From Within

The compositions in this album were all conceived within the last year. Some arose as a result of lived experiences, others were dreamt, but they always came from the desire to capture specific human energies, to convey ways of being and living.

I believe that one of the unique qualities of music is precisely its ability to tell and transmit stories on an emotional level with immediacy. Sound, when arranged in certain ways, has the power to stir our human sensibilities and take us on a journey.

If there is a common trait that I perceive among all great composers, it is a deep awareness of this fundamental quality of music, combined with tremendous skill and ingenuity to make it effective and bring it to life in diverse contexts.

Attempting to develop this skill—not only as a composer but also as a performer and improviser—has been my main goal in the last years of my life. Throughout this period, I honed my ability to transfermy thoughts and emotions into the songs I wrote and the way I played. I still feel that I have a lot to explore in this realm, and this makes me tremendously happy. This objective has brought me a sense of purpose and a direction that I am keen to pursue in the coming years of my life.

I hope that this music brings you joy and allows for dreams and journeys not yet experienced. Cheers!

—Fernando

Tracklist

Album details

Press reviews

"Playing flute, composer Fernando Brox mixes ost bop with Latin ideas on this album with Iannis Obiols/p, Iago Fernandez/dr, Wilfried Wilde/g and Nadav Erlich/b. Erlich is given the opening on many of the pieces, setting the paces for Brox’s dream shadows on “Kalahari” and simmering with Fernandez’s high hat on the upbeat “Rumb Pa’ Ti”, with the creating an ominous atmosphere on the mysterious “Satanic Affair”. Brox glides with Wilde on the cheerful “Kuku” and digs into Gernandez’s cymbals on the assertive post bopper “The Bagpiper”. Strong summer breezes."

—George W. Harris (June 24, 2024)
http://www.jazzweekly.com
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"Classically trained Fernando Brox had a long career in classical music but decided to grab his flute and step into the world of jazz. His fourth album, FROM WITHIN, has been released on Fresh Sound Records.

Brox has assembled an impressive group of musicians on FROM WITHIN. They all met while studying at the Jazzcampus in Basel Switzerland. Iannis Obiols plays the piano. Israeli bassist Nadav Erlich is now based in Basel, where the album was recorded. Drummer Iago Fernandez also records on Fresh Sound Records as does guitarist Wilfred Wilde. Iannis Obiols has a trio with Fernandez and Erlich. Last year, they released a terrific album, PARA MIS FRIENDS.

Other classically trained flutists have transitioned to playing jazz. Hubert Laws played with jazz greats like Miles Davis, Chick Corea, and Herbie Hancock. Jean-Pierre Rampal recorded several albums with Jazz musician Claude Bolling. Paul Horn played with Chico Hamilton and Duke Ellington. Ian Anderson, the frontman for Jethro Tull, studied flute at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama. Jethro Tull’s music is rock, but Anderson can get pretty jazzy. When I saw him live I was reminded of another great flutist, Jeremy Steig.

Drummer Fernandez’s rhythmic beat on ‘Kuku’ sounds like the unbroken momentum of a train in motion. The guitar, bass, and piano toss melodic phrases back and forth while locked into Fernandez’s groove. This band is good at adding layers and textures. Brox’s technique is flawless. Listen to his articulation when he plays staccato and legato notes. He makes bending the pitch sound easy, making for some very interesting solos.

‘Kalahari,’ the longest cut on the album has a spacey start. The bass meanders melodically. The piano seems to pick notes at random. There are short memos from the flute that almost start phrases, and then the music eases into a laidback bossa nova. Fernandez’s drum patterns are easy to get lost in. Brox gets a lot of different sounds out of the flute. He’ll add vibrato to his standard tone or he’ll sound like a bunch of birds when he flutter tongues.

Brox wrote and arranged everything on FROM WITHIN. ‘Rumba Pa Ti’ has an infectious Cuban vibe. You get to hear what a great guitarist Wilfried Wilde is. Besides reverb, and sometimes a bit of delay, he doesn’t use a lot of electronics. He did use a Line 6 Pod Go amp and effects processor for this album. When I first heard him play he reminded me of Tal Farlow.

’The Bagpiper’ has a hard bop feel. Guitar and flute play the mid-tempo theme in unison. Wilde solos a beautiful single note run on the guitar, and Obiols echos the same thing on the piano. Brox plays straight ahead flute, sounding like Herbie Mann in his younger days.

This band is going on tour this summer, mainly in Brox’s home country of Spain. I would love to catch some of their shows."

—Tim Larsen (April 25, 2024)
https://jazzviews.net/