Apu by Jazz de Barro

This is the second album release from the Ecuadorian jazz fusion group Jazz de Barro. The group is made up of 3 of Ecuador's high profile musicians, plus one gringa from New York. They specialize in fusing jazz with the rhythms of the Andes, such as pasillo, festejo, San Juanito, fox caico, and more.

For this album the group wanted to add another element to some of the quartet compositions, so they contacted some colleagues in the classical world: the Kuntur String Quartet, who are featured on the title selection as well as the songs Yarawí and Colada Morada.

Jazz de Barro has already played several concerts in conjunction with the Cuenca Symphony, so their expansion into such territory is a natural path. Bassist Christian Torres heads up the contrabass section in the symphony, percussionist Pedro Ortiz is a member of the International Latin American Symphony Orchestra, and pianist Lucas Bravo is an award winning classical pianist as well as jazz pianist and professor at the Universidad de Cuenca. Rounding out the group, reed virtuosa Su Terry brings that New York edge and years of experience as a world-renowned player/composer.

About the songs:

Blues Ande, a 6/8 rhythmic feast composed by Christian Torres, features Lucas Bravo in a dramatic ELO-style interlude, and a duet between Su Terry and Pedro Ortiz.

Colada Morada is the name of a special holiday beverage popular in Ecuador. Composed by Lucas Bravo, it opens with a contemplative piano introduction before the beautiful melody is stated by clarinet with string quartet accompaniment.

Apu, the title selection, means 'spirit of the mountain' and is composed and arranged by Su Terry. It is a blues with altered changes, and features the Kuntur string quartet as well as solos by Su, Lucas, and Pedro. The band also sings a coro just before the coda: "Apu, sigh; Colibrí, fly; Colibrí, fly, Corazón, cry."

Yarawí is composed and arranged by Christian Torres. It is a ballad in 3/4 that opens with synth and percussion effects with a melody statement on shakuhachi. The clarinet enters with the theme, accompanied by the Kuntur String Quartet. Christian is featured on bass.

San Funk is a lively tune composed by Pedro Ortiz. It changes grooves throughout, features solos by Su and Lucas, and the band also sings a coro: "Taita Chimborazo" and "Mama Tungurahua" refer to some of the most famous mountains in the Andes of Ecuador.

Colibrí means 'hummingbird,' of which there are over 120 species in Ecuador. Composed and arranged by Lucas Bravo, it is the most complex of all the tunes on the album. Piano and clarinet solos follow the melody. Pedro's brush work echoes the flight of the hummingbird.

TESTIMONIALS:
"Mystical and enchanting begin to describe the Ecuadorian fusion jazz of Jazz de Barro. Their music winds together an intense yet inviting thread of contemporary jazz with pachamama overtones from indigenous stories and surprising, magical tones of whistles and flutes. It was a true delight to experience the full breadth of their creativity and talent at the 2022 Quito Jazz Festival." –Rick Snyder

One of the most original performances that I have ever seen. The musicians were fantastic. The compositions were unlike music that I am familiar with and I thoroughly enjoyed the way this group opened my ears and eyes to a new adventure of sound." –Rick Hubbert

"Great original jazz compositions!!!!" –Cindy Benson

"Su looked like an exotic bird from the Amazon while her band played fusion of jazz, flute, indigenous stories and more. The music is still reverberating in my head this morning!" –Magdalena Herreshoff

"Quería agradecer tu cordialisima invitación a tu concierto. Esto estuvo genial en ese escenario espectacular. Ustedes con ese reguero de estrellas, de fondo, lucia espectacular. Y los temas musicales creativos y sugerentes. Felicitaciones! Claro con mucho gusto, utiliza las expresiones más altas para expresar tu presentación en un sitio tan espectador, que me hizo imaginar a Grecia de hace 3.000 años, con una música actual, con temas de raíces andinas. Realmente, vuelvo a felicitarles." –Miguel Betancourt

This group of 3 Ecuadorian musicians and one gringa from New York plays original compositions that fuse jazz with traditional Andean music.

Este grupo de 3 músicos Ecuatorianos y una gringa de Nueva York toca composiciones originales que son una mezcla de jazz y la música Andina.

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