A guitar line slowly comes in, there is no rush. That's how you feel from the moment you step onto the premises of Traces of the World. It's soothing, like the warmth of a room on a sunny day. The music creates a relaxed mood.
Gianfranco GFN isn't going for high-octane entertainment or quick moves. Rather, it appears the instruments are talking to each other. The guitar and keys play against each other with the percussion playing a loose swaying beat below. The playing is spontaneous and natural, not over-rehearsed.
The song is like a good trip, taking a break here, taking a break there. Parts increase and then decrease. A definite sense of passing places and people being met and left behind.
The most noticeable aspect is the harmony of the styles. Jazz elements, soulful warmth and funky bounce. They are all in place but not overpowering the song. It still has plenty of life left and no one else is vying for attention. The second half is a tighter groove with increased energy.
The song slowly starts to grow and reach for something bigger but never loses its relaxed center. The music has a forward momentum but doesn't rush. I started to think more about the concept of the music than the music itself. The things we experience in our travels can remain with us in small ways, a word, a face, a rhythm, a song picked up long ago, far away.
It's a quiet moment that captures it. It's a song of a certain generosity too. It doesn't require you to be familiar with all the references or influences. It just requires you to listen and let the warmth pass through. At the end I recalled being carried somewhere and gently brought back. I am always being drawn back to that distant connection. That's why the song doesn't feel like yours, but still feels like yours.
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