Turbulence is a word one normally associates with a rough airplane ride or you hear on a weather report, but it is also the name of the outstanding CD released in August of this year by the New England based jazz group Airborne. In September, I had the opportunity to speak with Thomas and Gregory Borino, the two brothers, who along with lifelong friend Thomas Sansone founded the group twenty years ago. Each one of the three, play several instruments on the album. In addition, they produced, engineered and mixed the project themselves.

In describing what the listener will hear when they don their headphones, earbuds or pump up the volume on their speakers, Gregory Borino says, “They are going to get hit with a lot. There will be some light, smooth mellow stuff, but on some of the endings (to the songs), we are really rocking it out quite a bit. The listener will also hear a big band piece, solos and improv, because improvisation is still an important part of what we do. They will hear a CD that has an edge to it.”

 Thomas Borino adds, “You can still tell it is us, even though there are a lot of different kinds of music. We definitely captured an Airborne Sound on this CD.”

“While the songs are different, they are not all over the place. There is a consistency. If you listen to the CD from track one to track nine, it is not like you are thinking, ‘Where did this come from?’ The CD does flow from song to song,” says Gregory.

Gregory who engineered and mixed the CD jokes that it aged him by ten years. “There are a lot of tracks, and we had to make them fit into two little speakers, that took some time. The arrangements are well thought out. We didn’t just bang something out. Everything was listened to, listened to again, and again and again,” he says.

“Festival At Sunset,” is the opening track for Turbulence, and immediately Thomas Borino’s strong keyboarding, Ahser Delerme’s Latin percussion and Laco Deczi’s trumpet transport you to a tropical setting. The song’s upbeat tempo is appealing and each chord bears a smile. The guitars (Gregory Borino) start with mellower riffs, but as the song builds to a crescendo, the fretwork becomes a little edgier. Donte Hall and Elizabeth Dellinger deliver smooth background vocalese.

Commenting on Airborne’s ability to combine the smoother elements of jazz and Latin vibes, without the later dominating the melody and groove, Gregory says, “We also need to give credit to our percussionist Asher Delerme. He is a very smart player. He doesn’t just play a part, he is very intense. When he has a part in the recording process, it is there for a reason. That’s why it is not overbearing.”

Thomas makes the point that although they have lived their lives in the city, that he and Gregory have a heart for the Latin countries, their people and cultures. He believes that strong connection genuinely infuses the Latin vibes heard in Airborne’s music.

While admitting to several other influences in their music, Gregory echoes his brother’s sentiments as it relates to the Latin grooves in Airborne’s music. While attending Boston’s Berklee College of Music, Gregory was in a Latin jazz band, and one might say it was love at first listen, as he was enthralled with the emphasis on percussion instruments. Describing the music as positive, passionate and alive, he feels that Airborne’s interpretation of Latin rhythms creates an upbeat environment in which people can leave the stresses of their day behind. Certainly, the band’s use of Afro Cuban and Brazilian rhythms keeps listeners’ feet moving and their bodies swaying.