Being Guided By The Light
Jojo, 2024
8/10
Listen to Being Guided By The Light
This 5th album from the pianist Mamiko Watanbe welcomes Billy Hart and Santi Debriano to the 8 songs that contain much grace and exploration.
The title track begins the listen with Watanabe’s flowing and dancing keys that benefit from Hart’s frisky drums, and “Pas De Troi” follows with Debriano’s playful bass playing that suits the colorful delivery.
In the middle, “The Scene Is Clean” carries an infectious rhythm that you can’t not move your body to, while “Atomic Space” showcases Watanabe’s meticulous piano alongside the atmospheric rhythm section that’s cautious yet frisky.
The final 2 tracks, “My Grandfather’s Clock” and “Island Birdie”, don’t disappoint, where the former might be the busiest track that’s not without flowing melodies, and the latter spotlights Watanabe’s exciting piano progressions that are quite impressive.
A varied body of work that can be romantic just as it can possess melancholy, the trio work together dynamically and with much care for these well thought out tunes.
Travels well with: Yotam Silberstein- Standards; Lawrence Fields- To The Surface