Martina DaSilva & Dan Chmielinski - Constellations
Martina DaSilva & Dan Chmielinski - Constellations
(Figure8 Recordings, 2023)
Vocalist Martina DaSilva and bassist Dan Chmielinski (known collectively as Chimytina) are a beautifully quirky couple with a keen sense of humor, one expressed in their debut recording and Christmas offering, to boot, A Very Chimytina Christmas (Outside In Music, 2019). The couple allowed no moss to grow on this, following that recording up with uniformly fine Constellations (La Reserve, 2022). Their approach, with emphasis on the voice and bass, works well, each having an unerring sense of time and rhythm.
On Milky Way, DaSilva and Chmielinski continue to stick with their predominately voice-bass format supplemented with guest soloists. The repertoire remains the 1920s through '40s fare, material well suited for DaSilva's studied delivery. Even the modern material (DaSilva's opening and closing "Twin Flames" and "My Universe" and David Bowie's "Life On Mars") bears the sepia nostalgia of the period. Inspired is DaSilva's inclusion of "Life On Mars" featuring vibraphonist Sasha Berliner and tenor saxophonist Lucas Pino, the band achieved that triple point perfecting the DaSilva-Chmielinski vision.
DaSilva just has a way with this music, purring her way through "To Each Their Own" while capturing the depth of emotional angst on "It Never Entered My Mind." These are old and well-worn songs given new life with inventive arrangements and thoughtful instrumentation. The highlight of the disc is a snappy "On The Sunny Side Of The Street" that features alto saxophonist Grace Kelly. The ensemble clicks on all cylinders here. DaSilva and Chmielinski have stumbled upon and perfected their performance method with the evidence being the Milky Way.