Roger Davidson: Oração para Amanhã

Three things occupy the mind of Roger Davidson: spirituality, the romance of music, and Brasil. This might not necessarily be in that order but certainly Oração para Amanhã, One God, One World, and Universal Sacred Music for Chorus and Missa Universalis suggest that the veracity of that fact is beyond reproach. It bears mention that on the latter three albums Davidson focusses almost exclusively on the sacred elements of music. Remarkably, however, on Oração para Amanhã all the sources of his inspiration come together in a wonderful fashion.

Roger Davidson has written all of the music for Oração para Amanhã. He usually writes most if not all his music. Davidson is a fine composer, whose work is deceptively simple: melodies with almost linear, lyrical lines flowing one into the other, like ripples chasing each other in a pond after the stone has caused a stir. Arrangements are also simple, seemingly suggested more than written note after note, after note. Rhythms are not wildly challenging, perhaps the only drawback of his compositions. But Davidson is too clever to let the pulse of his music get dreary. To stay on top of things he employs the finest virtuoso musicians – on Oração para Amanhã

I think that the absence of a Brasilian percussion to augment Santos’ battery of drums is further proof of the elasticity of Davidson’s rhythms. Santos more than takes care of business in that department. Eduardo Belo is a fine bassist who brings the deepest tonal colours to life with the visual and especially tactile quality of a velvet surface through intertwined threads, strands, or the like, that make up a marvellous canvas. And Hendrik Meurkens drives the melodies, transforming them into something quite magical, whether he is working them on his vibraphone or his chromatic harmonica. However, make no mistake: this is Roger Davidson’s album from start to finish and what a fine album it is indeed.

Track list – 1: September Samba; 2: Sonho da Tarde; 3: Oração para Amanhã; 4: Rio de Janeiro; 5: Saudades; 6: Tarde Sonhadora; 6: Amor Brasileiro; 7: O Trem da Vida; 8: Saudade do Brasil; 9: A Escada; 10: Três Estrelas; 11: O Verão.

Personnel – Roger Davidson: piano and producer; Eduardo Belo: bass; Adriano Santos: drums; Hendrik Meurkens: vibraphone and harmonica; Pablo Aslan: additional artistic production; Luis Bacque: recording, mixing and mastering engineer.

Released – 2017
Label – Soundbrush Records
Run time – 1:01:17