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Guitarist
Marc Antoine has dedicated his new album Something About Her
to his wife Rebeca Vega. Both have known each other for 25 years now
and boast of their unchanged love. By the way, they met for the first
time during a Spanish TV show, where Marc had a guest appearance as a
guitarist, while Rebeca performed as a dancer.
Since his move from Spain to California, which he addressed with his album Laguna Beach (2016), he has decisively intensified his contacts with the local music scene. As a result, his new album features a host of familiar names with a Californian focus. You can read about the densely packed collection of musicians involved in the credits.
With Still In Love Marc makes a musical confession of love to
his wife Rebeca. The theme has the feel of a love ballad, which is
underscored by the inclusion of strings. The Spanish guitar style of
Flamenco echoes gently in the vibration of the strings.
The
following piece Something About Her also ties in with this
theme. Stylistically, Marc sets an alternative with the electric
guitar. In the interplay with the piano virtuoso Brian Simpson strong
influences in the sense of Wes Montgomery are evident.
In the corona pandemic, don't we all suffer a bit from wanderlust when our wings are clipped and travel fever is the mildest form of impairment. With Marco Polo, Marc has picked a historical figure who, in his time, probably made the longest journeys from Venice to China. Adventurousness and globetrotting sound from Marc's epic guitar art.
The first single Groovy Sunday gives the best accompaniment to our favorite pastime, doing nothing. Philippe Saisse's elegant playing on the Rhodes supplies the right stimuli. The swinging Velvet Night conveys the smoothness of silk, as it pairs the sounds of the acoustic guitar with those of the vibraphone in a sleek jazzy setting.
Marc Antoine's musical piece Corto Maltese is as colorful and dazzling as cartoonist Hugo Pratt's comic book character, with beautiful accents by Saisse on Melodion and David Finck on acoustic bass. Eclectic World unites Marc and Philippe again in harmonic unison, with Saisse chiming in some Parisian flair on the Melodion, a handy harmonica.
When Marc called the next piece California Haze, he was surely reflecting on the California fog that rises up the hills on the coast. Due to the reverb, the piece gets a lot of spaciousness, which is further emphasized by Lee Thornburg's amazing horn arrangement.
Marc Antoine collaborated with David Benoit on the joint album So Nice (2017). Summer in Technicolor is more or less a reunion. The collective lightness is unchanged. The contemplative solo guitar piece Song For Sascha is a successful conclusion to the album. A certain melancholy resonates, because Marc has dedicated the piece to his granddaughter, who lives far away on the island of La Reunion.
You can tell from Marc Antoine's new album Something About Her that Marc has already been pursuing his solo career for 27 years and that his music has matured with him over these years. With impressive seriousness, empathy and passion, he has created an album that can undoubtedly be considered the preliminary highlight of his career.
Buy the album in all stores
Album Information
Title: Something About Her
Artist: Marc Antoine
Year: 2021
Genre: Smooth Jazz
Label: Shanachie Entertainment Records
Tracks:
1) Still In Love (4:11)
2) Something About Her (3:26)
3) Marco Polo (4:40)
4) Groovy Sunday (3:46)
5) Velvet Night (3:43)
6) Corto Maltese (4:10)
7) Eclectic World (4:06)
8) California Haze (4:16)
9) Summer in Technicolor (3:30)
10) Song For Sasha (2:59)
Further reviews:
My Classical Way
Hi-Lo Split
Mediterrano
ForeignXchange
Marc Antoine (electric and acoustic guitar, réquinto, bass, percussion)
Gordon Campbell (drums)Louis Conté (percussion)
Tony Guerrero (trumpet)
Ron Reinhardt (keyboards)
Armand Sabal-Lecco (bass)
Greg Vail (sax and flutes)
Joel Rosenblatt (drums)
Brian Simpson (piano)
Roberto Vally (acoustic bass)
Gumbi Ortiz (percussion)
Philippe Saisse (keyboards, piano, vibes, bass marimba, rhodes)Marion Meadows (sax)
David Finck (acoustic bass)
Marco Basci (keyboards)
Andre Berry (bass)
Paul Brown (percussion)
Lee Thornburg (trumpet and valve trombone)
David Benoit (piano)
