Long These Days
Lexicon Classics, 2024
9/10
An artistic concept album from the composer and pianist Jennifer Bellor, the 13 tracks here welcome Olivia Yokers, Norman Espinoza and Tasos Peltekis for creativity that isn’t short on emotion and introspection.
“Song Of Flight” opens the listen with Yokers’ soaring and Peltekis’ swirling guitar for the dreamy mood, and it isn’t long until “Mañana” showcases Bellor’s graceful and melodic keys amid the deeper vocals of the rich delivery.
Into the middle, “Mediodía” comes with a stirring intimacy via the mesmerizing keys and dense bouts, while the title track allows Yokers’ soaring voice to shine alongside the shimmering instrumentation.
Residing close to the end, the twinkling “Noche” benefits much from the poetic, deeper voice, and “Postlude: Resurgence” exits with spirited guitar, hypnotic keys, and strategic bass cultivating a textured and timeless finish.
A gorgeous body of work that takes inspiration from the poetry of Christina Rossetti and Pablo Neruda, the themes of love, empowerment and nostalgia use improvised bouts that provides even more intrigue and awe.
Travels well with: Michael Mizrahi- Dreamspace; Elizabeth Robinson- Aviary