I seldom get that excited by a new album these days, but the absolutely scorching guitar originality that guitarist Rozario brings to this new album will have you RAWKin'...
A guitar virtuoso of Indian and Brazilian-Portuguese descent, based in New York City, Bobby Rozario is a third-generation musician mentored by his parents in Hindustani Classical music, and brought up playing jazz and blues. His blazing, idiosyncratic style interprets melodic lines of Raagas and blends them into captivating lines injected with Afro-Latin and jazz/rock/fusion vocabulary. On his second solo album, Rozario dives deep into heavy Latin and Afro Latin rhythms, with his 11 originals accentuated by the virtuosic grooves of Dennis Chambers and Latin drumming master Robby Ameen, and the bass wizardry of Gary Grainger, James Genus and Melvin Gibbs. Edsel Gomez further embellishes the soundscape with his Latin-jazz-tinged piano solos, while the soaring vocals of Guinean singer Ismael Kouyate, Cuban vocalist Jose Pepito Gomez and New York's Chris Alfinez are additional highlights on three tracks. With Spellbound, Bobby Rozario has sculpted an album that resonates with entrancing guitar craftsmanship, the heartbeat of global rhythm and song, and unparalleled sonic excellence.
Track Listing:
1. Peace Pilgrim 5:04
2. Spellbound 6:26
3. Escaping Alcatraz 6:29
4. Carmen's Lover 6:02
5. Heal Me 5:42
6. Gi Tana 5:29
7. Freedom 3:37
8. Sun Will Shine 5:43
9. Beat the Devil 7:49
10. Rudra 7:07
11. Stronger Together 5:06
All music composed by Bobby Rozario, ASCAP, except:
(2) Rozario & Ismael Kouyaté
(6) Rozario & José Pepito Gomez
(11) Rozario & Chris Alfinez
Performers:
Bobby Rozario - guitar / backing vocals
Robby Ameen - drums (3-10,11)
Dennis Chambers - drums (1,2,4,9)
Gary Grainger - bass (1,2,4,7,9)
James Genus - bass (4,6,8,11)
Melvin Gibbs - bass (3,10)
Edsel Gomez - piano (4,6), organ (2,7,9)
Radam Schwartz - organ (5,8)
Neil Nail Alexander - keyboards (1,3)
Tim Ouimette - trumpet (2,5)
Mauricio Herrera - congas (2,3,4,9)
Camilo Molina - timbales / percussion / backing vocal (6,11)
Nii Star - congas (1)
Ismael Kouyaté - vocal (2)
Chris Alfinez - vocal (6,7,11)
José Pepito Gomez - vocal (6,7,11)
Kate Saba - backing vocal (6,8)
Production Info:
Produced by Bobby Rozario
Recorded by:
Dave Nachodsky & Evan Kornblum 12/9/2019 & 9/13/2021
at Stages Music Arts Studios, Cockeysville, MD
David Amlen 10/19/2019 & 6/9/2021
at Sound On Sound Studios, Montclair, NJ
Chris Sulit 11/1-2/2022
at Trading 8s Studios, Teaneck, NJ
Mixed by David Kowalski
at The Singularity, Hackensack, NJ
Mastered by Steve Fallone
at Sterling Sound Studios, Edgewater, NJ
Front & Back Cover Photography & Design by Kate Saba
Band Photo by Justin Ward
Front Cover Art by Eva Ruiz
Cover design & layout by John Bishop
Reviews of Spellbound
Contemporary Fusion Reviews (Dick Metcalf)
Absolutely scorching guitar originality Bobby Rozario – SPELLBOUND: I seldom get "that" excited by a new album these days (I'll be 77 next month, if the chemo don't get me first, lol), but the absolutely scorching guitar originality that guitarist Rozario brings to this new album will have you RAWKin' from the opening notes to the end of the 11 ...
Jazz Weekly (George W Harris)
Someone has been drinking the waters of Carlos Santana, and his name is Bobby Rozario. The guitarist/vocalist plays with a fiery drive and biting tone, searing through a collection of originals, supplied by a mix of musicians that included Robby Ameen-Dennis Chambers/dr, James Genus/b, Edsel Gomez/p-org, Tim Ouimette/tp, and a wide array of pecussi ...
WTJU (Russell Perry)
From the first note of guitarist Bobby Rozario's new release, Carlos Santana sprang to mind and wouldn't go away. Quickly, this became less of a liability (hasn't Santana already done this) and more of an asset (I always loved this sound, especially those first several Columbia records). Recorded over a number of sessions, the instrumentation and ...
Roots Music Report (Robert Silverstein)
Seattle-based Origin Records is one of the most prolific jazz-centric recording labels in the world today and they keep the hits coming with the 2023 CD release of Spellbound, the second album to date by NYC-based guitarist Bobby Rozario. Drawing on the melting pot of incandescent sounds that is New York City, the 11-track album makes for an enthus ...
Take Effect (Tom Haugen)
The guitar wizard Bobby Rozario heads right into Latin and Afro Latin ideas here, where plenty of esteemed players are on hand for the 11 cultured tracks.
"Peace Pilgrim" opens the listen with Gary Grainger's warm bass and Dennis Chambers' fluid drumming alongside the meticulous guitar playing for the rock focused climate, and "Spellbound" foll ...
Jazz'n'More (Switzerland) (Michael van Gee)
Bobby Rozario, who lives in New York, is a guitar virtuoso with Indian and Brazilian-Portuguese origins and a musician who--familiar with Indian classical music--grew up primarily with jazz and blues. His guitar playing, reminiscent of Carlos Santana, combines Indian raga melodies with Afro-Latin and fusion sounds. On Spellbound, Bobby Rozario delv ...
