Rafael Enciso Explores Change and Continuity on Debut Album “Crossfade”
Jazz bassist and composer Rafael Enciso has released Crossfade, marking his debut album. The album is on Dayna Stephens’ Contagious Music label, with the saxophonist also producing the record.
Enciso is based in New York City by way of Ithaca, where he grew up surrounded by upstate New York’s natural beauty, and Crossfade is influenced by the seasons’ natural cycles.
“Starting with waterfalls and rivers, Enciso began simply paying attention to the world around him, moving from nature to broader societal trends. In doing so, Enciso noted that like the seasons, nothing is ever truly gone, but simply fades into and out of what comes after, often reappearing in new and unexpected ways,” a press release explains. “From Enciso’s contemplations the album Crossfade was born. The title came as a form of musical parallelism to the nature of change itself. As times pass and blend, so a crossfade exists as one sound dissolving into another, overlapping for a moment before giving way.”
Hear more about the album from Enciso himself:
Enciso writes that into his music with lots of “unexpected shifts, layered textures, and grooves that keep you on your toes.” That’s evident from the very first track.
“High Priestess” serves as an ode to the late Wayne Shorter, whose music heavily influenced the bassist.
Crossfade is out now on streaming services including Apple Music and Amazon Music.
Crossfade Track List:
- The High Priestess
- Photogenic Memory
- Austin Otto (feat. Dayna Stephens)
- Stick Your Neck Out
- Thousand Yard Stare (feat. Jahari Stampley)
- Waterfall
- Solstice
- Skipping Stones
- Whirlpool
- Lennox Avenue (feat. Jahari Stampley)
In his time with No Treble, Kevin has met hundreds of amazing bassists and interviewed icons like Jack Casady, Victor Wooten, Les Claypool, Marcus Miller, and more. He's a gigging bassist performing jazz in Northern Virginia and bluegrass with The Plate Scrapers up and down the East Coast. Kevin appreciates all genres of music, from R&B to metal and everything in between. Connect with Kevin on Facebook and check his performance schedule on his website.
