| Who would've predicted that the drummer of the punk band Joe Cool, one of the regular groups playing at the legendary CBGB's at the end of the Seventies along with Talking Heads, Television and The Ramones, would become a big name in the progressive jazz scene? And who could've known that the collaboration between Ethan Winogrand and Eric Mingus in the funk-rock sextet New Republik in 1991, would continue through the fall of 2006 with the release of “Tangled Tango”? But it’s true. And guess what? Another surprise: This record is dedicated to “the spirit, music, and continued presence” of none other than Elvin Jones, Winogrand’s main musical influence and life's inspiration.
Multi-instrumentalist Ross Bonadonna, who clearly prefers the guitar, is another old friend playing here. But there are three noticeable newcomers to Winogrand's group, one internationally-known, and the others just now beginning to be recognized outside the boundaries of Portugal and Spain. The first is trumpeter Steven Bernstein, master of the slide trumpet, Tzadik habitué, leader of Sex Mob and the Millennial Territory Orchestra, former member of Lounge Lizards and one third of Spanish Fly. The two others are bassist Carlos Barretto, a front line musician on the Portuguese jazz scene, composer in the neo-bop style but concerned with questions of cultural identity and experimentation, and Gorka Benitez, one of the most important leaders in Spanish jazz saxophone. And the music played by this collection of musicians is what you would guess: present day jazz with elements of diversified origins.
Rich, compelling and frequently surprising! |