# CD review: Bill O’Connell & The Afro Caribbean Ensemble – Wind Off the Hudson 2019: Video, CD cover

- Link: https://jazzblues.eu/2019/09/26/cd-review-bill-oconnell-the-afro-caribbean-ensemble-wind-off-the-hudson-2019-video-cd-cover/
- Published: 2019-09-26T13:39:13+01:00
- Author: https://JazzBlues.EU

**Devotees of the incredible vivacity of Afro-Caribbean music will be spoiled for
choice of a favourite moment (or moments) on this inspired 2019 release by Bill 
O’Connell and The Afro-Caribbean Ensemble, _Wind Off The Hudson_. **

There is so much technical mastery of the form – its rhythms and harmonies – all
of which are displayed as the highest level by the pianist and the stellar cast 
of musicians that he has gathered to interpret some of his own repertoire as well
as interpretations of works from grand masters such as Duke Ellington (“C Jam Blues”),
Juan Tizol (“Perdido”) and Tito Puente (“Oye Como Va”). Also, significantly, this
is a debut recording for the group of musicians, some of whom might never before
recorded as a group with others, or with Mr O’Connell as well.

Clearly virtuosity is not so much the music’s aim as expressivity, yet Mr O’Connell
plays with brilliance throughout. No Less impressive is the compelling interaction
between Mr O’Connell and the excellent Afro-Caribbean Ensemble, clearly a crucial
component in the pianist’s music that is symphonic in design. The ensemble’s contributions
to the dialogue are always carefully shaped and fully responsive to the subtle nuances
in the pianist’s phrasing. Another striking aspect of the recording is the fact 
that one is hardly conscious of the pianist’s innate virtuosity almost throughout
this performance; indeed he virtually eschews the kind of dazzle that piano-playing
leaders and conductors usually bring to Afro-Caribbean music, especially when the
careful density of the arrangements makes way for the familiar _descarga_ component
of the music.

Mr O’Connell’s own solos are short, usually made up of two-handed melodic stabs 
and chordal thrusts onto the keyboard, designed to keep the ensemble invigorated
and leading into reeds, winds and horn solos by Craig Handy – who appears here on
alto and soprano saxophones – as well as the broad tenor of Ralph Bowen, the rumbling
baritone of Gary Smulyan, the veritable flights of Andrea Brachfeld’s flutes, Alex
Sipiagin’s smouldering trumpet and flugelhorn and Conrad Herwig’s elegant growling
trombone. Meanwhile keeping it all rocking, swaggering and shimmering in the pocket
are the combined forces of rhythmists Lincoln Goines (bass), Robby Ameen (drums)
and the incomparable Román Díaz (congas). Leading from the front is O’Connell, who
keeps this music profoundly beautiful whether he is creating a tornado on “Wind 
Off The Hudson”, or letting things simmer on the Holy Rollin’ mystique of “Gospel
6”.

Meanwhile Bill O’Connell also makes the strongest possible case for his mastery 
of composition and the re-invigoration of harmonic statement. His reconstructions
of “C Jam Blues”, “Perdido” and “Oye Como Va” are far from mere re-arrangements;
rather they appear to be absolutely new and imaginative architectural wonders located
from their original idiomatic landscape into a wholly new musical topography. Deploying
the widest possible range of colour, dynamics and articulation he brings a surprisingly
varied degree of emotions to the music – these compositions as well as his own –
adopting (in the case of “C Jam Blues” especially) daringly faster speeds and wildly
inventive rhythms at every turn. This has the desired effect of ratcheting up the
tension between the piano and the rest of the harmonists – notably in “Perdido”,
with the shifting-sands in the harmony that recalls both “Giant Steps” rolled into
an etching by Maurits Escher – which, in this instance, is worked to maximum dramatic
effect. You may not find a better recording in this musical space this year or the
next.

**Tracks:**

 1.  Wind Off the Hudson
      2. Gospel 6
 2.  Jerry’s Blues
 3.  I Don’t Have the Answer
 4.  Oye Como Va
 5.  Perdido
 6.  Got Cha
 7.  Transition
 8.  C Jam Blues
 9.  Discombobulation

**Personnel:**

**Bill O’Connell:** piano, compositions and arrangements; **Andrea Brachfeld: **
flute (1, 3, 5, 7–10) and alto flute (4); **Craig Handy:** alto saxophone (1-3, 
6, 7, 9, 10) and soprano saxophone (8); **Ralph Bowen:** tenor saxophone; **Gary
Smulyan:** baritone saxophone; **Alex Sipiagin:** trumpet and flugelhorn (4); **
Conrad Herwig:** trombone; **Lincoln Goines:** electric bass; **Robby Ameen:** drums;**
Román Díaz:** congas (1 – 3, 5 – 10)

![](https://i0.wp.com/latinjazznet.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Bill-OConnell-
and-the-Afro-Caribbean-Ensemble-Wind-off-the-Hudson-CD-Cover-300x300.jpg?resize=
300%2C300&ssl=1)

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