For those unaware, New Beginning is the third album by Australian born guitarist/composer Nic Vardanega. A New York native for the past seven years, the leader’s record title evokes the inspiration that spawned during the conception period of the project.

Vardanega elaborates, “The notion of a new beginning seemed an appropriate theme for me at this time in my life. This record encapsulates the idea of a new beginning for all of us emerging from the pandemic, resuming our non-virtual lives and for me personally in becoming a father in 2022.”

The album comprises eight new compositions penned by Vardanega, performed as a trio alongside Ben Allison on bass and Allan Mednard on drums. “For a long time I have wanted to make a trio record as many of my favorite albums have been guitar, bass and drums trios. On my last two quartet records I pared down the ensemble to feature this instrumentation for a few tracks but for this project I was envisioning the whole record being dedicated to the three piece unit.”

The empathetic, adaptable and song based playing of the group weaves a rich tapestry of moods across the program’s duration and affords Vardanega the space as a composer and guitarist to deploy full command of his musical vision. “In many ways, I feel as though this record is the most personal I have made. These eight tunes serve as honest, distilled representations of my musical identity while having the rapport and versatility of the trio with Ben and Allan frees me to shape the tunes how I want, taking the music in any direction.”

1. New Beginning
2. Cardenas
3. Side Effects
4. Looking Back
5. Inner Episode
6. Glass Moon
7. Summers
8. M’s Lullaby

Opening on the veritably shimmer title track New Beginning and the more methodically strident Cardenas, along next is the fulgent Side Effects and the soulfully cinematic Looking Back.

Up next is the forthright, playfully petulant Inner Episode and that is in turn backed by the richly warm hipsway of Glass Moon, the album rounding out on the upbeat Summers, closing on the languishing beauty found within M’s Lullaby.

Players, Instruments:
Nic Vardanega - guitar and compositions
Ben Allison - bass
Allan Mednard - drums

Official Purchase Link