An Angel’s Healing

Being unkind, one might suggest that Michael Panteli should change his moniker from Muziq to Muzaq. The album is commendably bright and breezy given its genesis in domestic trauma, but this young guitarist serves up such a buffet of musical styles that it prompts questions like: What’s it all about? Where’s he at? Is it just a mish-mash of musical influences and a showcase for instrumental dexterity?

Such concerns are underlined by the sketchy brevity of most of the 14 numbers included, with little room given for development. Only the first of two bossas, ‘To Angel Star, Love Papa’, tips over four minutes, just time enough for a suitably Getz-like tenor solo by Tivon Pennicott, one of several graduates from Gregory Porter’s band featured, and Keyon Harrold, whose open and muted trumpet-playing stands out throughout. So, we’re served hors d’oeuvres of jazz, bossa, salsa, even mariachi, with a side-order of Mediterranean rumba flavours deriving from the guitarist’s Cypriot upbringing that sound (on ‘Kumharas’ and ‘Plaza de Miguel’ for example) like a reheated dish of Gipsy Kings. Pleasant and highly competent though this is, maybe only when Miguel Muziq gets his authentic mojo working will jibes about Muzaq cease.