🎵 AotW AOTW: Eduardo del Barrio - Free Play (CD-5355)

[Captain Bacardi]

Eduardo del Barrio
FREE PLAY
A&M CD-5355

Released 1991

Format: CD/Cassette

Produced by Herb Alpert and Eduardo del Barrio

Songs:

• Three Freedom Movements[list:a563fe165c]1. Images Of Life - 9:07
  2. Mystic Rhymes - 8:30
  3. Celebration - 10:48

4. Cubana - 6:06
5. Chaca-Rara - 7:12
6. Lament For A Lonely Child - 6:30
7. Improvisation No. 1 - 2:44
8. Improvisation No. 2 - 3:27

All music and lyrics by Eduardo del Barrio[/list:u:a563fe165c]

Musicians:
Eduardo del Barrio - Piano and Synthesizers
Charlie Haden - Bass (1, 2, 3)
Peter Erskine - Drums (1, 2, 3)
Hubert Laws - Flute (4)
Abe Laboriel - Bass (4, 5)
Pino Marrone - Guitar (4, 5, 6)
Alex Acuna - Bombo (5), Bombo Leguero (6)
Luis Conte - Percussion (5, 6)
Dianne Reeves - Vocals (6)

Recorded, Mixed and Mastered at A&M Studios
Engineered by Ed Goodreau
Mixed by Mike Morongell and Ed Goodreau
Assisted by John Aguto & Rob Jaczko
Digitally Mastered by Dave Collins
Custom sound design by Eric Pershing
Minister of MIDI: Gary Myerberg

Art Direction: Chuck Beeson
Design SoS: Susan Silton
Photography: Beth Herzhaft

Liner notes by Shorty Rogers


Capt. Bacardi

 

[Captain Bacardi]

This is an amazing album. According to Shorty Rogers' liner notes all of the music - except for "Cubana" and "Lament For A Lonely Child" - was completely improvised. It even says that del Barrio improvised every instrument in the entire orchestra. That makes this album even more spectacular. Eddie del Barrio is a very gifted pianist, and many times he sounds more classical than jazz. The beginning of this album is very similar to Herb Alpert's Under A Spanish Moon - it has that same feel and sound. Then at other times, such as on "Cubana", it sounds a bit like Chick Corea's My Spanish Heart album. It's both intricate and lush at the same time. Then all of a sudden you hear Dianne Reeves' mournful voice on "Lament..." that takes you in another direction. The sound of this CD is great as well. This is some very adventurous and eclectic music that deserves to be heard.



Capt. Bacardi

 

[jimac51]

A few albums that could be considered as templates for this one:the Stan Getz/Eddie Sauter albums-FOCUS and the soundtrack to MICKEY ONE-and the Bill Evans/Claus Ogerman collaborations-WITH SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA and SYMBIOSIS. In each case,the artist improves over an orchestral setting-though these settings are not improvised but written before by their respective collaborators came into the studio-at least that is what is believed. For the Evans and Getz albums,its the collaborator-another mind with an unknown path-pitted against the improviser that creates a tension that seems to be lacking in the del Barrio album. After all,del Barrio the keyboardist knows where del Barrio the orchestrator is going with this. Another album with Herb Alpert ties,Pete Jolly's SEASONS, might be included in this discussion-a small group (all session pros)just bouncing amongst each other while the tape is rolling and later edited. It's the interplay in SEASONS that is most satisfying for me. Some may bring Creed Taylor's post A&M/CTI albums in the discussion but these seem a bit more calculated to bring about the desired result and suffer from not having a soloist in the stratosphere as Evans or Getz(interesting that the occasional Getz/Evans pairings on the same stage yielded less than five star efforts that neither wanted released) In del Barrio's work,its Haden and Erskine in the "Three Freedom Movements" that do it for me. An inspired and necessary choice for an album of this nature-one suspects that Herb's producer choes helped get them involved. A definite minus is the use of synthesizers which gives this 1991 recording a dated feeling that the Getz and Evans albums do not(Evans use of a Fender Rhodes piano on SYMBIOSIS comes close but he always found a command of the electric pianos that he used) Overall,I give kudos for the attempt but del Barrio's solo flourishes become a bit predictable by the time of the Improvisations. As for Reeves appearance here,de Barrio had worked with Diane enough in the past to know how to showcase her abilities,but I don't think they got where they wanted to get in LAMENT. A google search shows that del Barrio has recently composed and performed an entire Mass and Ms. Reeves is involved -hopefully they're getting there. Overall,I'd give this the Downbeat three star(out of five) effort. I've owned this for a few years(tripped over it in a used store real cheap) and I must congratulate both the Capt's time and work to bring these albums in the spotlight with such care and complete notes. His efforts forced me to listen to this album much closer than I have in the past. Mac