Incendio - Summoning the Muse (2019)

Incendio has once again summoned the muse and created a new album of incendiary, passionate, breath-taking, original music. Appropriately-titled Summoning the Muse, the recording features all the beloved attributes of this Latin-based world-fusion band — exemplary guitar playing, catchy melodies, dynamic arrangements and fiery performances.

Incendio has legions of fans throughout the United States from two decades of extensive touring and they have a strong international audience from their previous eight best-selling albums. In addition, the guitar-playing members of the group — Jim Stubblefield, Jean-Pierre Durand and Liza Carbe — have their own recordings released, and all three (as well as their drummer Timothy Curle) have performed and recorded with many other acts.

Incendio’s recordings prior to Summoning the Muse are Misterioso, Illumination, Intimo, Incendio, Dia Y Noche (also available as a DVD), Seduction, Vihuela, The Shape of Dreams and O Night Divine (more information is available at their website, incendioband dot com). Many of these best-selling albums appeared on the Billboard, NAV and CMJ charts. Incendio’s music has been used on many television shows and channels including Showtime, The History Channel and Arts & Entertainment (A&E). Solo recordings by Stubblefield (guitarraexotica dot com) are November, Cities of Gold, Rhythm of the Heart, Guitarra Exotica, Inspiración, Encantado and Guitare Mystique (the latter two went Top 5 on the international Zone Music Reporter Chart). Carbe and Durand (carbeanddurand dot com) released an acoustic-guitar duo album, A Bridge Between, which also was a Top 5 ZMR hit, and a CD (Sketches) featuring music ranging from salsa to chill that has been used extensively in films and TV shows. Incendio’s recordings and the bandmember’s other projects are available as CDs or digital download tracks at online sales sites such as CDbaby, Amazon, iTunes, eMusic, Rhapsody and many others. In addition, the music can be found on the major streaming platforms such as Spotify, Pandora, Apple Music, Google Play and other online outlets.

“When you have spent many years performing as a professional musician and when you have recorded as many albums as Incendio has,” states JP Durand, “you have to look around for new ideas and dig deep for fresh inspiration which is why we titled the album Summoning The Muse. We decided to make the pop and dance influences a little more obvious on this album, go for a more groove-oriented approach and try some sounds that we had not previously explored. We have always been known as primarily an acoustic guitar band, so we wanted to add a bit more electric guitar than usual plus some keyboards.”

In Incendio, Stubblefield and Durand are featured playing acoustic nylon-string Spanish-style guitars, and in concert they both also add electric guitar to some tunes. Carbe primarily plays electric bass, but with a background in classical guitar, she adds an additional acoustic on occasion. On the new album, Durand also plays steel-string acoustic, electric guitars, piano, electric piano and synthesizer. All three artists compose.

Stubblefield wrote three tunes for Summoning the Muse. He explains that “Rumba Ponderosa” was “inspired by Italian composer Ennio Morricone and those classic Sixties ‘spaghetti western’ soundtracks. I envisioned horses charging across the plains.” “Blue Bolero” is a modern romantic atmospheric take on traditional South American boleros. “I think the Spanish guitar, lush strings and piano capture the bolero feeling plus the quasi minor blues chord progression explains the title.” Stubblefield says the composition “High Tide” is meant “to conjure up the image of a beach or beautiful isolated lagoon in South America with the undulating rhythm and guitar arpeggios emulating the incoming tide.”

The other nine pieces were composed jointly by Carbe and Durand. The riff-based “Monte Carlo” was partially influenced by the Chick Corea tunes “Spain” and “Got a Match,” so Durand added some electric piano to the mix. In regards to “Running,” Carbe says, “Incorporating modern electronic elements with our guitars is something that we have always enjoyed doing because it widens our musical palette.” Durand calls “Dog Mountain” a “wistful pop tune written specifically about a beautiful dog chapel and sanctuary in Vermont where we did a concert.” Carbe came up with the initial dance groove for “Don’t Pretend” which turned into a funky, free-wheeling party with a big electric guitar solo by Durand plus special guests Carey Frank on B3 organ, Munyungo Jackson on percussion, and a horn section (Woody Mankowski, Anne King, Kevin Hicks).

