MUSIC REVIEW BY Iñigo Ortega Medrano, Distrito Jazz (Spain)
From Galicia comes another new sample of the strength of jazz in that area. The saxophonist Xosé Miguélez is the protagonist with his 'Ontology'.
Miguélez, apart from his work in 'Ontology', is part of the XMA trio, together with the double bass player Xacobe Mart'nez Antelo of which we recently referenced his latest work 'Capturas' - http://www.distritojazz.com/discos-jazz/xacobe -martinez-antelo-trio-capturas - and also works alongside the French pianist Jean - Michel Pilc.
Focusing on this 'Ontology', we go with the origin of this album that is somewhat curious and personal.
In 2017, while Xose looked at the songs of traditional Galician music, he found the recording of a ballad by the biologist Dorothé Schubart, sung by his great-aunt Amparo almost 40 years ago in Cerdedelo-Laza, a beautiful village hidden in the mountains Galician
So neither short nor lazy, Xosé Miguélez has composed all the themes of this 'Ontology' from the motif of four notes that appears at the beginning of that ballad. The idea came from Kansas City saxophonist Matt Otto, friend and mentor of Xose and producer of this recording.
In addition to the appearance of Matt Otto on three themes with his tenor and Ewi, a synthesizer saxophone, on another; We are in training with musicians of the Storm Nilson guitar, Ben Leifer in acoustic and electric bass and John Kizilarmut taking care of the drums and the flamenco box. As a guest we have the vibraphonist Peter Schlamb on a couple of topics.
The jazz that Xosé Miguélez practices is contemporary and very personal, so it is difficult to find the motif of four notes, which is the root and inspiration of this work in the compositions presented, but it is.
Nine songs are from the game and as a climax we hear the original, in the voice of Aunt Amparo, recorded in 1981.
The album is intended as a tribute to Galician women, like Amparo, who have preserved the legacy of traditional Galician music.
The work of Xosé Miguélez has been to turn that legacy around and update it as, I think, he has achieved with this 'Ontology'.
Interesting album
Miguélez, apart from his work in 'Ontology', is part of the XMA trio, together with the double bass player Xacobe Mart'nez Antelo of which we recently referenced his latest work 'Capturas' - http://www.distritojazz.com/discos-jazz/xacobe -martinez-antelo-trio-capturas - and also works alongside the French pianist Jean - Michel Pilc.
Focusing on this 'Ontology', we go with the origin of this album that is somewhat curious and personal.
In 2017, while Xose looked at the songs of traditional Galician music, he found the recording of a ballad by the biologist Dorothé Schubart, sung by his great-aunt Amparo almost 40 years ago in Cerdedelo-Laza, a beautiful village hidden in the mountains Galician
So neither short nor lazy, Xosé Miguélez has composed all the themes of this 'Ontology' from the motif of four notes that appears at the beginning of that ballad. The idea came from Kansas City saxophonist Matt Otto, friend and mentor of Xose and producer of this recording.
In addition to the appearance of Matt Otto on three themes with his tenor and Ewi, a synthesizer saxophone, on another; We are in training with musicians of the Storm Nilson guitar, Ben Leifer in acoustic and electric bass and John Kizilarmut taking care of the drums and the flamenco box. As a guest we have the vibraphonist Peter Schlamb on a couple of topics.
The jazz that Xosé Miguélez practices is contemporary and very personal, so it is difficult to find the motif of four notes, which is the root and inspiration of this work in the compositions presented, but it is.
Nine songs are from the game and as a climax we hear the original, in the voice of Aunt Amparo, recorded in 1981.
The album is intended as a tribute to Galician women, like Amparo, who have preserved the legacy of traditional Galician music.
The work of Xosé Miguélez has been to turn that legacy around and update it as, I think, he has achieved with this 'Ontology'.
Interesting album
Soundclips
Other Reviews of
"Ontology":
Jazz (Portugal) by Rui Eduardo Paes
Jazziz by Matt Micucci
Jazz, Ese Ruido (Spain) by Félix Amador
Midwest Record by Chris Spector