Ellen Honert: Hummingville (2010)

C. MICHAEL BAILEY,

C. Michael Bailey

Senior Contributor since 1997

...wants to know if Gene Harris is playing "Summertime" in Heaven...

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Published: October 4, 2010

Track review of "Hummingville"

Ellen Honert's previous recording, Breath of the Soul (Mill Station, 2006), was a well-balanced affair accented by Honert's precise and sensitive singing. Hummingville, the recording and the title piece are something else altogether. There is a sea breeze in this recording and song, but it is not so much Caribbean as Mediterranean, but in either case, the Latin influence cannot be denied.

"Hummingville" is a Honert original, composed with pianist Frank Martin. It is a very tactile piece with layers of percussive acoustic instrumentation. The song is all about motion and kinetics captured in Honert's pleasing, well-balanced alto. Pedro Eustache's flute foils well with Honert's crisp vocals in a melodic duet interlude preceding Eustache's soaring solo. Alex Acuna is well employed on percussion. Honert flexes considerable compositional muscle on Hummingville.

Personnel: Ellen Honert: vocals; Frank Martin: keyboards; Jose Neto: guitar; Pedro Eustache: flute; John Pena: bass; Alex Acuna: drums, percussion.

Record Label: Self Produced