18 dic 2008

(76)

Gonzalo Rubalcaba. The Blessing.


Cuban pianist Rubalcaba's trio album with DeJohnette and Haden on drums and bass. He plays Coltrane's Giant Steps, Ornette's The Blessing, the Miles Davis (or is it Bill Evans?) composition Blue in Green. The Latin pop song "Bésame mucho." Some original compositions. It is a mellow, soothing compilation. Personally I can listen to anything with Charlie Haden and/or Jack DeJohnette. Haden just seems to ground the music.

Some people don't like Rubalcaba, because of his frequent tempo shifts. He doesn't seem to settle into one groove for very long, which can be frustrating for some.

1 comentario:

Andrew Shields dijo...

I thought I owned more than two CDs with Haden and DeJohnette, but it turns out I only have Metheny and Coleman's Song X and Scofield's Time on My Hands with that incomparable duo.

I've seen both with their own bands (Quartet West and Special Edition), both were brilliant. Quartet West with Higgins was one of my favorite shows ever, and DeJohnette with the Murray-Purcell-Johnson edition of Special Edition in New York in 84, wow!