Perpetual Motion - Dance of Two Souls (2019)

Inspired by places visited and some not yet seen, Perpetual Motion has created Dance of Two Souls, an album that overflows with sunshine, joy, happy memories, romance and just enough drama to keep it real. Violin and guitar dance together beautifully in the hands of Josie Quick and Tom Carleno (Perpetual Motion) plus a pair of guest artists! Nine of the thirteen tracks were composed by Quick, two by Carleno, and two are original arrangements. The album was produced by Quick and Carleno and the guest artists are Blake Eberhard (electric and acoustic basses) and Christian Teele (drums and percussion).

Perpetual Motion released their first album, Ready, Willing and Able, in 1993, but Dance of Two Souls is their first album of new material since Josie’s 2009 lupus diagnosis. They released an exciting 25-year retrospective called Rear View in 2017 and it’s so good to have this dynamic duo back in action! Josie Quick calls herself an “all purpose violinist” who was classically-trained. She was introduced to jazz in college and never looked back. She has performed and recorded with a wide variety of artists as well as with her husband (Tom) as Perpetual Motion. Guitarist Tom Carleno decided he wanted to be an entertainer when he was a youngster and nothing else would do. In addition to his recordings with Perpetual Motion and others, Carleno released an award-winning solo album in 2013, Perfect Imperfection.

Dance of Two Souls begins with “Sunsplash,” a Latin jazz-flavored confection that all but dances for joy. Inspired by watching a sunset from a boat in Belize, it’s an exuberant start! The rhythmic and energetic “Diabla” came about after a journey through the mountains of Central America and reflects the music from that part of the world. The perfectly-titled “The Happy Song” overflows with feelings of gentle warmth and an easy-going contentment. “Deja Vu” is “a memory of a place we’ve never been.” In this case, a French cafe. The piece itself has a lighthearted energy and a playful nature. I love the title track, a beautiful bossa nova for violin and guitar with some gently rhythmic percussion. The buoyant “Dos Gringos” was inspired by a recent trip to South America and the fulfillment of a lifelong dream. Violin and guitar really soar on this one, propelled by some lively percussion. Quick describes “Swinging Cats” as “The Stray Cats meet gypsy jazz” and what a delight it is! With just hints of the bluesy “The Stray Cat Strut” blended with a gypsy attitude, it’s one of my favorites! The Gershwin classic, “Summertime,” has always been one of my favorite standards, and I love this sultry duet for violin and guitar! I also really love “Where Does the Time Go?” composed by Carleno. The haunting melody and pensive tone grab me every time I hear it! Carleno also wrote “Por Causa de Voce,” which means “Because of You” and dedicated it to Josie Quick. Bright Latin rhythms and some very elegant guitar work make this a beautiful closing piece to a great album!