Is it a style? Or is it just “music”?
Pianist Earl MacDonald wrote and arranged all of the material on this album that includes the intriguing combination of cello (Christopher Hoffman), percussion (Rogerio Boccato) and saxes (Kris Allen). Many of the pieces, such as the title track, have a gentle fluidity, as the bowed cello decorates Allen’s alto musings. A folkish take of “I Never Told You” yearns with compassion, while a boppish “Bottom Feeders” and a Monkish “Bidwell Cronies” keep the fingers snapping. Ragtime references on “Bidwell Cronies” contrast well with the serpentine yet graceful “A Thousand Memories.” Lots of wonderful moods here.
Written and produced by Garry Hughes and Andrew T. Mackay, the music from Tales has the two leaders running that gamut of keyboards, programming, synthesizers, keyboards and a couple kitchen sinks, all while also adding artists who play sitar, Indian violin, French horn, oud and various percussion instruments. What you get, therefore, is sounds hinting at Central Asia, but as on “The Orange Terrace” or “City of Amber” the sitar or violin have a synthesized and funky backbeat. Wonderful piano joins in with the playful and unwinding “A Time of Beauty,” while some vocals add to the mood on “Blue Mosaic.” The mix of synthetic and acoustic percussion is well served on “ Four Thousand New Colors” showing how old wineskins can occasionally hold new wine.
Uri Sharlin leads the band with his accordion, wurli and piano and then brings together intriguing reeds like bassoon (Gili Sharett) and bass clarinet (Matt Darriau) along with guitar (Kyle Sanna, bass (Jordan Scannella) and percussion (Rich Stein, John Hadfield). The material sometimes sounds like night in the Greek Taverna, as on “Night Swim,” or can deliver the Jamaican groove like “The Real Dogfight.” Thoughtful melding of woodwinds like a French crème sauce permeate “Dia #342” and on the militarily drummed “One For Frankie.” A Brazilian lilt with guest Itai Kriss permeates “Baiao” and some Spanish sounds caress “Mundau By Night.” What country are we in on THIS song?
Death Defying Records
Six Degrees Records
Naxos Records
www.urisharlin.com