Mauri
Sanchis
-
Good
Vibes!!!
Summer
2003 I visited Mauri Sanchis in his hometown in Alcoy, a small town
between Alicante and Valencia in the East Coast of Spain. I was
awaiting this meeting with high anticipation because I had previously
listened and reviewed his debut album "Less
Is More" (2003). After a warm welcome I had the opportunity
to listen to Mauri's performance on the Hammond B-3. At this time I
already knew, this musician will receive high accolades in the future.
Now Mauri is back
with his second solo album "Good Vibes!!!". He is backed up
by his live band Blas Fernández (drums), Xavi Alaman (bass), Javi
Vela (guitar), Kiko Berenguer (sax), Raúl Garcia (trumpet).
Furthermore he is joined by prominent musicians of the Spanish and
international music scene. Michael Sanchis has written and composed
all tracks except "Green Onions". He arranged and produced
the whole album.
The album starts
with the powerful Cookin'
featuring sax player Bill Evans. This tune is funky and perfectly
rockin'. Mauri's Hammond B-3 vibrations really gave me the creeps.
Remarkable is the broad range of the Hammond organ tonalities from
bright and screaming to a downright dirty bass!
The uptempo
Everything is more mellow but still very accentuated. Blas
Fernández does a great job on drums.
Mauri Sanchis
also masters slow ballads like the bluesy Lights.
He is playing tones straight or let them drag always in the right
moments. Guest performer is Javier Vargas
(guitar).
In 1962 Booker T.
& The MG's released the album Green
Onions. This title can be found on compilations, box sets,
and countless soundtracks. Mauri presents his own interpretation in a
changed tempo.
One can divide Secrets into a smooth jazz and a fusion jazz piece
with free jazz elements. Bill Evans created the horn arrangement.
Straight
Ahead is featuring Dean Brown on guitar. He is best known for his work with
Marcus Miller, Billy Cobham, David Sanborn, Bob James. Kirk Whalum,
Bill Evans, Victor Bailey, George Duke and The Brecker Bros. Dean
added the guitar part to this tune via internet. More about the making
of the album is in the video which is additional part of this album.
The tune is a funky burner, a mixture of James Brown and
Marceo Parker.
Sure,
Laidback Soul sounds laidback but Mauri's style is to raw
to be pressed into the smooth jazz frame.
When we talk
about Obsession we talk about
Mauri's passion for his Hammond-B3. Mauri can expressed this obsession
perfectly by his performance which escalate in a wild crescendo of
guitar, trumpet and organ.
The title Beauty
In The B was taken by Mark Vail's book "Beauty
In The B". Mauri considered to write a text but then borrowed
the lines from Mark's book which is rapped by Danna Leese. In addition
Mauri presents 21 voices of international musicians from 21 different
countries. Joey
De Francesco, a famous Hammond B-3 master himself, is playing
trumpet on this groovy tune.
Mauri Sanchis'
new album "Good Vibes!!!" is pure entertainment not only for
lovers of the Hammond B-3.
