| Jazz |
We are starting to tell you about the albums that will be released in September because the production is so significant this year that we can no longer keep up with all the proposals. And this kind of album deserves to be widely talked about, as undoubtedly, it will be one of the standout albums of the season, just like the new album from European saxophonist Céline Bonacina, which will be our next article.
Trumpeter and composer Terell Stafford will be presenting his new album “Between Two Worlds” at the beginning of September, surrounded by fabulous artists: Tim Warfield on saxophone, Bruce Barth on piano, David Wong on bass, Johnathan Blake on drums, and Alex Acuña on percussion. With such an ensemble accompanying Terell, it’s quite impressive, and indeed, this album is of absolute richness at all levels. The adventure began in 2020 at the Village Vanguard, where Terell presented this project for the first time. Once again, it’s an album that found its source during the pandemic, and we are delighted that it can now be released to be performed on various stages.
“Between Two Worlds” is a composition by Victor Lewis, and what this group has made of it is a colorful, cleverly rhythmic work. Terell Stafford immerses us in a club-like atmosphere through 9 tracks. It’s a sonic journey full of emotions and joys that you will experience while listening to this album. Alex Acuña, a remarkable artist, brings a Latin touch that perfectly complements this excellent trumpeter, and the cohesion of this group is simply admirable.
Terell remembers that pandemic period; in fact, the concert at the Village Vanguard took place without an audience, only cameras were livestreaming the performance. “It really impacted me emotionally and spiritually,” recalls the trumpeter. “Driving into an empty city with no traffic to make music at a time when the world was shut down was mind-blowing to me.”
Undoubtedly, the birth of this album in that context added a dramatic tension in the musicians’ playing, something almost imperceptible. This album also marked the end of that austere period and invites you to celebrate because the melancholic or poetic moments on this album, it’s up to you to decide, open the door to beautiful sonic explosions that will ultimately leave you wanting more as it feels too short.
Clearly, the editorial teams of Bayou Blue Radio and Paris-Move had no other choice but to make it one of their outstanding “Essentials.”
Thierry De Clemensat
USA correspondent – Paris-Move
Editor in chief Bayou Blue Radio, Bayou Blue News
PARIS-MOVE, July 25th 2023
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Available here, September 8th 2023