Feeling good
Filin is a Spanish language tilting ballads and instrumentals album themed around the venerable century old Cuban “filin” crooning and bolero-like style.
With the Chilean saxophonist leader Melissa Aldana, still in her thirties – known for her work with Artemis and before that as a notable winner of what was then the Thelonious Monk saxophone prize – are Cuban piano icon Gonzalo Rubalcaba; the great US bassist Peter Washington known for his work with Bill Charlap (and who is on the recent Grammy winning Southern Nights with Sullivan Fortner); and drummer Kush Abadey completing the core group, Washington’s compatriot.
Star jazz singer Cécile McLorin Salvant guests compellingly.
It’s wonderful the way McLorin Salvant does Marta Valdés song ‘No Te Empeñes Más’.
But fundamentally you are coming to this album first and foremost for the slow, breathy, vibrato soaked, sax contributions and Aldana does not disappoint at all in this regard.
It is an extremely old fashioned record. But that is part of the point given the venerable nature of the style and how that old devil called lurve is what the album is all about: how to express it, how to emote it, how to believe in it.
Frank Domínguez song ‘Imágenes’ is a big highlight. It goes back to the 1950s. Another Domínguez song pops up later.
Snuck in under the radar is Hermeto Pascoal’s ‘Little Church’ which Miles covered on his stupendous live Cellar Door recordings in the early-1970s fits in well with Aldana’s core Joshua Redman type style more than anything else on this latest for Blue Note.
As for Rubalcaba turn to Claudio Estrada’s ‘Ocaso’ for a glorious introduction and a slice of his magic.
But on this piece though I think Aldana just about manages to steer on the right side of becoming cloying. However, if you are a Coleman Hawkins fan, great. You will love this.
So, up there with Aldana’s best work obvs and even better than anything of hers to date. I like this even more than the tarot inspired 2022 release 12 Stars which prior to this was my favourite of this extraordinary player’s albums.
