Review (Jazz): "Faith" - Reginald Cyntje

Caribbean born trombone maestro Reginald Cyntje has been a DC staple for years and his consistency has paid off in his latest project the Love album.  This review is of the track “Faith.”

Ambient music with soulful touches, this track is reminiscent of Miles Davis’ concepts used in his Silent Way and fusion albums of the 70s.  There is a repeated theme that makes its entrance throughout and in between there is spoken word poetry, instrumental solos and vocal solos.  There are hints of complexity within the recurring phrase and the final statement, the overall feeling however is of a steady groove that speaks to the meaning of the title: faith.  Faith in concept has to be steady and this track is steady.  It doesn’t let up but it also doesn’t go too far.  

A nice touch is the steel pan work of Victor Provost which definitely harkens to Cyntje’s UVI (U.S. Virgin Islands) roots.  The spoken word poetry of Lasana Mack is concise and complimentary, not overbearing as in some attempts I’ve heard by many poets.  Allyn Johnson’s piano solos bring variety and dexterity to the piece that provides just enough interest without taking the music past the steady contemplative groove.  

A refreshing and warm sound is Christie Dashiell’s vocals.  She adds a Sarah Vaughan-esque quality that makes the track seem that much more polished.  Her solos behind the poetry are like a seasoned horn player and she doesn’t over-complicate things by doing too many lines.

Reginald Cyntje has put together a nice collection of talented musicians to create an enjoyable piece of music.

You can purchase Reginald's CD here:

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