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Amy Gadiaga: All Black Everything
ByA singing bassist, Gadiaga's music courses with melody and rhythmic zip. On the Spanish-sung "Paloma Negra" Gadialga intones "adoro la vida" ("I love life"), and this infectious optimism is relayed to her collaborators, drummer Simon Lamb, pianist Luke Bacchusin whose quartet the bassist playsand trumpeter Joseph Oti. Percussive colors, a wickedly swinging bass ostinato and a touch of Cuban son add to the joyful tapestry.
The jaunty soul-jazz of "Soar When I'm Alone" sounds like a shoo-in for summer radio play, though most of the soaring is reserved for Oti, a lynchpin of London's Hoos Collective. A recurring unison motif pulses through "Full Sun," a delightful hybrid of swing and funk that showcases the leader's wickedly groovingyet always lyricalbass lines. Gadialga lends minimalist piano touches in a duet with poet Isaiah Hull on "Isaiah's Interlude," a thematically tangled mosaic of striking images. Turning to French on "Petite," Gadiaga channels her inner Betty Cartera major influencewith a sultry performance, punctuated by emotive scatting and a piercing r&b solo from alto saxophonist Tom Watersa regular in Jools Holland's big band.
A celebratory vibe pervades the title track, a grooving, mantra-like paean to Black pride, faith and inner strength, with the leader's electric-bass anchor and her free-spirited scatting providing striking points of contrast. An uplifting anthem for our times.
This is a vibrant calling card that announces the arrival of a musician, composer and bandleader of undoubted classan original voice. The openness to genres and eras that seamlessly permeates All Black Everything suggests that Gadiaga can take her music in any direction she wants. Esperanza Spalding, you have company.
Track Listing
Paloma Negra; Soar When I'm Alone; Full Sun (해찬); Isiah’s Interlude; Petite; All Black Everything.
Personnel
Additional Instrumentation
Christ-Stéphane Boizi trombone (3, 5, 7); Tom Waters: alto saxophone (3,5); Isaiah Hull (4); Giles Barrett: bvs, claps (6).
Album information
Title: All Black Everything | Year Released: 2024 | Record Label: Jazz Re:freshed
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