If one were to guess the origin of this album, one would certainly not say that it comes from New Zealand, as this has its heart firmly in South America and, at times, even Cuba. Kiwi guitarist Julie Bevan has longstanding ties with Brazil, and here we have six songs written and recorded in that country, and another four written and recorded here in Wellington. This means that Julie and her wonderful acoustic guitar is the only constant, and the album itself is diverse as the instrumentation used in Wellington is more restrained than that in Brazil, but instead of jarring this means that the listener is taken on a journey of different styles and nuances.
This is eclectic album in many ways, with the South American feeling being totally dominant, yet encompassing many different styles including flamenco, jazz, and tango, all brought together in a melting pot which is incredibly immediate and enjoyable, a real summer sound. Bevan obviously sees herself strongly as a composer, as the arrangements are delivered in the way which is right for the overall sound, so her own contributions are often in the background as it is better for the music for a trumpet or piano accordion to be centre stage and she is in more of a supporting role. But when the time is right, she allows herself to move forward in the sound. An instrumental album, it is both complex and simple, so that it can be listened to on many levels. I found that the very first time I played it I thoroughly enjoyed it but have got more out of it each time since. It is fresh and bright, with her delicate classical jazz acoustic guitar underpinning it all. This is one of those albums where one rarely realises there are no vocals as there are plenty of instruments who have the voice, the result being that the listener is always engaged and enthralled. This is certainly worthy of further investigation by listeners of jazz styles, as it is a delight.
Rating: 9/10
