Mediterraneo
(Rendezvous – 2003)
by S.H. Watkins, Sr.
He was born in France, and has lived in both London and Los Angeles. Now living in Spain and playing everywhere, Marc Antoine has been influenced by music and cultures from all over the world. Marc’s last album Cruisin was fabulous, and he’s taking it up a notch here. Antoine penned ten of the eleven tracks and I think that MY favorite is Funky Picante, or maybe the staid and somber Gotham. Then again, Preludio is very seductive with some delicate percussion work from longtime associate Luis Conte. In fact, it would be easier to say which one I like the least than to call out the best track here…
I won’t do that however because all of the tracke are well played, well writen and well recorded. Afromenco and Señor Groove toss a flamenco flavor into the mix and make it even HARDER to choose a favorite. Everything But The Girl’s Lady, the only track Marc did not write here still has the trademark Antoine stamp on it. The album was recorded in Antoine’s Madrid studio by multiple Grammy Award winner Rafa Sardina (Angie Stone, Macy Gray, Dru Hill and Luis Miguel) and was mixed by Mike Pela, who is known for the distinctive, lush sound he’s helped to create on records by Sade, Maxwell and Savage Garden. Mixing styles and influences, you’d think that Antoine was a world music artist, but the contemporary jazz radio format has championed him and made him a future smooth jazz legend. Get the CD and you’ll agree.