Later this month, trombonist Nanami Haruta will release her debut album, The Vibe through Origin Records. The 11-song record is a mostly successful first outing for the up-and-coming musician. That is due in large part to the album’s featured arrangements, which will be discussed shortly. While the musical content that makes up the album’s body is clearly a positive, there is one downside, that being the lack of any background on the arrangements. That is not enough to doom the album but it certainly would have enhanced the listening experience. To that end there is one more positive to note, that being the album’s sequencing, which will be discussed later on its own. Each item noted is key in its own way to the whole of The Vibe. All things considered they make The Vibe a welcome early addition to this year’s field of new jazz albums.
The Vibe, the debut album from Nanami Haruta, is a mostly successful first offering from the up-and-coming trombonist. The album’s success comes in large part through its featured musical arrangements. Totaling 11 in all, there are three originals from Haruta spread across the record. The remaining eight songs are updated arrangements of other composers’ works, each different in its own way from the others. The record opens with one of those updated arrangements in the form of ‘Girlie’s World.’ Originally composed by Renee Rosnes, it was arranged for this presentation by Chris Glassman. The song, which includes a saxophone solo by Michael Dease and an equally enjoyable performance by pianist Xavier Davis, is a nice, light cool jazz style composition. From here, the group goes semi bop in an arrangement of Gregg Hill’s ‘The Vibe.’ Haruta leads the way on this song with her rich performance on the trombone. The swing that Haruta brings to the arrangement pairs with the performances of her band mates to make the whole so much fun overall.
Haruta and company ease things back a bit as the record progresses with one of the noted three originals from Haruta, ‘Toshi.’ This easygoing composition once again finds Haura leading the way. It is a cool jazz type of piece that is easily likened to some of the lighter works from Miles Davis and John Coltrane. Later in ‘Easy Money’ the group changes things yet again with a more upbeat composition somewhat in a bop style but with a swing. Ulysses Owens Jr.’s drum solo is the kind of thing that drummers and music lovers alike love to hear. From there, the next two tracks, one of which is another of Haruta’s original, really slow things down for a more romantic mood before gradually picking things back up in ‘Jamerson’s Lullaby’ and then even more so in ‘Woodpecker,’ the album’s penultimate entry. The collective’s cover of ‘Unchained Melody’ closes out the album on a softer measure (no pun intended), once again showing the diversity in sound and styles in the album. Overall, that diversity gives plenty of reason for engagement and entertainment, building a strong foundation for the album.
While the songs featured in this album are diverse in their sound and style, the liner notes included in the album, while interesting, do not give the full picture of the songs. The notes give a history on Haruta as a musician and how she came to assemble her sextet of musicians. That story is interesting. However, what is lacking is any note of the arrangements themselves, why they were chosen for the album and the background on the originals that were covered. Even some background would have been nice. To that end, the information that is included helps at least a little. So, the lack of other background information is not enough to doom the album, but it certainly would have helped the listening experience.
Knowing the matter of the liner notes is not enough to doom the album, there is one more positive to note. That positive is the album’s sequencing. As noted, the arrangements featured throughout the record provide clear diversity in sound and style. It is obvious in listening closely that there was a deliberate sequencing to the songs. That is obvious in how the album starts upbeat, then gradually pulls back midway through, and then picks back up once more before closing on an easy, laid back note. Such aesthetic element seems minor on the surface but on a deeper level, it ensures things stay interesting for listeners throughout. The positive impact thereof works with the songs themselves to make the whole album well worth hearing even despite its one minor shortfall. In turn, it makes the album a welcome early entry to this year’s field of new jazz albums.
The Vibe, the debut album from Nanami Haruta, is a mostly positive offering from the up-and-coming trombonist. Its strength lies directly in its arrangements. The arrangements are a diverse collection of originals and arrangements of originals. They are varied in their sound and style from beginning to end, ensuring plenty of engagement and entertainment. The album does come with liner notes but the liner notes are more background on Haruta’s career than the songs, which does detract from the record to a point. That is not enough to doom the record, though. To that end there is one more positive, that being the album’s sequencing. The sequencing was clearly thought out as there is a clear direction in the songs’ sounds and styles (and moods) from one to the next. It keeps the album interesting in that aspect just as much as in the songs themselves. Keeping all of this in mind, the album proves in full to be a welcome early entry in this year’s field of new jazz albums.
The Vibe is scheduled for release Feb. 28. More information on this and other titles from Origin Records is available at:
Website: https://originarts.com
Facebook: https://facebook.com/originjazz
