| Jazz |
It often begins the same way: the quiet hum of early morning, a writer or journalist emerging from the fog of night, the world still half-asleep, and the ritual that makes thought possible, a cup of coffee. The aroma rises, concentration sharpens, and the day can finally begin. Jazz, like coffee, has always thrived in these liminal hours, fueling reflection, improvisation, and clarity. It is therefore no surprise that the pathways of jazz lead everywhere, including straight into the café. With Arrowsic, Glenn Makos offers an album whose driving force is a deep, almost philosophical reflection on coffee itself, on the grain, and on the sensory experiences that connect taste, place, and sound.
The project is rooted in Markos’s personal passion for coffee, a fascination that eventually led him to roast his own beans at home. As he began exploring varieties from around the world, he discovered that each region carried its own distinctive character, earthy, acidic, bold, subtle. Those discoveries soon transcended the cup and became musical ideas. Many of the album’s compositions are shaped by these flavor profiles, translating aroma and texture into rhythm and harmony. Sulawesi is one of the most striking examples: it opens with an underlying rhythmic pulse that radiates an energy akin to a caffeine rush, alert, vibrant, and propulsive, instantly pulling the listener into a heightened state of awareness.
From this conceptual starting point, Arrowsic carries the listener into rhythmic territories often associated with Brazilian jazz, while remaining firmly grounded in contemporary jazz fusion. Markos identified several elements as essential to his vision: the luminous Fender Rhodes textures of Victor Lin, the distinctive drumming of Daniel Silva, deeply influenced by Brazilian rhythms, and the electric bass work of Sebastian de Urquiza, which anchors the music with both groove and elasticity. Together, these voices form a cohesive yet dynamic ensemble. The result is a convincing and highly engaging album, one that balances immediacy with complexity, and accessibility with compositional depth.
Coffee, hot, indispensable coffee, has long been the silent partner of journalists, writers, and artists of all kinds. For many, stepping out of nocturnal torpor and facing the day requires that first salvational cup. In this sense, Arrowsic resonates far beyond its musical framework. It mirrors the creative process itself: awakening ideas, sharpening focus, and allowing thought to flow. This vividly colored album, whose cover art reveals little of its inner substance, is striking in its complexity while remaining refreshingly simple in its intellectual premise.
At the center of the project stands Glenn Makos, first and foremost an exceptional composer. While he is an accomplished trumpeter, his approach here is resolutely collective. His musical background is remarkably broad: he has performed with Cleo Laine and John Dankworth in Bermuda, with vocalist Titilayo Rachel Adedokun in Munich, and with Santy y su Son de Cuba in Prague. His collaborations include Dave Valentin, Randy Brecker, saxophonist Danny Weiss, pianists Joel Weiskopf, D.D. Jackson, Brian Jackson, and Ehud Asherie, guitarists Rez Abbasi and Pete McCann, bassists Boris Kozlov and Sean Smith, and drummers Willard Dyson, Steve Davis, Gene Lewin, and Gasper Bertoncelj. He has also appeared with the Jamie Begian Big Band and the Diane Moser Big Band, and accompanied iconic singers such as Liza Minnelli, Neil Diamond, Jay Black and the Americans, Al Martino, and Jack Jones. His festival appearances span Montreux and Brienz in Switzerland, Terni and Porto San Giorgio in Italy, and two performances at New York’s Festival of New Trumpet Music.
It is almost certainly the accumulation of these experiences that has led Markos to such assured mastery of musical writing. He demonstrates a rare ability to balance every instrument within the ensemble, fully embracing his role as a composer rather than positioning himself as a front-line soloist. The trumpet is not the dominant voice of the album; instead, it shares space with the saxophone in what feels like an ongoing, intelligent conversation, musical exchanges that evoke animated dialogue over coffee, perhaps at a small table tucked into a quiet corner. Each musician is given ample room to express their artistry, making the listening experience rich, layered, and rewarding.
Despite the sophistication of its compositions and arrangements, Arrowsic never feels pretentious. A project of this scope demands musicians of the highest caliber, and here that demand is more than met. With each listen, new details emerge, subtle rhythmic shifts, harmonic nuances, textural contrasts, revealing just how impressive each contributor truly is. The album rewards attention without demanding it, inviting repeated listening rather than imposing itself.
Arrowsic will not appeal to everyone. Listeners who prefer a more traditional jazz framework, where the rules are familiar, codified, and predictable, may find themselves unsettled by these musical propositions. Others, however, will recognize this album for what it is: a generous and carefully prepared feast. And like any proper meal worth remembering, it concludes naturally, with a strong cup of coffee, and perhaps, if the moment allows, a glass of Armagnac.
Thierry De Clemensat
Member at Jazz Journalists Association
USA correspondent for Paris-Move and ABS magazine
Editor in chief – Bayou Blue Radio, Bayou Blue News
PARIS-MOVE, January 7th 2026
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Sunday, December 14th, 7-9 pm, Glenn Makos & Brū, Shrine, 2271 Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Blvd., New York, NY.
Arrowsic ALBUM RELEASE PARTY!
w/ Craig Yaremko/saxes, Victor Lin/Fender Rhodes, Sebastian de Urquiza/electric bass, and Daniel Silva/drums
Sunday, June 29th, 8-10 pm, Glenn Makos & Brū, Silvana, 300 W. 116th St., NYC.
w/ Craig Yaremko/saxes, Victor Lin/Fender Rhodes, Sebastian de Urquiza/electric bass, and Daniel Silva/drums
Musicians:
Glenn Makos, Trumpet
Craig Yaremko, Soprano & Alto Saxophone
Victor Lin, Fender Rhodes
Sebastian de Urquiza, Electric Bass
Daniel Silva, Drums
Track Listing :
- Dancin’ Feet 5:29
- Sulawesi 5:51
- Liquid Sunshine 5:50
- Arrowsic 6:41
- Adjuntas 5:01
- Sunflower Morning 8:51
- Millie’s Bounce 4:57
- Celsius 3:05
- The Last Straw 3:53
- Always Something 4:10
Recorded at Studio Mozart May 12, 13, 2025
Record Mix and Master Kostadin Kamcev
CD/Album Cover Design Mariana Meraz
All compositions by Glenn Makos, Dabhar Music (BMI)