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The concert under review is titled “Monterrey Jazz Festival on Tour.” The performance took place at Lincoln Center, New York, on March 15th, 2019, in front of an audience of approximately 2,500 people. The idea of the organizers was to capture the essence of the famous festival in a single event in which one band participated. Tim Jackson was the artistic director assigned with the objective of marking the 60th anniversary of the Monterrey Jazz Festival with a remarkable performance. The band was composed of six young, promising musicians: Christian Sands, piano and musical director; Cécile McLorin Salvant, vocals; Yasushi Nakamura, bass; Bria Skonberg, trumpet, vocals; Melissa Aldana, tenor saxophone, and Jamison Ross, drums, vocals.
The opening part of the concert set the dynamic for the remainder of the performance. The band’s rendition of “Fog” comprised a strong vocal part by Cécile McLorin Salvant. Her exceptional voice immediately had the audience mesmerized and invited listeners on a long musical journey. The dynamics of the performance remained consistent, although the brass appeared rather loud at some points. Nevertheless, the band managed to exude the right energy, making “Fog” a strong opener for a solid performance.
The next segment saw a change of pace as the band proceeded to present a piece titled “Visions” and composed by Melissa Aldana. This performance can be characterized by its low dynamics, which was a wise choice of the artistic director. The melody was captivating and evoked strong images throughout the listening. From the technical point of view, the performance benefited from several artful decisions. The saxophone used pedals to enhance the sound, whereas most comping was conditioned by the strong presence of drums in the mix. By the closing part of the piece, a skillful saxophone solo raised the tempo, which inevitably had the audience excited. Overall, this performance can be viewed as demanding in terms of musicians’ technical skills, and this requirement was met by the band.
As the concert reached its halfway point, Cécile McLorin Salvant’s “Ghost Song” was performed for the audience. The piece began with powerful acapella singing from Salvant, who once again demonstrated her exceptional vocals. Once the introduction to the song was over, drums joined in at the right moment, as well as the trumpet. This change of dynamics enhanced the experience, as the drummer accompanied Salvant’s singing with his voice. “Ghost Song” was a beautiful, gentle ballad, developing the eternal concept of love. Despite the perceived simplicity of the piece, it left a strong impression, becoming one of the concert’s highlights.
As the performance reached its climax, “Splendor” by Cécile McLorin Salvant sealed her status as the star of the concert. The piece began with a gentle piano intro, followed by an upbeat tempo song. “Splendor” continued the theme of love, which threads through the performance, but its energetic performance showed a different side of this beautiful feeling. The piece included a masterful trumpet solo with drums coping and the mute. Right after, the saxophone came in for another impeccable solo, followed by the piano. Finally, Salvant came back for her coda, which ended the performance on a very high note.
Ultimately, energy became the key component of the concert’s success. Throughout the concert, young musicians remained motivated and inspired, and they managed to share this feeling with the audience. In fact, such a powerful, energetic performance outweighed minor technicalities and ensured a positive impression. While all musicians seemed highly proficient, Cécile McLorin Salvant earned extra praise for her outstanding vocal skills combined with an exceptional talent of a songwriter. Overall, the concert deserves a solid grade of 9 out of 10 points.
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