Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Jonathan Salvi Arugula Sextet: Arugula

Jonathan Salvi Arugula Sextet: Arugula

By Glenn Astarita
October 8, 2024
View read count

Swiss artist

Jonathan Salvi

vibraphone

" data-original-title="" title="">Jonathan Salvi's Arugula, released on Challenge Records, offers a blend of rhythmic complexity and thoughtful jazz arrangements. As the 103rd release in the "Jazz Thing Next Generation" series, it presents Salvi's work on the vibraphone in a way that fits well within the contemporary jazz scene.

Salvi's vibraphone technique—using four mallets —is not groundbreaking yet brings a delicate and steady presence to the music. In "Wanderig," the album opens with guitarist

Emilio Vidal

guitar

" data-original-title="" title="">Emilio Vidal's understated chord voicings, setting a calm and confident tone. The sextet creates a warm atmosphere with heartfelt melodies and subtle interplay, guided by Salvi's soft touch, as he gracefully follows the piece's gentle arc.

"Multiple Minds" is a testament to Salvi's compositional prowess, featuring layered arrangements that challenge and delight with perky horns, sly tempo changes and bright proclamations from the frontline, along with Vidal's contrasting notes and unison lines with his bandmates. Drummer

Josua Beureux

drums

" data-original-title="" title="">Josua Beureux intermittently injects a Latin pulse that pumps up the overall dynamic.

"Floating River" features a more restrained approach from Salvi, with his vibraphone floating over light drums and

Robinson De Montmollin

piano

" data-original-title="" title="">Robinson De Montmollin's fluid piano lines. The band interprets the track's title with a natural, flowing quality, though it stays within safe, familiar territory.

The album closes with "Blues at the Parcs," an upbeat piece that brings some lively energy to the finish. Trumpeter

Paul Butscher

trumpet

" data-original-title="" title="">Paul Butscher's strong solo injects a bit of an edge, followed by Salvi's more laid-back, mid-tempo solo, which weaves smoothly into the broader arrangement alongside the horns.

In sum, Salvi delivers a solid, if not particularly daring, addition to the jazz catalog. The album stays comfortably within the genre's traditions, providing a pleasant listening experience. For those seeking something easygoing yet skillfully crafted, Arugula is worth checking out—though it may leave you craving more than just music... perhaps a salad, too.

Learn more about our star rating system

Track Listing

Pile Ou Face; Wanderig; Multiple Minds; Dangerous Friend; Floating River; Piquer Des Hannetons; Blues at the Parcs.

Personnel

Jonathan Salvi

vibraphone

Paul Butscher

trumpet

Emilio Vidal

guitar

Robinson De Montmollin

piano

Jeremie Kruttli

bass, acoustic

Josua Beureux

drums

Album information

Title: Arugula | Year Released: 2024 | Record Label: Challenge Records

PREVIOUS / NEXT

East West & Beyond
< Previous

Benny Golson, John Gilmore and Bud P...
Next >

Support All About Jazz

All About Jazz has been a pillar of jazz since 1995, championing it as an art form and, more importantly, supporting the musicians who make it. Our enduring commitment has made "AAJ" one of the most culturally important websites of its kind, read by hundreds of thousands of fans, musicians and industry figures every month.

Go Ad Free!

To maintain our platform while developing new means to foster jazz discovery and connectivity, we need your help. You can become a sustaining member for as little as $20 and in return, we'll immediately hide those pesky ads plus provide access to future articles for a full year. This winning combination vastly improves your AAJ experience and allow us to vigorously build on the pioneering work we first started in 1995. So enjoy an ad-free AAJ experience and help us remain a positive beacon for jazz by making a donation today.