Ari Joshua’s latest release, “Tagine,” catapults me back to the era of self- and societal brainstorming in the early 2000s. This is an unheard previously track that was cut at Wombat Studios, Brooklyn, with guest appearances from Marco Benevento on the organ and Joe Russo on the drums. Combined, they produce a mood that is somber and foggy, yet expressive of something profound and truly powerful.
The name ‘Tagine’ is derived from a Moroccan restaurant in New York city in which Benevento started weekly sessions attracting talented players. You can see what close friends are like in the trio; they grasped the experience of those intense sessions. Joshua’s guitar is dark yet complex and perfectly synchronized with Benevento’s organ notes and Russo’s stomping on drums.
It goes beyond a simple musical creation as a record of emotions that New York felt in the years following the September 11 tragedy. Joshua tells me the harrowing experience of having to drive across the Brooklyn Bridge with gears and burdened by sad news to Tagine under more security than usual. It brings an additional layer of meaning to the track – a sense that enriches the experience of listening.
The name ‘Tagine’ is a reference to an African cooking pot, but the music it contains is progressive and psychedelic fusion with touches of Coltrane and Davis. The ideas of the band are experimented here, but at the same time, make the song timeless yet new.
It is the way in which one can tell where they are and what a specific time period is all about simply by listening. The song “Tagine” is one that fans of Ari Joshua, a jazz fusion artist, ought to listen to. It depicts the young budding talent and the nascent works of Joshua, Benevento and Russo who later on became critically acclaimed artists.
Given that this one is the first song to appear from this particular session, there is hope for more discoveries from Joshua’s collection of songs. Having a good listen is within everyone’s reach since “Tagine” is available on all streaming platforms out there.
Listen Tagine below
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