New Album: Bassist and Composer Rafael Enciso, Crossfade

Bassist and composer Rafael Enciso makes his bandleader debut with Crossfade out now on Dayna Stephens’ Contagious Music label.

Bassist Rafael Enciso, based in New York City, by way of Ithaca, has released his debut album Crossfade. This is the third release in as many months on Dayna Stephens’ Contagious Music label, which has focused exclusively on bassists-as-bandleader projects. Crossfade is a bold album that introduces a promising new voice on the instrument. 

Raised around the natural beauty of Ithaca,Enciso found himself deeply attuned to the natural cycles of the seasons. Starting with waterfalls and rivers, Enciso began simply paying attention to the world around him, moving from nature to broader societal trends. In doing so, Enciso noted that like the seasons, nothing is ever truly gone, but simply fades into and out of what comes after, often reappearing in new and unexpected ways. 

From Enciso’s contemplations the album Crossfade was born. The title came as a form of musical parallelism to the nature of change itself. As times pass and blend, so a crossfade exists as one sound dissolving into another, overlapping for a moment before giving way. “The album lives in that in-between space,” Enciso says, “where the past and present coexist and influence each other.”

Musically, Crossfade showcases an entourage of original compositions that overlap in the space between riding strong grooves and melodies and providing flexibility for the band members to explore and input their personalities. In Enciso’s own words, “Harmonically and rhythmically, there’s a lot going on… unexpected shifts, layered textures, and grooves that keep you on your toes.”

One of the tracks that best summarizes the album’s concept is “Waterfall”. Inspired by the many cascades near Enciso’s hometown of Ithaca, NY, “Waterfall” paints the picture of its namesake, leaning into transformation and flow, with rhythms and harmonies that shift in ways to capture how water reshapes its paths over time. Standing in contrast is “Thousand Yard Stare”, a ballad about the weight of things carried without having the words to express it. In addition to Enciso’s quartet, this track features Jahari Stampley on organ, which was recorded in Enciso’s apartment in a single take. 

“The High Priestess” is Enciso’s ode to Wayne Shorter, whose music always felt to Enciso as “a glimpse into the future, full of mystery and lyricism.” This piece carries the same spirit of fearless exploration without falling into imitation. The solo in this piece showcases the ensemble’s fluidity while the outro highlights the openness and groove of which the band is capable. “Austin Otto” is a humorous and playful track and features Dayna Stephens joining the band on saxophone. The piece exists to provide the listener a fun, light moment amidst some of the heavier songs in the album, and spotlights Stephens getting creative with various effects on his instrument during his solo.

A key facet of this album is Enciso’s ensemble. The core quartet comprises Rafael Enciso on bass, Gabriel Chakarji on piano, Miguel Russell on drums, and Nicola Caminiti on alto saxophone. The four share a deep understanding and ability to play seamlessly together that stretches beyond the bandstand. Enciso has been playing with Chakarji since he first moved to NYC in 2021, and the quartet were all a part of Enciso’s first ever bandleader gig in the city. Moreover, their friendship runs deep, with Enciso, Russell, and Caminiti having lived together for three years, deepening their bond ever more in ways that is tangible in the recording. Atop these factors, each member of the quartet had at some point played in Dayna Stephens’s band, and thus share that common language, trust, and modus operandi. Throw Dayna Stephens himself in as the album’s producer and guest saxophonist and the end result is a nearly unparalleled level of homogeneity in musical collaboration between the parties. The touch of mastery added by Jahari Stampley’s organ performances serve to further heighten an already outstanding performance by this crew. 

With Crossfade, Enciso has not only crafted a standout debut, but has with profound artistry crafted a work that emphasizes his ability to assemble and lead a group of excellent individuals in a way that feels outright unified. Enciso successfully achieves his album’s vision with each member of the ensemble appearing not as merely a skilled guest, but as a loving member of the household who was always intended to be present. 

Crossfade was released on November 14th, 2025 via Contagious Music.

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