#pablo aslan

[celebraciondelaculturahispa-blog]

TANGO CONCERT

November 21, 2015 -  2:00pm

Washington Heights Branch of New York Public Library 1000 St. Nicholas Ave, Manhattan

Free Admission -  www.nyp.org

[jazzheads-blog]

The Latin Jazz Corner's Album Of The Week: Todo Corazón, Mark Weinstein

April 19, 2013 The Latin Jazz Corner

Todo Corazón, Mark Weinstein Jazzheads

How do you dive head first into a new style of music without loosing your own developed sense of artistic identity?  It’s an interesting question that every artist faces at one time or another during the course of their career.  Diving into new musical territory is an important part of any musician’s artistic evolution; while some folks might repeat the elements of past successes, the only way to grow as an artist is to try new things.  It’s important to capture a sense of authenticity in your learning process though, which can require some compromises along the way.  In a best case scenario, you can surround yourself with masters of the new style, giving yourself some role models to guide your work.  Involving experienced musicians means at you’re hopefully going to be following their lead; if you simply force yourself over the background that they create, your product is going to be fairly superficial.  At the same time, you run the risk of loosing your most valuable asset in this regard though, which is your sense of identity as a musician.  Finding that balance between authenticity and personality requires a musician to walk a fine line, and it’s easy to stumble.  When you do manage to maintain a sense of self while immersing yourself in a new experience, the results can be beautiful.  Flautist Mark Weinstein dives into the Argentinean Tango tradition on Todo Corazón, delivering an inspiring performance full of authentic musical details and his well known artistic identity.

Working Deeply Within A Traditional Instrumentation Weinstein digs deeply into tango with a traditional instrumentation, working with creative arrangements from bassist Pablo Aslan and bringing his flute into the ensemble and acting as a soloist. Weinstein’s flute glides effortlessly over a distinctly uplifting set of chords on Vicente Greco’s “La Viruta” before melding into a rhythmic melody alongside bandoneón player Raul Jaurena.  The melodic duties bounce between Weinstein and Jaurena in a tightly constructed arrangement before Jaurena moves into the background, helping Aslan and pianist Abel Rogantini drive the rhythmic momentum.  Weinstein charges into an impassioned improvisation, hitting edges of the style with smart lines before he drives the band back through the melodic material in high gear.  Weinstein delicately winds his flute around Rogantini’s rich chordal accompaniment on Astor Piazzolla’s “Onda Nueve” until the pianist starts some powerful rhythmic motion, pushing Weinstein into a flurry of notes.  Aslan and Jaurena leap into the mix, creating a driving momentum as Weinstein and Rogantini share pieces of the melody, which comes to an abrupt stop as it reaches an exciting pace.  Rogantini fills the space with an introspective bit of solo piano, followed by a gentle melodic interpretation from Weinstein that builds into a full band climax.  Rogantini and Aslan push the rhythm with a steady stride as Jaurena and guitarist Francisco Navarro introduce Julio De Caro and José María Ruffet’s “Todo Corazón” with a short melodic duet, until Weinstein enters with the melody and the full rhythm section kicks into a driving momentum.  The band quiets as Aslan winds beautifully poignant melodies through the chords with a gorgeous tone, followed by a stately solo from Rogantini that bubbles with a playful edge.  Weinstein creates a more lengthy statement, taking his time to play upon the melody, developing it with an edgy motion and a running collection of note flurries.  Weinstein weaves his way around precise rhythmic attacks from the band on Juan Maglio and Enrique Cadícamo’s “El Llorón,” winding his melody around a driving band texture with a lively sense of motion.  Navarro plays off this momentum with a solo that hits every rhythmic turn with a percussive attack, followed by a statement from Weinstein that matches the band’s fire and intensity.  Jaurena sends the band to the next level with a virtuosic statement before trading phrases with Weinstein to take the song to a rousing close.  There’s a defined feeling on these tracks that Weinstein is performing as part of the ensemble, and while he takes some memorable solos, he works alongside the other musicians to respect the song and style.

Combining Flute And Bandoneón An individual tune really defines the combination of Weinstein’s world with the tango tradition when the flautist moves into a trio setting with Jaurena’s bandoneón. The pure tone and slow vibrato of Weinstein’s flute sits boldly above Jaurena’s bandoneón, simultaneously unified and contrasting, as he plays through the melody of Juan Carlos Cobain’s “Mi Refugio.”  Jaurena revisits the melody with a distinctly introspective and moody approach, embellishing his statement with spells of harmonic dissonance and assertive runs.  Aslan assertively enters the group with a big round tone, providing a momentum that lets Weinstein fly through an improvised section before looking at the original theme from a different perspective.  There’s a interesting overlay as Weinstein works as the featured soloist over Jaurena’s bandoneon, highlighting a merging of tones, styles, and backgrounds that produces beautiful results.  

