Multi-instrumentalist/music composer and audiovisual artist Marco Paul shares his latest endeavour Soul Train Trio, a 7 track body of work that sees him teaming up with a team of seasoned musicians ranging from drummer Nicolas Silveira and Jaime Aldaraca Ferrao who plays the baritone saxophone and transversal flute. The 45-minute-long project traverses different soundscapes but it is deeply rooted in classical jazz with elements of funk and world music. The title is also the name for Marco’s current musical brainchild consisting of the aforementioned musicians.
Soul Train Trio opens up with “Dumbo”. The record starts off with plucky bass lines and slowly evolves into a potpourri of sounds ranging from sombre strings, warm Rhodes riffs, slick xylophone and a hushed drum groove. The 6-minute epic track is riddled with dynamic arrangements, soft seamless transitions and breaks that keep the live feel intact. “Ginekara Mou” is a mellow and sombre piece that has hints of neo-soul with heavy jazzy elements. The keys are rich and are accompanied by a pulsating bassline and staggered drum grooves. The record is also bolstered by spoken word rap and soulful vocal performance peppered with heartfelt lyrics that ask the eternal question of what real love is. Again the record stands out for its use of gradual progression and subtle chord changes to fit the mood as it moves along.
“Bugambilia” has an anthemic introduction with horn stabs and layered keys and thumping drum grooves. The bassline has a funky aesthetic and the lilting vocal runs take precedence with its commanding and unbridled projection and rich melodies. The fun continues on “Enter The Kitten”, another vibrant tune that gets listeners nodding their heads from the job. The playful bassline-driven groove and horns are reminiscent of the retro British pop jams but the difference is the jazzy elements that thread the song together. The vocals come into play a little past the 1-minute mark and carry on like an accompaniment to the horns and the reggae dub groove change at certain parts. This is followed by the epic 11-minute-long “The Art Of Hunter”, a piece that showcases the brilliant musicianship of Marco Paul and his Soul Train Trio band. The track begins with a rich jazzy piano riff tapered by a plump organ and soft drum grooves to match. The vocals again play a significant role with their stylish off-kilter melodic runs and smooth harmonies that play off the cinematic pads and flutes. The piece continues with much vigour as the piano progression and grooves switch from laidback to upbeat lines.
The project closes out with two piano-driven pieces “Ain’t no jazz” and “Tierra del Sol”. The latter is a 7-minute piece rich in exquisite and solemn keys and cinematic flutes that tap into our emotions with its nostalgia-inducing vibe while the former is a playful track that starts off mellow and rises to a crescendo with bright keys, rich blaring horns and a rousing drum groove to match.
Overall, Soul Train Trio is as cohesive as can be and its extensive arrangement is in line with the traditions of traditional jazz but they do push the envelope with their unpredictable progressions, choice of chords and the distinct vocal performance that is perfect;t threaded across the tracks.
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