Sachal Vasandani

We Move

Price: $13.98

Product #: MAC1046

Release: September 15th, 2009

The title track, written with Vasandani's friend Erik Privert, has a movement that's both mysterious and sweet. Vasandani's lyrics on this record, beginning with "We Move," reflect his struggle "to accept myself without guilt." Another jewel is the lilting "Royal Eyes," again infused with Wamble's guitar colors and embellished by Vasandani's overdubbed background vocals. "The song is a reminder for me to love what I have. Even though this song has a folksier feel, I wanted the colors of the other voices to be messy, human."   In addition to his originals, Vasandani puts his spin on songs from the jazz songbook and canon, including the bright CD opener, Rogers & Hart's "There's a Small Hotel" with a Vasandani intro ("Escape") that gives the standard a fresh feel. Also on the CD are a hip, funky take of "No More," the Hubert Laws/Jon Hendricks 70s song; the Bloom/Kohler tune "Don't Worry About Me" that's played as a ballad but with a rhythm reminiscent of the Ahmad Jamal staple, “Poinciana;” the sexy, low-lights romance through "There Are Such Things" (by Stanley Adams, Abel Baer, George W. Meyer); a cooking romp through "The River of St. Marie" put on the map by Joe Williams; and Thelonious Monk's "Monk's Dream" (with lyrics by Hendricks) that Vasandani says pays tribute to the piano giant's "unfettered, creative spirit. I love most all of Monk's music. Of course, he's known for unusual harmonies, but his melodies are so catchy."