Local Review: Chegoya – I GUESS
Local Music Reviews
Chegoya
I GUESS
Choi Records
Street: 01.01
Chegoya = Herbie Hancock + Frank Zappa (instrumentation) + Weather Report
Local jazz fusion band Chegoya released their first EP, I GUESS, earlier this year with four electric jazz tracks. The band fuses elements of traditional jazz instrumentation alongside the electronic audio to create intricate layers of groovy beats. With Emil Welker on bass and vocals, Joe Barndt on keyboard, Jackson Data on drums and Zane Peterson on saxophone, the band creates long tracks filled with heavy improvisation, dreamy harmonies and rhythmic variation.
Starting off with the first and shortest track, “For Jewel,” the classic instrumentation allows for it to have an introductory effect, feeling like a theme song to a late night talk show. Having influence from 1950s–’70s jazz styles, the waviness of the bass in combination with the smooth saxophone is reminiscent of artists like Miles Davis, Dizzy Gillespie and Grover Washington Jr. The one-minute song transitions seamlessly into the next track, “Hands Off.”
“Hands Off” continues with instrumentation of the saxophone, while integrating the fast pace rhythm of the drums. The audio for an ‘80s anti-drug PSA accompanies the drum beat and synthesizer sounds, allowing for the music to take form and tell a story. During the song, I felt Peterson’s saxophone solo in my soul, especially with its high pitches and bright tone. The upbeat energy from the solo expands into the remainder of the track, with both the keyboard and saxophone coming together in harmony. It sounds like the background music to Mario Kart, motivating me to finish the race and get across the finish line.
The title track, “I Guess”, slows things down a bit. The warm sounds of the saxophone and the twinkling keyboard lay the foundation. The soothing combination transported me and made me feelinstantly at peace and relaxed. The soft jazz picks up a bit in the middle with the addition of crashing cymbals and free flowing tempo, which gives the track some variation. The improvisation, it creates more depth to the track, where you can hear every instrument on its own, as well as, together in a beautiful symphony.
Last, but not least, “Listen” culminates the album with its runtime of nine minutes and 20 seconds. The instrumental track’s rhythm structure is similar to “I Guess,” but it differs in emphasis of the various instruments. I quite enjoyed the overall softness of this track and how all the tones blended together. This is the type of music that would make falling asleep anywhere feel like a piece of cake!
All four tracks mesh into the next like a dream, making this EP the perfect project to listen to if you need a little bit of background music. Check out Chegoya and look out for new music on Spotify.–India Bown
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