Jesús Molina – Selah (Dynamo Production, 2024)
Jesús Molina is a young, world-class keyboardist who has risen to the top of the contemporary jazz scene. He has become renowned for his fusion of musical styles rooted in his Colombian heritage, jazz fusion and other influences. Molina’s debut album, Selah, produced by Bobby Colomby of Blood, Sweat & Tears, presents various forms of contemporary jazz with elegance, remarkable virtuosity and innovation.
The talented vocalist and multi-instrumentalist is also a successful online piano tutor, a Berklee College of Music graduate and Latin Grammy Cultural Foundation award winner.
The title of his new instrumental album, Selah (“praise” or “lift up”) includes ten tracks that reflect his spiritual approach to music. Molina leads on piano and soprano saxophone, accompanied by bassist Guy Bernfeld and drummer Cain Daniel, both Berklee graduates as well.
The album opens with the title track, a spectacular exhibition of acoustic piano, crystalline electric piano and synthesizer dexterity that would make Chick Corea proud.
Track 2, “Dear Fall,” shows Molina’s Latin Jazz side, with exquisite interplay between Molina’s piano and Hubert Laws’ flute. Meanwhile, “Soul Journey” delivers splendid interaction between the piano and the skillful, soulful wordless vocals of Noel Schajris, the label owner and member of Sin Bandera.
“Melody” takes you to Molina’s western classical music roots featuring exquisite strings, and the pursuit of beautiful, engaging melodies.
On “Pichi,” Mlina returns to high energy fusion featuring dazzling piano, powerful horns, electric guitars, overdub horns played by Molina and dazzling time signature changes, followed by the intense “Quintuplets” which features an unusual 5/4 time signature.
“Blue New Year” shifts from delightful slow tempo neoclassical passages to rapid piano bursts that seem to venture into a flamenco piano direction.
The fusion intensity returns on “Kadoshin,” where Molina treats the listener to spectacular piano creations. More fusion follows on the joyful “Caf,” with superb synth and piano lines.
The album concludes with another beauty, “Out of a Dream,” a dreamy, cinematic piano and orchestral synth composition.
Buy Selah.