Two tunes came from a trip to Hawaii — “At Dawn We Ride” and “Morning in Maui.” The latter started as a simple acoustic number, but expanded with a filmscore-style orchestration added by Brian Langsbard. Durand states that “First Hill” was inspired by the rolling hills of Connecticut (where Carbe lived as a child) and by “a Bob James, groove-oriented, Seventies jazz vibe.” Regarding “Limitless,” Durand says, “This is our entry into the very small field of Spanish guitar disco dance grooves.” The album ends with a change of pace, “Amazon River Hoedown,” a rootsy and rollicking Cajun-inspired number featuring guests Joe Craven on violin and Joel Guzman on accordion (recorded the day after he played with Paul Simon at the Hollywood Bowl).

Jim Stubblefield, who graduated from the University of Redlands in Southern California, began his career playing pop, rock and fusion, especially influenced by Al Di Meola, John McLaughlin, Pat Metheny, Strunz & Farah and Paco de Lucia. According to Stubblefield, “Di Meola’s blending of world-fusion and Latin-rock with improvisation was a huge influence.” Stubblefield has played concerts and recorded with guitarist Eric Hansen, and has worked with many top musicians on his solo recordings — Novi Novog, Randy Tico, Stephen Duros, Dan Sistos and Ramon Islas, among others.

JP Durand, who graduated from University of California at Berkeley, was influenced by Jimi Hendrix, Stevie Ray Vaughan and Eric Johnson. But Durand credits his Peruvian heritage for getting him interested in artists such as Trio Los Panchos and Los Morochucos. Durand, who has always played music ranging from a Steely Dan cover group to his own Book of Storms band (with Carbe), worked at MCA Records and produced live music shows for the Spanish-language Univision and Telemundo television networks.

Liza Carbe (pronounced lee’zuh car-bay) obtained her degree in classical guitar and voice from California State University at Northridge, toured worldwide playing bass in the all-female Platinum-selling rock group Vixen, and played with Lindsay Buckingham and Leon Patillo (Santana). Carbe has produced or co-produced more than 30 albums by other artists, some with Durand (most recently the Licata Brothers). Together they also have written background music for more than a hundred TV shows including “Entertainment Tonight,” “American Idol,” “Extreme Makeover,” “Law and Order” and “Burn Notice,” plus numerous feature films such as the blockbuster comedy “Bridesmaids.” Additionally, Carbe has studied Latin-style guitar with Jorge Strunz.

Drummer Tim Curle, who received his Bachelors degree in music from the University of Oregon and his Masters in music from the University of Southern California, has taught at the Los Angeles Music Academy and is currently on the faculty of the Los Angeles College of Music. He has performed and/or recorded with artists such as Josh Groban, Elton John, Herbie Hancock, David Foster, Chris Botti, Angelique Kidjo, Ladysmith Black Mambazo, John Williams, Bela Fleck and many others. Curle also has played on the soundtracks of TV shows such as “NCIS,” “JAG,” “When Billie Beat Bobbie” and “Andy Richter Controls the Universe.”

“The music of Incendio is hard to categorize,” says Stubblefield. “One moment it sounds like modern flamenco, then a more diverse world-fusion blend. You might hear elements of roots rock, progressive rock, Latin dance music, plus diverse seasonings sprinkled in containing hints of funk, folk, jazz, pop and classical. Fortunately our fans have come to expect us to change it up. Our only criteria is to make entertaining music.”

Tracklist:

01. Monte Carlo
02. Rumba Poderosa
03. Running
04. Dog Mountain
05. Don't Pretend
06. Blue Bolero
07. Morning in Maui
08. First Hill
09. At Dawn We Ride
10. High Tide
11. Limitless
12. Amazon River Hoedown