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Ernesto Cervini's Turboprop: Abundance

By Dan McClenaghan
October 3, 2018
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Delve into Toronto-based drummer

Ernesto Cervini

drums
b.1982

" data-original-title="" title="">Ernesto Cervini's discography and you find an artist who seems to be trying to be a force for good in the world. His CD releases feature his Ernesto Cervini Quartet, MEM3, Myraid3, and Turboprop (and others, for he is prolific). His is a sound that brims with buoyancy, whether it's a trio outing or a sextet.

Abundance is the Turboprop sextet's third outing. The group could be considered Cervini's nod to the Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers approach, with more texturalization coming from the drum chair, a bit more unabashed beauty overall.

The disc opens with "The Queen," from the pen of the group's alto saxophonist,

Tara Davidson

saxophone, alto
b.1979

" data-original-title="" title="">Tara Davidson. The sound leans deeply into the modernity side, with a hard forward momentum and on-edge soloing all around. The front line—Davidson, trombonist

William Carn

trombone
b.1969

" data-original-title="" title="">William Carn and tenor sax man

Joel Frahm

saxophone, tenor

" data-original-title="" title="">Joel Frahm—blows out powerhouse harmonies. After the ear-catching introduction, the band moves into three familiar standards, Tadd Dameron's "Tadd's Delight," Harold Arlen's "My Shining Hour," and Charlie Chaplin's "Smile," all brightly rendered, cementing the theme of gratitude for the blessing of "'Abundance."

"The Abundance Overture," a Cervini composition, exudes a light-stepping, playful mood in its opening minute, that moves into muscularity with bassist

Dan Loomis

bass
b.1980

" data-original-title="" title="">Dan Loomis' powerhouse solo, before shifting into the magisterial on trombonist Carn's turn, then sliding out into the sparkling sunshine when pianist

Adrean Farrugia

keyboards

" data-original-title="" title="">Adrean Farrugia takes over.

Farrugia's "Ten Thousand things" is a shape-shifting mini-symphony—dark and pensive one moment, a runaway train barreling down a steep slope the next—a train that never loses control or its hold on the tracks.

Two Cervini compositions, the gorgeous and wistful "Gramps" and the expansive "Song For Chito"—a nod to Cito Gaston, manager of the Toronto Blue Jays who steered the team to back-to-back World Series Championships—close out the excellent recording with style.

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Track Listing

The Queen; Tadd's Delight; My Shining Hour; Smile; Abundance Overture; The Ten Thousand Things; Gramps; Song For Cito.

Personnel

Ernesto Cervini

drums

Tara Davidson

saxophone, alto

Joel Frahm

saxophone, tenor

Adrean Farrugia

keyboards

Dan Loomis

bass

William Carn

trombone

Album information

Title: Abundance | Year Released: 2018 | Record Label: Anzic Records

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