Latin jazz

Clara Bellino

admin — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 01:05:00 +0000

“I’ve got one foot in the grave
one foot on a banana peel
you can call me brave
_but I know the deal”

Those are the first four lines of the song “Game Up—Bigger Pickle” on Clare Bellino’s latest release Embarcadero Love. After listening to the album a number of times now, I find it to be like a box of chocolates—you don’t know what experience you’re going to have each time you listen, but the end result is always a delight.

Bellino’s music has been described as a cross between Suzanne Vega and David Bowie, but her sound still has its own unique quality. Bellino, who was born and raised in Paris, France and studied classical music in the Conservatory for ten years, creates music that defies genres and boundaries. There is a feeling of past, present and future in Bellino’s music; latin, jazz, pop, and rock rhythms infuse her songs with a fresh and engaging vibe.

“Tout Est Fini,” the first song on the album is sung entirely in French. While I don’t understand the lyrics, it has a catchy, rhythmic beat and the second half of the song has a chanteuse like quality to it. Listening to it, I can almost imagine myself sitting in a postwar Paris nightclub.

Bellino’s voice has a childlike quality to it, but don’t let that lull you into a state of peaceful oblivion. Her lyrics can be humorous, haunting, lyrical and surprising, but never cliché. In “Peaceful Solution,” Bellino sings “give me the heart to make peace every day, let me be part of the solution, let me be a peaceful solution, let me be a peaceful solution.” The more I listen to this CD, the more I like it, and that’s all I need to know.

Written by: Gita Tewari, October 1st 2009

My Heart’s Desire

admin — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 23:44:00 +0000

By Margo Reymundo

I’m tossing my reviewer’s hat on the floor for this album because it’s hard to be objective about a record that I loved from the first time I played it. I tend to associate certain albums or songs with a memory or time that stands out in my mind, and I will always associate this one with summer 2009.

When I listen to Margo Reymundo’s music, there’s a lightness and carefree quality to it that makes the day seem just a little brighter even on an overcast day. It’s almost like taking a mental vacation and imagining yourself on a tropical beach drinking margaritas. But don't mistake that lightness for a lack of substance because Reymundo is no artistic slouch when it comes to her vocals and instrumentation.

Reymundo describes her sound as “Organica.” She describes Organica as “articulating a world constructed of unfettered vocals that rivals anything created with a synthesized sound.” Whether it’s the jazzy pop sound of the title track “My Heart’s Desire,” or her unique take on Sting’s “Wrapped Around Your Finger,” Reymundo has a unique appeal that transcends artistic and cultural boundaries. My favorite song is “You Belong to Me,” a Euro-rhythmic version of the Carly Simon classic. Reymundo’s Mexican roots are apparent in her bilingual lyrics and the guitar instrumentation that is reminiscent of the Gipsy Kings. Reymundo isn’t afraid to tackle these classics and make them her own while somehow remaining true to the original. For example, hearing her sing “Ain’t No Sunshine” makes you forget that the song is about a man missing a woman. I don't think I’ve ever heard a woman cover that song before, but by the end of the song, I’m a convert.

Reymundo has an interesting life story. She is a classically trained singer who has been singing since the age of four. Her father, a cliff diver in Acapulco and her mother, a flamenco dancer, came to the states (Dallas, Texas) when Margo was one year old in search of a better life. The rest, as they say, is history.

Written by: Gita Tewari, July 10th 2009

Whisper of a Newborn Ghost

admin — Sat, 10 Mar 2007 18:45:00 +0000

By The K23 Orchestra

On Whisper of a Newborn Ghost, the K23 Orchestra combines 70s style rock with spoken word. Described as a “unique blend of funk, rock, Latin, jazz fusion and spoken word,” the K23 Orchestra aims high, with thoughtful lyrics and talented musicians. However, the combination never gels and the songs drag on for far too long.

Many of the songs on Whisper of a Newborn Ghost are filled with descriptions of angst experienced under the reign of Bush. The first song, “Big in El Portal,” describes a yearning to escape. The chorus is “Awake/I’ll break out this city/Make my escape.” The verses depict disgust at the state of the nation and the use of rhetoric to brainwash the people: “Robin Hood fed his child and got thrown in jail/Another man kills a thousand and his approval ratings sail.”

The second song on the album, “Whoop Tee Dee,” addresses the way that the term “freedom” has been twisted to suit the needs of politicians. “Please cease misusing the word freedom” is repeated three times in the beginning of the song. The lines “We crave what we don’t need and cannot afford/As freedom flaunts finance in the face of the poor” articulate how materialism has clouded American eyes.

This song, like others on the album, contains a good analysis of the issues, but unfortunately, the length of the song overshadows the meaning. The lyrics begin to blend together, and after listening to more than one song, they all begin to sound the same. This is not aided by long instrumental sections in the songs.

Lyrically, the K23 Orchestra has a lot to offer. The words are poetry, and the topics of the poems are relevant and needed. The K23 Orchestra is, in their own words, creating a message of “social change through music and art.” If they want this message to be received, it needs to be curtailed.

Written by: Shelby Smith, March 10th 2007

Cinescope

admin — Mon, 22 Jan 2007 13:40:00 +0000

By Thunderball

ESL Music

Thunderball is an arty, urban collaboration of DJs that is comparable to a modern version of Dee-Lite. Cinescope is their latest offering to the tripped out gods of the discothèque. You could liken this 46-minute disc to Ali Baba and his forty thieves getting down with Shaft in Africa. Melding elements of Latin jazz, funk, reggae, disco, break beat and Indian strings, Cinescope takes listeners on a twelve-song magic carpet ride that is vibrant and worldly. The songs are catchy and flow nicely as they hover around the four-minute mark – long enough to develop character, but not so long that they become monotonous. Though the concoction might be a little too pompous for more grounded listeners, the sort of sexploitation doing lines in the bathroom with blaxploitation, Indian hipster funk set to the vibe of a Charlie’s Angels marathon vibe might appeal to the jet setting dilettante crowd.

Written by: Patricia Valery, January 22nd 2007