More Jazz

VARIEGO Tango Blues. And the Trees, Recompensa. Susurro de Paris. Tema de Manuel. Reencuentro. Malambo. What ls Home. Variego . CENTAUR 4074 (44:30)

The jazz part of the Centaur catalogue seems to be the jewel in the label’s crown. I definitely en- joyed David Park’s Passion of the Soul disc (reviewed Fanfare 47:l); a review that ledto Fanfare’s first-ever live concert review (at London’s United Nations Ballroom: see the Fanfare Archive).

Entitled Recompensa, this disc finds Variego3 (Jorge Variego, clarinets; Jack Roben, electric guitar; Rob Linton, double-bass) presenting a sequence ofeight pieces by Variego himself. Recorded in Knoxville, Tennessee, in February 2023 (and all in one day), this disc presents highly sophisticat- ed jazz. While the first track, Tango Blues, might sound relatively traditional in the rhythmic slinkiness iness of its opening and cheeky clarinet solos, it soon moves into more modem territory. The lyricism of Variego’s clarinet is underpinned by the more rhyhmic guitar and bass. As the music fragments, and imitation between instruments creeps in, the soundscape becomes sparser and more exploratory as if striving to refind itself.

Fanfare May/June 2024 481

Altogether more elusive is And the Trees: slow,lyrical, dreamy but with an acidic tang to the harmonies, mirrored in the steely sound of Jack Roben’s electric guitar against the creamier strains of Variego’s clarinet. This music begins quietly and diminuendos to near inaudibility, at which point one seems invited to focus on the sheeq strange beauty of the sounds produced. A1l of this makes the fulI appearance of melody all the more cherishable in this lovely track, characteizedby a sort of modernistic nostalgia. The titular track and the third in running order, Recompensa, extdes a sort of sophisticated jollity. A duet between Variego and Ruben lifts the mood beautifully, with its slightly qll;izzica! ending usherin g in Susurro de Paris (Whisper of Paris), a gently wafting number in which Variego’s woody, plaintive sound speaks volumes.

I don’t know who Manuel is, but Tema de Manuel is deliciously haunting. The potent melody stays with the listener for a long time. As the longest track on the album, there is space for expansion, and for musings as well. The long solo by Roben is particularly impressive, both gentle at heart and gently rhythmic, ending with the tenderest of strummings to lead back into Variego’s liquid legato melody. Tema de Manuel seems linked to the next piece, Reencuentro (Reunion), but here the quietude carries an undercurrent of disquiet. If this is a reunion, neither party is sure of their feet.

Active rhythm retums with the slirlriy Malambo, as circular phrases allow for a sense of natural forward movement and the composed fade at the end is perfectly managed. Finally, there comes What is Home (no question mark). As the title might suggest, the effect here is ungrounded (homeless, one might say, possibly home keyless); Rob Linton’s double-bass makes its mark via its desolate pizzicato.It’s a powerful way to close. Shying away from any overt virtuosity, the players won- derfully ask us instead to enter a reflective space.

There is no documentation apart from a track listing and recording information: the space Centaur uses for notes is filled by one large black-and-white photograph of the musicians-not a bad thing, of cowse. It just means the music has to speak completely for itself, and it certainly does that. This is a great disc, and a treat for all jazz lovers. The range of styles is large; all three players are superb in their own right and even better together as one entity. A Want List candidate, for sure. Colin Clarke

Cameron Rehberg (viola) and Ashlee Booth (cello) performed “Fuego y Duende” at the Parkview Senior Living and as part of the Knoxville Chamber Music Society 23-24 concert season.

gFuego y duende is a composition about the unrelenting search that fuels music in all its forms. At its root, the need for music comes from an inexplicable desire to find something indescribable. Music is a constant search. In García Lorca’s words “… there are no maps nor disciplines to help us find the duende. We only know that he burns the blood like a poultice of broken glass, that he exhausts, that he rejects all the sweet geometry we have learned…” 

Feeling strong after rehearsal for our show next week at the SapeShifter Lab. Super Pumped! / Muy motivados después del ensayo para nuestro show de la próxima semana en el ShapeShifter Lab. A meterle que va a estar bueno! https://shapeshifterplus.org/event/variego3-recompensa/

With Jorge Variego (clarinet and compositions), Taber Gable (piano) and Rob Linton (bass).

“RIFT”, for wind ensemble, captures the essence of conflict, delineating an imaginary world where clashes and discordance are the norm. It depicts a tumultuous society on the brink of collapse; its very fabric woven with cracks and ruptures, mirrors the combative nature of its inhabitants.

