Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Rick Washbrook: Roncesvalles Tango

93

Rick Washbrook: Roncesvalles Tango

By

View read count
Rick Washbrook: Roncesvalles Tango
Rick Washbrook has been playing the guitar for thirty years. Over that time he has acquired and mastered his technique that brings a strong creative bend to his music that enchants in many ways.

Washbrook's style comes in the way he uses his right hand. His fingering is unique, aided by the use of the index finger joined lightly with the thumb to play a single note phrase. He does not use a pick, yet has trained his index finger to work as one. He also uses the lute technique where the index finger and thumb alternate. That should be enough on the technical side to offer one reason why Washbrook's music is so appealing. The other is his compositions, eight of which are included on this recording.

There is a healthy dose of Latin American music including the originals "Red Rose Samba and "Argentinean Tango. Washbrook showcases his commendable approach on the first, playing the single note lines of the melody while adding a smooth bass line. His chords are chunky, the stream of notes fertile, and hard accents give it a throbbing body. He captures the rhythm of the tango on the second through a gradual build-up. Washbrook defines the tune through different emphatics; the stop and go thrust, the melody dancing against the beat of the bass, the change in tempo, and surging chords that redirect the pace. It's a winning combination.

Washbrook embellishes the melody of "Manha de Carnaval lightly. He infuses a warmth and gentle passion into the tune, and as he improvises on the melody, ups the meter just a bit and adds some flamenco runs. His coherence and logic are impeccable. "Craving expands Washbrook's approach. His hands come into play in other ways as he slaps the rhythm on the guitar, before the lilt of the captivating melody captures the moment. The waltz is most becoming and with the staccato slaps and the whirling chords, this is another triumph for Washbrook, who warrants attention.

Track Listing

Gate 403; Red Rose Samba; Argentinean Tango; Manha de Carnaval; Cabana gypsy; Orange Sunset; Roncesvalles Tango; Gentle Rain; The Girl From Ipanema; Craving; Petite Waltz; Beth.

Personnel

Album information

Title: Roncesvalles Tango | Year Released: 2007 | Record Label: Dirty Ice Cream 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.