Encantado
Reviewed By Janet Mawdesley December 20, 2015
Artist – Jim Stubblefield

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‘Beyond the Horizon’ is the title of the first track on this new release from Stubblefield which perfectly describes the music created to take you places, allowing you to enjoy the flavours and magic of the world beyond your immediate horizon.
Moving through various cultural shifts, the music moves easily from the Latin style to Arabic influences, the mystic of the Celtic beat, prog-rock and then returning to neo classical, which makes for a sound scene both entertaining and enjoyable.
Stubblefeld is well known in the field of Latin Style acoustic guitar, as a member of the popular group ‘Incendio’. This solo series of compositions make up a new recording where he has selected pieces that come together as a potpourri of beats and rhythm’s, far different to the style used by the group. This change of pace allows Stubblefield to take his music into new territory, creating a new sound direction which can be as challenging as it is inspirational.
As you listen to the various pieces you can hear the dancing; the vocalization on several of the tracks takes you immediately into the realms of the ‘Arabian Nights’, the souks and the Bedouin tents. Changing effortlessly from one culture to another, ‘Phyrgian Suite’, Op. 1 takes you immediately into a different world of jazz beats, smoky caverns, redefining the tempo once again.
The overall essence of the album is that of Latin Styles underpinned with Stubblefield’s fascination with a Brazilian legend based in an underwater realm known as ‘Encante’. This relates to mythical beings such as shape shifting snakes and the pink dolphin, ‘boto encantado’, which is to be found in the Amazon River and its tributaries.
This legend is as all folkloric, believed by many as the ‘boto encantado’ was known to be able to attend festivals and celebrations along the river ways. Some even believe it was able to interact with humans to the point where there are some who claim to be descendants of these dolphins.
The mystique of the legend appealed to the creative aspects of Stubblefields’ muse, which is reflected in the influences felt in this delightful, up tempo release ‘Encandato”.