Julieta Eugenio

STAY

Self-released

Argentinian-born saxophonist Julieta Eugenio returns with her trio for Stay, a self-released effort following 2023’s acclaimed debut Jump  (Greenleaf Music). Eugenio’s trio includes bassist Matt Dwonszyk and drummer Jonathan Barber, and for this outing the outstanding fellow Argentinian keyboardist Leo Genovese joins on Fender Rhodes on two tracks. The inspiration for the album can be found on the inside jacket, the first poem that Eugenio composed in English which begins with “I’m navigating. A sea of feelings…”  Immediately there is a connection to her debut which explores a myriad of emotions, many in the melancholy category. Here though she seems more animated, structuring the poem (and the music) around a series of “breaths,” short intimate moments in her view. She provides further explanation below the poem, called this inward spiritual journey which in the poem ends with these lines, “Stay with me/I’m here/It’s me/Let’s navigate.”

Not only does Eugenio soar freely, but she does so with a superb sense of control, never approaching reckless abandon.  Each piece has a clear purpose. Not only that; she finds the balance of delivering tight trio interplay and giving her mates plenty of opportunities for individual expression as well. Her tone is warm, and she resists honking, squawking, or shrieking in an expressive sound that is commensurate with the improvisational journey motif through her ten loosely composed pieces, running in just under an hour.

Her lyrical, imaginative adventure begins with the title track as blows free flowing, liquid lines spurred on by her bass-drum tandem, with Barber especially kicking it on the kit. Eugenio stays fully engaged for a full six minutes before a quick call and response flurry gives way to the drummer and bassist with the saxophonist injected short bursts. “Trapped” suitably reflects a bit of anxiety and mystery with her searching horn probing different pathways. Bassist Dwonszyk steps up for a muscular pizzicato turn and piece segues beautifully to “Breath I” where Genovese’s Rhodes, though with soft tones, still is rather jolting since the listener has grown comfortable with the trio sound. He is, of course, a master on keyboards and his coloring rounds out the trio sound gorgeously, down to his last few final notes.

Dwonszyk and Barber set a steady groove, like advancing footsteps for “Out There,” allowing Eugenio to soar to her own whims with the bassist moving to arco mode in the latter half. “Blue” is not the Joni Mitchell song of that same name, but Eugenio blows in hushed, resonating, sustained tones here, effectively mirroring the mood of the title with interesting unison passages with the bassist mid-piece after which she becomes much more animated. She cedes to her rhythm mates and resumes in the final section much the way she began.” Breath II” has Genovese returning as the first instrumental voice one hears, he and the saxophonist weaving their enchanting spell, punctuated by Dwonszyk’s robust tones.

Eugenio delivers a rather feisty character sketch in “Sunday Stranger,” which features an extended turn from Barber who seems to carry the same story rather than simply create a maelstrom of his own. “Breath III” is trio rendered, unlike the first two, with each player democratically represented in the brief two minutes. The lone cover, Duke Ellington’s classic “Sophisticated Lady,” has Eugenio likely inspired in tone and approach by Ben Webster’s take on the tune which dates to 1933, the original having no tenor saxophone soloing. “Breath IV”  has the three trio voices well represented again, as if in one huge sigh, leaving us with a peaceful goodbye.

Eugenio, now with two albums under her belt, has clearly found her muse. She’s even more expressive this time.

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