WATER WITH A SMILE
Track-info
1. Picking A Flower
2. Suite For Dark Shades
3. Snake Talk
4. Simple Pleasure
5. That Voice Of Mine
6. Chestnut Bird
7. Stories
8. Letters
9. The Ladybird Song
10. Virago
11. Water With A Smile
12. Walking On Stones
REVIEWS
AKUSTIK GITARRE (GERMANY) Ausgabe 4/06 - Juli/August 2006 (Original German text by Holger Ruening, translated by Steve ElliottOn his new album the guitarist Gilbert Isbin works together with bassist, Vincent De Laat, percussionist, Peter Vangheluwe and vocalist, Lea van Loo. Isbin confines himself almost exclusively to the classical guitar and together with his band moves skillfully between various musical styles, including shades of flamenco, bossa, and swing. In parts the sound is somewhat brittle and thin, but it is quickly restored and fattened out with great tonal colours, nuances, interesting rhythmic variations and always a solid groove. Against soundscapes that are woven with african, indian and arabic influences, the brilliantly interpreted vocals of Lea van Loo always stay steady and true to the style. Isbin’s solos are imaginative and never predictable, melodious and full of rhythmic finesse. In these 12 songs with lyrics by Emile Clemens, Isbin juggles assuredly with melody, rhythm and dynamics. His arrangements leave plenty of spaces for the other band members to shine and so deliver a satisfying all round band performance. The mixture of Jazz, World Music, Singer-Songwriter elements, latin and funk and even a dash of soul lends this album a charm that is hard for the listener to resist.
GUITARNOISE (AJ Charron, October 16, 2004)Anything hearing Gilbert Isbin’s name is always welcome. Gilbert is one of the best guitarists worldwide. Don't look for the guy playing scales at 300 miles per hour, Gilbert plays with his heart and does things that most of us can only dream of.
Add to his music, the beautiful voice of beautiful singer Lea Van Loo, the percussion talents of Peter Vangheluwe and the bass talents of Vincent De Laat and you have a magnificent recipe.
Water With A Smile is a beautifully rendered jazz album that one doesn’t tire of listening to. And when I say jazz I don't mean the kind where all the musicians attempt to outdo each other without paying much attention to the overall result. Here the musicians never put in too much, only what’s needed, but with all their hearts. Which is not to say that the musicians don’t play at full force, they do. But all together.
ALL ABOUT JAZZ by Mark Sabbatini (May 2005)Belgian guitarist Gilbert Isbin is a formidable nylon finger-picking veteran on everything from classical to avant-garde. He makes his debut as a composer and arranger on his 13th album and in this case, that proves to be a lucky number.
Water With A Smile is another of those albums purporting the equation
Latin + world + acoustic folk/rock = innovative jazz
but listening to these dozen songs, it's clear that's exactly what this is. Vocalist Lea Van Loo and a trio of instrumentalists turn in efforts capable of dominating on their own, but the well-planned organic soundscapes result in a consistently accessible session where they also form a coherent whole.
Loo's presence does make this a different album than some of Isban’s fans are used to, partially for the obvious reason she becomes the primary focus. Her midrange lilt matches well with Isbin’s guitar range. The lyrics, while not vapid, are pretty much all short poems on common themes of love and reflecting on life that donÕt inspire in themselves. Also, she sings with a consistency likely to be enjoyed for its smoothness or criticized for lack of uniqueness, with a few adventures into scat, like on the rumbling Water With A Smile. But given the apparent overall goal of a group texture, her tonal approach seems to be the correct one.
You have to pick and choose to hear Isbin’s featured moments with most of the songs two to four minutes long, there simply is’nt much solo space. His approach in both support and soloing leans toward meditative thoughtfulness, rather than exhibitions of speedy technique. As with Loo’s vocals, it feels more like a benefit to the whole than deprivation.
Taking a different route is Peter Van Gheluwe, who at times is an impossible-to-ignore background presence on at least a dozen different percussion instruments, playing world textures that are both light and rich, with a sound quality so clear beats stand out like solo instruments. In his case the showcase presence is a huge factor in separating this album from scores of others with similar concepts. Bassist Vincent de Laat can at times be overlooked with understated classical support, but he also makes unexpected drops into the foreground with slap bass accompaniments on flamenco tunes like Suite For Dark Shades and Simple Pleasure.
As a showcase for Isbin’s composing and arranging talents, Water With A Smile is an unquestionable success. Those wanting to hear more of the guitarist will find other albums more satisfying, but this one is likely to appeal to a much larger crowd. It’s accessible to the mainstream without condescending, and diverse without feeling false to the ethnic genres it pursues. All that’s needed are lyrics capable of captivating listeners after being seduced by the instrumentation, and Isbin will have a group other acts will find tough to knock from the throne.
