Evolution

Thanks: I would like to thank all those involved in helping me create this project including the musicians, Bill O’ Connell, Harvie S, and Jason Tiemann- who are always ready to play whatever music I put in front of them with passion, musical expertise and total acceptance of the new and adventurous, Kostadin Kamcev, Dave Kowalski, Nick Carter, Sam Oliver, Dorothy Gaylord, and John Bishop. Special thanks to Bill who creates such magic co-creating the music with me! Ultimate thanks always goes to the divine who allows me to be the vessel through which my music flows.

Liner Notes

A stark contrast to Andrea Brachfeld’s last Brazilian Whispers CD that held steady at #14 on the Jazz Week charts, Evolution takes us on a musical journey inward. Recorded during three separate sessions that began in January of 2020, right before the pandemic, it wasn’t completed until later in 2021, after the global transformation.

Brachfeld found focus and creativity in how children from different populations express themselves through melody and song. Recognizing the curative effects of music, her role as an artist, and how children worldwide were suffering, the renowned flutist sought solace in Indigenous and African ritual tunes such as Qingauiit and the Hut Song.

Inspiration flowed, creating “What’s Up” and “Transformation.” With added tunes came added instruments: a Colombian clay flute, an alto flute, a green bamboo flute, kalimba, and shells accompanied her standard fare. The original recording evolved.

The music mixes spiritual ancestral sound waves with the cohesive sonic jazz vibe of her skilled band Insight —a rhythmic holdover from 2018’s If Not Now When? and reliable beat buddies over several recordings now. Insight’s Bill O’Connell on piano, veteran bassist Harvie S, and drummer Jason Tiemann connect interchangeably within a vortex of musical commonality and perception. Except for Qingauiit, the Hut Song, and Ko Ribon, Evolution features original numbers showcasing the nexus between co-conspirator O’Connell who conjures up the harmonies to Andrea’s melodies before releasing the fused magic.

In this, her tenth recording as a leader and her second for the Origin label, Andrea lays bare her artistic soul.

Evolution‘s quizzical open begs the question What’s Up? displaying Insight’s fluidity and almost telepathic timing. Andrea’s bawdy solid timbre leads playing around Harvie’s precise walking bass lines, skillfully flowing up and down melodic paths that stream seamlessly into Bill’s tasty piano work.

Bold piano comps distinguish Decimation of Transformation building a bridge as if brick by brick under Andrea’s pulsing yet lyrically graceful modulations before softening into piano/walking/talking bass interludes that climb and arpeggiate up and down scales. Andrea joins in segueing into the interim refrain flexing her dexterity, precision, and skill. Tiemann’s drum solo is savvy in its dynamics and provocative on the steady cymbal brush beats. A smattering of solid yet gentle metered measures end the tune as suddenly as it started.

Brachfeld lays down a rich, deep longing as she calls upon the more prominent alto flute for Qingauiit sprinkled beautifully with O’Connell’s delicate voicings at its head. Throughout the lilting tune, Andrea artfully moves the native love song in a nod to the Inuit people. Her sonorous dexterity shines as she scurries up the higher register into a stratosphere of trills before turning it over to the pianist, whose bright passages continue the song’s pace and energy. The deft bass fingers over a crisp, penetrating solo complimented by Tiemann’s tasteful drumming rounds out the tune into a final groove ending in a climax.

In the bars between the Hut Song’s ethereal open to the thumping 6/8 rhythms of Africa, Andrea’s multi-melodic flute verses howl in solidarity to young girls and women bonding monthly in separate chambers as they celebrate a joyous sisterhood in this piece from Cameroon. Hut Song’s open evokes a persistent wind whipping through clay and shells and magic spells bubbling over a piano harp sundered by a gentle cymbal splash that intros the lively 6/8 pumping heart. Piano keys cautiously tease the beat, joined by lyrically thumping bass pluckings that open a lush path for Andrea’s flutes playing multi-melodically. Interspersing the kalimba thumb piano she plays throughout, three flutes are overdubbed: —the alto voice on the bottom, the bamboo at top as her flowing tones soar in arpeggios that purge through the solid foundation of her familiar trio. Her fluid style resounds through its finale; Andrea’s breath picks up where she left off at the very top. An ethereal Colombian flute calling closes, stirring the magic, saluting the ancestors at its edge.

