Éclipse
Aline Homzy
Elastic Recordings ER-009 (alinehomzy.com)
An award-winning Canadian violinist and composer, Aline Homzy is no stranger to the exploration of the unknown and this is precisely what she does with her debut album Éclipse. The world of Éclipse is elegant, nuanced and enigmatic, sparking a curiosity in the listener. Homzy and her Étoile Magique colleagues are set on capturing the enigma of incorporeality in their music, translating visual/physical shifts, such as movements of the celestial bodies, into an aural one. Thus we have the world built on the cosmos like textures using synths, theremin and the colours of vibraphone, creating a sonic background for our imagination. In that world, Homzy’s violin is both the guide and the explorer – her balanced sound and impeccable phrasing transversing beauty and etherealness but not shying away from bold gestures or rhythmic complexity.
In addition to the explorative elements, Éclipse is still very much rooted in the jazz violin tradition and many arrangements are within the classic jazz structure. Ten original tunes by Homzy and vibraphonist Michael Davidson cultivate the best of that tradition while leaving a mark of their own. The rest of the core ensemble, consisting of guitarist Thom Gill, bassist Dan Fortin and percussionist Marito Marques, forms a tight-knit group. Their own solos, most notably by Fortin in the only cover on the album – Charlie Parker’s Segment – are charming and engaging. With such a clear compositional direction and sophisticated performers, this album will be noted by many.
