Of Soul And Shadow
Luis Muñoz
2007, Pelin Music
Structure leaves both positive and negative impacts upon Latin Jazz, most of which is determined by an artist’s application of both structure and freedom during performance. A composition’s rhythmic, harmonic, and melodic structure provide a common foundation that allows musicians to work together cohesively. The rhythmic structure dictates the embedded Latin style and dictates melodic phrasing. The harmonic structure colors the music and allows the improviser a reference point for melodic invention. Structure becomes dangerous when composers impose it upon the performance of their music. The expressive freedom of jazz becomes lost in a sea of pre-conceived arrangements, and the music looses its edge and moves in a commercial direction. Luis Muñoz fights a battle between structure and freedom on Of Soul and Shadow, resulting in a group of well-written Latin Jazz songs that border on a commercial product.

Glimpses of Personality Shine Through Compositions
Some songs find a balance between structure and freedom, allowing glimpses of individual personalities to shine through the compositions. A strong mambo over a salsa groove opens “La Semilla,” until a tight percussion break leads into the catchy melody from trumpet player Adolfo Acosta. After a repetition of the melody by trombonist Ira Nepus, Ramses Araya creates short percussive statements on both timbales and congas. After another mambo, the band moves into a more contemporary feel for an energetic solo from Acosta. A repeated bass line establishes a pulse behind a subdued melody from Gilberto González’s acoustic guitar on “Paso A Paso.” Binney continues into a solo full of creative note choices and rhythmic motifs, yet the rhythm section remains monotone, stopping further development. After a return to the melody, Binney continues his improvisation, and this time, he gets some response, allowing him to move forward briefly. Nature sounds from the Costa Rican rainforest introduces “Verde Mundo Infinito” until a busy marimba part creates an energetic drive. Gonzalez’s guitar provides the melody, which Binney soon contrasts with a counter line. Once again, Binney applies imaginative improvisation, virtuosity, and his individual voice, but the stagnant rhythm section never gives him the proper support to develop his line. These songs reveal the possibility of improvisational freedom in the music, although it never quite reaches its full potential.

Strict Formats Overwhelm Improvisations
Other tracks contain improvisations, but the tightly formatted performances overwhelm any sense of personality. Muñoz provides a sensitive melody over a son rhythm on “Mas Allá,” stepping aside when Kalina provides further elaboration. Muñoz makes another return to the main melody until Kalina jumps into his improvisation. The rhythm section maintains a repetitive pattern behind Kalina, who safely chooses flowing lines with a hint of blues flavor. Pianist George Friedenthal and bassist Tom Etchart utilize large doses of space on the jazz ballad “Al Silencio.” Friedenthal eloquently presents the melody, transitioning into Kalina’s solo. Kalina once again plays smooth bluesy lines that stand alone without comment from the rhythm section. Jonathan Dane’s muted trumpet plays a tipico melody over Araya’s bongó on “El Vedado” After the trumpet restates the melody, Muñoz establishes a strong montuno, pushing the song into a more powerful drive. Bill Flores improvises on tres between horn hits, complimenting the tipico sound and leading the way to the original melody. Each song provides inspired concepts for the soloists, but they just don’t provide the necessary freedom to build interesting statements.

Highly Arranged Musical Elements and a Commercial Sound
Some compositions seem aimed for a more commercial audience, with all the musical elements highly arranged. A firm piano and bass ostinato in 6/8 grounds “Luz Del Sur,” before Flores’s pedal steel guitar adds a country twang to the song. Marimba player John Nathan adds an intertwining melody before the song ends with a quick fade. An up-tempo merengue rhythm, fueled by aggressive saxes and a West African influenced guitar line, drives “La Verdad.” Andy Zúñiga’s vocals add a positive focus to the song, comfortably telling a story and adding momentum. After several vocal choruses, a breakdown adds space for a short solo from Muñoz on timbales. A wide synthesizer patch, complimented by a string section, forms the foundation for spacious piano and harp work on “Paz.” The composition moves slowly, eventually transitioning into Kalina’s improvisation. While Kalina creates strong melodies, the static background defeats his attempt by forcing structure. Araya opens “Adam’s Dream” with bata drums, leading into a smooth sound supplied by layered keyboards and Tom Etchart’s fretless bass. Tom Buckner’s soprano sax joins Etchart on the melody, until the texture fades to drums. The song fades over a limited interplay between several percussion instruments. While each of these songs stand as strong compositions, the lack of flexibility in the performances moves them firmly into the commercial range.

Inspired Compositions In Overbearing Structures
Muñoz brings interesting compositional ideas into his Latin Jazz concept on Of Soul and Shadow, yet an overbearing structure stifles many possibilities inherent in the music. His compositions range from subtle to intense, and each piece carefully intertwines a variety of Latin traditions. A strong attention to detail guides each track, but the meticulous refinement of each element distracts from the musicality buried in the compositions. The musicians all play the parts correctly, but the lack of personalization in the performances leaves the compositions flat. The moments where musicians are allowed to break free and build tension, the music starts to garner excitement. Unfortunately, these moments of freedom remain secondary to the carefully constructed format that guides the album. With more room for the musicians to explore the strong concept that inspired each composition, this album could explode into an exciting ride. Considering the range and ability that Muñoz displays on Of Soul and Shadow, his music deserves this treatment.
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