FROM THE EARTH is a beautiful piece of music that invites listeners to engage with what is going on in the world.
Starbilt Records
Andromeda Turre – Voice, Piano, Crystal Bowls, Bell Tree; Chelsea Baratz – Saxophones, EWI; Chien Chien Lu – Marimba, Vibraphone; Jacquelene Acevedo – Percussion; Riza Printup – Harp; M’elle – Background and Choir Vocals; Akua Dixon, Lulu Fontan, Catherine Asaad, Terrell Foster-James – Choir; Steve Turre – Trombone, Shells; Epic Lewis – Piano; Richie Goods – Electric & Acoustic Bass; Gene Lake – Drums; Harold E. Smith – Didgeridoo; Betty Neals – Poetry; The Interviewees – Dr. Jifunza Wright-Carter, Ms Margaret Gordon, Dr. Gladys M. Canals, and Rhonda Hiscock
I shouldn’t be surprised that Andromeda Turre would release a great album, given her musical parents. Her father, Steve Turre is one of my favorite trombone players. I was not familiar with Akua Dixon, her mother, a renowned cellist. Interestingly, she is the first cellist to win the Downbeat Critics Poll. There are some captivating Akua Dixon You Tube videos.
Andromeda was immersed in music at a young age. She was classically trained at the Boston Conservatory and Berkeley College Of Music. She has toured with Ray Charles, headlined jazz festivals in 17 countries, and her compositions have been featured in film, television, and video games. Her music often explores themes of social justice, spirituality, and self-discovery.
FROM THE EARTH is a layered four-part jazz suite that examines climate change, environmental justice, and the human impact on the planet. Each segment deals with a community disproportionately affected by climate change, and there are recorded interviews from the leaders of these underrepresented communities.
FROM THE EARTH’s narrative framework is centered around Earth, Sky, Sea, and Ice. Turre was inspired by a visit to Iceland. “Experiencing the aurora borealis dancing in the sky, the violence of the sea waves crashing, lava birthing new ground and the marvel of being engulfed within a glacier all revealed a profound connection with the earth.”
I was in San Francisco during the 1960s, and the didgeridoo fronting the nature-themed spoken words of ‘Ingression Interlude’ would have fit seamlessly into the counterculture ambience of Haight-Ashbury.
‘Geosphere’ is a stunning jazz piece with Eric Lewis on piano and Chien Chien Lu on marimba. Turre’s vocals are exquisite; her phrasing is different, but I hear echoes of Abbey Lincoln.
‘Grandmother’s Permission’ is a hypnotic triptych, combining marimba, Turre’s vibrato-laden vocals, and words of hope from Dr. Jifunza Wright-Carter, enhanced by Richie Goods’ beautifully bowed bass.
Turre composed all of FROM THE EARTH. ‘Contigo’ is a Cuban sounding blast of joy. Steve Turre plays trombone and he did the horn arrangements. I love it when Andromeda, in Spanish, says “play it papa!” Andromeda’s vocals are more pop, but she sounds fantastic, and M’elle’s background vocals are simply perfect.
FROM THE EARTH is a beautiful piece of music that invites listeners to engage with what is going on in the world. It emphasizes that the survival of marginalized communities is just as vital to those in positions of privilege.
