Breakthrough
Jâca
Wesley Ferreira clarinet
Jaxon Williams guitar
The repertoire for clarinet and guitar has traditionally been very limited. Or at least it was, until creative clarinet-guitar duo Jâca entered the stage. Comprised of Canadian clarinetist Wesley Ferreira and American guitarist Jaxon Williams, this spirited duo explores and expands the vast potential of this rare combination of instruments on their aptly-named album BREAKTHROUGH.
It would be easy enough to arrange certain musical evergreens for this setup, but being the accomplished musicians that they are, Ferreira and Williams instead choose a diverse range of new works by living composers – including themselves. The result, a wonderful blend of European and American folk traditions, leaves nothing to be desired.
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Track Listing & Credits
| # | Title | Composer | Performer | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Rêve de L’Enfant | Yom | Jâca | Wesley Ferreira, clarinet; Jaxon Williams, guitar | 4:20 |
| 02 | Tamacun | Rodrigo y Gabriela | Jâca | Wesley Ferreira, clarinet; Jaxon Williams, guitar | 3:02 |
| 03 | Mountain Songs: I. Barbara Allen | Robert Beaser | Jâca | Wesley Ferreira, clarinet; Jaxon Williams, guitar | 3:33 |
| 04 | Mountain Songs: II. The House Carpenter | Robert Beaser | Jâca | Wesley Ferreira, clarinet; Jaxon Williams, guitar | 2:10 |
| 05 | Mountain Songs: III. Cindy | Robert Beaser | Jâca | Wesley Ferreira, clarinet; Jaxon Williams, guitar | 2:49 |
| 06 | Douce Joie | Gus Viseur | Jâca | Wesley Ferreira, clarinet; Jaxon Williams, guitar | 3:53 |
| 07 | Sevillanas | Paco Cortés | Jâca | Wesley Ferreira, clarinet; Jaxon Williams, guitar | 3:43 |
| 08 | Romanza | Michele Mangani | Jâca | Wesley Ferreira, clarinet; Jaxon Williams, guitar | 4:58 |
| 09 | Taistealaí Ama | Wesley Ferreira, Jaxon Williams | Jâca | Wesley Ferreira, clarinet; Jaxon Williams, guitar | 8:26 |
| 10 | Tico Tico no Fubá | Zequinha de Abreu | Jâca | Wesley Ferreira, clarinet; Jaxon Williams, guitar | 2:10 |
Recorded June 7-8, 2020 at Griffin Concert Hall in Fort Collins CO
Session Producer Bryan Wallick
Session Engineer James Doser
Mastering Engineer Nathan James, Vault Mastering
Executive Producer Bob Lord
Executive A&R Sam Renshaw
A&R Director Brandon MacNeil
A&R Chris Robinson
VP of Production Jan Košulič
Audio Director Lucas Paquette
VP, Design & Marketing Brett Picknell
Art Director Ryan Harrison
Design Edward A. Fleming, Morgan Hauber
Publicity Patrick Niland, Aidan Curran
Artist Information
Jâca
Jâca is a clarinet and guitar duo that combines classical and world music to bring an adventurous, passionate, and completely original musical style to the stage. Jâca’s music reflects the versatility of their instruments, combining western classical training with their diverse musical and cultural heritage.
From Flamenco to Fado, Appalachia to Argentina, and guitar slides to clarinet smears, Jâca’s music is truly a unique fusion that fits into no single genre. The duo breathes new life into the traditional concert experience, ignoring convention and consistently leaving their audiences buzzing. “At a Jâca concert you’re not just a bystander – you feel a part of it.” (Humans of Chamber Music)
Notes
The uncommon pairing of clarinet and guitar has a historically limited selection of repertoire available. With little more than a few standard arrangements of flute/guitar classics and a stylistically narrow selection of new compositions, performers and listeners alike are left wanting more. Jâca’s debut album BREAKTHROUGH pushes past these limitations using exceptional creativity, imagination, and a clean slate approach as the duo adds original compositions and exclusive arrangements to the repertoire.
The album shatters listeners’ perceptions and expectations as an original and eclectic collection of classical and world music fused together in a way that showcases not only the versatility of the instruments but of the players themselves. It contains a cohesive potpourri of cultural flavors that reflect the experience and cultural and musical heritage of the artists. Influences include folk traditions from Spain, Portugal, France, Appalachia, and also includes the use of extended techniques developed by Jâca exclusively for the music in the album. These pieces have evolved and been curated over many years of touring by Jâca. They are audience favorites.