A More Intimate Guitar Trio Setting Weinstein’s gorgeous tone and personal style comes into the forefront with a number of tracks featuring a more intimate guitar trio setting.  Aslan presents a gorgeous melody that showcases his deep rich tone on the introduction to Juan Carlos Cobain & Enrique Cadícamo’s “Los Mareados” before Weinstein reflectively works through the main theme over the sparse backdrop of Navarro’s guitar.  A short burst of refined riffs from Navarro sends Weinstein into a well constructed solo that cleverly plays around the chords with subtle traces of jazz influence.  Weinstein freely interprets the melody with quick flurries of notes, giving Aslan equal opportunities to make his mark on the memorable melody with both pizzicato and bowed phrases.  Navarro accents the sharp rhythmic feel of Weinstein’s melody with percussive attacks and arpeggiated fills on Mariano Mores and José María Contursi’s “Cristal,” effortlessly shifting between bold rhythmic playing and sensitive melodic passages.  As the two musicians come to the end of their duet, Aslan enters with an unaccompanied bowed bass solo that wraps both improvisation and melodic playing into a mesmerizing statement.  After a brief melodic interlude from Weinstein, Navarro improvises with grace and style over Aslan’s bass, charging forward with both sophistication and fire into Weinstein’s final journey through the beautiful melody.  There’s a gentle sense of calm as Weinstein sensitively performs the melody to Juan Carlos Cobain and Enrique Cadícamo’s “Nostalgias” over sparse chordal arpeggios from Navarro.  Aslan enters the ensemble as the melody progresses, and the interaction between his bass and Navarro’s guitar creates a slowly building rhythmic momentum behind the melody.  All three musicians improvise upon song, adding their own personal voices – Navarro full of graceful virtuosity, Weinstein with an understated fire, and Aslan lending a heavy lyricism.  Aslan fills with a lyrical grace over Navarro’s stream of understated arpeggios on Mariano Mores and José María Contursi’s “Grisel” leading into a gentle melody brought to life with the deep, rich sound of Weinstein’s bass flute.  Navarro inserts a rhythmic push into the song with an improvisation that pushes the time forward and plays off sharp edged attacks.  Weinstein solos with a subdued elegance, letting the tone of his instrument steal the spotlight, eventually returning to the melody in the bass flute’s resonant upper register.  There’s a fantastic interplay on these tracks that lets all three musicians evolve their individual ideas into a beautiful musical conversation about style, finesse, and individualism.

A Perfect Balance Between The Elegance Of Tango And Weinstein’s Improvisational Prowess Weinstein makes a smart and inspiring entry into tango on Todo Corazón, producing a collection of music that shows a deep respect for the tango tradition while letting his own artistic voice shine.  Weinstein is not a newcomer at trying different things, having thrown himself into projects revolving around folkloric Cuban music, Brazilian styles, Jewish music, modern Cuban dance music, and more.  He understands how to navigate the divide between new experiences and personal identity and he does so with grace and style on Todo Corazón.  At every step of the way, Weinstein’s artistic decisions show a deep respect for the process of integrating his voice into a decidedly different part of the Latin Jazz world.  The tone of Weinstein’s flute blends into the tango ensemble in a natural way, showing a defined connection to the music; at the same time, there’s an undeniable sense that Weinstein’s flute breaks the confines of style to bring his personality to the forefront.  Weinstein adds a bit of New York into the mix, smartly walking alongside experienced tango musicians who display the history and elegance of the music.  Weinstein is right there with his band, but he’s also adding in bits of jazz and the subtle rhythmic hints of his time with Cuban musicians.  Involving bassist Pablo Aslan in this project was a stroke of genius on Weinstein’s part, ensuring at the music would stay firmly rooted in the tango tradition.  Aslan’s previous work has shown an innate connection to the history and musical details of tango, as well as a deep understanding of jazz; he clearly brings all of those traits into the project.  With Aslan’s frequent collaborators on board in Jaurena, Rogantini, and Navarro, the project has a distinct sound that feels both polished and relaxed while echoing the sounds of tradition.  Navarro shines brightly throughout the trio tracks, pushing the music with a rhythmic vitality, melodic sensitivity, and improvisational flair.  Weinstein makes impressive headway into the tango tradition on Todo Corazón, playing upon his experienced musical identity and a strong supporting cast to create a memorable recording that finds the perfect balance between the refined elegance of tango and the improvisational prowess of Weinstein’s flute work.

