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GINA SOBEL, Redbud

Jonathan Widran

As we drift along and groove easy through the six soulful, compelling tracks of Gina Sobel’s latest EP Redbud, we are invited to connect on many levels with a multi-talented singer, songwriter and flute virtuoso whose eclectic musical background (everything from down tempo electronica and bluegrass to funk, boogie woogie, chamber and Sephardic music) renders every attempt to peg her in a single genre delightfully impossible.


Is she an ethereal indie pop/folk vocalist who simply enjoys showcasing her in demand jazzy flute energies to add magical emotional heft? Is she a funky instrumental smooth jazz artist helping make her instrument palatable for that crowd? It’s not mentioned in her promo material, but at times the sensual combination of her dreamy voice and soothing ambience feels almost new age.


Beyond all those musings, the winsomely eclectic Redbud is the result of what happens when a world class artist gathers a batch of equally storied stalwarts for a single session – and it goes so well that an entire project blossoms. As incredible as Gina’s voice and flute are, her vibes are buoyed powerfully by her powerhouse ensemble of Brandon Lane (bassist), Joey Antico (drums), Butcher Brown keyboardist DJ Harrison and guitarist Ian Dansey, whose fiery electric solo on “Florida Ave” complements Gina’s breezy flute and Harrison’s lighthearted piano with a crackling edginess.


Redbud began with a single day session to record two pieces - the moody and hypotic, R&B and country-tinged “Try Again Tomorrow” and a little jam she wrote that evolved into “Florida Avenue.” In Gina’s words, the four subsequent tunes “deal with the confusion and the magic of being human, of trying to truly communicate with other people and of trying to figure out a little more about yourself.” Lest we get overworked thinking about the meaning of her always poetic, thoughtful lyrics, she reminds us there’s an undercurrent “about not taking yourself too seriouslyl and enoying a good jam every now and then.”


These include the two lead singles, the lyrical easy swaying adventure “Canyons” (featuring flute solos and more amazing Dansey guitarisma between the airy verses) and the soothing, ambient coolness of the title track. Gina rounds out the set with the longing, romantic ballad “East Colorado” (which compares favorably to any enjoyable Norah Jones tune) and the infectious, blues-tinged closer “The In Between,” which features yet another impactful Dansey solo.    

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