Trumpeter Raynald Colom immediately captivates with the hauntingly beautiful dream-like opening notes of his new live recording, A Million Dreams. Colom demands the listener’s attention throughout the cohesive eight-track outing, alongside pianist Tony Tixier, Joe Sanderson double bass and Francesco Ciniglioon drums. French-born and Barcelona-based, Colom is a seasoned musician inspired by many genres and artforms, but with firm roots in flamenco.
Scriabin’s ‘Color Symbolism’ and a firm believer in the free-flowing equal journey of music. A Million Dreams documents a truly magical live experience,transporting listeners to the Italian town of Pontinia, where the album was recorded. Colom adopts a fluid approach to his craft, preferring to be guided by the music and environment around him. This working quartet of many influences is free of hierarchy and the tacit interplay between the four is crucial to Colom. The record opens with Colom’s ‘Wholeness’. The immersive track is based on Scriabin’s color concept and is inspired by sunrise in Barcelona, specifically the colour between blue and orange: “it’s really an ode to my city Barcelona, where I grew up musically.” The momentum fluctuates organically as depictions of the city awakening are realised through metropolitan soundscapes.
‘When Logan meets Miro’ is a fun portrayal of an imaginary conversation between Colom’s friend and fellow musician, Logan Richardson and Catalan artist Joan Miró. Up next is the achingly beautiful ballad, ‘The Peacocks’. “This particular song is really dear to me,” explains Colom, “the first time I heard it was on the movie Round Midnight and it always struck me as one of those melodies which gives you hope but at the same time a sense of sadness.” Realised as a duet between Colom and Tixier, there’s a palpable and exquisite tranquillity to the track: “what I like about playing with Tony in duo is the feeling of freedom.”
“Flamenco is part of my musical DNA,” states Colom and he and Ciniglio demonstrate this with their enthralling dynamic driving rhythms on Paco deLucia’s ‘Zyriab/el Alcazar de Sevilla’, giving Colom an opportunity to show off his exceptional flamenco chops. Wayne Shorter’s ‘Powder Keg’ receives Colom’s cool treatment, together with ‘Sketches Set Seven’, by Chicagoan composer Eduard Bland. ‘Stablemates’ demonstrates Colom’s deep respect for tradition: “I enjoy that it’s a fresh take on something which is played a lot, which is the beauty of the music - taking old songs and making them sound new and personal.” Bringing the album to a close is one of Colom’s most-loved standards, ‘September in the Rain’, which serves as a tender tribute to Roy Hargrove.The album title comes from an interview with Duke Ellington in which he’s asked, ‘what goes through your head when you play?’ and Ellington answers: “a million dreams.” Colom says, “I love that concept. Basically, that’s what we’re trying to do. We’re not thinking about notes, we’re thinking about dreams.”
Release date tomorrow (May 20) on Whirlwind Recordings.
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