SHANTI PAUL JAYASINHA - ROUND TRIP (2007)
Renowned on the UK jazz scene as a featured artist with some of the hottest latin jazz ensembles around, Shanti Paul Jayasinha has now stepped out and put down his musical marker with his first outing as leader. Entitled ‘Round Trip,’ Paul’s debut album is a soundscape of world jazz rhythms and features artists , Patrick Clahar (tenor sax), John Crawford (piano), Andy Lafone (bass guitar), Davide Giovannini (drums) and guest artists Alex Wilson, Tim Garland and Paul Booth.
Shanti Paul Jayasinha - Trumpet
Patrick Clahar - Sax
John Crawford - Piano
Andy Lafone - Bass
Davide Giovannini - Drums
Alex Wilson - Fender rhodes & Hammond B3
Tim Garland - Tenor Saxophone
1) The Gatekeeper 2) Joao 3) Sufi 4) Racatu 5) Jamuba 6) Round Trip 7) A Caballo 8) Rooftop Samba 9) Yambu 10) Outono
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Review by Paul J. Youngman - KJA Advocate for WWW.VINILEMANIA.NET
Shanti Paul Jayasinha is a trumpeter, composer and arranger who on his debut CD, leads his band through a cross continental musical journey. His new release, Round Trip - A Soundscape of World Jazz Rhythms explores many Latin jazz genres – blending, bending and blurring the lines, adding elements of Mid-Eastern and western rhythms to make for some entertaining, yet safe listening. Taking a conservative approach in composing the tunes, Jayasinha limits the bands high potential.
The album is made up of ten tracks, all original tunes, composed and arranged by Jayasinha. My favorites are the songs that go outside the conventional lines and blur categorization. A splash of eastern rhythm with tabla by Yousef Ali Khan, sounding more like a Dumbeck and providing the pulsing bottom line in the enchanting “Sufi” featuring beautiful saxophone playing that weaves picturesque melodies of distant lands care of saxophonist Patrick Clahar.
The song “A Caballo” an African meets Flamenco flavored march like rhythm with spirited trumpet playing – a clean full tone, smooth lines, safe notes and well thought out phrasing. The song grabs for attention with catchy rhythms and a pleasing melody. Solid bass playing from Andres Lafone, percussion by Jim Le Mesurier and drums by Davide Giovannini propel the rhythm section forward and immerses you in a trance like state, hypnotized by the enchanting piano playing of John Crawford.
A big band performance of an original tune entitled “Outono,” twelve musicians perform this smooth Latin jazz Samba with passion and spirit. The song never gets completely off the dance floor with burning energy but it allows for some serious blowing by trombonist’s Trevor Myres and Tim Smart. Mid-way through the song a trumpet feature comes on with muted, growling intensity, somewhat reminiscent of a Miles Davis break. The credits indicate guest trumpeter Walmir Gil plays on this track, it’s not clear who plays the featured solo. The song also features some blazing saxophone playing with an exciting tenor solo by Tim Garland. The rest of the reed section adds a full and passionate sound. Paul Booth, soprano saxophone, Ingrid Laubrock, alto saxophone, Patrick Clahar, tenor and baritone saxophone and Julian Siegel tenor saxophone.
Round Trip - A Soundscape of World Jazz Rhythms by Shanti Paul Jayasinha is well worth a listen for the fine musicianship of all the participants.
