ED MAINA - In The Company Of Brothers
No label or number listed Produced by Andreas Garcia
Collective Personnel: Ed Maina (as,ts,f); John Kricker (tb); Jim Hacker (t); Jonathan Orriols, Gustavo Eraso (elg); Gabby Vivas(b) Jim Gaisor (p); John Di Modica, Oscar Cartaya (b); Abner Torres ( d); , Charlie Santiago, Hector Nuciosup (pc); Priscilla Wagner (f); Ira Sullivan (t); Rick Krive, Kemuel Roig (p); Hilario Bell (d); Javier Diaz, Carolina Herrera (v)
Maina’s style on tenor and alto sax is in the rock, jazz fusion category although when he plays flute or piccolo his jazz chops seem to come to the front and centre. Priscilla is a ballad, presumably for his daughter who turns up later on Amazing Grace playing bass flute as dad has a go on the piccolo again. Mi Hilano is an attractive Latin styled ballad with a good, solid jazz piano solo from Hilario Bell. Most of the compositions here and all of the arrangements are by the leader with help on the latter from Nate Burgos and Todd Billingsly. Freed Indeed is a bit of a mish mash of Latin, funk, some strange unidentifiable sounds and a rather good trumpet solo from Ira Sullivan; now how did that veteran brass man come to turn up on this session?
Picture of Hope is a rather sweet and sugary piece with voices, percussion and a fusion alto sax contribution by Maina. Much of the music on these tracks is melodic and lyrical with Latin rhythms but a lot of it is too sweet for my taste. The percussionists work hard for good results as do pianists Gaisor and Roig. Flute and piccolo set up an eerie, esoteric soundscape on Amazing Grace which sounds good but has little to do with jazz. Overall I would rate this as a miscellaneous music session and, approached as such, it is very good.
Reviewed by Derek Ansell
No label or number listed Produced by Andreas Garcia
Collective Personnel: Ed Maina (as,ts,f); John Kricker (tb); Jim Hacker (t); Jonathan Orriols, Gustavo Eraso (elg); Gabby Vivas(b) Jim Gaisor (p); John Di Modica, Oscar Cartaya (b); Abner Torres ( d); , Charlie Santiago, Hector Nuciosup (pc); Priscilla Wagner (f); Ira Sullivan (t); Rick Krive, Kemuel Roig (p); Hilario Bell (d); Javier Diaz, Carolina Herrera (v)
Maina’s style on tenor and alto sax is in the rock, jazz fusion category although when he plays flute or piccolo his jazz chops seem to come to the front and centre. Priscilla is a ballad, presumably for his daughter who turns up later on Amazing Grace playing bass flute as dad has a go on the piccolo again. Mi Hilano is an attractive Latin styled ballad with a good, solid jazz piano solo from Hilario Bell. Most of the compositions here and all of the arrangements are by the leader with help on the latter from Nate Burgos and Todd Billingsly. Freed Indeed is a bit of a mish mash of Latin, funk, some strange unidentifiable sounds and a rather good trumpet solo from Ira Sullivan; now how did that veteran brass man come to turn up on this session?
Picture of Hope is a rather sweet and sugary piece with voices, percussion and a fusion alto sax contribution by Maina. Much of the music on these tracks is melodic and lyrical with Latin rhythms but a lot of it is too sweet for my taste. The percussionists work hard for good results as do pianists Gaisor and Roig. Flute and piccolo set up an eerie, esoteric soundscape on Amazing Grace which sounds good but has little to do with jazz. Overall I would rate this as a miscellaneous music session and, approached as such, it is very good.
Reviewed by Derek Ansell
