Wen Mew - Sunday Morning Santa Monica

Featured Artist: Wen Mew

CD Title: Sunday Morning Santa Monica

Year: 2009

Record Label: Talented Production

Style: Various Jazz Styles

Musicians: Wen Mew (saxello), Michael Parlett (piccolo, alto saxophone, baritone saxophone)

Review: One of the rewards of writing reviews is to discover good artists like Wen Mew. Sunday Morning Santa Monica is a fabulous collection of Jazz and Bossa Nova tunes, all written by Wen Mew.

Since it’s birth in 1958, Bossa Nova became a favorite of Jazz musicians all over the world. Fifty years later that fascination is still going on. Four of the tracks on this album are Bossas, Sue’s Sunrise, Lady B’s Bossa, Bossalero and Lovely You. Compositions even the great Jobim would be proud of.

Wen and partner Michael Parlett have the feeling, tone and perfect phrasing to play Bossa Nova. Michael plays piccolo on Sue’s Sunrise, alto saxophone on Lady B’s Bossa and baritone sax on Bossalero(a combination of Bossa Nova with Bolero). Wen plays the saxello, essentially a straight Bb soprano, but with a slightly curved neck and tipped bell

Wen and Michael play perfectly together, with nice solo exchanges also on the jazz tracks, Living with Lady Haig and Mew’s mood for love. Michael plays alto sax on Lady Haig and Groovin with Kim and baritone sax on Mew’s mood.

On the rest of the album is all Wen playing the saxello and some of the most beautiful melodies on the ballads, Sunday Morning Santa Monica, Embrace Sal, dedicated to his aunt, and May Jan Mew, dedicated to his mother.

Ruby’s Waltz is dedicated to one of my favorites jazz singers, Roberta Gambarini and First Lady Michele Obama is obviously dedicated to the United States first lady. A classic Jazz ballad with classy melodies, as classy as the first lady herself.

Wen Mew’s Sunday Morning Santa Monica is perfect for a romantic evening or just to listen to it watching a sunrise.

Tracks: Sues Sunrise, Sunday Morning Santa Monica, Lady Bs Bossa, Embrace Sal, Bossalero, First Lady Michelle Obama, Groovin with Kim, May Jan Mew, Lovely You, Living with Lady Haig, Robys Waltz, Mews Mood for Love

Record Label Website: http://www.talentedproductions.com

Reviewed by: Wilbert Sostre