After being knocked out by the debut album by tenor saxist Julieta Eugenio (Jump), I made a note to check her out in concert to see if her breathy tone sounded as good in person as on record. Well, the Argentine-born, NYC based lady finally strolled into LA, and she picked up some of the best locals for support. Backed by a beefed up and muscular Jonathan Pinson/dr, a lumberjack-looking Andrew Renfro/g and M95 masked Max Gerl/b, Eugenio showed the enthused audience that seeing, and hearing, is believing.
Her fluffy tone floated like a cirrus cloud over Pinson’s energetic cadence on the opening “Racoon Tune”, and while the album was mostly in trio format, the addition of Renfro’s tensile guitar added an extra richness in both chordal support and with his sinewy soloing, with his head bobbing as rapidly as his notes.
Pinson’s deft brush and stick work was in a mix of waltz and swing, teaming with Renfro’s rockish work on “Jump” as Eugenio wasted no superfluous notes on a smoking and lyrical collection of bluesy smoke rings. She was restrained and relaxed, holding back as all the wise artists do, trusting her tone to do the work on the evocative ballad “For You”, while creating a serpentine dream over the rhythm section’s choppy waters on the newest piece “Sunday Strangers”.
Saving best for the end, Eugenio delivered a drop dead gorgeous solo intro to “Snowbirds” that mixed thoughts of Getz, Ammons, and every Texas Tenor that popped into mind before Pinson popped the clutch and put the tune into overdrive for a deep groove of a climax. Closing with a mellow toned “Tres”, Eugenio caressed the melody with the gentleness known by all lovers of Latin Lovers.
The tension between Eugenio’s sensitive restraint and Pinson’s enthusiastic sparks created a sweet and sour success, perfect for double dipping.
Upcoming shows sponsored by Just Jazz include Andy Milne 07/06, Kali Rodriguez 07/08, Brandon Coleman 06/13, Rodolfo Zuniga 07/20 and Randall Fisher 07/28