A celestial shower of rhythmic cymbal brushes opens Child of the Earth alongside a swaying bass under a trickling piano scale. Andrea opts for a spoken word plea to a higher power for unity in this incarnation. She rises to the challenge before picking up her flute to soar with Bill’s spirited solo at her heels.

The Unraveling of It All unknots its first eight four-note reps under a 6/8 cymbal feel for an all-out musical feast of piano, bass, and drum syncopations as Brachfeld glides gracefully overhead. Each solo is audibly exquisite in execution and dynamics. Tiemann, in particular, exemplifies the delicate balance between drum set and rhythm ensemble. Few are the drummers with the dynamics to seamlessly blend without being overwhelming. The exchange between musicians as they solo is uncanny in the precision of their timing as they go from one phrase to another. Only to reknot it again at the end, repeating those first eight sets of four-note refrains after it was all unraveled.

At her nephew’s home for Shabbat, Brachfeld quickly appreciated the ritual song, taking the looping Ko Ribon’s melody from her head and into the repertoire. At its top, the even tempoed Ko Ribon seems to be shaken into being by the sheer alchemy of the cymbal’s brush anchored through the melodic piano notes melded with the bassist’s sway. Brachfeld’s mellow minor notes play the spiritual refrain throughout, leaving space for her flight into improvisation. O’Connell’s solo picks up where she left off, transitioning into jazzy introspection before handing it off to Brachfeld for the finish.

Luscious liquid sounds of gently cresting water lifted by the lilt of a flute, Being With What Is brings nature’s shells and beads into a symmetrical formation with sound. Brachfeld comes in carefully, slowly, vibing in sync with the bass strings. The piano’s chords create background voices to ground the hovering song above until the space and time opens for O’Connell’s melodic modulations. The Colombian flute hovers. The shells chime. The band circles around Brachfeld’s peaceful call to healing, to the ancestors, and to this benevolent leader who has evolved into a facilitator of energy. 

Evolution — In the Press

• La Gazette Bleu – Santi Debriano & Andrea Brachfeld / ASHANTI - Then, it is the twirling tenderness of the flute, on a more exotic rhythm, which takes us into sunny and wild regions, full of attractive mystery, like the flautist in the Douanier-Rousseau painting... …Read More
• The New York City Jazz Record – Sept 2023 - Panamanian-American bassist Santi Debriano took his Flash of the Spirit band, with Andrea Brachfeld (flute), Bob Franceschini (tenor sax), Bill O’Connell (piano) and Tommy Campbell (drums), to the Django for a one-night-only show (Aug. 1) of rousing Latin jazz. …Read More
• Evolution – The New York City Jazz Record - “Evolution”, by flutist Andrea Brachfeld & Insight, is not just an album; it’s an eloquent, impassioned plea for humanity. Brachfeld, with a first-call rhythm section of pianist Bill O’Connor, bassist Harvie S and drummer Jason Tiema, sets out a musically and culturally divers welcome table that is instructive as well as entertaining. …Read More
• Evolution – Take Effect Review - An important artist in New York City’s jazz and Afro-Cuban scene for 5 decades, Andrea Brachfeld spent much time thinking about children’s issues during the pandemic, and that reflection is very apparent in these very diverse and thoughtful songs. “What’s Up” starts the listen with dreamy flute, crisp drumming, and much warm piano in the… …Read More
• Evolution – Jazz Cafe, Argentina Press - "Una figura central de las escenas afrocubanas y de jazz de la ciudad de Nueva York durante los últimos cinco décadas, la flautista ANDREA BRACHFELD, como la mayoría de los artistas en los últimos dos años, encontró una gran cantidad de tiempo para reflexionar sobre su arte, comunidad y humanidad. En "Evolution", la escritura de… …Read More
• Evolution – All About Jazz Review - "...in Evolution, she brings listeners to different corners of the planet. Sometimes what sounds at first straight-ahead jazz then goes to totally new territories and vice versa. "Qingauilt" is a piece from the Inuit duo Tudjaat, but it is hard to distinguish it from a traditional jazz tune. The lyrical bass solos glue together the flute and… …Read More
• Evolution – Saxophon Forum Review - "The American flutist Andrea Brachfeld has recorded an impressive new album with her quartet Insight. She uses a wide variety of flutes from the normal C flute and alto flute to various bamboo flutes, which contribute to an exciting touch of world music. Their trio is spectacular, especially pianist Bill O'Connell impresses with gripping uptempo… …Read More
• Evolution – JazzWax Review and Interview - "After hearing Andrea's beautiful playing on Evolution, I reached out for an email interview. To fully understand Andrea's grace, spiritual energy and flowing technique, I wanted to know everything about her—what she went through growing up and the stakes she faced as she pushed to become the fluid and soulful player she is today." Read… …Read More
• Evolution – Downbeat Review - "This band's balance of taut cohesion and adventurous improvisation is mighty impressive. A central figure of New York City's jazz & Afro-Cuban scenes over the last five decades, flutist Andrea Brachfeld, like most artists over the last two years, found a great amount of time to reflect on their art, community, and humanity. For "Evolution,"… …Read More
• Evolution Review - An ode to flowers that peek through concrete, Evolution is a work of art and love. It's a chapter in the transformation of a recording. It's a road in the progression of an artist. I remember Andrea Brachfeld when she graced the cover of Charanga '76 as part of the Afro-Cuban band. Her prior jazz workshops with Jimmy Heath… …Read More