DE MORGEN, Jempi Samyn, 3/11/04 (translation from Dutch)Vocal jazz, folk and latin jazz beautifully merged in a surprisingly strong Belgian product.
Insiders know guitar player Gilbert Isbin since long. Influences from classical music, jazz, folk, blues and all sorts of traditional ethnic music transpire in his refined acoustic style. Rhythmically, melodically and harmonically Isbin strives for a perfect balance between virtuosity and a warm sound. All of the music on this album was composed by Isbin and the English lyrics by Emile Clemens. On this very versatile album Lea Van Loo showcases her talent as a singer and her feel for improvisation and timing. She feels at home on jazzy tunes (Snake Talks), folkinfluenced ones (The Ladybird Song), or a flamencosong like 'Suite For Dark Shades', but also in Indian rhythms (the title song) and even in the very groovy 'Simple Pleasure'. The percussion player on this CD is Peter Vangheluwe and the electric bass is played by Vincent De Laat.
REVIEW OF SONG OF THE YEAR CONTEST (USA) ON 'PICKING A FLOWER
LYRICS: The lyrics on this jazz number are superb. Excellent word usage, styling, tempo, and complexity. Great job. MUSIC: The vocals are awesome! The guitar, baseline, and percussion are wonderful on their own and blend wonderfully! MELODIES: The melodies were absolutely wonderful! Pure jazz riffs with a perfect flow! STRUCTURE: I cannot say anything about the structure of this song. The chord progressions are great. The musical elements come together and blend well, harmonizing fluidly. Tempo, flow, levels, breaks, changeupsÉeverything is as it should. Excellent! MARKETABILITY: This is a jazz work of art that in said genre should be a dominating song. I thoroughly hope to see this song on the market and on the airwaves soon. EMOTIONAL RESPONSE : : Coming from a virgin jazz enthusiast, I must say that this song grabs me in every way, making me want to dance, sing along, tap my toes, and just feel the music!
ROOTSTOWN MUSIC ZINE #98 Water With A Smile could be described as an excursion into vocal jazz with influences of latin and bossa nova. Not that Isbin wants to walk into the footsteps of Jobim, therefore he has too much personality. The songs have a light exotic tinge, but are rooted very strongly into the jazztradition. Besides, as we could expect, the rhythms vary from subtle quiet melodies to more complex structures (Simple Pleasure, Virago). The voice of Lea Van Loo fits perfectly into the groupsound, of which each member gets the opportunity to focuss on their own musicality. A perfect example is ÔStoriesÕ. A fascinating CD. The opening track Picking A Flower has been chosen as January winner in the American Songwriting contest 'Song Of The Year' (Georges Tonla Briqet)
(translation)
Wonderful songs full of craftmanship with here and there a snuff of latin and bossa nova.The leading part is taken by singer Lea Van Loo who, with her warm funky voice, lift up the already amazing contributions from the other members to an even higher level (Patrick Bruneel) (translation)
BRIDGE GUITAR REVIEWS (NL), Henk Te VeldhuisThis Belgian acoustic guitarist plays as well solo as with his group the Gilbert Isbin Group. The music Gilbert Isbin produces is a mix between classical, jazz, pop and Latin influences. Worldwide he found critical acclaim for his music with his band and as a solo guitarist. Water with
a Smile is a jazz album with influences of pop, Latin and rock. Lea van Loo is the singer on this album who has a typical jazz sound, with a very educated approach. Her voice is warm and has a good timing but at times one wishes for some more emotion in her voice but this is often inherent to typical jazz singers, who tend to sing often a bit monotone. Nevertheless her voice will certainly attract any jazz lover. Gilbert Isbin plays on his acoustic guitar noteworthy and skilled arpeggio's combining
excellent guitar solos and varied chord changes in fabulous compositions. Percussionist Peter Vangheluwe plays different instruments as the tabla, tampura and djembe and bass player Vincent de Laat plays very stable. Together all the musicians present a unique atmosphere with a intense
chemistry. Highly recommended for any jazz music lover.
