I
t’s been my contention for years that the next wave that will influence jazz will come from the East Mediterranean and Middle East. The circle and line dances from Greece, Israel and environs are begging to be fully explored. Errol Rackipov, who uses his mallets on the vibes, marimba and tupan, takes that perfect cohesion a step closer with this album.
He teams up with Hristo Vitchev/g, Lubomir Gospodinov/reeds, Martin Bejerano/, Josh Allen/b and Rodolfo Zuniga/dr through a tour of Greek villages, Eastern European Shtetls and Middle Eastern coffe shops. With vibes and marimba, Rackipov crates a gentle groove on “Mad Djore” with Gospodinov’s cascading alto that feels like a dance at a church Sunday picnic in Thessalonica. A happy mix of bop and klezmer on “Folk Dance” features Vitchev’s lithe guitar, while his strings and the alto sax sound like they’re having a table dance with hand clapping on “Wild River.” Some ecstatically Sephardic heel clicking gets kinetic as vibes and drums create sparks along with some serpentine soprano work on “Jumble” and flowing piano and bowing bass sets the tone for a crying and cantoral Gospodinov on “Far Away From Here, A Long Time Ago.” A woody clarinet and earthy marimba open with deep meditation before a dramatic climax on the closing “Once A Mother Had A Child” taking you on a visceral journey worth remembering. You’re gonna like these guys.
First Orbit Sounds Music