Simetrio: Amanuense

There is something in the highly wrought alchemy of these musicians—pianist Lautaro Quevedo, bassist Marcelo Cordóba and drummer Carlos Cortés—that delivers a calculated and dignified procession of songs. Each is often mesmerising, is played with gorgeous fluidity as it moves with sublime conviction towards an epic valedictory close. After their spectacular debut in 2011 it did seem that Simetrio would be hard-pressed to top that recording. But they did so and in compelling fashion. Lautaro Quevedo is a quite wonderful pianist, in his prime, with a thrust and command of brilliance and musical energy that are controlled by deep emotional strength. His contribution to composition and performance is matched by the stunning musicianship of the bassist and drummer, who play with indubitable excellence. All three men demonstrate vaunted technical execution and each illuminates the other not only with sparkling method, but also with a fabulous execution marked by freshness and directness that is delightful, virtuoso and often breathtaking. There is also this small matter of control that is as much musical as it is technical.

The transparent opalescence of two charts: “Persecución” and “7-D Waltz” dominate the recording and what the trio achieves here is something to be savoured and wondered at. And although these are two of the most outstanding pieces on the recording, the rest of the repertoire is nothing to be sneered at either. The music here always excels in inspiration that comes from deep within the musicians’ hearts and not simply their bristling musical intellect. It is a matter of wonder that the trio can sustain music so balletic and exceptionally graceful. Time and again, when you reach the end of a piece you come to cherish the players’ immaculate rhythm and timekeeping, which has nothing to do with swallowing a metronome. Playing a tempo with this degree of élan and finish derives from a discipline that these musicians may have learnt to adhere to in the many days of mastering the compositions.

The 12 compositions—all written by members of this trio—are all successes. The elemental “Silueta” is another notable addition to the repertoire of the group. It would seem that here are musicians who are so completely made of elegance and fire that they simply can do no wrong musically. Many of the things that they do are often reminiscent of classic trios that have gone before them, most notably the one of Bill Evans, which included Scott LaFaro on bass and Paul Motion on drums. Such is the elegance and inimitable interaction between each set of players. You identify each of them by their spectacular individuality as well as the manner in which they melt into each other’s roles with panache. With just two albums under their belts, Lautaro Quevedo, Marcelo Cordóba and Carlos Cortés have come to represent selfless understanding and boundless musical energy. And everything offered here has the hallmark of timing and of glorious variety and drama. Their sense of space is also quite unmatched and this is another worthwhile achievement on this recording.

Track List: Persecución; L’ame de Sud; Cochi Plays de Blues; Pasos en el Bosque; Psicoseo; 7-D Waltz; Tiento; Progreso; Anita Latina; Silueta; Y Bop.

Personnel: Lautaro Quevedo: piano; Marcelo Cordóba: contrabass; Carlos Cortés: drums; Claudio Ortúzar: percussion; Osvaldo “Nuh” Barrios: programming.

Label: Independent
Release date: December 2014
Website: simetrio.com
Buy music on: amazon

About Simetrio: Musicians Marcelo Cordóba and Lautaro Quevedo are two renowned Chilean musicians on the area of popular music scene. More than a decade after they met each other in UAE (United Arab Emirates), where they continued working as session musicians, they, together with Carlos Cortés have always kept alive the interest in creating a project that would blend together creative compositions with flawless performance and execute these in the genres they so loved: notably jazz and Latin American music. Read more…