Tapereba
Big Round, 2019
8/10
The Japanese moniker of marimba extraordinaire Mika Stolzman, here she returns with Tapereba, as a handful of guest accompany her on an extremely diverse and exciting listen.
The title track starts with marimba, clarinet and a 10 string Brazilian mandolin in the cultured, rhythmic setting of polyphonic delivery, and “Return To Bahia” follows with violin, viola and cellos in an orchestral and playful environment that’s textured creatively.
Elsewhere, “Afro Blue” flows with a subdued, cinematic quality that’s slightly darker in scope, while “Spain” again brings in the Sybarite 5 String Quartet for a dynamic album highlight that’s packed with beautiful tension.
Near the end, “Rhapsody” in blue offers a piano heavy adventure where the clarinet really complements the execution, and “Letter From Home” exits the listen bare and gorgeous as just 2 instruments breed soothing interplay with plenty of emotion.
An extremely skilled record (there’s 25 Grammy Awards between the players present), Tapereba presents a fusion listen that’s innovative, artistic and mesmerizing from beginning to end.
Travels well with: Sirius Quartet- Playing On The Edge; Arcadian Winds- Windswept