For Water With A Smile Isbin asked Lea Van Loo to join. She swings, growls, bends and wrings the songs (lyrics by Emile Clemens) to sometimes dizzy heights, sometimes oppressed silences, accompanied by Isbin on guitar, Peter Vangheluwe on percussion and Vincent De Laat on bass. A very accessible CD this time, that is a showcase of Isbin's versatile talent. (Steven Decaestecker)
LE SOIR MAGAZINE, Marc Danval (B) - 6/11/2004Dans le domaine du vin, il existe des dégustations à l’aveugle; de meme en jazz, le "blindfold test" permet aux spéialistes de tenter de déceler, à l’écoute dun enregistrement tenu secret, l’identité; des differentes solistes. Dans cette optique, si l’on m’avait fait entendre anonymement la voix de Lea Van Loo, j’aurais probablement rétorqué qu’il s’agissait d’une vocaliste brésilienne. Tant il est vrai qu’ son écoute, on se reémmoire les verdures moutonnantes de Rio, les petits filets d’eau vaseuse aux fontaines taries, le ciel amarante et les visages d’acajou. Le guitariste Gilbert Isbin démontre les mmes précieuses qualités d’assimilation d’un idiome cependant complexe àcapter. Peter Van Gheluwe (percussion) et Vincent De Laat (basse électrique) savent que la pulsion rénétique du tam-tam fut la premire étincelle des incendaires du jazz mais aussi de la bossa-nova. Les compositions d’Isbin semblent ne pas tre posées sur des canevas trop précis. Toute rigidité est exclue. Cette musique coule de source avec sérénité. Elle se joue comme on s'aime le feu. Ses notes déboulent, la langueur atteint parfois au sublime ené vitant les piges de la sophistication. Une richesse harmonique nous fait vivre des thmes empreints d’une notion de solarité;. Elle illumine et réchauffe.
LE JAZZ BELGE, JUNE 2005, Pierre Dulieu
Le guitariste Gilbert Isbin a drière lui une discographie passionnante. Que ce soit en solo ou en compagnie de jazzmen réputés comme Cameron Brown et Joe Fonda, il a enregistré une douzaine dÕÏuvres très personnelles mais qui ne sont pas toujours accessibles tout un chacun : du jazz d’avant-garde ˆ la musique contemporaine en passant par l’utilisation de guitares préparées, sa musique abstraite déroute et nécessite un effort personnel de l’auditeur avant de pouvoir tre appréciée à sa juste valeur. C’est pourquoi l’écoute de ce nouveau projet intitulé Water With A Smile est définitivement une surprise pour ne pas dire un choc. On se demande parfois si des musiciens cantonnés àla frange des musiques expérimentales seraient capables de composer et de jouer des chansons qui ne seraient pas destinées qu’aux fans d’Anthony Braxton sans renier pour autant leur personnalit. La rŽponse est dans ce disque. Les douze titres qu’il a composŽs et quÕil interprète ici en compagnie de la chanteuse Lea Van Loo, du percussionniste Peter Vangheluwe et du bassiste Vincent De Laat parlent au cÏur avant de combler les esprits, mais sans tomber pour autant dans un ersatz de variété jazzy. Affichant une belle diversité de styles, la musique se joue sur des tempos variés en se nourrissant de diffŽrents folklores. De la bossa (Picking A Flower) ˆ d’autres rythmes latins (That Voice Of Mine) en passant par l’Inde (Water With A Smile), l’Orient (Stories), le funk (Simple Pleasure) ou les ballades aux accents folk et country (Snake Talk, Walking On Stones), une des grandes qualitŽs de cette musique est qu’elle fait voyager. Gisbin qui n’a pas abandonné sa guitare aux cordes nylon, impose les rythmes, sÕoctroyant quelques courts solos mélodiques et colorant le chant par des accords circ; la sŽcheresse toute acoustique tandis que la basse électrique et les percussions diverses (tablas, djembe É) font ondoyer la musique et lui procurent un timbre plus chaleureux. Quant ˆ la chanteuse, elle a une voix qui swingue naturellement avec des inflexions latines capables de tromper n’importe qui sur ses origines. Venant de la part dÕun artiste que l’on pensait condamnŽ une conception abstraite de la musique, Water With A Smile risque d’en surprendre plus dÕun!
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So. ist Isbin ' Water With A Smile' Folk im Jazzgewand, eine luftige, leicht erbsliche Music mit sachter Samba-sonne, die von Sangerin Lea Van Loo mal getragen und mal aus der Bahn geworfen wird.
WWW.INNMUSIC (Germany)
Bisher kannte ich vom belgischen Gitarristen Gilbert Isbin eher Saitenbetonte Instrumentalalben. Auf 'Water With A Smile' hat er sich nun zu seiner Gruppe die aus dem Jazz-und Blues- Umfeld stammende SŠngerin Lea Van Loo (scattest Ÿbrigens gerne) dazugeholt. Eine echte Bereicherung, die auch den musikalischen Kontext beflŸgeln konnte. Ob nun im funkigen Timbre ('Snake Talk') in atmosphŠrischen Jazz-Pop (Picking A Flower), oder im Indischen Tabla-Schlenker (Water With A Smile) : Es gibt viele Klanfacetten zu entdecken!
