Almost a decade ago, Julieta Eugenio, an Argentinian saxophonist, moved to New York to follow her dreams. She formed a powerful trio with Matt Dwonszyk and Jonathan Barber. With Dwonszky on bass and Barber on drums, Eugenio recently unveiled JUMP, her debut album. This album contains eight brilliantly put together original tracks which mostly paint the picture of her experiences living in the hustling and bustling city of New York. The trio also performs two jazz standards.

Song ‘La Jungla’, with a seething Barber drum solo, depicts the frenzy of life in New York City, while ‘Snowbirds’, which begins gently and develops into a powerful swinger behind the drummer’s furious kit work; and the funky, equally visually captivating ‘Raccoon Tune’ play to the nature theme. The two standards on the album are ‘Flamingo’ and ‘Crazy He Calls Me’. Although ‘Flamingo’ and ‘Crazy He Calls Me’ may vary musically, they both show Eugenio in total control of her instrument, with little assistance, as she performs as a tenor-bass pairing with Dwonszyk on the song first released by Billie Holiday in 1949.

The track ‘For You’, influenced by the writing of Strayhorn and Mingus, both of whom were masters of expressing emotions, is the album’s most profound moment. Eugenio sees it as a journey from pandemic-induced grief at home to the early sensations of redemptive healing. In the livelier ‘Another Bliss’ and soothing ‘Tres’, she furthers the healing process.

JUMP is an album where every song is thoughtfully composed and masterfully assembled in a cohesive way that flawlessly ties the collection. All of these tracks serve the purpose to inspire the people who listen to them. The Argentinian saxophonist and composer had a vision in mind, and she turned that vision into a reality with these euphonious and relatable songs.

JUMP is out now via Greenleaf Music – Buy here.