A Brilliant Improvisational Jazz Release from Judi Silvano’s Garden Winds
A very beautiful, graceful, and unique release from Judi Silvano's Garden Winds just dropped, and this is a record that is comprised of pieces that feel a bit unbound, freeing, and have a universal spirit to them that flows through you.
Part of that flow comes from Judi's vocals, which have such a massively theatrical tonality to them, composed of a melodic backbone, but with that sense of freeing spirit attached to every performance.
She's got a wonderful vibrato and comes through with an almost animated approach, using her voice as an instrument.
Some people would consider this to be a vocal jazz style, which it absolutely is, but it's not the standard, run-of-the-mill approach to this.
She branches out and creates her own version of the style by weaving in undertones of contemporary and, again, quite theatrical approaches that let her voice come through robustly and with a certain kind of intensity at certain points.
A lot of the songs fluctuate and do have rises and falls in intensity, and I think that's part of why they feel so alive.
They're structured in a manner that is purposely improvisational, and this is a classic approach to all different kinds of jazz. Improv is a staple in the jazz music community between performers, and this is an amazing example of how it's taken to a different level.
A lot about this record is quite elevated, and it works in a way that surrounds you with flowing notes and texture.
The record is called First Flight, and the reason the project is called Judi Silvano's Garden Winds is, in part, because it was actually recorded in her garden. I feel like the "Winds" part of it is reflective of how she wanted this to be improvisational to an extent.
You can really feel a lot of that in the performances and the outcomes.
Throughout the record, she brings together an incredible ensemble and several different instrumental approaches, including plenty of wind instruments that really complement how her vocals come across.
It's all quite wild and really intriguing. A lot about this album has an alluring touch to it and sort of pulls you into its space.
Songs like "Gathering" are breathtaking because you're able to really hear the communication between the performers on the piece. This happens quite often throughout the record, and that communication and fluctuation element also comes with a synergistic one, and it's a huge part of why the record works the way it does.
You can hear the joy in Judi's voice nearly the entire time. Just that sense of freedom that it gives you when listening to it is inviting and indulgent.
The whole record is rich with these gorgeous tones that come together, and the live-performance sensation is always there simply because it was improvised in one shot.
I love pieces of music that put you in the moment because there is a moment to put you in. These songs are an absolutely perfect example of exactly that.
Judi bounces between chest and head voice seamlessly, and it's all kinds of amazing notes, with that really sort of bovine feel. It has a heavy tone to it. Its texture is completely addictive, and once you get a few songs in, you are in that space. You are in her world, and it's something that can overtake you.
The improvisational vocal jazz approach is always something that kind of blew my mind, simply because the first time I heard it, I didn't realize it could even be done.
She uses her voice as that instrument throughout the entire record, and when you get halfway through, you just consider it another instrument indeed.
"Flower Talk" is a song that demonstrates how she's able to flutter with the flutes and other wind instruments that are being performed. It really breaks free of structural standards, bringing that improv element to life and, in turn, making the songs surprising.
A lot of these keep you on your toes. You think you know what's coming, but all of a sudden, there's a turn of events that changes things. New melodies, structures, and changes come about that you least expect, and sometimes they happen at times you don't expect either.
It's super fun to have a record that gives you such richness and still has that so-called wind of change on a constant.
She's able to change character or adapt when it comes to the piece of music that's being recorded, and her energy levels fluctuate with the vibes of the songs.
She can be delicate, subtle, calm. She can also be excited, big, intense.
I love those changes because those are the things that let you realize how exciting it is to be a part of an improvisational musical experience.
The record is 10 songs, each bringing something a little bit different to the table but still sticking to its consistency in terms of what it's birthed from and what it's meant to deliver. Still, they break free of any kind of norms, and I feel like this is something that changes the game a little bit, especially in terms of vocal jazz approaches.
I'm not saying that it hasn't been done before, but I'm not sure it has either.
At times, it feels almost operatic.
This was a really gorgeous set of pieces that you should absolutely be soaking in because it's a brilliant and unusual experience that has a unique way of changing you.
It puts you in a certain state of mind.
It's all very cool, and you certainly shouldn't miss it, so check the record out now and remember where you heard it first.
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