———- Track Listing: 1. La Viruta (Vicente Greco) 2. Los Mareados (Juan Carlos Cobain & Enrique Cadícamo) 3. Mi Refugio (Juan Carlos Cobain) 4. Onda Nueve (Astor Piazzolla) 5. Cristal (Mariano Mores & José María Contursi) 6. Nostalgias (Juan Carlos Cobain & Enrique Cadícamo) 7. Todo Corazón (Julio De Caro & José María Ruffet) 8. Grisel (Mariano Mores & José María Contursi) 9. El Llorón (Juan Maglio & Enrique Cadícamo)

———- Musicians: Mark Weinstein – concert, alto, and bass flutes; Abel Rogantini – piano; Raul Jaurena – bandoneón; Francisco Navarro – guitar; Pablo Aslan – bass

———- Check Out These Related Posts: Album Of The Week: El Cumbanchero, Mark Weinstein Latin Jazz Conversations: Mark Weinstein (Part 4) Album Of The Week: Jazz Brazil, Mark Weinstein Latin Jazz JAM Session #5: Cuban Roots, Mark Weinstein

[jazzheads-blog]

All About Jazz Reviews Mark Weinstein's "Todo Corazon"

By DAN BILAWSKY, Published: March 11, 2013

Mark Weinstein's modus operandi is simple: He follows his interests at any given time. He found success as a groundbreaking salsa trombonist early on, but that didn't stop him from leaving his horn behind and entering the realm of academia. He earned a Ph.D in Philosophy, with a specialization in mathematical logic, and started teaching at the college level, but music's magnetic effect pulled him back into performing. He returned to the scene in the late '70s, born anew as a flautist, and he's stayed that course ever since. He continues to balance his teaching side with his flute playing persona, but his restless spirit still manifests itself in musical endeavors.

Over the past decade, Weinstein has taken a globetrotting journey on record, exploring the sounds of Brazil, Cuba, Africa and the Caribbean, and refracting what he's absorbed through his flute; now, Argentina gets added to the list with Todo Corazon. This program finds Weinstein tilling the sensual soul of this South American land with some help from a well-equipped foursome in-the-know: Argentinian bassist Pablo Aslan, his piano playing band mate, Abel Rogantini, bandoneon ace Raul Jaurena and guitarist Francisco Navarro.

Together, this quintet works their way through a heady collection of music with a light, yet lusty touch. Weinstein and Navarro often come across like musical soul mates locked in a dance of beauty, and Jaurena proves adept at making magic when he meets the leader in quiet spaces ("Mi Refugio"). Aslan takes on multiple roles here, delivering percussive bass grounding and rich arco lines with equal skill and verve. His ability to work his way into the fabric of these songs is remarkable, though not surprising given his own small, but admirable body of work. Rogantini brings a greater sense of structure to the music, yet still manages to give off the scent of seduction and mystery that's expected.

Weinstein is his usual masterful self, delivering classy lines that shimmer, sing and glide atop the rhythmic waves of his colleagues. His respect for this music comes through at every turn, but it's also clear that he yearns to take it some place else, where his jazz sensibilities can merge with the tango at the cellular level.

AllAboutJazz.com

“Todo Corazon” is available on JAZZHEADS, iTunes and Amazon.com

[jazzheads-blog]

REVIEW: Mark Weinstein's Todo Corazon (Rainlore's World)

Rainlore's World

Review: Mark Weinstein - Todo Corazon - The Tango Album

To be released on 12th February on Jazzheads, Todo Corazon - The Tango Album is Mark Weinstein's ninth release for this prestigious jazz label.

By way of a preamble, as it were, I feel compelled to note the following. It is curious to note how two great jazz musicians, both very much belonging with the giants of the past, one in the States, Mark Weinstein, and one in Britain, Gilad Atzmon (review to go live app. a week after this), one a jazz flautist, the other primarily known for his alto and soprano sax and clarinet, both fierce, fiery improvisers, both from totally different musical backgrounds and with totally different styles and approaches, are releasing albums within a few short weeks of each other that have so much in common, in spite of taking entirely different directions. Fundamentally, and most strikingly, both albums mark a fairly radical departure from each of the artists' usual directions and styles, and have both venturing well outside of their 'comfort zones.' Both albums are about heart, and beauty, and seem to question the soullessness of our modern world. Both almost force the listener to stop everything and listen to a more serene, sublime sound, to listen to their heart, each in its own different way of course. This is, perhaps, where the similarities end...

