Tomin Perea-Chamblee’s debut album, Flores para Verene / Cantos para Caramina, offers a deeply personal and contemplative journey into the heart of jazz, blending homage and innovation in equal measure. As a multi-instrumentalist and bioinformatician, Tomin’s approach to music is as analytical as it is emotional, revealing a nuanced understanding of the genre’s rich heritage while also pushing its boundaries.
The album is divided into two distinct parts, each with its own emotional and sonic landscape. The first half, “Flores para Verene,” is a tribute to Tomin’s late grandmother, Virlenice Diaz Valencia. These tracks are delicate, almost fragile, with Tomin’s clarinet and trumpet taking center stage. Each piece is a brief, intimate sketch, often no longer than a minute, yet brimming with a profound sense of reverence and love. The lo-fi recordings, complete with the ambient clicks of clarinet keys, add to the raw, unpolished beauty of the album. Tomin’s renditions of jazz standards like Charles Mingus’s “Fables of Faubus” and John Coltrane’s “Naima” are stripped down to their essence, offering a fresh perspective on these well-known compositions. His version of “Naima” is particularly striking, transforming Coltrane’s serene melody into a more questioning, unsettled exploration, reflecting the emotional complexity of loss and memory.
The second half, “Cantos para Caramina,” shifts the focus from the past to the future, dedicated to Tomin’s sister, Caramina. Here, Tomin abandons his horns for synths and electric keyboards, crafting original compositions that are both minimalistic and otherworldly. These tracks evoke a sense of anticipation and hope, contrasting the nostalgic tones of the album’s first half. The melodies, while abstract, carry an undercurrent of warmth and optimism. The final quartet of original compositions feels like a breath of fresh air, inviting listeners to look forward to what lies ahead rather than dwell on what has passed.
Tomin’s background as a bioinformatician may seem worlds apart from his musical endeavors, but it’s clear that his analytical mind plays a role in his approach to composition. Each track on Flores para Verene / Cantos para Caramina is meticulously crafted, yet never feels overthought or rigid. Instead, there’s a sense of spontaneity and intuition that permeates the album, a testament to Tomin’s deep connection to the music he’s creating. Flores para Verene / Cantos para Caramina is a remarkable debut that introduces Tomin as a thoughtful and innovative artist, unafraid to explore the intersections of tradition and experimentation. The album is a meditation on family, memory, and the passage of time, offering listeners a deeply moving and introspective experience.
