Proyecto Canibal Troilo (Ph: Carolina Sacco)
El tango, la electrónica y el rock conviven en el Proyecto Caníbal Troilo, un colectivo uruguayo formado por Hugo Rocca. Valiéndose de múltiples influencias y sonoridades, el músico, cantante y compositor ensambló esta original propuesta donde la música orillera busca adquirir una nueva dimensión.
Su álbum debut es “Montevideo Sala Vip”, un registro musical en CD y DVD con diez tangos y milongas editado por el sello Ayuí/Tacuabe. Continue reading
(You can read this post in English here)
Luego de marcar una profunda huella con El Peyote Asesino y en paralelo a sus colaboraciones con Bajofondo, Fernando Santullo se adentra en su carrera solista con “El Mar Sin Miedo”. El disco será presentado en La Trastienda este año, y el músico integra también la comitiva que representa a Uruguay en el Festival SXSW.
Comparto la entrevista que Santullo tuvo la gentileza de concederme previo a todas estas actividades.
Fernando Santullo (Ph: Federico Meneses)
Un riesgo que enfrenta todo músico asociado a una banda con renombre es que su atractivo central pase a ser periférico al operar en solitario, y que su público no sea más que un grupo de personas que lo escucha por inercia.
Tu primer disco de estudio explicitaba tu vínculo más fuerte en aquel entonces ya desde el título: “Bajofondo Presenta Santullo”. Luego hubo una presentación muy contundente en vivo, y el nombre del espectáculo tenía una interesante referencia temporal: “Canciones Del Futuro Reciente”. Y ahora llega este nuevo disco, y por primera vez el título me transmite algo distinto. Y eso es libertad, entendida como la independencia de aquello que suele ser lo más oneroso para las personas: nuestro propio pasado.
¿Qué reflexión te merece esta lectura?
Bueno, yo creo que libertad tuve en cada disco que hice. Claro, cuando sos parte de una banda tenés una negociación mucho más amplia con tus compañeros. Pero también negocias cuando trabajas en solitario: con tu productor, con el sello, etc. La clave para mí es no entender negociación como pelea o “transar”. Esa es una mirada que se usa bastante cuando se habla de música y, según mi experiencia personal, no es muy realista. Siempre está en uno hasta donde se llega en esa negociación y si no querés negociar con nadie, pues haces tu disco solo y lo distribuís solo, etc. No es mi estilo de laburo ese. Quizá recientemente en la composición trabajo más solo, pero después eso está bueno que se amplíe, que recibas otras miradas. Todo es más rico cuando se vuelve colectivo. Continue reading
(Pueden leer este artículo en español aquí)
After leaving an everlasting mark with El Peyote Asesino and in parallel with his collaborations with Bajofondo, Fernando Santullo delves on his solo career with “El Mar Sin Miedo” [The Fearless Sea]. The album will be officially presented in Uruguay in two months’ time, and the musician is also part of the line-up that will represent the country in this year’s SXSW Festival.
This is the interview that Santullo was kind enough to give me, prior to such activities.
Fernando Santullo (Ph: Federico Meneses)
Any musician who’s been part of a renowned band faces a serious risk when going solo: that of his central appeal becoming peripheral to what he’s doing, and that his audience will be but a group of people listening by inertia.
Your first studio album made the link you had with your current band explicit from its name (“Bajofondo Presenta Santullo”). Then, there was a live show that carried a very interesting temporal reference in its name: “Canciones Del Futuro Reciente” [Songs From The Recent Future]. And now, there comes this new album, and –for the first time– the title conveys something I felt there was missing before: freedom. And freedom as in the act of becoming detached from your own past, the one thing that can truly weigh a person down.
Is such an interpretation accurate?
Well, I think I was free when I made every single album I’ve ever released. Of course, when you’re part of a band you also have to deal with your mates. There’s a lot to settle and agree upon. But you also go through that when you’re a solo artist. There’s deals to be made with your producer, with your record company and so on. What must be understood is that just because you’re making a deal, that doesn’t mean you’re compromising anything. And making a deal is NOT like holding a battle with someone. That’s the way many musicians tend to see it, and (based on my personal experiences) such a viewpoint is not very realistic. It’s always up to you how much you want to concede, and if you don’t want to, then you can self-publish your album and handle its distribution yourself. That’s not the way I work. Maybe I have started to work more on my own when it comes to composing songs, but there comes a point when I always turn to other people for a different insight. Everything is richer when it becomes collective. Continue reading
Asspera en Argentina (Ph: Sebas Casa)
Hay una frase que dice “escribo porque matar gente es ilegal”. Cuando escucho y veo lo que hacen en el escenario, lo primero que pienso es “hacemos esto para no cagar a palos a un par”.
