Cuarentena: With Family At Home
Tiger Turn, 2020
8/10
Listen to Cuarantena: With Family At Home
The 3 time Grammy Winner John Daversa returns with his 8th album, where Latin musicians Gonzalo Rubalcaba, Dafnis Prieto, Sammy Figueroa and Carlo De Rose are on hand to help flesh out the tunes that surround familial love and the healing power of music via the muse of the bolero.
“#45” starts the listen with Daversa’s fluid flugelhorn alongside Rubalcaba’s piano acrobatics, as the setting turns quite playful, and “#22” follows with a calmer display of warm jazz ideas with melodies that were penned by Daversa’s father.
At 17 tracks, the climate stays quite varied, including the trumpet focused and mother related subject matter of “Oma (a la Madre Divina)”, while “Puppitas (para Lea y Maya)”, written for Daversa’s family dogs, finds plenty of rhythm as dynamic interplay between the players runs high. “#19”, one of the album’s best, then finds a very elegant mood to reside in as cautious yet adventurous song craft populates the cultured environment.
Near the end, “Un Bolero para Lola” thrives with soft brass and delicate percussion as much grace is present, and “Canción de Cuna para Hora” exits the listen with delicate keys in an almost cinematic quality in the lullaby written for Daversa’s daughter.
With vast talent on hand (all players here have very impressive resumes), Daversa proves just why he’s won such prestigious awards with this unparalleled skill and global songwriting approach on this very enticing and exciting record.
Travels well with: Marcus Strickland Twi-Life- People Of The Sun; Dana Murray- Negro Manifesto