reviews

"Intensely musical."

Derek Simpson, Aeolian Quartet

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Naomi Gee Wright - Meteor Trail - front cover small.jpg

"British cellist Naomi Gee Wright has worked and recorded with Icelandic singer-songwriter-composer Björk, American jazz trumpeter Terence Blanchard and Iraqi-British Oud player Attab Haddad, and performed as a duo with Jaqueline du Pré’s British pianist, Michael Dussek. Wright Band is a trio with jazz vocalist Brigitte Beraha and tabla player Ben Hazleton (who also plays double bass in the Tony Kofi Quartet). Meteor Tail is the debut album of the trio and is the first album entirely featuring Wright’s compositions and her as a bandleader.

Wright has an inclusive musical vision. «Writing and playing this music is my way of holding close my impressions and sounds of travels to India, Japan and Texas, while also grounding and pulling together my love for improvisation and many other musical worlds and influences, including J.S. Bach, Ry Cooder, and the painter, Frida Kahlo», she says.

The opening solo piece «Ry», and later «El Paso», follow the American master guitarist-composer and feature Wright sketching wide-open, cinematic landscapes, often playing with the cello strings like it was the exotic oud. «Frida» attempts to capture the enigmatic, turbulent personality of the Mexican painter. The last piece, «Joni», is a heartfelt homage to the great singer-songwriter.

Wright’s commanding cello playing, Beraha’s wordless vocals, and Hazelton’s non-traditional tabla playing highlight the gentle and emphatic, conversational-rhythmic dynamics of Wright’s trio. The trio alternates between the spontaneous, playful, contemplative, and introspective and seamlessly blends elements of classical, folk, and world music into an untimely, deeply emotional statement."

Salt Peanuts*

"Naomi Gee Wright’s Meteor Trail is one of those albums that defies easy classification. It’s folk, jazz, classical, world music, and blends all of these into a sound very much its own. That isn’t surprising when we consider that cellist Naomi has operated across genres, working with luminaries from the worlds of pop, jazz and classical. Her creative inspirations are also pretty eclectic. These include Ry Cooder, Joni Mitchell, and Frida Kahlo – all of whom get a tribute on the album – as well as J. S. Bach and Benjamin Britten.

Meteor Trail is Naomi’s first album consisting entirely of her own compositions, and the first with her band, made up of vocalist Brigitte Beraha and tabla player Ben Hazleton. The compositions draw on Naomi’s travels in India, Japan, and Texas, which adds to the range of influences here. The result is a varied and cosmopolitan album, which is different to any other album you’re likely to listen to this year.

On the opening track, ‘Rye,’ Naomi’s cello is the lone instrument. Not that this is too restricting because, in Naomi’s hands, the cello is very versatile. Throughout the album, she plucks the strings and plays with the bow, often alternating between the two. On this track slow sequences played with the bow, alternate with livelier plucked sections.

Two tracks that draw on Naomi’s Indian travels follow. On ‘Train to Kandhala’ we hear the tabla and vocals for the first time, while the plucked cello sounds like a Middle Eastern oud. Brigitte’s vocals – wordless, as they are throughout – are haunting and soulful, with an intense, prayerful quality. On ‘Puna,’ the bowed cello sounds impressively like a sitar, playing a beautiful and haunting tune, nicely complemented by Brigitte’s vocals. These are two very atmospheric tracks that succeed in capturing the spirit of Indian music.

I detected a Japanese influence on ‘Gentle Silence,’ and silence has a special place in Japanese culture, where it’s associated with respect and emotional depth. This track certainly has that. The tabla opens before the cello arrives with a soothing melody. The tempo then changes as the cello bow is discarded and a faster sequence of plucked cello and tabla takes over.

Japanese influence is strong on ‘Acer,’ which opens with another beautiful and haunting melody played on the cello. Once again, the tempo undulates, with the tabla becoming prominent in faster sequences. This is a complex composition and beautifully played, particularly by Naomi on cello. Another Japanese botanical icon follows on ‘Cherry Blossom.’ The tabla opens, with slow beats, sounding like Japanese bamboo percussion. The cello joins in with a slightly melancholy melody that, nevertheless, feels appropriate for a paean to nature’s beauty. Brigitte’s haunting vocals return, sometimes sounding far away. Another impressive track.

We now leave Japan, and head for Tex Mex territory. ‘Frida’ opens with Naomi achieving a rhythmic, Latin effect by plucking the cello, before the tabla and vocals arrive. This track is a tribute to Frida Kahlo and reflects the tempestuous life of its subject. Increasingly fast paced, it’s sometimes almost frantic, with discordant elements, and a long tabla solo. The mood changes as we cross the border into Texas. ‘El Paso’ begins with plucked cello strings playing a gentle, almost laconic sequence. Naomi then picks up the bow and proceeds into a beautiful slow melody.

Meteor Trail concludes with ‘Joni,’ a tribute to another of Naomi’s inspirations. It opens with the cello, before vocals take the lead, becoming increasingly dominant. In the final sequence there are two voices with Naomi joining Brigitte, ‘Joni’ has a pleasingly gentle melody and provides a calm conclusion to the album.

There is a lot to admire and enjoy on Meteor Trail. Naomi’s compositions are impressive – complex, meaningful, and containing a range of moods and influences. A trio of cello, voice and tabla might sound limited, but the album is an object lesson in making a limited instrumental range go a long way. Naomi’s cello leads, but Meteor Trail is wonderfully performed by all three band members.

Meteor Trail is an album that might appeal to fans of various genres. On the other hand, many such fans might struggle to work out what type of they’re listening to. The point though, is that Naomi Gee Wright has an inclusive, wide ranging musical vision that is her own. As I said at the start, this is an unusual album, and it succeeds on its own terms."

Folking.com

"Historically, British artists with Indian connections enthusiastically embrace the Indian aesthetic. It is a main ingredient of Meteor Trails, the debut album of Naomi Gee Wright. The minimalist songs of this all-round cellist from London, blending the voice of Brigitte Beraha and tabla of Ben Hazelton, borrow freely from the raga, a concoction of delicately and precisely performed melodies and improvisations.

Wright’s creativity in a self-created setting that doesn’t allow for endless improvising (the essence of Indian classical music is being able to vary extensively and in an individual way the moods of hundreds of ragas of choice) is quite admirable, a skilful alternation between arco and pizzicato. She says upon request: 'The Indian strain comes from some visits to India that I made and from playing with an oud player for a few years. I feel very connected to Indian culture and I love the space that Indian classical music and sufi music can create with the use of the drone, tabla rhythms and improvisational elements.'

The timbre of the cello is close to the human voice and Gee Wright’s cello connects sympathetically with Beraha’s snake-charming, wordless lines. Gentle Silence reveals empathy with pop music, Acer reminds vaguely of Irish folk music. Frida and Joni are homages to female artistic giants, as Gee Wright explains: 'I adore Frida Kahlo’s paintings. I am quite visually influenced as well as sonically. Also, I named my first car Frida. I was very influenced by Joni Mitchell and her Hejira album and I love her amazing and different guitar tuning.'

Meteor Trails, niche product at heart, may not be for everyone, but its quality is beyond dispute."

Jazz Journal