You don’t have to be familiar with bassist, composer, bandleader and top flight educator Gabriel Espinosa’s five decade decade musical journey to get drawn into and fully embrace his high spirited, rhythmically eclectic reflections via Nostalgias De Mi Vida.
Dynamically and soulfully blending the vibes of his homeland of Mexico with NYC-flavored trad jazz and samba flavored excursions, Espinosa turns sentiment into enthusiastic, life affirming optimism as he pays homage to his wife, children, musical collaborators and favorite composers - starting with a tender, sweetly orchestrated reworking of “Eres Joven,” the first song he ever recorded with his brothers Los Deltons in Yucatan in the early 70’s.
In addition to showcasing some of New York’s most prominent Latin sidemen, the stunning collection includes six collaborations featuring the vocals (mostly gloriously wordless) with Kim Nazarian of New York Voices. Even amidst all the nostalgic musical wanderlust, those tunes are the true heart and soul of this beautifully produced project.