Bien Sur!
Emilio Solla & The Tango Jazz Conspiracy
Fresh Sound Records
Listeners often make a lot of assumptions about Latin Jazz musicians and the music that they create. Misunderstandings about culture, race, musical styles, and folkloric traditions drive these assumptions, causing us to second guess the musicians. We assume that a musician’s cultural background dictates their musical approach, and that their heritage will solely inform their music. Many listeners assume that musicians from Cuba will place a son montuno rhythm beneath their jazz; that a musician from Argentina will have tango infused into their music; and that a musician from Brazil will exclusively play samba and bossa nova. In some cases, these assumptions ring true, but a number of artists break these ideas in favor of other musical priorities. Some of the most interesting Latin Jazz forces us to question our assumptions and view the artist for their individuality. Digging deeper allows us the discover the subtitles of the artist’s personality, and appreciate their unique perspective upon the world. When listeners find themselves caught in a web of assumptions, their biggest oversight is the simple fact that these artists are individuals creating great music; when we strip away the labels and preconceptions, we still have moving music created by interesting people. Argentinean pianist Emilio Solla plays upon our assumptions with his group The Tango Jazz Conspiracy on Bien Sur!, a colorful stylistic journey that stays firmly focused upon a rich personal statement.

Complete Support From The Core Quintet
Solla’s core quintet supports his musical vision completely, looking past assumptions about culture and focusing on creating great music. The screaming sound of Victor Prieto’s bagpipes cut through the driving groove on “Remain Alert” until saxophonist Chris Cheek charges into the mix with an edgy melody imbued with urgency.  Cheek contrasts the melody with an inspired improvisation that darts around the rhythm section with sharp attacks until he opens into long angular lines brimming with vitality.  The rhythm section shrinks behind Prieto’s accordion, as he flies through the upper limits of his register, building his solo with an increasing texture and rhythmic intensity.  Ascending arpeggios rise through Prieto’s accordion, creating an air of tension on “Payos,” until Solla breaks the atmosphere with a gentle melody that bounces between the instrumentalists.  Solla travels through the song with an interesting melodic approach that twists around the rhythm section with an understated intensity, stretching each phrase into a longer and more vital statement.  The group provides sparse band hits around a brilliantly colorful improvisation from drummer Richie Barshay, who combines pieces of traditional drum kit with a cajon to construct a larger sound.   Cheek respectfully interprets the melody of the old tango “Malena” over bassist Jorge Roeder’s deep tone before handing the spotlight to Solla. The pianist continues the main theme over a jazz ballad feel, leading into a delicately introspective improvisation that carefully travels around Barshay’s conversational accompaniment. Cheek takes his time exploring the richly interactive setting, building his ideas into a soaring statement, following by a brief solo from Roeder. The quintet indulges in a pursuit to create outstanding music through these tracks, calling upon the group’s familiarity to build powerful ideas in each song.

Exploring Musical Ideas With Guest Artists
Solla brings a number of strong guest artists into several other pieces, allowing him to explore even more musical ideas. A strongly thematic unaccompanied improvisation from drummer Billy Hart introduces “Hartbeat,” until Solla and Roeder provide a series of plodding chords as a backdrop to a continued solo. Prieto and Cheek weave through an expressive melody with intertwining lines, leading into a smartly structured improvisation from the accordion player, constantly pushed by Hart. After a return to the melody, Cheek and Prieto race into improvisational flourishes as Hart chases them with an enthusiastically interactive spirit. Tim Armacost’s soprano sax joins Cheek and Prieto on the long and twisting lines of “Chakafrik” as Barshay moves onto cajon for an energetic festejo groove. Solla, Roeder, and Cheek establish an angular vamp behind an impassioned solo from Prieto, leading into Armacost’s biting soprano tone flying through a series of ideas. Cheek begins engaging Armacost in a ferocious exchange of ideas, which continually build tension until the band explodes into a raging collective improvisation. Solla utilizes colorful harmonic shadings and clever melodic construction in a dramatically understated introduction on “Candombley” until Arturo Prendez, Manuel Silva, and Ramón Echegaray leap into the driving Uruguaian rhythm. The pianist launches his improvisation from the main melody, actively bouncing around the rhythmic structure with heavy doses of syncopation and harmonic dissonance. As Solla fades into the background, Roeder appears with a brilliantly percussive solo, which segues into an inspired vocal rendition of the main melody. Solla provides a sensitive and supportive accompaniment on “Tonos Lejanos” as vocalist Lucia Pulido carefully sings the main theme, choosing each pitch with a touching insight. Cheek captures this thoughtful atmosphere with a gentle improvisation that speaks volumes about his deep musicianship. Solla draws upon the main theme as a starting point for his solo, quickly variating the melodies with harmonic alterations and emotionally charged phrasing before Pulido returns for a captivating vocal performance. The guest artists on these tracks inspire a different side to Solla’s group, providing another perspective upon their musicianship.

Escaping The Confines Of Our Assumptions
Solla and The Tango Jazz Conspiracy deliver an exciting collection of music on Bien Sur! that escapes the confines of our assumptions about the pianist’s Argentinean background. While the group occasionally references tango ideals, their music reflects a much greater stylistic depth and a truly original concept. Solla’s compositions display a rich harmonic palette and an insightful sensitivity to melodic construction. He draws upon rhythms from across South America, but they always support the composition’s greater structure. Solla’s group follows his lead at every turn, exploring each piece with thoughtful conviction and a respectful reverence for the music’s beauty. There’s a liberating sense of freedom in the group’s performance as well, driving their work into a conversational approach. Each member of the group brings a broad array of languages into their improvisations, from post-modern jazz ideas to folkloric phrases and unrestrained free blowing that fuels the interactive fire. Barshay and Roeder provide outstanding rhythm section work that brings a lively spontaneity and an impeccable taste to the interactive setting. Cheek and Prieto emerge as expressive soloists that can send an effective message through a written line or improvised part. Hart, Pulido, and Armacost each contribute inspiring performances that push Solla’s group to a new level. Great performances, smart compositions, and top-notch musicality drive the tracks on Bien Sur! sidestepping our assumptions about tango and leaving us with memorable music.

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