Rainer GuŽrich
Ist dies eine Sommer- oder eine Winterplatte? Das in schwarzwei§ gehaltene Cover, auf dem sich SŠngerin Lea Van Loo, warm eingepackt, dem Wind entgegenstemmt, gibt darŸber nicht recht Auskunft. WŠrmer ums Herz wird einem sofort, wenn man dann die CD in den Player legt.
Die KlŠnge, die einen hier empfangen, lie§en sich mit akustischem Latin-Samba umschreiben, zumindest, was das erste StŸck "Picking A Flower", angeht. Beim (fast) rein akustischem Soundbild bleibt die Gilbert Isbin Group dann auch, stilistisch zeigen sich Gilbert Isbin (g), Peter Vengheluwe (perc) und Vincent De Laat (b) allerdings wesentlich wandelbarer.
Der Grundtenor ist ruhig und schwebend, aber nicht melancholisch. †ber allem steht Lea Van Loo mit ihrem Gesang, der alle Register zwischen Jazz, Latin und Folk abdeckt Ð mal kontemplativ wie in "Snake Talk", mal fordernd und energisch, wie in "Letters". WŠhrend sich Vengheluwe meist dezent im Hintergrund hŠlt, prŠgen Isbin, der auch alle Songs schrieb, und De Laat das Geschehen. Beim "Ladybird Song" sind beide auch solistisch zu erleben, ansonsten beschrŠnkt die Band sich auf die UnterstŸtzung des Gesangs.
Anspieltipps wŠren, neben dem TitelstŸck auch das behende "Virago" oder das stark von keltischem Folk geprŠgte "Chestnut Bird". FŸr Folk-Liebhaber, die nicht auf total traditionellen Sound eingeschworen sind, kšnnte diese Platte interessant sein.
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The Gilbert Isbin Group- eine Empfehlung fŸr diese kalte Jahreszeit - oder als Geschenk ,den Lea Van Loo verzaubert mit ihrer Blues/ Jazz-Stimme jeden Hšrer in ihren Bann. Nicht nur die warme Stimme klingt sooo Ÿberzeugend, sondern das Talent im Jazzbereich mit dem perfekten Timing in der Stimme und ihrem Jazzsound Ÿberrascht in der Zusammenarbeit mit der hervorragenden Band. ( Lea Van Loo-voice / Peter Vanghelue-percussion /Gilbert Isbin -acustic guitar / Vincent De Laat-electric bass)
Ein Zusammenspiel besonderer Art - wobei die Stimme von Lea Van Loo immer leicht im Vordergrund steht. Die Rhythmen an brasilianische / argentinische Sounds erinnert und die WŠrme ins Zimmer holt. Beim Hšren ist die der Unterschied im Jazz, dem Blues und der Funk Band kaum zu hšren und durch den Instrumentalen Hintergrund hat die CD eine besondere †berzeugung. Nicht nur von der Vokalistin - auch von der Band wird es bei vielen Festivals im Jahr 2006 viele musikalische †berraschungen geben und das Publikum - wie diese CD- Ÿberzeugen.
JAZZDIMENSIONS, Frank Bongers
Die klŠnge, die einen hier empfangen, lie§en sich mit akustischem Latin-Samba umschreiben, zumindest, was das erste StŸck "Picking A Flower", angeht. Beim (fast) rein akustischem Soundbild bleibt die Gilbert Isbin Group dann auch, stilistisch zeigen sich Gilbert Isbin (g), Peter Vengheluwe (perc) und Vincent De Laat (b) allerdings wesentlich wandelbarer.
Der Grundtenor ist ruhig und schwebend, aber nicht melancholisch. †ber allem steht Lea Van Loo mit ihrem Gesang, der alle Register zwischen Jazz, Latin und Folk abdeckt Ð mal kontemplativ wie in "Snake Talk", mal fordernd und energisch, wie in "Letters". WŠhrend sich Vengheluwe meist dezent im Hintergrund hŠlt, prŠgen Isbin, der auch alle Songs schrieb, und De Laat das Geschehen. Beim "Ladybird Song" sind beide auch solistisch zu erleben, ansonsten beschrŠnkt die Band sich auf die UnterstŸtzung des Gesangs.
Anspieltipps wŠren, neben dem TitelstŸck auch das behende "Virago" oder das stark von keltischem Folk geprŠgte "Chestnut Bird". FŸr Folk-Liebhaber, die nicht auf total traditionellen Sound eingeschworen sind, kšnnte diese Platte interessant sein.
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