Tomás Doncker - Power of the Trinity... A Slight Return Album Review

By Mike Willoughby / October 10, 2013

rating: 4

Brooklyn native Tomás Doncker has returned with his latest release "Power of the Trinity... A Slight Return" ,a dedication to Ethiopia and its globally revered leader, Haile Selassie. This is a beautiful example of how many different cultural strands can be woven together to produce something greater than the whole. Power of the Trinity features two generations of Ethiopian musicians in Selam Woldermarium and Gigi, as well as a number of other New York-based musicians, and blends together soulful pop with these Ethiopian traditions in a very natural way. The most striking feature of Tomás Doncker's music is just how unique it really is. Initially this review was hard to write as the reference points were thin on the ground and eventually the only way forward was to abandon what we thought we knew about Soul, American R&B, Fusion and Funk, and simply let the music speak for itself. It is wonderfully evocative; bringing to life the vibrant and colourful elements inherent in its Ethiopian roots, but also contains just enough of the earthy flavours of Brooklyn to keep it grounded. A great testament of how successfully Tomas Doncker and his band have collaborated is the listener's inability to put place this in one musical category. The artwork also reflects this, with the vivid African colours mixed in with New York's urban tones. As a collection the whole experience is very rewarding, but there are some individual tracks which really stand out. "Peace (Hold On)" contains a number of funky riffs which are offset by jazzy horns, smoky vocals, and an extremely catchy call-and-response of "Hang On In There" which could cause you some embarrassment on the tube if you are not careful. "We Need Justice" kicks off with real joie de vivre and talks of the strength that can be taken from even the darkest of histories - "We cry to heal our broken hearts/We laugh to mend the broken parts/We love with all we have to give/So We All Can Live". The one song which really encapsulates the synergy between all of these musicians is "Brooklyn to Ethiopia". Doncker uses this to toast to all of his collaborators whilst keeping the tone fleet-of-foot and bluesy at the same time. This truly is 'World Music' to be enjoyed by everyone. Gloriously vivid with a sensitivity to it which keeps you engaged and your toes-a-tappin' all the way through, Power of the Trinity is a vigorous and spirited work which had us listening over and over again. Muscular bass, drums which give the compilation a zesty feel and soulful vocals are all held together by Doncker's powerful and animated guitar riffs. If you have a long commute to work, either by car, bus or train, this is perfect for either early in the morning or coming back at night to set you in the right mood.