Shelly Berg: Alegria

Shelly Berg's Alegria is a journey through the landscapes of love, joy and reflection. Joined by longtime collaborators bassist Carlitos del Puerto and drummer Dafnis Prieto, along with tenor saxophonist Melvin Butler on a couple of tracks, Berg creates a sound that is bustling and approachable.

The eleven tracks release are predominately Berg originals, with two reinterpretations of classics from Leonard Bernstein and The Beatles, each designed to offer a narrative that reflects Berg's connection to the music. The opener, "Home With You," dashes out of the gate at a jaunty tempo. Berg's piano shows an urgent enthusiasm, supported by Del Puerto and Prieto, who display a robust physicality on their instruments. "Marina Sunset" is inspired by the intervals Berg lived in Miami and Los Angeles.

The title track translates as "joy" from its Spanish roots, and Berg has shaped the number filled with bright ideas and sleek rhythmic sensibility. Del Puerto and Prieto continue to show they are a resourceful and highly adaptable rhythmic duo. Guest tenor saxophonist Melvin Butler adds depth and warmth to the album. He is featured on "Meatballs and Apple Pie" and "Red Rocks, Tall Cactus." On the former, Berg sets the pace with a solid, funky New Orleans-style groove. Butler joins the infectious rhythm and lively improvisations that highlight the joy of musical exploration. In the latter piece, drummer Dafnis Prieto lays down an infectious "chicka boom, chicka boom, chicka boom" rhythmic pattern over which Berg creates his tapestry of sound. Butler picks up on this melodic thread that intertwines seamlessly with Berg's piano.

The Lennon-McCartney hit "I'll Follow The Sun" reinforces one of the traits that anchors this release, and that is the seamless interplay among the group. The closing track is "Somewhere" by Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim, written for the 1957 Broadway musical West Side Story. This interpretation has been set up as a tender ballad that showcases Berg's ability to convey ardent emotion through the music and the chemistry between him and bassist Del Puerto.