MARIAH PARKER  & THE INDO LATIN JAZZ ENSEMBLE

WINDOWS THROUGH TIME

Ancient Future.com Records

Mariah Parker, piano/composer; Paul McCandless, saxophone; Matthew Montfort, scalloped fretboard guitar/electric guitar; Sascha Jacobsen, Kash Killion & Gary Brown, bass; Mark Walker, drums; Claudia Villeta, vocals; Daniel Feldman & Michaelle Goerlitz, percussion; Ian Dogole, cymbals.

Pianist, Mariah Parker, has composed all seven songs on this album of easy-listening jazz. The title tune is Track #2 and quite beautiful, featuring the brilliant, wordless, soprano vocals of Claudia Villeta. Mariah Parker’s piano solo reinforces the melody and then improvises briefly before Paul McCandless enters on saxophone. After his solo, the piano and vocals sing in unison, reestablishing the pretty melody. Finally, inviting the saxophone back to improvise and fly freely atop their piano/vocal duet.

Her song, “Sol de Barcelona” is more energetic, and clearly Parker is a very melodic composer.  This tune, spurred by the guitar of Montfort, has a very Middle Eastern flair.  Percussionists, Daniel Feldman and Michaelle Goerlitz are featured brightly.  When Sascha Jacobsen pulls his bow out and begins caressing a melody from his double bass, he beautifully changes the complexion of this arrangement.  The song “Espiritu Samba” uses 7/8 time and half-way through their arrangement, it settles into a very Afro-Cuban groove.  The result is the feeling of a jam session or descarga, that describes variations on Cuban music themes employing various Latin rhythms like bolero, guaracha, rumba, guajira and son montuno.

Mariah Parker and her Indo Latin Jazz Ensemble pleasantly blur the lines between Latin easy listening and Smooth Jazz styles.

Reviewed by Dee Dee McNeil

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