Returning for a more European album of jazz, cellist
Jonas Tauber combines with guitarist
Francis Coletta for
Port Saïd Street, at once an ode to Marseilles and an exploration of modern string jazz. The pieces center around the interplay between deep and light sounds, all persisting for just a bit after the initial plucking and wavering with a bit of added color. The cello in particular allows a bit of a seaside ambience as it moves from bowing to plucking and back, entirely fitting for the Marseilles tribute. The compositions feature a mix of pieces specific to the artists' time in Marseilles and combine the seemingly nautical aspects of the cello with the guitar's relevance for pieces befitting a bustling port. They run through
João Gilberto-like samba elements to Andalusian guitar elements and straightforward cool jazz elements alike. Even the classic numbers ("Body and Soul," "Caravan") get a treatment befitting the environment, and just a bit of a knowing wink to the
Hot Club jazz of old. ~ Adam Greenberg