The American flute player Andrea Brachfeld was recently the winner of the ‘Best Jazz Flute’ in the Hot House Magazine Awards (to add to her previous awards). In the notes with her new CD, she tells about a spiritual journey and how it has affected her playing today. The difference between ‘playing at jazz’ and making really meaningful music has become very important for this musician, who also has earned her credits in the salsa circuit. Although I cannot compare this objectively with other albums, I hear technical control as well as inspiration, enthusiasm and risk taking. Not only does Andrea’s playing stand out, but all of the musicians do. Pianist and co-producer Bill O’Connell plays in a subtile and stimulating way and with inventive solos that include exciting cross rhythms à la Herbie Hancock and beautiful motives.The result is an album with a deliberate mix of mainstream jazz and ‘groove’, blending original compositions and some jazz-‘standards’ that were not too well known to me. I was very happy to listen to over and over again.
– Eric de Rooij
This review has appeared in FLUIT 2016-1, the magazine of the Dutch Flute Society in The Netherlands.