With sparse moments of quietude, “RIFT” captures the relentless strife within this fictional world. The music becomes a vessel through which the tension, clashes, and fissures of this society are expressed, immersing the audience in a landscape where interactions shatter and rifts emerge at every turn.

Special thanks and kudos to Max Tfirn and Mark Reimer for organizing an AMAZING festival.

Program note: “Uno” intertwines a collection of ones. The interplay of the voice and the cello suggests a search of oneself, a moment for reflection. Sparse, for moments frantic, the cello character goes from gritty to idyllic, always exploring. Throughout an introspective journey the piece takes the listener through momentos tangueros based on Mariano Mores’ tango Uno, to strokes of Brahms first Symphony. All tinted with the palette of my own self.

American cellist Natasha Farny has performed as soloist with the Boston Symphony, the Buffalo Philharmonic, and several regional orchestras throughout New York state, recently premiering Avner Dorman’s double concerto written for her and Ekstasis Duo partner, Eliran Avni. Solo and chamber music tours include appearances in Germany, the Czech Republic, Italy, and Brazil, and nationally at Chicago’s Dame Myra Hess Memorial Concerts, Brooklyn’s Bargemusic “Here and Now” Series, and Florida’s BIG ARTS Sanibel series. Ms. Farny’s debut CD of French cello music on the Centaur label appeared in 2020, followed in 2022 by “Women’s Voices” with Eliran Avni. Nationally, Ms. Farny has performed live on radio programs including Chicago’s “Live from WFMT”, and is a regular guest at WXXI’s “Live from Hochstein” series in Rochester, New York. Recent performances have taken the duo to Merkin Hall, Strings Music Festival (CO), The Holland Theater (OH), and the Del E. Webb Performing Arts Center (AZ). She has been appointed to numerous summer festivals including the Sewanee Summer Music Festival, the Brancaleoni International Music Festival, the National Music Festival (MD), the Colorado Music Festival, and the Fredonia String Camp. During the year, she holds a professorship at the School of Music at SUNY Fredonia.

Variego3’s Latest Album “Recompensa” 

Knoxville, November 2023 – Inspired by the legendary Jimmy Giuffre, the Variego3 trio has unveiled their latest musical offering, “Recompensa,” an album that resonates with a chamber music vibe coupled with a resonant woody sound. Showcasing a blend of original compositions that seamlessly traverse the realms of jazz, free improvisation, and the evocative melodies from el Rio de la Plata, this album marks a pivotal moment in contemporary jazz.

At the heart of this ensemble are the exceptional talents of world-class musicians: Jorge Variego on clarinets and compositions, Jack Roben on guitar, and Rob Linton on double bass. Their synergy is nothing short of breathtaking, evident in their ability to craft infectious yet refined melodies while maintaining an understated elegance that captivates aficionados of both modern jazz and traditional styles.

Jazz Corner praises the Variego3, “It’s a true joy to hear this amazing ensemble of world-class musicians interact with one another, feeding off each other’s chemistry and ability to create massively infectious, yet classy and understated melodies. Whether you are a fan of modern jazz, or you prefer the old guard, you’ll certainly be impressed. This group has got so much to offer, and they bring an unprecedented level of charisma to this genre today.”

“Recompensa,” released under Centaur in 2023, is a testament to the trio’s dedication to pushing the boundaries of musical expression. Through Variego’s original compositions, they artfully blur the lines between genres, inviting listeners on a transcendent journey that fuses diverse influences into a seamless auditory experience.

The Variego3 receives sponsorship from the Domino Ensemble, a non-profit organization committed to championing new music through performance, commission, and promotion. This collaboration underscores the trio’s commitment to innovation and musical exploration, allowing them to continue pushing the envelope in the realm of contemporary jazz.

Students of the MUTC 450/550 class will presented their final projects at the Emporium. New experiments in SuperCollider 🙂
Works by: Cullen Burke, Kyle Cottier, Nathan Ebbs, Siena Fulton, Gus Kohler, Sam Mcrary, Zac Stanisławski, Matt Stanley

Thankful for the curiosity and relentlessness of this AMAZING group of young composers! More than 20 premieres, 10 orchestral miniatures, 10 original film cues describe online a small portion of what happened this summer in the composition program at the Sewanee Summer Music Festival. Keep those sounds coming, there’s so much more music to write!