Tocamos
CR, 2023
8/10
The jazz violist Debbie Spring brings her 5 string instrument to this sophomore album that contains 7 originals and 1 cover, and welcomes a handful of players.
“Mockingbird” opens the listen with Spring’s elegant violin alongside Rusty Hekc’s precise bass and Ettiene Fuentes Jr.’s agile drumming for the rich climate, and “Fragile” follows with Scott Marischen’s dreamy harp interacting with the emotive viola with much care.
The title track arrives in the middle and uses Eddy ‘Oriente’ Balzola’s spoken word amid the frisky rhythm that will get your body moving, while “Bossa Minha” is a more intimate moment of poetic strings and Hal Roland’s sublime piano playing.
The best two tracks land at the end, where “Senegal” makes great use of David Schanzer’s playful percussion for the cultured delivery, and “Tocamos”, the Spanish version, exits with the spoken word and Julio Matta’s animated percussion that complement the worldly energy.
A listen that’s as heartfelt as it is technical, Spring and company make for Latin, Brazilian, jazz, pop and classical fueled songs that will resonate across the globe.
Travels well with: Hannah Gill- Everybody Loves A Lover; Michael Ragonese- Stracci