Adam Ben Ezra - 2025 - Heavy Drops

(39:47; Adam Ben Ezra)

Track list:
1. Heavy Drops 3:36
2. Play It Cool 3:57
3. Cosmic Nomad 3:23
4. Rise Up 5:13
5. Free Fly 3:35
6. Hazy Steps 4:04
7. Portrait of Natalie 3:18
8. Taming the Bull 4:21
9. Escape Route 3:26
10. Lazy Butterfly 4:54

Line-up:
Adam Ben Ezra - bass, keyboards, vocals, flute
Michael Olivera Garcia - drums, percussion
with:
Omer Mor - guitars


Portugal based artist Adam Ben Ezra has nurtured his solo career for the past decade and a bit, with his first album under his own name appearing back in 2015. As of 2025 he has 5 studio productions to his name. The most recent of these is "Heavy Drops", which was self released at the end of February 2025.

Ezra specialize in the double bass as an instrument, and he has a creative and expressive manner in which he makes use of the properties of this instrument. A rich and resonant bass sound used to establish infectious grooves is a bit of a speciality it would seem, and that the compositions tend to have an uplifting and playful nature is also very much a defined aspect throughout this album.

Helping out on this mainly instrumental affair is drummer Michael Olivera Garcia, and he complements the licks, sounds and grooves established by Ezra in a just about perfect manner. Whether more careful, understated rhythm details or more expressive and dominant patterns are called for he will deliver, and when a steady, energetic drive suits the landscapes explored better that is what we will get.

While those who know their jazz will encounter plenty of familiar sounding tones, timbres and movements here, the very sound of the bass guitar here is rather more vibrant and infectious than what can be described as common. In addition additional elements are brought into play here. Sometimes probably by way of association rather than actual style, but also in terms of the latter we do get a little bit of an expansion here that includes elements from beyond the jazz universe as such. For my sake I did note that some of these creations gave me associations towards Americana, some of the compositions did come with a little bit of a blues undercurrent too, but first and foremost it is the world music elements that are a striking feature throughout here. With the piece 'Taming the Bull' as the perhaps prime example of just that.

There is only one problem with this album for me, and that is the song 'Cosmic Nomad'. A song so playful and infectious that the rest of this album just doesn't manage to grab my attention in any sort of comparable manner. On a rock solid album, where I enjoy every song in its own right, I remain stuck with a longing to listen to the rich, vibrant and playful landscapes explored on this specific composition again and again. A song that I could gladly have on repeat for quite some time each and every day. One of very few compositions I have encountered over the years that for me merits a description as beyond brilliant.

If you tend to enjoy instrumental jazz, and you love infectious grooves where the double bass, drums and percussion go to town in a playful, uplifting and vibrantly positive manner, then this is an album that most certainly warrants more than a few moments of your time. A most solid affair, with some cases of songwriting that for me at least comes across as experiences of pure and brilliant bliss.

Olav M. Björnsen, March 2025

Links:
https://www.adambenezra.com/