Standing on the Corner – Red Burns (Self-Released, 2017)
Standing on the Corner is a jazz-infused collaboration between two New York City natives, Gio Escobar and Jasper Marsalis. Their latest effort, Red Burns, listens like a collection of snapshots, with Escobar and Marsalis navigating the desolate slums and alleys of New York through hip-hop instrumentals tempered by a healthy appreciation for jazz. The urban sounds of New York echo throughout the album like clockwork. Red Burns contains collagey sound snippets weaved together into a free-flowing narrative consisting of five songs, titled “nate sees the storm,” “red burns comin!,” “cleb sees the storm!,” “what about the planet?” and “the devil Meets Red Burns.” Across Red Burns’ hour, you can hear Standing on the Corner writing an impassioned love letter to the city that raised them, with a dichotomy of hope and despondence driving them forward.
Rating: 7.5/10
Trial Track: “Sellin Soap”