Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Otmaro Ruiz: Sojourn

367

Otmaro Ruiz: Sojourn

By

Sign in to view read count
Otmaro Ruiz: Sojourn
The Chambers Dictionary describes the word "sojourn" as "a temporary residence or stay, as of one in a foreign land." Pianist Otmaro Ruiz's musical journey offers all the right cues for his Sojourn being so apt to document. Even though it gets somewhat personal at times, it is memorable for anyone interested in taking the journey with him. The obvious association of the word "Sojourn" is where all of Ruiz's simplicity ends. He has a truly complex character, in the best possible sense of that (latter) word. More accurately—and stemming from his compositions to start with—he is a subtle musician. Naturally, this calls for a nuanced application of tonal color in his work.

Conceptually, the whole sojourn concept is a wonderful way to express himself, at least for now. The care with which he has arranged his expedition, right down to the order of the tracks, is proof enough of a great ear for the sounds of the "places" he visits musically. This spans distant lands, from the place of his birth, Venezuela, to Brazil, Cuba, Trinidad and Tobago and the rest of the Caribbean, and Africa. Then he swings back in a wide arc to the USA, through a remarkable version of a Broadway classic by Leonard Bernstein, "Somewhere" from West Side Story.

"And Then She Smiles (Maya's Song)" establishes the deeply personal nature of some of this record. It is about relationships and bonding, in this case with the musician's two-year-old daughter. Then he branches out to Cuba via Africa on "Claveao," a track wonderfully underscored by Ruiz's sense of Afro-clave, hidden in the melody of the piece. "In The Shadows" and "The Simple Life" have a nostalgic ring as the pianist traverses the landscape of Venezuela; the former in a striking merengue meter. There is much more than calypso in "Tobago Road," as the musician promises. "Nube Negra" is a true fiesta.

"Easy to Say" pays fine tribute to the samba, and to the oeuvre of percussionist Airto Moreira. "Living Pictures" beautifully captures a wide swath of rhythmic territory, from samba to maracatú, capoeira to afoxé and much more, in a rich mélange of ideas couched in harmony. "Prelude to Life" and "Road Stories" are two tracks that go a long way toward establishing Ruiz's reputation as a composer of epic song. The former, a tribute to the late tenor saxophonist Michael Brecker, is memorable. Brecker had also played EWI (Electronic Wind Instrument), replaced here ever so cleverly by the bassoon.

That brings us to the horn player, Ben Wendel, who has an "old soul" charm and brings considerable charm and erudition to this project. His range of expression on bassoon—on "The Simple Life" too—is not just rare, but simply remarkable as well. Bassist "Carlitos" Del Puerto and the self-effacing drummer, Jimmy Branly, are other reasons why this record will remain in memory for a long time.

Track Listing

And Then She Smiles (Maya's Song); Claveao; In The Shadows; Tobago Road; Nube Negra; Until Tomorrow; Living Pictures; Prelude to Life; Somewhere; Easy to Say; The Simple Life; Road Stories.

Personnel

Otmaro Ruiz
keyboards

Otmaro Ruiz: piano, Fender Rhodes, additional keyboards, percussion and vocals; Ben Wendel: tenor and soprano saxophones, bassoon; Carlos Del Puerto Jr.: acoustic bass; Jimmy Branly: drums.

Album information

Title: Sojourn | Year Released: 2010 | Record Label: Self Produced

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

Fiesta at Caroga
Afro-Caribbean Jazz Collective
Fellowship
David Gibson
Immense Blue
Olie Brice / Rachel Musson / Mark Sanders

Popular

Get more of a good thing!

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