The Joy Of Playing
Self-Released, 2021
9/10
The Chile native Benjamín Schnake knows his way around several instruments, as well as composing and arranging a tune, and here he’s aligned with some of New York’s best musicians for a cultured and very original batch of jazz tunes.
“Marisol” starts the listen with Schnake’s intricate nylon guitar being complemented by Dave Pietro’s alto sax and Tim Struven’s soprano sax, as the warm jazz opener moves fluidly with soulfulness, and “The Joy Of Playing” follows with John Blevins contributing trumpet and Eric Quinn holding down trombone to help cultivate the light and playful melodies.
“Fragment”, one of the album’s best, then moves cautiously, where Schnake’s hypnotic acoustic guitar and Santiago Leibson’s graceful keys are anchored by Paul Shaw’s proficient drumming, while “She’s Gone” highlights Jennifer Wharton’s bass trombone in the dreamy, emotive climate.
“Goodbye Pork Pie Hat” arrives near the end and recruits plenty or brass as the ensemble work together with precision to create a busy, textured climate, and “Lakitas” exits the listen with Schnake playing mandolin alongside Ammon Swinbank’s flute prowess as they take influence from an Andean musical tradition
A very accomplished blend of South American sounds weave in and out of jazz dynamics, Schnake and company are constantly changing the time signatures on the aptly titled The Joy Of Playing, and it makes for one of the most impressive jazz related albums of the year.
Travels well with: Bryan Lubeck- Midnight Sun; Greg Loughman- Re: Connection