With Todo Corazon, Weinstein, and collaborator and bassist Pablo Aslan, have come up with an album that is distinct from the crop of 'me too' jazz tango albums (excellent though some of them are!) of the last couple of years. Rather, this harkens back to the 'tango a la parilla' (lit., Tango on the grill) in part, and for the rest is more like jazz-inspired improvs to tango than tango jazz. It has to be noted here that Aslan, a several times Grammy and Latin Grammy nominee and a leading light of jazz tango as well as tango a la parilla, could hardly have chosen a better selection of tangos, going right back to some of the oldest classics and going right up to the modern Tango Nuevo of Ástor Piazzolla. Aslan's arrangements are also flawless and imaginative. The two ensembles reflect those of classic tango and classic Tango Nuevo. The first part of the recording of Todo Corazon was made with an ensemble of piano - Abel Rogantini, bandoneón - Grammy winner and bandoneónista extraordinaire (playing with Piazzolla at the Montreux Jazz Festival in 1986) Raúl Jaurena, and guitar - Francisco Navarro, in addition to Weinstein's concert, alto and bass flutes and Aslan's bass. The second part omitted piano and bandoneón, and this trio is not only more intimate but also reflects the early tango ensembles of flute, violin and guitar.

In the early stages of this project a couple of years ago or so, Weinstein confided that he felt he would feel happier with just guitar and bass. As always, his instinct has been unfailing and proved him right. The trio tracks are much freer, much more relaxed than the quintet ones. However, this is by no means to say that the quintet tracks are in any way lesser ones. All are equally outstanding, just different in flavour and quality. Weinstein need not have worried.

Stepping so far outside of his comfort zone of straight-ahead jazz, Afro-Cuban and Brazilian jazz, and into the realm of the tango, was a very courageous step for Weinstein to take. And he has handled it masterfully and made it work beautifully. He stepped right into this new-to-him territory of tango and succeeded in not merely 'getting into it' but indeed making it his own. The result is, in many ways, perhaps Weinstein's most beautiful, lyrical, romantic album to date.

Todo Corazon (named after the track, Todo Corazón) is exactly that - all heart, all romance and beauty. It pulls at the heart strings like no other Weinstein album has before. It is a remarkable album in more ways than you could easily shake a stick at, not least for the absence of percussion, which must have made the adjustment doubly challenging for a hardened jazz musician like Weinstein. Yet, at the same time this absence of percussion has also freed Weinstein to extend more into the lower registers of his flutes, a glory in itself with Weinstein's rich, warm, distinctive voice and style akin to a sax player. Grisel, one of the most romantic songs among romantic songs here, is the most beautiful bass flute yet heard, and bear in mind here the particular difficulties of the bass flute. Throughout Todo Corazon, Weinstein's flutes sing as they have not sung before, are given full head to be heard with a freedom that they are seldom allowed. All heart, indeed!

The band, whether in quintet or trio format, could also hardly be bettered, and Weinstein lets them carry the tangos and plays off them. Aslan is probably the most outstanding bass player of our time in the tango and jazz tango worlds, his own quintet one of the very finest in this sphere. Jaurena should hardly need introduction or comment as one of the leading bandoneónistas of our age. Rogantini and Navarro, on piano and guitar respectively, could not be finer either.

Step back and stop, and just listen to this serene and sublime music, and let the romance and beauty take you. Everything else is just so many words. And noise.

Mark Weinstein's Todo Corazon is an outstanding work of serene beauty and the passion of the tango. All heart. It is, to put it simply, an album to die for and an absolute must have!  

© 2013 Rainlore's World/Rainlore. All rights reserved.

"Todo Corazon" is available on JAZZHEADS, iTunes and Amazon.com

[jazzheads-blog]

New Release on Jazzheads: Mark Weinstein - Todo Corazon

Mark Weinstein - Todo Corazon

The romantic soul of jazz flutist MARK WEINSTEIN. Classic tangos and virtuoso improvisations, TODO CORAZON features arrangements by GRAMMY and Latin GRAMMY nominee Pablo Aslan and GRAMMY winner Raul Jaurena playing the Argentinean bandoneón. TODO CORAZON dances its way into your heart.

“Todo Corazon” available on JAZZHEADS,  

 and 

[nprfreshair]

Two South-American Jazz Fusions (No, Not That Kind)