Mi Alegria

Eclectic composer and musician Itamar Erez's new album Mi Alegria (My Happiness) weaves a scintillating journey incorporating a vast array of disparate styles, virtuosic guitar playing and ensemble arrangements. The album is bright and energetic, and is infused throughout with an optimism apparent in even the more contemplative moments, without being saccharine. This is explicitly reflective of Erez's recent move from his native Tel Aviv to Toronto with his young family. In music and life, new opportunities and possibilities abound while Erez keeps one eye on his musical homelands. Indeed, while the album takes on a predominantly modern jazz sound, there is a dense blend of styles with echoes of Middle Eastern, flamenco, classical and Afro-Brazilian music frequently emerging from the mix.

The opening track ‘Requinto’ just oozes Erez's positivity, harnessing it into dense, crisply performed melody lines and whispered textures. Reminiscent of Villa-Lobos, ‘Choro Sentimental’ summons Erez's impressive solo guitar compositional and playing skills. Turning his hand to the piano, Erez is able to channel Bach-like counterpoint on ‘Samai’ or funky Afro-Brazilian vibes on the title-track, a song dedicated to his daughter. Erez's synthesis of instrumental musics from around the world on Mi Alegria is impressive.