Hay otra frase que dice “lo importante es creer que lo que uno piensa, dice y hace está bien, todo lo demás francamente no importa” [Risas]. Creemos que la música es un buen medio de catarsis para sacar lo malo y bueno que llevamos dentro. Nuestra catarsis es justamente el humor. Llevamos situaciones negativas para el extremo positivo. La risa es salud, y si le agregas el sonido que te gusta sos inmortal.
Concuerdo contigo. Lo que hacen tiene mucho de filosofía de vida, y de hecho lo anunciaban ya desde el primer disco con el título que habían elegido, esa “bizarra actitud de seguir con vida”.
Exactamente, primero remarcar que somos todos amigos, eso hace aún más sana nuestra propuesta. La historia de la banda nació de momentos oscuros en nuestro país y personales, y por eso decidimos optar por una manera sana de expulsar nuestras mierdas y nació esta gran mierda llamada Asspera que nos limpia por dentro y tenemos la fortuna que compartirla con un montón de locos como nosotros – ¡o peor! [Risas] Continue reading
El sábado 28 de febrero el club Niceto de Buenos Aires recibe a Manu Hattom & La Joven Pandilla Del Oeste, quienes comparten la velada con la banda Dulse.
El músico de la localidad de Haedo formó La Joven Pandilla Del Oeste en 2013 para que lo acompañe en sus presentaciones eléctricas, luego de una gira Europea que alcanzó España, Alemania e Inglaterra en la cual presentó su disco Benalmadena Despierta. Continue reading
El destacado músico argentino se presentó junto a un cuarteto de cuerdas en el Teatro El Galpón de Montevideo, en un espectáculo donde dio a relucir las mejores composiciones de los cinco discos que ya lleva editados.
Es la primera vez que veo a Lisandro Aristimuño en vivo, la primera posibilidad que tengo de experimentar su música en esta suerte de milagro cotidiano que es un concierto.
Es el artista que escucho y me maravilla desde hace años con su fusión de estilos siempre atinada. El músico de Viedma (Provincia de Río Negro) hoy se presenta junto a dos cellos y dos violines que acompañan los cantos aborígenes y las secuencias que enmarcan el sentir de su obra. Es exactamente el mismo formato con el que viene haciendo acopio de elogios en Argentina desde hace meses.
Es el que comienza con “Vi Tu Foto”, canción incluida en el puntal de su emancipación artística (“Las Crónicas Del Viento”, disco con el cual inauguró su discográfica propia en 2009), y a lo largo de dos horas nos muestra latitudes que obvian esas constantes que de otro modo pueden sumir a la música en estructuras harto encasillables.
Es el que destapa el miedo en una canción como “Ella”, que recuerda a Rilke cuando rezaba “todo ángel es terrible”, y luego entona “Me Hice Cargo De Tu Luz”, tema compuesto como auto–regalo de cumpleaños, y que ejemplifica cómo la orfandad misma puede convertirse en un reparador de sueños.
Es el que pondera lo más terrenal de la felicidad con “Azúcar del Estero” y “Demasiado”, composición en la que ya no suelen recalar sus presentaciones en vivo, pero que hoy integra el set al igual que “Sun” (de su disco debut, “Azules Turquesas”).
Es el que explica jocosamente que al margen de la referencia temporal, el título de “How Long” es una excusa para “joder a los yankees un ratito”, puesto que la canción realmente alude a un jaulón (!).
The son of Horacio Buscaglia (a key musician in the development of popular music in Uruguay), Martín Buscaglia stands as one of the most peripatetic performers in Uruguay. He has played with international artists such as Arnaldo Antunes, Kiko Veneno and Julieta Venegas, and his Uruguayan peers include Rubén Rada, Jaime Roos and Jorge Drexler.
After refusing to issue a live CD for a long time, a series of events led to the release of “Somos Libres” [We Are Free] last year – a live recording that summarized his career, both with grace and finesse. It included covers from artists as diverse as Jonathan Richman and Mandrake Wolf, and texts penned by his father and compiled by Buscaglia himself and the poet Macachin, on a book titled “Mojos”.
