Known as Canelita Sabrosa until December 2023, Pangaea’s rebirth under a new moniker never undermines their abiding gifts. The sextet’s unique synthesis of jazz and rock doesn’t smack of traditional fusion but instead boasts more individualistic and idiosyncratic qualities. Those attributes are evident throughout their cover of The Beatles’ classic “Come Together”.
It isn’t a natural choice for such a cover. There is a well-established connection between the John Lennon-penned cut and Chuck Berry’s earlier “You Can’t Catch Me”. It’s a lineage that doesn’t apparently lend itself to a rock-jazz interpretation. However, Pangaea confounds such expectations. Terry Dillard’s drumming, Frankie Quiñones’ percussion, and Chris Nettuno’s congas set an immediate groove distinguished by its fluidity. It forms a strong foundation for the recording that Pangaea sustains for the entirety of the song.
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The band stays remarkably faithful to The Beatles’ version. Julio Miranda’s guitar playing has more prominence than George Harrison and John Lennon’s dual guitar attack for The Fab Four. Applying light distortion to his work gives a distinctly different flavor to the performance. Light post-production effects on the vocals never dull the imagistic flavor of the lyrical content or strike listeners as overwrought.
The cover peaks with the chorus. Pangaea’s brass section of saxophonist Brian Lopes and trumpet player Justin Powell inflame this payoff moment with musical exclamation points that linger in the listener’s memories. The unquestionable Latin jazz demeanor of the performance blends effortlessly with its rock music touches, and the aforementioned horn contributions never leave a bad impression.
Instrumental self-indulgence is scant from these clearly talented players. The Georgia-based act are superb musicians to a man, but they wisely refrain from pseudo-virtuosic bluster. Serving the song first and foremost is the guiding principle. The production lays out each element with a strong muscular identity while remaining balanced throughout. No member commands the spotlight, and Pangaea sounds like a full-fledged band from the outset.
This is skilled music that never flies over the heads of casual listeners. It’s entertaining while never sounding shallow. Pangaea boasts a multi-faceted approach that harbors the promise of reaching a wider audience than purist takes on rock or jazz can hope to accomplish, and their growing list of venues attests to growing acceptance of their work. Festival gigs abound in their neck of the woods, but it isn’t difficult to imagine Pangaea’s reach extending in the coming years.
“Come Together” sets them up nicely for the future. However, they aren’t content. We can expect that they will further broaden their sound, and experimentation seems to be the order of the day. Creative re-invention has characterized much of their output thus far, but they possess an original vision for their music that we can expect to hear more of. Their abundant chops and convivial musical identity will garner them a larger audience and devoted fanbase.
If you enjoy imaginative covers straddling the line between loyal renditions and fresh takes, Pangaea will be more than satisfy. This is a first-class band in every respect.
Garth Thomas