By Matt Micucci, JAZZIZ
Mariel Bildsten has honed her craft for years within a wide range of styles and settings, including as lead trombonist in Arturo O’Farrill’s acclaimed Afro-Jazz Orchestra. Backbone displays her exceptional talents as arranger and bandleader, as well as her admiration for the jazz tradition, through fine arrangements of handpicked classics and lesser-known gems. Its mix of elegance and excitement recalls the likes of Duke Ellington, which is quite impressive, given that Backbone was recorded in one night only. Read this article here.