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Gabriel Vicéns: Days
by Chris Mosey
A varied mix of influences has gone into the songs on this, Gabriel Vicéns' second album. There are the the loves of the guitarist's young life, the vampires and werewolves of the horror films he enjoys and the everyday trials and tribulations of the working people of his native Puerto Rico. He says: “I wrote 'Days' as a tribute to ordinary people who need to wake up early and work hard every single day... doing the same ...
Continue ReadingGabriel Vicéns: Days
by Roger Farbey
Gabriel Vicéns recorded his first album Point in Time in 2012, when the guitarist was only 23 and which featured jazz bass legend Eddie Gomez. Days, his second album was recorded in his home town of San Juan, Puerto Rico. He currently teaches guitar at a collegiate level in the Music Department of the Interamerican University of Puerto Rico. Thanks to its tight ensemble,"El Teatro" sounds like a big band arrangement with initial solos from Alex Sipiagin on ...
Continue ReadingGabriel Vicéns: Days
by Edward Blanco
Young Puerto Rican-born guitarist Gabriel Vicens unveils his second album as leader with the audacious Days documenting a nine-piece program of infectious modern jazz with a touch of the Latin flavor to make it interesting and quite appealing. A graduate from the Conservatorio de Musica de Puerto Rico, the twenty-seven-year old musician is currently professor at the Universidad Interamericana in San Juan and is widely recognized as one of the Island's up and coming rising jazz stars. Featured here are ...
Continue ReadingGabriel Vicéns: Days
by Mark F. Turner
A rising jazz guitarist who graduated from Conservatorio de Música de Puerto Rico and currently serves as a Professor at Universidad Interamericana in San Juan, Gabriel Vicens's sophomore release Days exuberantly articulates the soundtrack of his life. This follow up to his 2012 self-produced Point in Time shows personal growth and expression with its contagious hooks and spacious compositions brought by a gifted ensemble that includes talented Puerto Rican musicians and notables saxophonist David Sanchez, trumpeter/co-producer Alex Sipiagin, and Carlos ...
Continue ReadingJonathan Suazo: Vital
by James Nadal
There is strong indication of a renaissance movement in jazz curriculum coming out of the major music schools in San Juan, Puerto Rico. It has been steadily growing over the last few years and appears to be on an upswing. As evidence of this, Vital, the self-produced release by alto saxophonist Jonathan Suazo,an honored alumni himself, was recorded at the prestigious Conservatorio de Musica de Puerto Rico, in a live studio setting. Hopefully this will encourage others to follow suit. ...
Continue ReadingJonathan Suazo: Extracts of a Desire
by Dan Bilawsky
When it comes to currently-practicing Puerto Rican jazz icons, bassist Eddie Gomez and saxophonists Miguel Zenon and David Sánchez are the holy trinity. Each one of those men carved out their own respective path(s) through jazz country while retaining the essence of their homeland in their sound. For a young musician following in their footsteps to get an endorsement from any one of them is surely a good thing; when that individual gets two thumbs up from all three of ...
Continue ReadingJonathan Suazo: Extracts of a Desire
by Jeff Dayton-Johnson
Albums by bassist Joan Torres ( Before, self-produced, 2012)) and guitarist Gabriel Vicens (Point in Time, self-produced, 2012) give every indication of a burgeoning jazz renaissance in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Marked by technical proficiency, these players have matter-of-factly eschewed New York and set about to build a scene in San Juan.Among the most satisfying aspects of the Torres and Vicéns records is the alto saxophone of Jonathan Suazo, who lent his fluid, swinging chops to both dates. ...
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