A number of paying projects have siphoned away much of the free time that is devoted to Musically Speaking, but here are a couple of fine and quite different releases, from Yosef Gutman Levitt and Mike Holober, that I managed to dive into despite the distraction of work.
Yosef Gutman Levitt
Why Ten? (Soul Song Records)
A review
Yosef Gutman Levitt dedicates himself to nigunim, which he defines as melodies from the heart, with a view to bringing peace and clarity to the listener’s soul, and Why Ten? beautifully accomplishes that objective. Featuring the lyrical jazz guitarist Gilad Hekselman, with Gilad Ronen (reeds, compositions), Ofri Nehemya (drums), and Levitt (double bass and acoustic bass guitar, compositions), the music’s spiritual spine draws on Levitt’s contemplation of the symbolic significance of the number 10 in Jewish mysticism. There’s an inner light in the music, particularly on the track “From Darkness to Light,” and a gentle energy infuses the entire album but is especially felt on “B’nei Heichala.” Even the more propulsive tracks, such as “Desert Days” and the funky “Soul Spark,” with its blended country, jazz, folk, and world influences, carry a reflective calm. You can float away on the title track, which invites a slow and joyful dance. Overall, the 12 tracks of Why Ten? offer a gentle cleansing that washes away the distractions of the day and fosters a quiet and grateful centering. (Also check out Yosef Gutman’s Upside Down Mountain, reviewed here.)
Mike Holober and the Gotham Jazz Orchestra
This Rock We’re On: Imaginary Letters (Palmetto Records)
A review
Pianist, composer, arranger, librettist Mike Holober has outdone himself with his latest project, This Rock We’re On: Imaginary Letters, a multimovement suite—17 tracks on two CDs—that celebrates the beauty of the planet and warns of its precarity. The sophisticated, richly expressive suite, whose harmonies and textures reflect the captivating complexity of the people and landscapes that inspired them, alternates chamber movements with art songs and blends jazz and classical elements. The eight songs take the form of imaginary letters from or to lovers of the planet—such as Rachel Carson, Ansel Adams, Robin Wall Kimmerer—including one from a tree, one from a rock tower, and one from a child—all written by Holober, except for one from Adams to his wife. The suite’s wide range of mood and color matches the planet’s and offers up stunning musical vistas. Among the many peaks are the insistent “Tower Pulse (for Castleton Tower),” with its exultant solo from saxophonist Chris Potter; the wonder and tenderness of a scientist’s love of subject transcribed into music in “Tides (for Rachel Carson),” with the deeply felt opening cello of Jody Redhage Ferber; the urgency of “Dirt Lover’s Almanac (for Wendell Berry),” with standout solos from John Patitucci on bass and Charles Pillow on alto sax; the imposing wildness of “Domes (for Ansel Adams),” featuring Ben Kono on alto sax and Scott Wendholt on trumpet; and the fecund “Skywoman Falling (for Robin Wall Kimmerer),” with Marvin Stamm’s gorgeous flugelhorn. Those are just some of the instrumental highlights. Vocalist Jamile Staevie Ayres ably renders the songs’ lyrics, in particular on the title track, which closes the suite. Thoughtful, creative, deeply felt, This Rock We’re On: Imaginary Letters offers a thought-provoking and moving exploration of the rock and our place on it.
Check out the limited-edition T-shirts and
fridge magnets at the Musically Speaking store.
Your support is much appreciated.
© 2024 Mel Minter