The Shadow of Your Smile
Homage to Japan
2013
Liner notes by Roberta Gambarini.
"A song, a great song, is much more than an abstract work of art. It's a living organism,breathing and vibrating with passion, and pulsating to the rhythm of Life itself. In many ways, songs are like people, the people whom we have come to know and whom we dearly love. They each have a story, they evolve through time and expand in space. Our relationship with a song is born out of instant profound connection, and grows in time as we learn more about the song itself- while at the same time, we learn about ourselves. And just like an old, best friend, a favorite song can teach us so much about life : it can soothe us in hard times, it can reveal things about ourselves that we didn't even know existed, it can uplift and inspire us to live life to the fullest... But most of all, a great song calls us to face the truth and speak for ourselves, in our own voice. Through the years, while traveling the world and singing to audiences all over the world, I have been in awe of the power that a song can wield. Stories told in music can be healing for so many people, in so many ways, and across cultural or geographical boundaries.
Of all the audiences I have been blessed to perform for at this point in my life as a traveling musician, Japanese people are among the most sensitive, the most eager and willing to fall under the spell of Song... It was at the same time exciting and humbling to see so many people in Japan relating so deeply to the lyric and melody of tunes that are part of our common artistic heritage as human beings-tunes that were written in different languages, in different eras and by different people, but which all bear the mark of greatness, both from the musical and lyrical standpoint. Performing in Japan makes me really feel like I am reuniting with my friends, sitting in my favorite armchair in the warmth of my spiritual home, surrounded by the people I like. And the songs I sing are also my friends, each with his or her own personality, each one with his or her story to tell... through my voice. With this album, I wanted to put some of my favorite tunes in a little package, wrap it with a red ribbon and offer it in homage to the au-dience, friends and music lovers of Japan.My wish is that every lis-tener,after unwrapping this package, will get to experience the joy, the aliveness and the mystery that is Song. May all these little stories in music whisper directly to your heart like dear old friends, just like they are whispering to mine, every time I sing them.
And, as always... GAMBARIMAS!"
Roberta Gambarini
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George Cables: piano
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Jon Webber: bass
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Victor Lewis: drums
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Justin Robinson: alto sax
