Ali Bello, Connection, Caracas-New York

It's true in some ways that we can never really go home again, as Thomas Wolfe wrote so eloquently about. Home may still be there in space, yet time has changed it to something different. But we can take home with us wherever we go. I suppose you could say that is what violinist and Venezuelan native Ali Bello is all about. He takes his roots with him and combines them in a lively jazz-meets-Latin-meets-Venezuelan set Connection, Caracas-New York (Zoho 201313).

A mix of Spanish guitars, electric instruments, drums and local percussion, and jazz horns at times ably and excitingly back Ali on this set of nine numbers. Many of them are Ali Bello originals and some others may well have traditional melodies involved, but I cannot be sure other than to say that some of those partake of traditional and modern elements. Some are clearly Latin jazz in intent and sound.

Ali Bello is a wonderful player with a beautiful tone (he has classical training), a traditional approach that is very much tempered with a jazz sensibility and prowess.

You should hear this if you look for something outside the run-of-the-mill! Very nice indeed.