As arises from the conversation we had in his house/studio, what held “Somos Libres” together was the fact the album was not conceived as a live recording, but as a voice/guitar concert – a format Buscaglia has rarely favoured throughout his career. And the very essence of the CD was determined by the fact it was recorded without premeditation. The decision to release the full performance was taken later.
The following exchange took place a couple of days before Martín presented “Somos Libres” at Periscopio (a new, alternative venue that seats about 120 people) and two weeks after he had presented it at the prestigious Solís Theatre in Montevideo. You can read the original post in Spanish (as published on Cooltivarte.com) here.
Your antipathy towards live albums became publicly known when you started promoting “Somos Libres”. How far does it really go?
I can count the live albums I actually like on one hand. If you asked me about studio albums, I could easily name a hundred. But when it comes to live records, they are far and few between. There’s one by Sam Cooke that I’m really fond of – he was an old school soulman, a bit of a father figure to Otis Redding and all these soul singer that were extremely moving. And the album I’m talking about is one that was recorded in Miami – a place you would never deem as very delicate. And that’s a record you can’t stop listening to once it’s spinning, you can’t listen to just one or two numbers. And you end up thinking that a lot of children were procreated that night! [Laughs]
And then, there’s this live album by Roberto Carlos that I discovered one day I was flying by plane. I found it using the flight’s thematic selector, it was a show recorded for the MTV Unplugged series. I chose “Brazilian Music”, and this very crystalline and delicate sound came through. And since it was a MTV unplugged show, it was freed from that kitsch aura that most of Roberto Carlos’ recordings have. The guitars were acoustic, and his voice sounded really divine. That was an album I listened to a lot, and which I also recommended and gave away more than often.
But I’m not very keen on live albums. When the DVD with The Bochamakers was ready, they asked me “Don’t you want to release the audio as a separate CD as well ?”. And I refused, because you might sound superb, but there’s something missing on a live CD.
There’s an image on your blog that I think says as much… it’s the one showing a sign which reads “These things we stare at, also stare back at us”. I think that’s the problem with live records – the context that permeates and (eventually) completes the event with its presence is missing.
Exactly, that’s the one element which is missing. And it’s something pivotal that in no way can be apprehended. It depends on so many factors, and not even having all of these under control means you will be able to set it down on tape. It’s something magical. That’s why there’s so many concerts that work wonderfully even though the technical aspects are not immaculate. And there are immaculate concerts in which that magic is sorely missing.
Summing up, then, what an artist experiences live with the audience is what turns a live show into an epiphany.
Yes, any religious ritual is made complete by the others. And in some cases (like music when we place it in such a plane), it becomes very specific. There are others which are more intimate by definition, like reading a book. In that case, it’s just you reading a book in the way you like best. But as far as music is concerned, there’s something more clearly defined between those who give and those who receive. We are talking about a specific night, with a specific ambience and illumination. And it all comes together into a singular thing which is lost on an audio CD. Continue reading
During my last trip to Argentina I became acquainted with Javier Yunes, the founder and frontman of a band called The Plethora Project. The band is currently introducing audiences to its second record, “Split Album” – a collection of songs that converse back and forth among themselves, showcasing identical realities from opposing viewpoints. Javi is as much of a filmmaker as a musician, having studied art school in the past, so the full conversation with him keep that very same spirit alive – it fluctuated between different artistic conceptions until arriving at some sort of realization about the nature of what he has set to create, and how.
Thank you very much for being here today and sharing the story of your band with the readers of MusicKO. First of all, I’d like to ask you to introduce yourself, so that people who are new to your music will have a basic understanding of who you are, and how that translates into what you do.
Hey, I’m Javi Yunes from the Plethora Project. The band has been around for about ten years. In 2007, we had our first recording experience via a 4-song EP. Afterwards, in 2010/2011 we issued our first long play. It was named “This House Talks”. We were lucky enough to tour many Argentinean provinces, and nowadays we are introducing audiences to our newest record, which is called “Split Album”.
Which part of Argentina do you hail from?
I was born in Córdoba, and when I was three my parents moved to Catamarca. I lived there for fifteen years, I studied elementary and secondary school there, and then I came to Buenos Aires to get a sound degree, and keep moving towards my chosen path.
When was The Plethora Project started?
I moved to Buenos Aires in 2002. The Plethora Project came to be in 2005, after I had been on other bands. It started when I released an album bearing that same name. I listened to it the other day, incidentally. And I found myself thinking how cool it would be to record it exactly as it was, but with a better sound overall.
What makes your new album stand apart from your previous body of work?
