Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Rale Micic: Serbia

234

Rale Micic: Serbia

By

Sign in to view read count
Rale Micic: Serbia
With his program of nine originals and one traditional Serbian folk song, guitarist Rale Micic paints jazz's modern mainstream with a palette of beautiful colors. His guitar, along with trumpet and tenor saxophone, provides a warm reflection that allows the listener to settle in comfortably for an extended study session. Like all true art, his compositions and the quintet's interpretations leave plenty of room for his audience to explore. His pieces contain variety and an adventuresome sense of swing.

Originally from Belgrade, Serbia, Micic moved to the United States in 1995 to study at the Berklee College of Music in Boston. He lives in New York now and appears to be comfortably immersed in the city's modern jazz scene. Micic's electric and nylon-string guitars allow him to interpret his music with convincing authority. Sean Conly's "Far From Home comes with a built-in longing that stretches out placidly. Both bassist and guitarist interpret this one with emotions bared. Micic's "Lucky Number rambles on the other side of the spectrum with a hip ensemble sound that sparkles enthusiastically.

Tom Harrell's trumpet and Micic's guitar give "Together a delicate fragility that connotes a deep love for its theme. The members of the quintet interpret this one with hearts worn on their shirtsleeves. Serbia, a moody tone poem in 7/8 meter, reflects the Eastern European flavor that Micic grew up with. Through this closing number, he's able to capture the true spirit.

The New York jazz scene, and by extension jazz's modern mainstream, has Rale Micic to thank for a portion of its continued growth. Of the many directions available in modern jazz, he's chosen one of the most wholesome for his expressive pursuits.

Track Listing

Dimitrije, Sine Mitre; Song for Alma; Through the Night; Lucky Number; Far From Home; Together; Blessing; By Your Side; Happiness; Serbia.

Personnel

Rale Micic
guitar

Rale Micic: guitar; Tom Harrell: trumpet & flugelhorn; Bob Reynolds: tenor saxophone; Sean Conly: acoustic bass; Gregory Hutchinson: drums.

Album information

Title: Serbia | Year Released: 2006 | Record Label: CTA Records

Comments

Tags


For the Love of Jazz
Get the Jazz Near You newsletter All About Jazz has been a pillar of jazz since 1995, championing it as an art form and, more importantly, supporting the musicians who create it. Our enduring commitment has made "AAJ" one of the most culturally important websites of its kind, read by hundreds of thousands of fans, musicians and industry figures every month.

You Can Help
To expand our coverage even further and develop new means to foster jazz discovery and connectivity we need your help. You can become a sustaining member for a modest $20 and in return, we'll immediately hide those pesky ads plus provide access to future articles for a full year. This winning combination will vastly improve your AAJ experience and allow us to vigorously build on the pioneering work we first started in 1995. So enjoy an ad-free AAJ experience and help us remain a positive beacon for jazz by making a donation today.

More

Sensual
Rachel Z
Over and Over
Tony Monaco Trio
Love Is Passing Thru
Roberto Magris

Popular

Get more of a good thing!

Our weekly newsletter highlights our top stories, our special offers, and upcoming jazz events near you.