Notable Quotes

• “Evolution” is not just an album; it’s an eloquent, impassioned plea for humanity. - "Evolution" is not just an album; it's an eloquent, impassioned plea for humanity. Brachfeld has serious jazz chops. "Child of the Earth", a spoken word affirmation, might be the album's defining moment. Brachfeld's delivery reflects the words' urgency, her gradually rising voice driving the rhythm section relentlessly as the music builds and intensifies beneath her elemental message… …Read More
• Unique and Worldly Approach - “Brachfeld is joined by Bill O’Connell (piano), Harvie S (bass) and Jason Tiemann (drums, percussion), and they help make for a very unique and worldly approach to songwriting that you can’t help but appreciate. “ ~ Take Effect, August 2022, takeeffectreviews.com …Read More
• Jazz Weekly, George Harris - “Her flute floats on the upbeat “What’s UP “ and is cirrus fluffy for “The Unraveling Of It All”. Winds in the woods.” ~ George Harris, June 2022, jazzweekly.com …Read More
• All About Jazz, Jack Bowers - “There is nothing at which she does not excel, regardless of mood or tempo.” ~ Jack Bowers, June 2022, allaboutjazz.com …Read More
• Gorgeous, Rich Sound - "When I listen to the gorgeous, rich sound of flutist Andrea Brachfeld, I question why she is not constantly headlining at the world’s top jazz spots." ~ Don Smith, May 2022, hothousejazz.com …Read More
• Consistently Engaging - “…the music itself is consistently engaging and admirably performed by Brachfeld and her teammates. When the sum is totaled, that is what counts most.” ~ Jack Bowers, June 2022, allaboutjazz.com/ …Read More
• JazzDeLaPena - “With her longtime compatriots fully onboard, the music is allowed to respond to myriad influences, deftly blending into a distinctive voice.” ~Tomas dela Pena, April 2022, jazzdelapena.com/ …Read More
• Jazz Weekly - “Her flute floats on the upbeat “What’s UP “ and is cirrus fluffy for “The Unraveling Of It All”. Winds in the woods.”  ~George Harris , June 2022, jazzweekly.com …Read More
• Exploration of self - “With Evolution, Brachfeld continues her discoveries in music and exploration of self.”  ~May 23, 2022, soundindepth.com …Read More
• Powerful message - "The piece (Child of the Earth) ends with a powerful message: 'We are all children of our Earth.'" ~Jane Kozhevnikova, June 10, 2022, allaboutjazz.com …Read More
• Great quartet. - "Andrea Brachfeld, another fine new album from you! Great quartet." ~Bradley Stone …Read More
• Playing very cleanly - "You’re to be commended for playing very cleanly those unusual melodies… " ~Hubert Laws …Read More
• Respected Presence - “…the versatile flutist and composer has been a well-established and respected presence on New York City's jazz and Afro-Cuban scenes since around 1970. On Evolution, her tenth recording as a leader.”  ~ Jack Bowers, June 2022, allaboutjazz.com/ …Read More