Circles In A Yellow Room
VOF, 2025
9/10
Listen to Circles In A Yellow Room
The vibraphone wizard Mike Freeman is joined by Guido Gonzalez, Jim Gailloreto, Ruben Rodriguez, Roberto Quintero and Joel Mateo for these Afro-Cuban and mamba and salsa flavored 10 tracks.
The bright mood of “Valentine” leads with Freeman’s glowing vibes amid Roberto Quintero’s lively congos, and “Funky Chai Cha” follows with Joel Mateo’s playful drums alongside Ruben Rodriquez’s fluid bass lines.
The halfway point belongs to “Back Slap”, where the rich vibes suit Jim Gailloreto’s soulful sax presence, while “Midwinter Day” offers a rhythmic album highlight thanks to Guido Gonzalez’s skilled trumpet and the stylish rhythm section.
“Wellspring” and “The Trek” exit the listen. The former allows or Ruben Rodriguez’s infectious electric bass to complement the cultured percussion, and the latter comes with a contagious energy via the colorful vibes and dynamic interaction between the players.
In addition to vibraphone, Freeman handles marimba, triangle, tamborine, sleigh bells, flapper toys, owl whistle, kalimba and hand claps, too, as jazz and world music meet at a very exciting and swingin’ filled intersection.
Travels well with: Pat Petrillo- Contemporaneous; Billy Lester Trio- High Standards