Tea for two…
Technically, vocalist Martina Dasilva and bassist Dan “Chimy” Chmielinski are a duet, but they bring in enough one-off guests to be a kind of mix and match makers. Dasilva’s voice is flexible and able to go from soft to sassy, with Chielinski able to bop, bow or bend with the best. Trumpeter Marquis Hill lends his warm horn for an intimate “I Want To Be Happy” and particularly dark “Smile” with Graxe Kelly’s alto bluesy on the gospel’d “Trouble In Mind”. Joel Ross brings his vibes in for a riveting “Cold Cold Heart” and there’s an indie feel on Jobim’s “As Praias Desertas” with the melding of strings between bass and Ken Kubota’s Cello. Dasilva is elastic with guitarist Andrew Renfroe on “Deep Night” and tenor saxist breaths deep for a flexible “Nice Work If You Can Get It”.
Guitarist Jay Yoo joins together with pianist Mark Kazakevich for a collection of nine conversant duets. Kazakevich has a touch similar to the fluidity of Keith Jarrett, delicate on the melody of Jobim’s “Insensatez” and strong on the left hand for his own “Freedom”, creating rich cadences for “RedDusk” the two jab playfully on “Tania Maria” and bop to the swing of “Porpoise”. Yoo’s guitar is clean linear, warm on “More To It” and going impressionistic with his teammate for “Dream” with Kenny Barron’s “Voyage” a melodic wonder. Pleasant passages.