Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Rale Micic: Bridges

299

Rale Micic: Bridges

By

Sign in to view read count
Rale Micic: Bridges
Although jazz is, in several respects, a truly American musical idiom, it has spread to the far reaches of the globe in the modern era. This dissemination has led to the appearance of excellent jazz musicians in unexpected places, and the Serbian-born guitarist Rale Micic (pronounced 'Rah-leh Mee-cheech') is a fine example. His first-rate debut album, Bridges, features seven memorable originals played by his regular quintet, featuring Bob Reynolds on saxophones, Sean Conly on bass, Alvin Atkinson Jr. on drums, and on most tracks, Milan Milanovic on piano.

Micic is a fairly traditional player, favoring a classic clean tone and a smoothly unfolding, melodic solo style. His tunes are, however, harmonically adventurous and the quintet plays them with great conviction and ensemble power. The title track quickly sets the tone with a breezy melody that comes across like a darker-hued Pat Metheny, followed by a calm, almost methodical solo by Micic that shows traces of Jim Hall's influence. The energy level is raised by Reynolds' solo, which builds slowly to an ecstatic climax. Milanovic comes next, beginning with a startling but intriguing "fairyland" intro that gives way to a more typical post-bop exploration. On this tune and several others, Micic plays beautifully, but seems slightly reserved; one often wishes he'd take a cue from his fiery horn player and let loose. Perhaps on their next outing, the group can tackle some standards that will allow the leader to stretch out a bit.

Other standout tracks include the steaming, up-tempo 'Alarm,' capped by a spirited trading of eights; the lovely 'Quiet Wave,' which features Micic on acoustic guitar; and 'Wherever You Go,' a brooding figure in 7/8 which inspires some great interaction between the leader and Reynolds, who hits some Coltrane tones in his soprano solo. Conly and Atkinson are rock-solid throughout, and the recording is clear, muscular, and balanced. With Bridges Rale Micic has delivered a memorable and assured debut album that leaves me looking forward to his next.

Track Listing

Bridges; Alarm; Winter Clouds; Quiet Wave; Industrial Girl; Wherever You Go; Look, and See...

Personnel

Rale Micic
guitar

Rale Micic, guitar; Bob Reynolds, sax; Milan Milanovic, piano; Sean Conly, bass; Alvin Atkinson, Jr.

Album information

Title: Bridges | Year Released: 2003 | Record Label: CTA Records

Comments

Tags


For the Love of 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 create 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.

You Can Help
To expand our coverage even further and develop new means to foster jazz discovery and connectivity we need your help. You can become a sustaining member for a modest $20 and in return, we'll immediately hide those pesky ads plus provide access to future articles for a full year. This winning combination will vastly improve 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

Sensual
Rachel Z
Over and Over
Tony Monaco Trio
Love Is Passing Thru
Roberto Magris

Popular

Get more of a good thing!

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