CD Review: Alex Garcia's Afromantra's 'This Side Of Mestizaje'

Alex Garcia's Afromantra
This Side Of Mestizaje
Afromantra Records

Alex Garcia is Chilean-born, influenced by Cuban and Peruvian melodies, and now based in New York, where he has mastered Latin jazz, percussion, and world fusion with his latest release, This Side Of Metizaje. The title of the album connotes mixed ancestry of the Spanish variety, which is quite evident throughout the tracks. The tracks are wholly instrumental without any vocal accompaniment. The music is steeped in jazz and jam session overtones with punchy percussion and horns eloquently frolicking along-side the fluid bass, piano, and keys. The music is relatively laid-back with some poignant melodies and rhythms that get the heart racing and the feet moving. Alex, a prodigy on drums, enlists the help of soprano sax-man, Ole Mathisen, Fender Rhodes maestro, Mick Eckroth, and electric bass connoisseur, Ariel De La Portilla. The entire group forms a cohesive unit of musical deliciousness that never gets old. Discover it today! ~ Matthew Forss

CD Review: EarthRise SoundSystem's 'Rock Beats Paper'

EarthRise SoundSystem
Rock Beats Paper
Yoga Organix

EarthRise SoundSystem is David Schommer and Derek Beres' brainchild that includes a slew of talented guest artists that know how to create percussive, urban, and dance grooves incorporating world melodies and sounds. You will hear the music of Srikala, Davi Vieira, Lucy Woodward, Camille Armstrong, Ramin Sakurai, Shahar Mintz, Marti Nikko, Dave Eggar, Go-Ray, Renata Youngblood, and many others. The upbeat tracks include Rhodes, tabla, horns, cello, violins, sitar, guitars, mandolin, kora, timbau, dulcimer, drums, electronic arrangements, and others. This is not a one-sided album with only one kind of musical beat. Moreover, there are South American, Caribbean, South Asian, and American influences throughout. This is a percussive dreamscape with engaging vocals and instrumentation. Anyone seeking a truly global musical concoction will find it here on Rock Beats Paper. ~ Matthew Forss

CD Review: Oli Rockberger's 'Old Habits'

Oli Rockberger
Old Habits
Oli Road Records

The moving and pleasant musical concoctions of New York-based singer, songwriter, producer, keyboardist, and arranger are cleverly showcased on Oli's sophomore release, Old Habits. The vocals are indicative of John Mayer, but the musical structure is more mature and jazzy than typical rock or pop music. The jazz, blues, gospel, and roots musical influences are highly developed and a pleasure to experience. The piano and harmonica add a jazzy addition to the music, along with bass, drums, keyboards, and the beautifully-executed Fender Rhodes embellishments. There are ten tracks in all, but "Never Grow Old" is repeated twice--once as a vocal track and the other as an instrumental reprise. The breezy opener, "Live A Lie," is a great tune with brushy percussion, sparkling electronic tones, and rippling bass lines. The entire album is marked with lush melodies, plaintive piano, light percussion, infectious grooves, and moving rhythms that are littered with musical goodness. Nothing is left out here. Old Habits is a new album that will never get old with each listen. ~ Matthew Forss