December Ends the Year on a High Note! Jazz CD Reviews
NOAH BLESS “NEW YORK STRONG – LATIN JAZZ” – Zoho Records
Noah Bless, trombone/composer; Mike Eckroth, piano/keyboard; Boris Kozlov, bass; Pablo Bencid, drums; Luisito Quintero, percussion; Alejandro Aviles, flute.
Noah Bless is a graduate of the renowned Cincinnati Conservatory of music. When he left Ohio to work on his Master’s degree at the Manhattan School of Music, he fell in love with New York City and its intoxicating music scene. He landed a gig at the Club Broadway, just a few blocks from where he lived on the Upper West Side of the city and he used to stroll to the gig on 96th & Broadway, trombone in hand. By 1992, he was hired to tour with Afro-Cuban jazz pioneer, Mario Bauza and was part of the maestro’s 1993 record release, “My Time is Now.” He’s also worked with such salsa stars as Oscar D’Leon, Celia Cruz and La India. His trombone mastery quickly found its way to the stages of Latin jazz icons like Eddie Palmieri and Ray Santos, as well as the Spanish Harlem Orchestra under the direction of Arturo O’Farrill. It’s taken a while, but this is Noah’s premiere CD release as a bandleader.
He opens with an original composition, “Chasing Normal” that is quite melodic, but moves quickly to a straight-ahead, funk fueled arrangement that spotlights the powerful piano playing of Mike Eckroth. Track 2 focuses on the Latin side, with amazing percussive executions by both drummer, Pablo Bencid, and percussionist, Luisito Quintero. Titled “Ganga,” this is a spirited tune that radiates a playful, party atmosphere.
“Canto De Ossanha” is one of my favorites on this album of eight well-played tunes. This arrangement is lilting and melodic, featuring the crystal-clear tone of the Bless trombone, that dances along to the group’s warm percussion rhythm. This song blends genres, embracing Latin roots, mixed with smooth jazz on this Afro-samba arrangement. It gives Boris Kozlov an opportunity to show-off his bass skills in a well-played solo opportunity. I found myself hypnotically entertained by “Ligia,” a Jobim composition. This ballad is so touching and gives Noah Bless a platform to wrap us up in his beautiful and emotional trombone tonality, tinged delicately by the ‘blues.’ This song is a gift, tenderly decorated with splashy, warm colors, trailing ribbons of holiday goodness.
“That melodic thing has always been my strong suit,” the trombonist admits in the liner notes. “… It’s great for ballad playing in more of a straight-ahead swing tradition. But I found that it also applies well to playing in Latin bands, particularly on montunos, where you’re supposed to play something that’s very melodic in the clave. So that idea, how to feel that rhythm while playing simply, but still melodically, has been marinating for years. It’s something I’ve been working on for decades at this point.”
It may have taken years for this album of fine music to come to fruition, but it was definitely worth the wait. Like a sturdy redwood tree, Noah Bless’s strong, indescribably beautiful CD is a seasoned, natural creation that warmly serenades the universe.