Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Maria Grand: Magdalena

4

Maria Grand: Magdalena

By

View read count
Maria Grand: Magdalena
The intimate and personal Magdalena is tenor saxophonist Maria Grand's second release as a leader. On it she fleshes out the ideas explored on her dynamic debut EP, Tetrawind (Biophilia, 2017). Sandwiched between two spoken-word tracks, the recording showcases Grand's skills as a vocalist, instrumentalist and composer.

Singer Jasmine Wilson recites Grand's verse with emotive eloquence on the opening "La Immortal." Grand plays her sax with contemplation while drummer Jeremy Dutton's rustling percussion enhances the dramatic mood.

Rapper Amani Fela articulates another one of Grand's poems, "Ejes y deseos," with suave elegance and poignant emotion. Grand leads the quartet, comprised of Dutton, bassist Rashaan Carter and pianist David Bryant in a simmering and angular performance. The overlapping music and narration create a provocative and moving conclusion to the superb album.

Grand's writing and improvisational chops are best heard on the three-part suite about transcultural feminine myths. A continuum dedicated to seminal women in religion from Isis to Magdalena, the work also highlights the impressive synergy among the core trio members. "T1: Isis" interweaves Carter's muscular bass, Dutton's rumbling vamps and Grand's warm, mordant tenor into a soulful and erudite sonic tapestry.

Grand opens "TII: Maria" with a forlorn, unaccompanied solo. Her musings become denser and solidify around her sidemen's spontaneous and dissonant rhythmic refrains. The group's sound becomes fiery and the interplay among the musicians ardent without losing its cerebral edge. Mystical and undulating "TIII: Magdalena" is a sad and pensive melody that Carter's lyrical and graceful extemporization bisects. Dutton's cymbal splashes and Grand's long and wistful lilt add a layer of intrigue to the piece.

Bryant joins the trio for the cinematic "Where is E" dedicated to Grand's estranged sister. His virtuoso crystalline phrases have bluesy hints that Grand echoes in her reserved wails. Their duet is filled with sublime melancholy.

Grand joins another pianist, Fabian Almazan, for a vibrant song "Imani/Walk By." Her expressive voice and Almazan's expansive lines create an impressionistic and romantic atmosphere.

Grand also sings two short, yet haunting, tunes, accompanied by guitarist Mary Halvorson. Both "Last Year" and "Sing Unborn" have an ethereal feel and a serene passion thanks to Halvorson's unique style and Grand's tender and stirring vocals.

Magdalena is a captivating and memorable record. It is an auspicious early success in Grand's already brilliant career and, hopefully, a portent of greater artistic accomplishments in the future.

Track Listing

La Immortal; Imani/Walk By; TI: Isis; TII: Maria; TIII: Magdalena; Last Year; Pyramid Sphere; Where Is E; Demonium; Sing Unborn; Ejes y Deseos.

Personnel

Maria Grand
saxophone, tenor

Maria Grand: tenor saxophone, voce; Jasmine Wilson: spoken word; Amani Fela: spoken word; Mary Halvorson: guitar; David Bryant: piano; Fabian Almazan: piano; Rashaan Carter: bass; Jeremy Dutton: drums.

Album information

Title: Magdalena | Year Released: 2018 | Record Label: Biophilia Records

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

Tramonto
John Taylor
Ki
Natsuki Tamura / Satoko Fujii
Duality Pt: 02
Dom Franks' Strayhorn
The Sound of Raspberry
Tatsuya Yoshida / Martín Escalante

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.