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Aimee Allen: Matter of Time
ByAllen has put as much thought into building a cohesive group as she has composing and arranging the music. The core ensemble is comprised of Francois Moutin on bass, Toru Dodo on piano, and Jacob Melchior on drums; on nine of the thirteen tracks. Special guest Romero Lubambo plays guitar on four tracks with bassist Scott Ritchie on Allen's original "Matter of Time." "Soul Cargo" finds Allen's smoky voice paired with Moutin's moving bass line for the first statement of the melody. Allen's display of vocal control is evident and her lower register notes are focused and add much to this melody, long after the songs duration has passed. Allen's compositional skills on this track show her sustained motivation and a maturity as a writer that only occurs after many years of perfecting ones craft. Her originals sit very comfortably juxtaposed with well-known tunes on the album, creating an overall symbiosis, and that is saying something considering the album contains arrangements of well-known gems like Rodgers and Hart's, "My Romance."
Allen has inventive and absolutely engaging arrangements of "Corcovado" and "The Island." Allen's voice shines against the romantic timbres of Lubambo's guitar and it seems to bring out an extraordinary lyrical beauty and phrasing in Allen voice and style. "The Island" is a perfect example of the chemistry between the two artists; the duet version real allows the listener to get lost in the splendor of Allen's voice and passion for singing, which is exhibited most acutely in the duet setting with Lumbabo.
Bassist, Moutin adds a great deal of creativity and virtuosity to the project as well as Dodo's creative piano playing. Both support Allen flawlessly and respect the singer's space, while filling all the appropriate spaces. Melchior's drums give the music forward motion through-out and never gets in the way or distracts from the beauty of each selection.
Allen's follow up release to Winters and Mays, is a testament to the continued journey of composer, vocalist and arranger Aimée Allen. Her latest offering Matter of Time seems aptly titled, as only in a matter of time has this young artist grown from a blossom to a bloom.
Personnel
Aimée Allen
vocalsAlbum information
Title: Matter of Time | Year Released: 2015 | Record Label: Azuline Music
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Aimee Allen
CD/LP/Track Review
Geannine Reid
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Francois Moutin
TORU DODO
Jacob Melchior
Romero Lubambo
Scott Ritchie
Matter of Time