Marco Mendoza Casa Mendoza
by Alissa Ordabai
Staff Writer
Rock, jazz, funk, hip-hop and even flirtations with world music are introducing Marco Mendoza’s debut solo album as a fascinating carnival of textures and traditions, starting right from the opener “Living for the City”. It is a spirited, vibrant interpretation of Stevie Wonder’s hit which works perfectly despite (or probably because) of the variety of genres it combines. With a fluid, light touch the band coheres its influences into one whole creating an elegant, swinging mood which reflects these musicians’ perfect understanding not only of the genres they engage in, but – crucially – of each other.
The rest of the record will struggle to recreate this inspired, uplifting vibe with variable success. “Trouble”, which follows, is more of a retro ’70’s funk throwback – more studied than spontaneous – but still fresh and vivid, invigorated by impressionistic jazz piano doodles and edgy, angular guitar.
Further down the line the band’s interpretation of “Suzy Q” turns the classic into a psychedelic slow-burner, while standout “Circle of Life” brings the proceedings back into swing with a hypnotic groove. Here the stark earthbound guitar, the dreamy fretless bass, and lush keyboard solos are all supported by brilliantly detailed, pulsating drums to create a superbly balanced jazz-rock atmosphere which is at once enigmatic and entertaining. This is what the band really excels at – thoughtful juxtapositions and combinations of different points of reference to create a lively, sparkling atmosphere full of heartfelt warmth, yet stimulating enough to keep you interested.
Mendoza’s penchant for slow, pensive ballads reveals itself more as the album carries on, and is probably a less enticing feature of this record. Allowing the album to sag towards the end, after a while those melancholy tunes turn somewhat overwrought, making you hope for more experiment and less for tried-and-tested formulas.
Avoiding huge displays of temperament, the band manages to deliver a congenial record, proving themselves to be a quartet of accomplished, dignified musicians with a vision which when given the necessary edge and a bigger incentive to experiment could soon become an indelible voice on the jazz-meets-rock circuit.
Band:
Marco Mendoza – vocals, bass
Rafael Moreira – guitar
Steve Weingart – keyboards
Joey Heredia – drums
Track listing:
1. Living for the City
2. Trouble
3. Suzy Q
4. You
5. Circle of Life
6. Kingdom of Paradise
7. Are You There
8. Betty Joe
9. Faith (Interlude)
10. Crying Out
11. Get Ready
12. You Got a Friend
13. Bonus Track “TU”
Online: http://www.myspace.com/marcomendozamusic ; www.marcomendoza.com
Label: Mascot Records
Hardrock Haven rating: 7/10