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Jazz Articles about Cristián Alvear
Alvear / Bondi: Latidométrica / Definite body, at sea

by John Eyles
This album is the third in a series of three releases which are part of a project by the duo Alvear / Bondi whose members are Chilean guitarist Cristian Alvear and Swiss percussionist Cyril Bondi. Across the three albums, the pair interpreted and recorded six new compositions which they commissioned, three by Chilean and three by Swiss artists. Although they were recorded and released separately, months apart, everything about the albums suggests that the three should be considered together.
Continue ReadingAlvear / Bondi: Sigh (Carried Away) / Grado de potencia #2

by John Eyles
Sigh (carried away) / Grado de potencia #2 is the first in a series of three albums which are part of a project by the duo comprising Chilean guitarist Cristian Alvear and Swiss percussionist & Insub co-ordinator Cyril Bondi. The series' recordings will feature interpretations of six new compositions commissioned by the duo from three Chilean and three Swiss artists, This album features the two compositions which give it its title, Sigh (carried away)" composed by d'incise, and Grado de ...
Continue ReadingCatherine Lamb: Point / Wave

by John Eyles
An indication of Catherine Lamb's versatility is that her last Another Timbre appearance was on Viola Torros (2018) in the company of fellow violist Johnny Chang, the two playing music by and for the eponymous enigmatic female musician who was born sometime in the late Vedic period, somewhere in the Indus valley region. In contrast, Lamb's 2015 composition Point/Wave" is described as being for guitar and environmental chord cycle (with live microphones/super collider code.) Here, it is played by Chilean ...
Continue ReadingCristián Alvear, Seijiro Murayama: Karoujite

by John Eyles
Before coming together in this duo, the Chilean acoustic guitarist Cristián Alvear and the Japanese percussionist Seijiro Murayama were both well-established Potlatch artists. Alvear has built a reputation as a performer of compositions by Wandelweiser members such as Jürg Frey and Antoine Beuger, as exemplified by his fine album of Michael Pisaro pieces Melody, Silence (Potlatch, 2015). Seijiro is represented on the label by a pair of 2011 duo albums alongside French improvising saxophonists, Window Dressing with Jean-Luc Guionnet and ...
Continue ReadingCristián Alvear: Guitarist, Alone

by John Eyles
Leaving aside Jürg Frey's impressive contributions as a clarinetist, this two-CD set joins an already impressive list of Another Timbre releases featuring Frey as composer; these include Circles and Landscapes (2015), six solo piano pieces played by Philip Thomas, Grizzana and other pieces 2009-2014 (2015), a double CD of Frey compositions played by his own Ensemble Grizzana, and Wandelweiser Und So Weite ( 2012), the six-disc set featuring composers in and around the Wandelweiser collective that included three Frey pieces. ...
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