Giveton Gelin Releases An Outside-The-Box Jazz Record, Riddled With Character
Giveton Gelin showcases some amazing chops, not just as a trumpeter, but also as an arranger and a composer, all with his new release, Island Dreamer III of III.
Now, as you can tell by the title, this is the third part in a three-part series, so although I'm going to be diving into this record, you absolutely have to check out the first two parts.
I personally have not checked those out yet, but now that I've soaked this record in, I'm definitely going to, as this release itself has such a brilliant approach that blends all different kinds of jazz with this Caribbean element that hints at an Island overtone, and that in itself brings a certain kind of warmth, which is kind of beautiful.
One of the first full pieces of the record is called "Blue Hole (III of III Cut)," which, judging by the title, is a piece that's been reworked a few times, and it's a perfect example of what I mean by bringing in some of that Island, Caribbean aesthetic to the table along with the warmth of his instrument.
A lot of the Caribbean element comes from the percussion, which is completely brilliant and adds a different kind of flow to the piece.
This piece of music is not just about going off on the trumpet and giving you sort of intense lines and progressions, but more about putting you in a certain kind of mood.
There are some amazing riffs and hooks that the track actually starts right off with, and yes, he does go off into the zone and jams out quite a bit, but it's still sort of delicate. He doesn't go over the top in terms of his dynamics. He doesn't push hard. He sits right there in the pocket and allows you to soak in the aesthetic.
So, right from the first track, you're put in this kind of headspace.
A lot of that headspace continues, and you do get elements of vintage jazz, smooth, contemporary, and more to go along with that sort of Island feel.
Most of the time, those elements are all rolled into one track as opposed to just spread out in tiny pieces across the full album.
"Moun Lakay" certainly brings it all out at once. On this track, you can hear the rhythms really take control. The fun thing about a record like this is that because it infuses the Caribbean and the jazz so well, the songs are insanely addictive, colorful, and danceable.
This is probably one of my favorite tracks on the record, simply because you can't not move your body to it. As soon as you get into that rhythm, there's no turning back.
The piano work on this track is so good. The pianist is really just giving these sort of quicker counter-rhythms in between the spacious beats coming from the drummer, and I dig that because it feels like so much space.
Having the faster-paced rhythms between the drum beats really brings something fresh to the table, and it gets you a little invigorated. What's more, the pianos aren't up in the front. They're not buried in the mix either.
You know that they're there; you can hear them a lot of the time, but there are certain sections where they really come out and shine, and when those sections happen, you're just blown away.
I feel like Giveton knows how to put character into his performances. It's not just about passion, which is an obvious element, but more about the personality he puts into his performances that makes them sort of come alive.
You can also hear this slew of different kinds of classic and vintage jazz influences that come to the table, and those are strewn about throughout the record as well.
Now, one of my favorite aspects of this record is that it branches out into even more space when you least expect it.
Tracks like "Dreamland" feel different, with these brilliant and beautiful, full-bodied harmonies that feel almost at peace, both in the performance and in the melody.
It just gives you this relaxing sensation. The sensation of floating. This is also accompanied by spacious and ambient synthesizers that sort of shimmer and glimmer, giving this vastness to the song, opening it up wide, and letting you float alongside through all that expansive aesthetic.
It's quite gorgeous, and as I mentioned, I didn't really expect it when it happened.
"Eargasm," yes, you read that right, brings out a lot of that classic jazz influence, laying low on the Caribbean style or the outside-the-box experimental dreamscape feel.
This track brings you back to jazz itself, puts you in the moment, and lets you jam.
Everyone is just enjoying the flow on this single. I think that the fluency of songs like this is really what makes them feel so good.
I've mentioned this before, but it'll never get old, so I'll say it again: jazz music has very particular ways of putting you in the moment with it.
Songs can be slightly improvised while still being amazingly arranged. This seems to be the case for certain tracks on this record, while others are definitely planned out and performed exactly the way they were meant to, without much in the way of improvisation.
Either way, you're getting an earful, and there's a lot to soak in throughout the course of this album.
Giveton showcases his love for all of this different music that he's taken in throughout his 26 years of life. That's right, he's only 26, and not only is he the composer and arranger, as well as the trumpeter on this record, but he is also the keyboardist.
So, he's got his fingers in the pot, so to speak.
This is his brainchild from start to finish, and it came out astoundingly immersive and so fun.
The performers on the record, aside from Giveton himself, include pianist Esteban Castro, drummer Giveson Gelin (Giveton's brother), saxophonist Cosmo Lieberman, bassist Adrian D'Aguilar, drummer and percussionist Neil Symonette, along with Karrington McKenzie on lead vocals.
Forgive me if I missed anyone there, but it's something you can tell everyone came together to do because it made sense. And what they've created is something that won't soon leave you.
Absolutely dig into the full album all the way through. It's 15 tracks and lasts over an hour and 15 minutes. It's a blissfully engulfing recording.
Remember where you heard it first. You can thank me later.
Comments