Toni Xuclà - Cherry Earrings



Toni Xuclà

Cherry Earrings



	Last week I reviewed Antonio Restucci 's album *Plaza Del Angel,* which was released at *Nazca Music.* Another interesting acoustic guitar album of this label is Toni Xuclà' s *Cherry Earrying. Nazca Music* descibes his music as "A charming and innovative blend of Catalan folk music, jazz and new age music. The tapestry of traditional Spanish instruments – guitar, mandola, accordion, bagpipe, violins, drums and percussion – is interwoven with subtle threads of electronic sounds." First of all it's an acoustic guitar album with the mainweight on this instrument. But you can compare listening to this album like a walk through an ancient city, where you find at every street corner new unusual impressions. So assigning this album to the Smooth Jazz genre is a little bit shorttaking. This album has its Smooth Jazz moments but much more of other elements as one can see reading the instrumental list and listening to the music. Problemes No! is an midtempo laidback acoustic guitar tune with an impressing keyboard intro and a ghostly vocal accompany as Pat Matheny likes to play. Toni's guitar play is professional and outstanding. Els Cavallets de Cesenàtico is an uptempo classic guitar piece about the traditional Catalan religious feasts remembering the resistance against the moorish attacks. Pregària is a slow melodic acoustic guitar tune with athmospheric hall effects. Tablas and guitar may be the liner note for *Poder Natural. This tune is obviously influenced by Pat Mentheny's music. The violin and the tablas are dominating the next tune Gitanes de Vilapourçon* a traditional from "Occitania" arranged by Toni Xuclà adapted by Xavier Macaya. *El Rem i la Pala de Forner* is although a violin tune in the more folkloristic way. *Als 4 vents* is an uptempo propulsing piece with piano and acoustic guitar sounds and a beautiful keyboard bridge. Modern acoustic guitar sounds are displayed on Asi . Interesting the tablas and the fretless bass solo mixed to a fresh mood. La Vall d'Estola is a traditional from "La Garrotxa" adapted and arranged by Toni Xuclà. *Nadal sense Tu* turns the wheel to the romantic acoustic guitar part again with an impressing flute solo as you may heared on the Titanic movie score. Evora is a city in Portugal, I have visited in June 2000 with ancient roman ruins and an old university famous by his Azulejos, wonderful painted flagged walls. The last track on Xuclà's album is in this traditional or historical mood. The album rouses different emotions. To combine modern and traditional music in one album is a risk and may prevent from becoming popular, but it is by all means interesting and unique. © HBH

	Musicians: Toni Xuclà: classic & acoustic guitar, madola, keyboards, vocals Jordi Ruiz: electric bass Santa Salas: drums, congas, udú, percussion Xavier Macaya: violin, bagpipe. Guest musicians: Xavier Ibañez: piano Simone Lambregts: violin Eduard Casals: whistle, thin whistle Montse Ballesteros: vocals Phillip Vallet: oboe Joan Figueras: mandolin Ferran Martinez: accordion Xavier Turull: tablas, gatham "Xoli" Satorra: cajón, percussion. More about Toni Xuclà'.