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Limited Edition Compact Disc - NEXTLEVEL: Noli Me Tángere
Compact Disc (CD) + Digital Album
With the release of his sophomore album, Noli Me Tángere saxophonist, composer and educator Matthew Muñeses magnifies the revolution in the Philippines on an impassioned and vigorous set of original compositions. Noli Me Tángere is an auditory exploration of the half-Filipino bandleader’s heritage as he pays tribute to the late 19th-century Philippine national hero José Rizal.
The first half of the album unfolds with instrumental interpretations of music and poetry by Rizal and his contemporaries, a showcase for Muñeses’s confident yet sensitive approach to these fin de siècle melodies heard in a modern jazz quintet setting. Supported by a working band of Chicago-based musicians that include Zubin Edalji on trumpet (in a return appearance following Muñeses’s 2015 début, Threshold), Stu Mindeman on piano, Clark Sommers on bass, and Dana Hall on drums (formerly the leader’s teacher at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign), Muñeses illuminates these historic works with an elegant, understated flair. A multi-part sequence on the opening track, “Alin Mang Lahi,” alternates rhythmic cycles of five and a broken triplet feel, while impressionistic harmonies fill out the solo improvisations on “Canto de María Clara.” Edalji’s cantabile trumpet statement during the minor key “Kundiman” strikes a plaintive note before the piece concludes in major.
On the album’s centerpiece and namesake, the Noli Me Tángere suite, Muñeses takes greater liberties in his own compositions without forsaking the foundational melodic and rhythmic ideas set forth in the preceding tracks. Saxophonist Miguel Zenón joins as well, and the two altos punctuate and interweave throughout as sonic counterparts (Muñeses can be heard in the left channel, Zenón in the right). Highlights include the leader’s stately solo over a rich field of harmonic color on “A Son Returns” and the sparks flying between Muñeses and Zenón on the polyrhythmic “Cruelty and Injustice.” The third movement, “Education for All,” has a remarkable metrical contour that brings to mind precursors like Joe Henderson and his tricky composition “Gazelle,” providing ample inspiration for the soloists. The final movement, “Revolution and Liberation,” ends on an optimistic note while leaving something unresolved—more work to be done in the present day, despite the progress that’s been made.
Includes unlimited streaming of NEXTLEVEL: Noli Me Tángere
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With the release of his sophomore album, Noli Me Tángere saxophonist, composer and educator Matthew Muñeses magnifies the revolution in the Philippines on an impassioned and vigorous set of original compositions. Noli Me Tángere is an auditory exploration of the half-Filipino bandleader’s heritage as he pays tribute to the late 19th-century Philippine national hero José Rizal.
The first half of the album unfolds with instrumental interpretations of music and poetry by Rizal and his contemporaries, a showcase for Muñeses’s confident yet sensitive approach to these fin de siècle melodies heard in a modern jazz quintet setting. Supported by a working band of Chicago-based musicians that include Zubin Edalji on trumpet (in a return appearance following Muñeses’s 2015 début, Threshold), Stu Mindeman on piano, Clark Sommers on bass, and Dana Hall on drums (formerly the leader’s teacher at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign), Muñeses illuminates these historic works with an elegant, understated flair. A multi-part sequence on the opening track, “Alin Mang Lahi,” alternates rhythmic cycles of five and a broken triplet feel, while impressionistic harmonies fill out the solo improvisations on “Canto de María Clara.” Edalji’s cantabile trumpet statement during the minor key “Kundiman” strikes a plaintive note before the piece concludes in major.
On the album’s centerpiece and namesake, the Noli Me Tángere suite, Muñeses takes greater liberties in his own compositions without forsaking the foundational melodic and rhythmic ideas set forth in the preceding tracks. Saxophonist Miguel Zenón joins as well, and the two altos punctuate and interweave throughout as sonic counterparts (Muñeses can be heard in the left channel, Zenón in the right). Highlights include the leader’s stately solo over a rich field of harmonic color on “A Son Returns” and the sparks flying between Muñeses and Zenón on the polyrhythmic “Cruelty and Injustice.” The third movement, “Education for All,” has a remarkable metrical contour that brings to mind precursors like Joe Henderson and his tricky composition “Gazelle,” providing ample inspiration for the soloists. The final movement, “Revolution and Liberation,” ends on an optimistic note while leaving something unresolved—more work to be done in the present day, despite the progress that’s been made.
supported by 4 fans who also own “NEXTLEVEL: Noli Me Tángere”
An orchestra in which all instruments are serving a journey into faraway places, between jazz, classic and impressionism, with beautiful arrangements. A sweet invitation for a peaceful escape from these dark times. Highly recommended ! mili1
An absolutely killer spiritual jazz record from South African drummer and composer Tumi Mogorosi that moves hearts & lifts souls. Bandcamp New & Notable Jul 16, 2022
