it horizontal
as Heberer’s near-static air propelling and the
guitarist’s strums and frails evolve in double
counterpoint.
Overall the spot which this group of e(X)
cellent players marks is a sophisticated zone
where unself-conscious modern improvising
is welcome and thrives.
Ken Waxman
POT POURRI
On Firm Ground/Tierra Firme
Jane Bunnett and Maqueque
Linn Records 270404
(linusentertainment.com)
!!
Jane Bunnett
and the allfemale
collective
Maqueque, return
for their eagerly
anticipated third
release. In the less
than two years
since their previous
recording, Oddara (see my December 2016
WholeNote review), the group has been
touring internationally, with visits to
Colombia, Brazil, Panama and Cuba, as well
as to American jazz festivals, plus the Lincoln
Center. And it shows.
Their third recording – a testament to hard
work, virtuosity and great chemistry – showcases
12 new compositions including three
by award-winning soprano saxophonist/
flutist Bunnett, plus contributions by each
band member. The upbeat opener, La Linea,
features an imaginative arrangement with
flute doubling saxophone, amidst powerful
contrapuntal vocal lines and choruses.
The rhythm section is outstanding, fuelled
by percussionist Mary Paz and drummer
Yissy Garcia. The aptly titled Momentum,
by co-producer Larry Cramer, takes off at a
breakneck pace with piccolo doubling the
flute melody over the percussion section.
Bunnett then launches into a magnificent
flute solo which leads the group into a unison
vocal line and chorus to take the piece to its
exciting conclusion. Sky High showcases a
soaring flute and vocal melody, and a McCoy
Tyner-influenced piano solo by Danae Olano.
Special mention goes to Tailín Marrero for
her stunning composition, Musica en el Alma,
a sonic celebration of the exhilaration and joy
of playing together. There is much to admire
and inspire on this recording. For Maqueque, it
seems that the sky is certainly not the limit!
Barry Livingston
Concert notes: The touring continues in the
coming months with dates in Harlem, the
Dominican Republic, Chicago, Pittsburgh,
Wellsboro and Buffalo, along with one
Ontario stop, November 1 at St. Paul’s Centre
in the Orillia Centre for Arts and Culture.
Friday
Monkey House
Alma Records ACD72692
(almarecords.com)
!!
Monkey House
has been together
for 25 years and has
just released its fifth
album, Friday. The
band is made up of
some of the busiest
and best players
in Toronto – Mark
Kelso on drums, Pat Kilbride on bass and
Justin Abedin on guitar – but it is L.A.-based
keyboardist and songwriter, Don Breithaupt,
who’s driving the bus.
Breithaupt is known for his adulation of
Steely Dan, and while it shows in his songwriting
on Friday, this isn’t a tribute album
and the band has a sound all its own. And,
like Steely Dan, the musical style is hard to
categorize – perhaps sophisticated pop tinged
with jazz and R&B? I don’t know. What I do
know is that this is an exceptional album
from beginning to end, with superb songwriting
and performances, and impeccable
production by Peter Cardinali with engineering
by John “Beetle” Bailey.
Highlighting standout tracks when all 12
tracks are so strong is a challenge, but The
Jazz Life – featuring Manhattan Transfer
on backing vocals and a killer bass solo
by Kilbride – is one. The love song that
Breithaupt wrote for his wife, Because You,
is another, especially since it is surprisingly
unsentimental with its driving rhythm
and complex harmonies. Another surprise
is that the most ballad-y song on the album
is the cover of Walter Becker’s Book of Liars.
Becker – who died while Monkey House was
making this record, hence the inclusion of
this song on the album – certainly wasn’t
known for ballads and this mid-tempo tune
isn’t sappy in the least. But it is both beautiful
and poignant in typical sardonic Steely Dan
style. Shotgun has pop hit written all over
it and you can check out the fun video,
produced by Academy Award-winner J. Miles
Dale, on YouTube.
Cathy Riches
La Serena
Aviva Chernick
Independent AVGC003
(avivachernick.com)
!!
A deep bond
with another can
lead to unexpected
journeys in one’s
life. Such was the
case for singer
Aviva Chernick,
who began extensive
studies of
the Balkan Judeo-Spanish repertoire after
meeting Flory Jagoda, known as the keeper
of the Balkan Ladino tradition. La Serena is,
in a way, an homage to Flory, Aviva’s beloved
mentor and teacher, but also an intimate story
of the longing for one’s homeland and tradition
that is slowly disappearing.
Ten songs, some traditional Sephardic folk
melodies and some Jagoda originals, are all
arranged by Chernick and her main musical
collaborators on this album, guitarist Joel
Schwartz and bassist Justin Gray, in a way that
brings forward the intimacy and immediacy
of each tune. Mostly sung in Ladino (with
some additional text in English), the lyrics are
captivating and touching. Chernick’s vocals
are pure in expression and unencumbered of
any particular tradition or style.
The album opens with A Ti, Espanya, a
simple and bright original tune by Jagoda,
which conveys the love for homeland that
is no more. Min Hameitzar, written by
Chernick and Gray, has a mystical energy and
wonderfully galloping percussion elements.
La Serena, the central piece on the album, is
a stunning heartfelt tune that seduces with
its pure vocal expression. Esta Montanya de
Enfrente features longing guitar lines emphasizing
the beauty of both the melody and
poetic lyrics.
A wonderful collection of meaningful tunes
that will leave your heart longing for more.
Ivana Popovic
Sphere
Heather Dale
Amphis Music AM7440 (heatherdale.com)
! ! Canadian author,
playwright, poet,
vocalist, composer
and multi-instrumentalist,
Heather
Dale, is currently
poised on the
cusp of her 20th
recording release,
aptly titled Sphere. This uber-creative,
multi-disciplined, golden-voiced renaissance
woman has fashioned (along with
co-producer/arranger/multi-instrumentalist
Ben Deschamps), 11 challenging compositions,
all of which reflect a mesmerizing
mashup of world music motifs, ambient electronica
and folk music as well as a healthy
76 | October 2019 thewholenote.com