Rale Micic - Only Love Will Stay (May 7, 2021 Whaling City Sound)

A World of Talent

Rale Micic's heartwarming fusion of heritage, taste, and jazz guitar sophistication shines on

Only Love Will Stay

It goes without saying, though we’ll say it once, right from the top here, that Rale Micic is a unique voice in jazz guitar. He combines an absurdly melodic approach and an intricate insight into harmonies, with a sort of deep personal story from his native Serbia. His life experience and heritage exert a soft and loving influence on his artistic approach: the rhythm, tone, and feel of the music of his life. This approach, in the works for a while now, culminates on his new recording, Only Love Will Stay.

Micic has played with such artists as Tom Harrell, Don Friedman, Peter Bernstein, Eric Alexander, and Greg Hutchinson, but it’s the striking originality with which he plays his own music that really distinguishes him from other jazz guitar talents. The session, with Jared Gold on keys and Geoff Clapp and Johnathan Blake on drums, is both relaxed and substantial, joyful and chill, starring the filigreed sounds of Micic’s Sadowsky archtop and the tasty choices of empathic accompanists. “I first played with Johnathan Blake when we were in Tom Harrell’s group,” says Micic. “We have been playing together for over 10 years and he was also on my previous album, Night Music. Geoff is another great drummer and we have toured and played quite a bit in the last four, five years. It’s great how both of them brought something special to the music. This is the first time I worked with Jared Gold, but it felt so nice and easy. I think the musical chemistry is pretty apparent.”

Only Love Will Stay features Micic and the band creating layers of original sounds, featuring a backbone in acoustic jazz ala John Abercrombie, the intricate textures of his internal conversations, and continuing through the loving melodic rhythms of his native Serbia. “Early on,” he says, “I loved listening to the very different way that John Abercrombie was using organ with his groups and keeping it very open and cool sounding. So, I guess this record is a nod to John. He was a big influence on me. I was fortunate to play and record with him before he passed away. That’s one of the reasons I included his song ‘Even Steven’ on the album.”

Elsewhere, tunes like the dark and dramatic title track which opens the record, right through to the lush, atmospheric closer “Lipe Cvatu,” in 7/8, are enrapturing without going too far astray, too deep into the margins. They are intoxicating without over-exerting. Micic’s Only Love Will Stay is a joyful experience and a stunning excursion into the mind of a truly original artist.

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Rale Micic, John Abercrombie, Peter Bernstein, Lage Lund - Inspired (ARTIST SHARE 2017)

By Raul da Gama / jazzdagama

There has not been, nor will there likely be, a dearth of guitarists acknowledging a very large debt to and paying homage to Jim Hall. However, the nonchalant, playful charm of Hall’s musical genius can neither be masked, nor underscored with greater profundity than in the exquisite performances on Inspired by this quartet that includes John Abercrombie, Peter Bernstein, Rale Micic and Lage Lund. Each of the guitarists frames this recital with sizeable performances either solo, in duo, trio and quartet formations. In all instances the music takes the form of a vignette that is hushed and reflective, where the guitarists purr seductively and there are numerous magical moments gifted to the listener by each of the musicians throughout the recording.

One cannot help but feel that Micic, Bernstein and Lund look to John Abercrombie to lead with the sublime delicacy of his thumb and finger picking. It should come as no surprise that this should be so. Abercrombie’s artful musicianship is well-formed and well-suited for this purpose. His maturity and his style remain deceptive, his limpid, euphonious tone artfully leavening his logical, but nonetheless oblique and unpredictable melodic thinking. It’s just the kind of thing you would want to draw into the music if you were Micic, Bernstein and Lund in the first place. As if to capitalize on this priceless gift from Abercrombie each of the others adds his own warmth, swelling dynamics and subtle inflections to three of Jim Hall’s original compositions on this recording: “Dream Steps”, “Bon Ami” and “All Across the City”. In each of these three charts the Inspired guitarists prove adept at creating monumental, all-pervading ensembles while leaving – in each instance – breathing space for the voice of the individual. The pieces played solo – “Alone Together” by Micic, “My Ideal” by Bernstein, “Body and Soul” by Lund and “Embraceable You” by Abercrombie – a performances of insurmountable beauty.

