To close out the weekly presentations of the month of November at the Fiesta Sunset Jazz, the organizers of the renowned venue presented, on Friday the 24th and to a full house, from Ecuador, the trio formed by drummer, composer, arranger, producer, and educator Juan Alejandro Posso Cordero, who was accompanied by his great friends and excellent musicians Miguel Gallardo on the piano and Fernando Alvarado on the double bass, to together present their credentials to the public that came to see them play at the best live jazz venue in the city of Santo Domingo (Dominican Republic).
What a great impression given to all by the excellent mark of Juan Posso on the drums, Miguel Gallardo with his hands dancing across the keyboard, and the evident virtuosity in Fernando Alvarado’s handling of the bass. These three Ecuadorian musicians spoke to all in a single language – Jazz… without any words, without the need to search for meanings, with great eloquence, an awful lot was told to all in Piedra, and it was only the first song.
The crowd was ecstatic and it was only the second song (Despertar), I managed to see José Luís Terrero (a regular at these events) in the distance, and his smile never went away, he knew and felt it, we were promised a night of great Jazz, and there, in front of everyone the trio was fulfilling it.
Juan Posso’s music is the exploration of strange tempos along with pentatonic melodies and jazz harmonies. His sound is an extension of traditional Ecuadorian music that combines concepts taken from Carnatic and African music; while also containing touches of various musical styles such as metal, Latin and jazz.
Playing a repertoire of original compositions, many forming part of their most recent album, the presentation seemed to be a master class on the Jazz trio, which explored and delivered the diversity that is born from improvisation, delighting those in their seats – who with effusive applauses rewarded each solo, each song, a testimony to the great connection achieved between these musicians and those in attendance.
Each musician impressed with their style, their way of playing, their skill on the instrument, their passion and originality. The trio is extremely compact and their dialogues are fine, well developed and balanced, they transmit and share their dialogues to everyone present and make them participate in it – achieving a room where everyone fully enjoyed a great sampling of jazz tonalities on stage.
To finish the evening, Juan Posso invited local dominican musicians Oscar Micheli and Sebastian Mueses, who on piano and bass joined the drummer and delivered a fabulous version of Caravan by Juan Tizol and Duke Ellington. Which was followed by Besame Mucho (Consuelo Velasquez), with which they said goodbye to the audience.
What a way to close the night, and you it’s “nothing personal” but I don’t have any words left to describe it, there’s nothing more to say. Well yes, so much talent, so much emotion, so much first-class music in which the three from Ecuador took us on their train on a great trip in which we all arrived together at their last stop with total happiness.
Thanks to Juan, Miguel and Fernando for giving us their music, their talent, their friendship and for making us participate in such an excellent evening!!!
Review by Fernando Rodriguez De Mondesert
