Subscribe
F.A.Q. & Return Policy
Back Issues - JI NY Magazine
Visit The Jazz Audio Wall
Schools
Jimmy Rivera and Lyza Ramos Live at Casa Cuba, Puerto Rico
LATVIAʼS RIGAS RITMI FESTIVAL 2012 NOW BRINGS JAZZ TO THE BALTICS YEAR ROUND
PAOLI MEJIAS DVD: DE JAZZAMBIA A MI TAMBOR
Klay D-C Unifies Latin Dance And Cool Jazz With Ritmo
- Artist(s):
- Genre: Jazz - Smooth
- Personnel:
Klay Dumas Copas – piano/composer/producer, Dean Mark – bass, Allan Simpson – guitar, Tony Smith – guitar, Orelo Orakwue – bass
- Tracks:
Mungabunga, Ritmo, Azure, Somethin’ Else, Future Proof, Wadyawant, The Muse, Coast Road, Dune Tune, Thoughts Of You, Bounce
Pianist/composer/producer Klay Dumas-Copas (aka Klay D-C) crafts lounging melodies sewn with Latin jazz tremors and classic pop fringes. His latest release Ritmo is stylized with elements of samba, meringue, and cha-cha rhythms contoured by classic piano flourishes which crisscross with elegantly strummed guitar riffs. The music is disarming mindful of soothing hot-tempered emotions inside, and soaring with a free spirit that never loses its grip on constructing pleasing harmonies. Ritmo which means “rhythm” in Spanish is roped in elegant keyboard expressions and elating guitar riffs which hoist Latin jazz sails.
It is discernable that Klay’s sensibilities are shaped by his experiences as a sideman for Roy Ayers and The Rippington’s saxophone player Jeff Kashiwa, whose influences are noticeable in Klay’s own material as he makes provisions for jazz, R&B, and Latin traits to fall under the same umbrella. The lacy tresses of “Mungabunga” have a Spanish flavoring as Allan Simpson’s guitar chords amble leisurely alongside Klay’s billowy keys. The meringue rhythm in the title track injects a spontaneous bounce in the tune, and the chill-out phrasing in “Azure” is scaffold by Klay’s pliable piano keys. The funky bass slides of “Somethin’ Else” are complimented by gently wavy keys and a languid coasting in the melodic swells.
The soft curves in Klay’s tracks are aurally attractive as his cascading keys swathe the songs in sedate sensations. The samba grooves in “Wadyawant” are trellised in throngs of glittery synth effects, and the deluge of pouncing beats in “The Muse” are saturated in cindering keyboards. The Latin-tinged nuances frosting “Dune Tune” are reposing moving in time with Klay’s traipsing keys in “Coast Road” projecting a nightclub ambience. The roving stroll of Andrew Milne’s saxophone twirls crimping “Thoughts of You” acclimate with the R&B soul vibe, and the island-tinged knolls drifting along “Bounce” are embellished with wisps of sparkling synth figures making way for subtle improvisations.
Born and bred in England, Klay D-C was attracted to jazz fusion music and developed his skills on the piano. He studied his art at the Leeds College of Music where he earned his degree in jazz. Ritmo is an example of Klay’s artistry showing that his fusion of Latin with jazz and pop is his chief domain just as assuredly as mocha choca lattes are Starbuck’s forte. The conversational versing in Klay’s music is well defined and appeals to a global audience.
