-Greg’s Take-
It comes as no surprise that the common thread in music is the artist’s sound is a product of their environment. On occasion a sound will come forth that is not defined by a single location but a worldly experience and a vibrant heritage. One such sound is on deck to reiterate that music can knock down opinions by crafting a table at which social commentary and middle ground can meet.
The beautifully voiced, instrumental knockout that is Gina Chavez’s sound holds tightly to her own heritage and worldly experiences. Born from Mexican and Swiss-German decent and abundantly well-travelled, the eleven track multi-lingual serenade that is Up.Rooted is as vivid as it is moving.
Through a journey of dancing beats, hypnotic language and enticing rhythms Chavez’s sound fires up a soulful album that barrels over any and everything released in 2014 thus far. Even though world-class producer Michael Ramos (whose work includes John Mellancamp, Los Lonely Boys and Paul Simon to name a few) had a hand in the process, it is clearly evident that Gina Chavez possesses an essence of music that is so pure, so deeply attractive, and rare in today’s music that it practically flows out of her like a beckoning light at the end of the auto-tuned tunnel. The album’s chemistry finds sweet balance of new-age with traditional and when filtered through the imagination of such a talented musician it blends very well. The mixture is most prominent in “Maíz” but dances on romance with “The Sweet Sound Of Your Name” through serenading horns. To sum it up bluntly it would not be a stretch of the imagination to say that Chavez is a Latin/Bossanova version of LP. She possesses the vocal abilities to dig deep into your soul with her melodies but does so with finesse and beauty. In short, Up.Rooted is a lovely addiction you don’t need to confine to the privacy of your own home; let it out, let it be known.
Up.Rooted has no sharp edges and is indiscriminately inviting. But be warned, if you travel down this road you’re not likely to look back further than track one. Subtlety, Gina Chavez has molded a game-changing album. Her life has brought her to this point and we are lucky enough to be invited into her world. Don’t be a rude guest, bring a good bottle of wine and show.