A View from Below

A View from Below

Scott Feiner was a well-regarded guitarist who played around New York—and then he came across the tambourine-like pandeiro while on tour in Brazil. Within two years he’d moved to Rio to be closer to the instrument’s roots. He's been playing it ever since—mastering its multifaceted sound of deep thumps, snare-like cracks, and tambourine-style rattles. While past efforts have been more acoustic in temperament, Feiner’s fourth album finds him in a groovy trio with electric guitarist Guilherme Monteiro and Rafael Vernet on Fender Rhodes and Wurlitzer. While the other band members are Brazilian and the music was recorded in Brazil, the origins of these songs are decidedly mixed, with only few bits of traditional music peeking through on “O Forno” and “Fonte.” The album is rounded out by the Steely Dan–ish “Raizes,” the textured “Raro Momento,” and the more straight-ahead “A View from Below.” While the two sidemen offer tight soloing, Feiner eschews the spotlight to maintain a running commentary throughout. This is both playful and eye-opening.

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