Christian Howes & Richard Galliano: Southern Exposure

Christian Howes wants you to know that Southern Exposure is not simply another violin and accordion record, some light-hearted evocation of Parisian café music.

"It's deeper than that," Howes, the 40-year-old violinist who is also an educator and online entrepreneur, says of his 13th album (counting self-produced projects from the 1990s). "I think there's a lot of passion on the record. There's a sort of tragic feel to some of it.

"It's distinguished by the fact that [accordionist] Richard Galliano and I, in our playing, drawing on both traditional and modern approaches. It's not a French record because it has an American rhythm section, which makes a strong break from that style. And my sound couldn't be more different from Stephane Grappelli's."

Not that there's anything wrong with what Howes identifies as salon fare, but it wouldn't reflect the hearty—sometimes fierce—bite with which he and Galliano, his virtuosic Gallic match, plus pianist Josh Nelson, bassist Scott Colley and drummer Lewis Nash here tear into original material and classics from an extended Hispanic sphere of influence. The compositions and improvisations throughout Southern Exposure derive from, are influenced by and/or refer to a swath of the world that comprises not just Spain and Portugal but Mediterranean France and Italy, North Africa, the Caribbean islands, Central and South America, as well as penetration into more northern climes. Argentine tango nuevo a la Astor Piazzolla, Brazilian bossas and choros, Afro-Cuban jazz, driving post-bop and fusion rear up in the 11 pieces on this album. So do Celtic and Appalachian fiddle figures, romantic serenades and contemporary classical rigor. Howes brings it all together with masterful vitality.

A talented and obviously inspired violinist since childhood, Howes was a Suziki method student at age five, and soon thereafter on the fast track to a career with a symphony orchestra. However, in his late teens he discovered jazz, and began to pursue whatever lessons in it he could find, whether in school, from black street musicians or players he met at jam sessions around his hometown of Columbus, Ohio. He immersed himself in swing and blues, transcribed solos of jazz violinists such as Stuff Smith and Ray Nance, listened to Philadelphia's John Blake, and for a time performed weekly for gospel church services.

Moving to New York City after graduating from Ohio State University with a degree in philosophy, Howes found his way into a circle of improvising modernists including pianist D.D. Jackson and saxophonist-composer David Murray. "They helped open me up to how much more music has to offer than just the European classical thing," Howes recalls. "At this point in my career I've become free to see music in a much larger way, so that a greater synthesis is possible. I like to share the idea that you should be open to African-American music and Latin influences with musicians of the classical world."

Some results of his outreach can be heard on Southern Exposure: For "Gracias por Illustranos (Thank you for teaching me)," his dedication to his Suzuki teacher Ginny Christopherson, Christian constructed the warm string orchestra by "remote tracking" of 30 instrumental parts created each individually by his team of string players scattered across America.

Howes' determination to be both far-reaching and centrally grounded may be the defining characteristic of all his projects or productions. It surely fits this one. "The bright opening song, "Tá Boa? Sant (Are you ok, my dear?)" is a case in point of a complex, exciting piece with aspects of both traditional form and regenerative open-mindedness. After a hand-drumming pattern established by Lewish Nash, Josh Nelson plays a piano part that locks in under Christian's fast, firm rendition of a typically upbeat and quirky chorninho melody. Christian becomes more emphatic as Nash kicks behind him—and Nelson introduces a more somber section of the tune, which leads to a flourish from Galliano, a nimble bass solo from Colley, then Galliano entering to flow over the bar lines in a manner that's natural, organic and unique unto itself (though the violin plays along). There are several more episodes, including one of surprising wistfulness, before "Tá Boa?" concludes. Choro! (which in Portuguese means "to cry," but in Brazilian music is closer to "wail," or even "live!").

The song structure of "Aparecida," based on a samba rhythm, is less complicated, but the musicians' interactions are just as sensitive to the task of weaving their personal strands into a compelling whole. The title is the name of a city in Sao Paolo, where the Basilica of our Lady of Aparecida stands, a shrine to Brazil's revered statue of the Virgin Mary. "Oblivion" is one of the most famous compositions of Astor Piazzolla, the Argentine bandoneon hero, friend and mentor of Galliano's. It climaxes with a stunning cadenza by Howes, but again the entire ensemble stars in the performance, each quintet contributing touches that advance the drama of the piece. Similarly, "Cubano Chant" conjures the spirit of present-day salsa, with a bracing solo by Howes, a sophisticated statement by Nelson, an expressive chorus by Galliano, and a syncopated raveup by Nash. Colley serves them all.

Galliano's reedy accordion introduces "Safona," his own song from his 2007 album Luz Negra. "Richard is a very elegant man, pleasing to be around," reports Howes. "He is a complete professional, and I found a lot of depth in his art, a lot of power. I'm always skeptical about musicians like me, who go back and forth between classical and jazz. But he is the real deal." The two musicians strike a fine balance, supported again by Nelson, Colley and Nash, who deserves applause for precise rolls and impeccable phrasing.

"Cancion de amor" is a testament to the Brazilian concept of saudadé, a nostalgic sadness, or warm satisfaction remembering love lost. "I'm not afraid to turn on the classical gas, the rich vibrato and violin tone," Howes asserts, and so he proves it. "Heavy Tango," another of Galliano's compositions indebted to Piazzolla, is, by comparison, hardboiled. The lyricism of the violin-duet interplay is profound, and one might guess even such nuances as the scrapped percussion and bold dissonance protect an otherwise vulnerable heart. "Choro das aguas," composed by Ivan Lins and Vitor Martins, is transformed by Howes, Galliano, Nash, Colley and Nelson into a lilting yet still minorish waltz; it ends with sweet trembling, an affect few musicians can pull off so credibly.

"I modeled 'Tango Doblado,' after a charanga written by Eliane Elias that was a combination of a choro and a tango," explains Howes, "I was inspired to come up with something that wasn't straight one thing or another." Nelson's piano improvisation is just what Howes wanted: "Modern and interesting." A listener to this album knows the categories are anything but mutually exclusive. Isn't it interesting that the violin and accordion combo, when this track coms up, no longer sound the slightest beholden to past associations? In seems that the duet "Spleen," by Galliano, is the lone piece here one might hear in a Parisian café.

Howes' "Gracias," as mentioned above, returns him to his roots. Overdubbed upon the strings, Nelson, Colley, Nash and towards the end Galliano conjure an air of timelessness, though tempo is not suspended so much as diffused. It is as if the sun's light, suddenly flooding in from a window facing the sea, temporarily bleaches the outlines of a room's furnishings, but as our eyes focus, we see where we are: At home, with a grip firm on the verities of jazz, blues and swing, but our senses refreshed by the shift of visual register. Now apply that metaphor to music, and thank Christian Howes, Richard Galliano, Josh Nelson, Scott Colley and Lewis Nash for the illumination of their Southern Exposure.

Liner Notes copyright © 2024 Howard Mandel.

Southern Exposure can be purchased here.

Contact Howard Mandel at All About Jazz.
Howard is a Chicago-born writer, editor, author, arts reporter for National Public Radio, consultant and videographer. Visit Howard at howardmandel.com.

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