In other cases – music in which they perform as duos, trios or in the instance of the quartet performance – the guitarists offer individual voices, crucial textural components and complex meditations on the interactions between visceral humanity and the vitality that each of them brings to the music. Although one is hard-pressed to single out any particular song to make a case for this, “All Across the City” the one quartet piece on the album is the epitomé of this sublime interaction. It really is a flawless record where a quiet bravura element is present no matter where or to whom the listener’s ear is tuned into for, from end to end, the music seems to flow unimpeded as if gleefully egged on by the ghost of Jim Hall himself.

Rale Micic - Night Music (2016) WHALING CITY SOUND

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Rale Micic - Night Music (2016)

Last we heard from tasty Serbian-born guitar player Rale Micic (pronounced Rah-lay Mee-cheech) he had recorded the sweet trio disc “3.” The work vaulted him to prominence, and he enjoyed enthusiastic followers at prestigious gigs. On his fourth disc as bandleader, Rale looks closer to home for his inspiration. 

The sublime new Night Music is a rei-magining of the work of Hungarian composer Bela Bartok. Helped in his vision mission by Jonathan Blake and his ad-renalized drum ‘n’ bass pulse, Corcoran Holt’s heavy groove on upright bass, and Danny Grissett’s Fender Rhodes, all of which provide an evocative and colorful bed for Micic’s flowing single note lines and double-time flurries. While Bartok fused Hungarian folk music with more a tradition-al classical essence to create work of incredible national pride, Micic attempts to do something similar by creating a blend of ethnic tinged playing and more conventional jazz. Bartok lived his last few years in New York City, near Micic’s home in Riverdale, where he transcribed Serbian folk music at Columbia University. 

Motivated by the inspiration and closeness he felt to the spirit of Bartok, Micic created Night Music, a heartfelt tribute of extraordinary beauty, and an immense accomplishment from an imposing talent.

PRESS QUOTES:

“Micic is bringing an intriguing new perspective to the jazz guitar.” – LA TIMES

”Micic is subtle, intelligent player who echoes the likes of Jim Hall.” – DOWNBEAT

“The New York jazz scene, and by extension jazz’s modern mainstream, has Rale Micic to thank for a portion of its continued growth.” – ALL ABOUT JAZZ

MUSICIAN’S QUOTES:

“Rale Micic is one of my favorite guitar players on the scene today. He has a beautiful sound and lyricism that truly set him apart.” – PETER BERNSTEIN

“Rale is a soulful and thoughtful player” – TOM HARRELL

“Rale Micic has firmly established himself as one of the top guitarists in jazz today. I’ve enjoyed his playing both while sharing the bandstand with him and as a fan. He’s got great melodic awareness, a strong rhythmic concept, and a feeling for the blues that show he has studied the greats on his instrument while forging a singular style of his own. I’m excited to hear this new recording! “ – ERIC ALEXANDER

Background/Bio:

“Micic is bringing an intriguing new perspective to the jazz guitar.”   LA TIMES

Born and raised in Belgrade, Serbia, guitarist and composer Rale Micic (pron. Rah-Leh Mee-chee-ch) skillfully fuses culture with timeless jazz.

Rale Micic is a CTA Records recording artist and has been featured in numerous publications including Downbeat, JazzTimes, LA Times, San Diego Tribune, Boston Globe, etc. He has performed at prominent jazz clubs and music festivals in US and Europe including Catalina Jazz Club, Blues Alley, Village Vanguard, Scullers Jazz Club, Dizzy’s, San Jose Jazz Festival, Hartford International Jazz Festival, etc.

Rale Micic recently signed an endorsement deal with D’Addario strings, joining the likes of guitarists Pat Metheny, John Scofield and Lenny Kravitz.

01. Hotel Insomnia

02. Jane

03. Melody in a Mist

04. Late Call

05. Blue

06. Nocturne

07. Night MUsic

08. Nocturne (reprise)

09. Afterparty

10. Sunrise

11. Color of the Sun

Rale Micic - guitar

Danny Grissett - piano

Corcoran Holt - bass

Johnathan Blake - drums

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