Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Mike Moreno: Another Way

55

Mike Moreno: Another Way

By

View read count
Mike Moreno: Another Way
Though it's difficult to stand out in a climate where new names appear almost daily, Mike Moreno has proven to be one of the more identifiable young jazz guitarists in recent years. At home in a number of settings, his fluid style has been found in the abstract hip hop styling of Q-Tip's The Renaissance (Universal Motown, 2008) and has received accolades from Pat Metheny who commented that Moreno's is "A really talented guy who impressed me beyond the notes, for his general feeling, and what he's going for." And it's not just Moreno's playing that impresses—his compositional prowess also garners attention on Another Way , his fourth recording as a leader.

Similar to his 2007 debut Between The Lines (World Culture Music), Another Way features Moreno compositions performed by a robust ensemble that includes rising vibe players Warren Wolf and Chris Dingman. The combination of guitar, vibes, and piano (longtime associate Aaron Parks is a great outlet for Moreno's contemporary charts that find inspiration from Maurice Ravel to Wayne Shorter, while speaking the guitarist's own dialect.

"Spinning Wheel" is a good example of Moreno's forward-thinking melodicism. The sound is layered, elevated by the chordal instruments' communication and spacious solos. Known for his labyrinthine runs on electric guitar, Moreno's acoustic technique is equally impressive and surfaces in two duo pieces with Parks "Waking the Dance" and "The Mariner" further emphasizing their simpatico lyricism.

The set isn't one-dimensional. The darkly tinted vibe of "The Fifth Element" is built around a persistent groove that's glued by Matt Brewer and Ted Poor's rhythmic flexibility; only to be followed by "Show Fall," a gorgeous meandering piece with nuanced shades. The addition of vibraphones is another determining factor on two of the set's hottest pieces—"One And A Half" and "Behind The Wall"—both spotting the inventive mallet of newcomer Warren Wolf and Moreno's blistering guitar.

Another Way continues Moreno's pattern of excellence and individuality while being open to new possibilities.

Track Listing

The Spinning Wheel; Waking the Dance; One And A Half; Show Fall; Another Way; Behind The Wall; The Mariner; Mirror Mirror.

Personnel

Mike Moreno
guitar

Mike Moreno: guitars; Aaron Parks: piano; Warren Wolf: vibraphone (1-3, 5-9); Matt Brewer: bass; Ted Poor: drums (2-9); Chris Dingman: vibraphone (4); Jochen Reuckert: drums (1).

Album information

Title: Another Way | Year Released: 2012 | Record Label: World Culture Music

Tags

Comments


PREVIOUS / NEXT




Support All About 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 make 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.

Go Ad Free!

To maintain our platform while developing new means to foster jazz discovery and connectivity, we need your help. You can become a sustaining member for as little as $20 and in return, we'll immediately hide those pesky ads plus provide access to future articles for a full year. This winning combination vastly improves 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

Eternal Moments
Yoko Yates
From "The Hellhole"
Marshall Crenshaw
Tramonto
John Taylor

Popular

Old Home/New Home
The Brian Martin Big Band
My Ideal
Sam Dillon
Ecliptic
Shifa شفاء - Rachel Musson, Pat Thomas, Mark Sanders
Lado B Brazilian Project 2
Catina DeLuna & Otmaro Ruíz

Get more of a good thing!

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

Install All About Jazz

iOS Instructions:

To install this app, follow these steps:

All About Jazz would like to send you notifications

Notifications include timely alerts to content of interest, such as articles, reviews, new features, and more. These can be configured in Settings.