Hal Roland

Debbie Spring: Tocamos

by Nicholas F. Mondello
October 5, 2023

The violin has a long, distinguished history in jazz. From Joe Venuti, Stephane Grappelli, Ray Nance and Stuff Smith to Jean-Luc-Ponty et al, all have made the instrument at home in jazz. However, the violin's partner, the viola, is not. Miami-based violist, Debbie Spring has definitively secured her seat with Tocamos, which translates as “We Play." It is an outstanding mix of eight tracks of assorted, higher-energy, and textural grooves--straight- ahead, Latin, and Brazilian--all brilliantly presented by Spring, her unique ...