This is our first record with both compositions in English and in Spanish – hence, the “split” Concept.
We have always sang in English. And we did so because of aesthetic reasons, it just fitted our music better. Yet, we understand that the language spoken here is Spanish. And this time around we could include it, and we feel it all coalesces together quite well.
Anyway, music is a language we all understand. And we strive to create a special mood. What we want is you to feel as if you were walking through a thousand different worlds when you are listening to our music. We aim to make your mind fly – and we’re not talking about drugs. I don’t believe I am entitled to “change” anybody’s mind, but what I want is to share a piece of mine with other people. Continue reading
One of the wonders of the Internet is how you can become acquainted with people who live a million miles away, but who nonetheless redefine the meaning of the word “synergy”. A musician who lives in Concordia (Argentina), and who has recently issued his first album of original compositions is bringing all this to mind right now. His name is Franco Martinz, and a fellow musician connected us on Facebook. And the rapport we have struck is just atomic.
This is his first promotional video: “It’s So Fine”. The song is included on his CD (“Latinoamericana”) as a bonus track.
Franco is a true admirer of Sir Paul McCartney and I think such an electricity is what powers this song, and results in a melody that passes the test with flying colors.
The band that plays on Franco’s album comprises Ochi Castillo on drumpad/percussion, Ángel Gabriel López on guitars and Matías José Solana on keyboards. Matías is also the producer of Francisco’s album – give it a spin, you can stream it for free on his own website. I particularly like the piano-driven “Caminante Nocturno” [Night Walker] and “Ella” [She] – on both songs, his appreciation of Wings is put to the best possible use.
Incidentally, the four of them also have a parallel project called CHIPSZ, which focuses on covering material from seminal 80s bands such as The Police, Queen et al. (That’s why the name nods to the quintissential TV show “California Highway Patrol”)
You can learn more about Francisco on his Facebook fanpage. And you can follow him on Twitter, too.
Hace exactamente un año publiqué “Ayer La Lluvia”, libro que fue presentado en diez oportunidades distintas con músicos independientes tanto de Uruguay como de Argentina.
Desde el inicio surgió la interrogante de si estábamos presentando un libro o un disco, debido a la preponderancia de las canciones en cada evento, y el hecho de que la música es el eje por el que transitan sus textos, y donde anidan las esperanzas de sus principales historias.
Ahora, esa interrogante queda resuelta. O al menos, redimensionada. Ayer La Lluvia se ha convertido en un disco que incluye 17 temas, la gran mayoría en formato CD por primera vez. Hay canciones inéditas, reversiones, interpretaciones en vivo…
En el libro “Ayer La Lluvia”, lo que hice fue contar la historia de los diversos músicos con los que compartí una infinidad de vivencias a lo largo del tiempo. Y ahora, en el disco el planteo está revertido: son los músicos quienes cuentan mi historia. A través de las 17 composiciones incluidas se cubre desde la etapa final de escritura del libro (noviembre 2012) y su publicación (sábado 1 de junio de 2013), hasta alcanzar el periodo actual.
Y del mismo modo que el libro buscaba acercar a los más jóvenes a la literatura, este CD colectivo lo que procura es despertar su interés por escuchar discos de manera unitaria. Esto es, lograr que en vez de enfocarse en uno o dos temas concretos escuchen álbumes enteros, de principio a fin.
Hoy comparto lo que es el diseño del CD en sí; en estos días podrán ver el arte de tapa, y los nombres de todos los artistas involucrados. No solo participan músicos de Uruguay, sino que también contamos con artistas de Argentina, España y Ecuador.
Esta edición física del disco es posible gracias al Sr. Luis Marcelo Pérez, conductor del programa de Radio Uruguay “El Mural”, quien no dudó ni un segundo en financiar este proyecto cuando lo hice partícipe de la propuesta.
La presentación oficial del disco tendrá lugar el próximo sábado 7 de junio junto a las bandas Buentiempo y The Rasta Rolling Papers.
Coincidirá con el lanzamiento de la Gira Despedida Ayer La Lluvia.
Ésta tendrá 5 fechas, y nos conducirá a lugares donde nunca antes habíamos presentado el libro. Culminará en un escenario que conocemos muy bien, y que es acreedor de las emociones más fuertes que nos ha brindado “Ayer La Lluvia”.
Comparto el afiche del evento. La invitación queda planteada para este 7 de junio a las 21:00 horas en la Sala Experimental de Malvín.
