The Movement
El Movimiento
Nueva Nota Records
Musical treasures come from the most unsuspecting places at times, breaking past stereotypical associations.  It shouldn’t really be a surprise that inspiring music can rise from anywhere.  With the broad availability of Latin Jazz recordings, numerous knowledgeable mentors, and quality instructional material, artists across the country have the ability to create Latin Jazz ensembles.  Despite this fact, we still tend to associate Latin Jazz with small pockets of the country, disregarding the potential of many musical hotspots. We’ve become too consumed by the cultural signifiers that came to represent each area of the United States, tending to only consider the music associated with those now very old ideas. In the modern age, artistic trends have worked their way across the country, moving Latin Jazz out of New York in a big way. Latin Jazz may arise in areas strongly associated with funk, country music, rock, or more, always allowing us to look at the music in new and inspiring ways. El Movimiento hails from Nashville, Tennessee, a town with a high profile musical reputation that rarely revolves around Latin Jazz; the group starts to change that fact with an inspiring collection of original Latin Jazz compositions on The Movement.

Focusing Upon Traditional Latin Jazz Forms
The group focuses several tunes upon traditional Latin Jazz forms utilizing Afro-Cuban rhythms. Pianist Paul Horton and bassist Dan Eubanks establish a clave driven groove on “El Señor Esta Contigo,” until a unison band break sends the wind players soaring into a rhythmic melody. Trumpet player Imer Santiago mixes syncopated phrases and chromatic lines into an engaging statement, leading into a strong improvisation from Horton, who combines long melodic phrases and sharp rhythmic hits. Guitarist Adam Agati tears into a smartly developed solo with a distorted sound drenched in reverb, until percussionist Giovanni Rodriguez and drummer Derrek Phillips trade explosive ideas. A tightly executed break leads into a quick improvisation from Horton on “Javanet Fanfare,” until the wind players charge into an open extended melody. Santiago takes his time cleverly developing his ideas over the open chord changes, building into a long stream of cleverly developed phrases. Saxophonist Rahsaan Jelani Barber races into an enthusiastic stream of jazz fueled melodic ideas, followed by a distorted solo from Agati who builds tension with sharply syncopated lines. A bass and piano vamp wraps snuggly around the clave on “Mi Descarga” until an upbeat melody sets up a true Cuban jam session tone. Santiago displays keen ears as he bounces his improvisation intuitively around the rhythm section accompaniment, leading into an enthusiastic guitar solo, anchored by Agati’s skill for melodic development. Barber starts with spacious phrases, building into furious screams and rapid flurries of notes, until Rodriguez and Phillips exchange intensive percussive statements. The rhythm section establishes an understated 6/8 groove while the wind players float a calm melody over the top on the group’s tribute to Mario Bauza, “Bauzando.” As Barber leaps into his solo, the rhythm section slides into swing, letting him display some bop chops before moving back into 6/8 behind Horton’s attention grabbing statement. Santiago takes advantage of the rhythm section’s stylistic transitions, forcing rhythmic tension through his solo, while Agati pushes the dynamic with some distorted shredding. These pieces firmly display their familiarity with Afro-Cuban stylings, as the group improvises powerfully around the clave.

Switching Gears Into Brazilian Styles
The band switches gears and dives into Brazilian styles on a variety of songs. Agati provides a quiet acoustic guitar vamp while Horton improvises over a bossa nova groove on “Acercate,” until the wind players softly move through a catchy melody. Horton thoughtfully moves through the rich chord changes with an assertive edge, mixing lyricism and a sharp attack into a potent statement. Barber stretches across the lush background with quietly understated ideas, while Agati enters his improvisation with a subtle elegance, filling his lines with melodic integrity. Repeated bass arpeggios outline sparkling chords from Horton on “This Is Me,” leading into a commercially accessible melody. Barber slowly moves into his improvisation with a respective finesse, spinning lyrically appealing phrases. Santiago follows his lead with memorable melodies that glide over the rhythm section, giving way to a beautiful piano solo from Horton. Agati improvises feverishly on sitar guitar over a quick samba groove on “Hypnosis,” until the wind players wrap a fusion tinged melody around the rhythm section. Barber storms into his improvisation with a fiery power, assertively pushing the band into Horton’s similarly charged statement. The unique sound of Agati’s instrument quickly brings attention to his solo, but he uses the instrument for more than novelty, spinning smart lines that fit into the song perfectly. The band explores Brazilian rhythms on these three tracks, revealing a melodic and pop tinged side to the group.

Inserting A Smooth Edge Into Latin Jazz
The group brings together a variety of influences on other pieces, inserting a smooth edge into the Latin Jazz formula. Lush chords from Horton’s Fender Rhodes float over a cha cha cha on “Brooklyn En La Casa,” while the wind players place a tranquil melody over the hypnotic groove. Agati’s expansive tone washes through long streams of quick runs, until Barber slithers around the rhythm section, building his solo into a screaming frenzy. Horton drives cleverly constructed lines through his improvisation, contrasting the calm sound of his instrument with melodically tense phrases. Agati introduces a memorable theme on “Sin Problemas Ni Orgullo – Part One,” leading into a artistically orchestrated reading of the melody over a bolero background. Sharp piano chords foreshadow rhythmic movement on “Sin Problemas Ni Orgullo – Part Two” which arrives as a cha cha cha groove. The rhythm section vamp serves as the foundation for rousing solos from Barber on soprano sax and Agati, creating a smart bookend for the whole piece. These pieces reveal a softer side to the group, mixing artistry with a commercially accessible sound that provides a good balance to the overall album.

Placing The Focus On Great Music
El Movimiento proves the weight of their Latin Jazz roots on The Movement, providing smart and polished performances. Barber contributes the bulk of the compositions, showing a strong basis in Afro-Cuban rhythms and a defined concept for mixing musical worlds. He taps into elements of fusion, pop music, Indian traditional music, and even a touch neo-classical arranging, blending these musical pieces into Latin Jazz without sacrificing the music’s rhythmic integrity. The result certainly creates a different edge, giving the music that regional flavor. The group remains firmly committed to the sound throughout the album, furnishing professional performances that bring Barber’s compositions to life. Santiago improvises with a working knowledge of the clave, creating lines that strengthen the music’s stylistic solidarity. Rodriguez keeps the rhythm section on an authentic track, anchoring the rhythm section with an unwavering tumbao. Agati steers the music in a fusion direction, which can be distracting at times, but colors the music with interesting contrast. Horton leaps out of the album with a stellar musical presence, adding a number of outstanding improvisations into the recording. El Movimiento consistently delivers exciting Latin Jazz performances on The Movement, in a way that makes us forget about the musical legacy of it home base and focus only on the great music before us.

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