Matt Davis/ Javier Reséndiz, “En Nuestros Viajes” tape September 6, 2011 By Crawford Philleo Galtta Media is a relatively new label out of Philadelphia looking to bring jazz into the cassette market. Not a bad idea, and I’m sure it’s very interesting as to the socio-musical implications of such releases, etc… ideas I’m not sure I’m willing to extrapolate on for this review of Matt Davis and Javier Reséndiz, who lay out 11 original tunes via guitar and Fender Rhodes electric piano. The point is, the airiness of my cassette deck in my headphones seems to fit well with the duo (and indeed the very style of this music), as the performances sound very open and live. Which they are—fingers sliding up the fret board, a wooden chair creaking in the background amidst a light hiss, etc. are likely not meant to be heard, but they certainly put the listener there, either in the studio with the two as they feed off each others delicate melodies with extended improvisations or inside your log cabin in winter, playing a private performance as you flip the pages of your novel next to the roaring fireplace. This music is just beautiful—excellent compositions (not sure who composed the material, but the Spanish titles have me leaning towards Reséndiz), which find both guitar and Rhodes alternating lead and supportive (comping) roles, or at times together in unison. The songs have a lightness to them, a soft-sweetness that is warm and inviting and relaxing and overall very comfortable. A featherbed of tunes with a sense of longing; minor-keyed nostalgia fills both sides for the perfect companion to warm up a lonesome, chilly day. And the solos are also excellent, subservient to each piece’s central theme, highly melodic and focused (never “out” or overly complex), and the duo also has a knack for careful comping, one never crowding the others’ style. The two also have the timing of an atomic clock, perfectly synched—even rubato moments feel disguised as the two wade out in a wash of harmony before snapping the piece back into shape. To compare the duo with others in the field is a bit difficult as I haven’t heard much like this, especially recorded, but if I had to, I’d say fans of John Abercrombie or Chick Corea’s work with his piano trio (thinking especially of “Now He Sings, Now He Sobs”) should find this right up their alley. As to my rating, while I’m not sure I’d call anything under the jazz genre released on a tape a “masterpiece” I can’t help but wonder who in their right mind could consider this to be anything less than perfect. This is, quite simply, perfect music. I’ve been enjoying the hell out of it, and I know I will for years to come. Even if I gave it a 9 because I found a teeny typo on the sleeve, this one gets a bonus for introducing me to Galtta Media, a label I look forward to digging through in the coming months.
Posted on: Sat, 04 Oct 2014 02:33:36 +0000
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