Digno, Sophisticado Y Elegante
Jay Danley
Independent (jaydanley.bandcamp.com/album/digno-sophisticado-y-elegante)
Canadian composer and musician Jay Danley is a multi-instrumentalist with a passion for Cuban music. He has performed with Jane Bunnett, members of Buena Vista Social Club, and can be heard on recordings by Hilario Duran.
On Digno, Sophisticado Y Elegante, Danley takes you in spirit to eastern Cuba, where 19th century Spanish and African-influenced music and dance come together in a collection of original compositions that feature the tres, a three-course string instrument central to the Son Cubano tradition. On this ambitious self-produced instrumental recording Danley plays all the instruments.
In the slow dance opening track, Adiós Al Ayer (Goodbye to Yesterday) the delicate sound of the tres almost whispers as it recalls times past, and is reminiscent of the ache felt when listening to Duran’s interpretation of Mirame Así (Look at Me Like This), on which Danley plays. El Pasado Seacabo (The Past Is Over) takes us further into rural Cuba charming us with its graceful melody. This is small-setting music that is never rushed nor calls attention to itself.
On Guapachou Danley exceeds expectations by featuring the tres with a jazz improviser’s virtuosity. The tres follows multiple lines flying chromatically over the slow-moving chords. The single take tres solo is masterful. At the same time, amidst all this music mastery, one is left nostalgic for a time when the limitations of sampled horns and multitrack home recording was not required to bring engaging new music to the world.
