'The Art of Deep Connection' by Omar Ríos Meléndez and Alex Wilson

The late, great vibraphonist and bandleader Roy Ayers once said "The true beauty of music is that it connects people. It carries a message, and we, the musicians, are the messengers."

It's an inspired - and somewhat humble - assessment of music and of the artist's own place within the delivery of that message but fascinatingly the latest release from Alex Wilson and Omar Ríos Meléndez offers up the idea that in some cases the message itself may not be the most prevalent aspect of the project.  Sometimes the conversation - the real-time musical negotiation of thoughts and ideas - can serve as the basis for a project's over-arching meaning.

Through the release of the duo's debut album, 'The Art of Deep Connection', the music in this case may not be carrying the message as Ayers suggests but perhaps shaping or even constructing it as we delve deeper into the album's ten exquisite tracks.

Incredibly, 'The Art of Deep Connection' marks the first full-length release from pianist Alex Wilson and guitarist Omar Ríos Meléndez.  Having only first played together in 2021, the kinship they discovered for each other as performers was instant and thankfully embraced leading to the release of their first, hopefully of many, collaborative efforts.

And as far as collaborators within the Latin jazz tradition go, few can serve as accomplished or experienced as much as the Zurich-based Wilson.  With nine albums to his name, the pianist can further boast collaborations dating back to the 1990s with work alongside Courtney Pine, Wynton Marsalis, Hugh Masakela, Jocelyn Brown and Rodrigo y Gabriela.  Wilson's far-reaching affection for a variety of musical genres and styles is similarly echoed by Ríos Meléndez who also thrives within the fields of flamenco, jazz, fusion and Latin stylings.  Now based in London, Ríos Meléndez has graced stages across the world in a career spanning nearly two decades clocking up performances in the US, Colombia, Belgium, Costa Rica and his native Nicaragua. 

'The Art of Deep Connection' proves not only a scintillating exchange between Ríos Meléndez's guitar and Wilson's piano but also a project indicative of each's values and extensive musical make-up.  Featuring a mix of covers and newly-composed pieces, the album proves a definitively joyous experience: a suitably enlightened take on 'La Mora Limpia' kicks the album off in vibrant fashion, followed by arguably the album's brightest moment in the deeply infectious perspective on Luis Enrique's salsa gem, 'Yo No Sé Mañana'.  There's something of an added treat in that each artist affords themselves the luxury of a solo offering on the album -  'Bésame Mucho' for Wilson and 'Water Reflections' for Ríos Meléndez - both sublimely performed highlighting the proficiency of each artist in elegant fashion.

If we further consider Ayers' opening perspective that the musicians are merely conduits in delivering the message then 'The Art of Deep Connection' boldly proposes that perhaps the message can be born of the interaction itself.  While having something to say is undoubtedly a gift, having someone to say it with can be all the more meaningful.