Justin Stanton, Gisela João, Becca Stevens, Louis Cato and Michael League – Mirrors (GroundUP Music, 2021)
Mirrors is a remarkable collaboration that brings together five remarkable singer-songwriters and multi-instrumentalists connected to acclaimed band Snarky Puppy and their label GroundUP Music.
The album easily crosses musical boundaries, intertwining captivating neosoul, jazz, American folk music, fado and more. On Mirrors, you’ll find beautifully layered interactive vocals and masterful arrangements that include mesmerizing electronic keyboards, irresistible beats, creative bass lines and gorgeous trumpet and electric piano work. Moreover, the lyrics travel across borders as well, with lovely and passionate songs in English, Portuguese, and Spanish.
American trumpeter, keyboardist, and composer Justin Stanton came up with the idea to bring together this group of talented artists. Stanton currently lives in Portugal with his girlfriend, fado performer Gisela João. As travel restrictions were lifted, Stanton invited his colleagues to western Portugal in August 2020. The five artists agreed to follow one simple guideline: that each participant must co-write a song with one another. The concept for Mirrors was inspired by one of Stanton’s favorite albums, The Telluride Sessions. The 1989 LP featured an all-star cast of bluegrass artists who each paired up to write a song together. “That record was so formative for me. It had such an impact on my musicianship,” says Stanton.
The lineup on Mirrors includes Justin Stanton (Snarky Puppy) on trumpet and keyboards; Gisela João on vocals; Becca Stevens on vocals; Louis Cato (Stay Human) on vocals and various instruments; and multi-instrumentalist Michael League (Snarky Puppy).
Mirrors presents an impeccable collaboration with striking vocals, thoughtful lyrics and graceful, cutting edge arrangements.
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Author: Angel Romero
Angel Romero y Ruiz has dedicated his life to musical exploration. His efforts included the creation of two online portals, worldmusiccentral.org and musicasdelmundo.com. In addition, Angel is the co-founder of the Transglobal World Music Chart, a panel of world music DJs and writers that celebrates global sounds. Furthermore, he delved into the record business, producing world music studio albums and compilations. His works have appeared on Alula Records, Ellipsis Arts, Indígena Records and Music of the World.