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Oscar Penas: Music Of Departures And Returns

By Dan Bilawsky
May 3, 2014
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Oscar Penas: Music Of Departures And Returns

In putting together his fourth album, guitarist Oscar Penas looked to composers he connects with, songs that speak to him, and originals that fit comfortably with the rest. That's the concept here, plain and simple, and the end result is a thirty-eight minute beauty that's alluring and completely accessible.

Two different rhythm sections and three guests come and go during these eight tracks, but Penas' presence ties everything together. The first three numbers—a cheery choro featuring clarinetist

Paquito D'Rivera

clarinet
b.1948

" data-original-title="" title="">Paquito D'Rivera, a take on "Rabo De Nube" that focuses in on

Esperanza Spalding

bass
b.1984

" data-original-title="" title="">Esperanza Spalding's supple vocals, and a solo guitar performance of "Skylark"—illustrate this point. These songs have little-to-nothing in common with one another, but Penas' personality serves as a bonding agent, bringing them closer than imaginable.

Further explorations find Penas putting his stamp on flamenco music ("Paco"), tilting toward tango ("The Everyday Struggle"), using a baroque-style exercise as a leaping off point ("Etude No. 1"), and balancing the mournful with the serene ("Canco Numero 6"). On those first three occasions, violinist

Sara Caswell

violin

" data-original-title="" title="">Sara Caswell proves indispensable. She brings a mixture of energy and grace to this material, upping the level of excitement and deepening the conversation all at once. On "Canco Numero 6" she's absent, but

Gil Goldstein

piano

" data-original-title="" title="">Gil Goldstein's accordion provides the needed finishing touches.

In this day and age, when a large chunk of the jazz community views conceptual rigor and the creation of high art as a moral imperative, it's a joyous thing to hear artists like Penas buck the trend; he simply plays what he enjoys.

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Track Listing

1. Paquito's Choro 5:14 2. Rabo de Nube 4:32 3. Skylark 1:59 4. Paco 7:30 5. The Everyday Struggle 6:30 6. Etude No. 1 5:08 7. Rain 4:44 8. Can?�� N��mero. 6 2:06

Personnel

Oscar Penas

guitar

Sara Caswell

violin

Moto Fukushima

bass, electric

Richie Barshay

drums

Edward Perez

bass, acoustic

Rogerio Boccato

percussion

Esperanza Spalding

bass

Paquito D'Rivera

clarinet

Gil Goldstein

piano

Recorded by Jeremy Loucas Tracks 1 & 2 recorded at Kaleidoscope Sound, Union City, NJ on March 4, 2013. Tracks 3 to 8 recorded at The Bunker Studio, Brooklyn, N.Y., on May 10 and 11, 2013. Mixed by Jeremy Loucas at Highend Studios, Brooklyn, N.Y. Mastered by Rich Breech at Dogmatic Sound, Los Angeles, CA. Photographs by Jimmy Katz. Graphic Design by Zulema Mejias All songs written and arranged by Oscar Pe?as (Musikoz, ASCAP) except track 2, written by Silvio Rodr��guez (SGAE), track 3 by Johny Mercer/Hoagy Carmichael (WB Music Corp), and track 8 by Frederic Mompou (Edward B. Marks Music Company). Produced by Oscar Pe?as. Executive Producer Zulema Mejias

Album information

Title: Music Of Departures And Returns | Year Released: 2014 | Record Label: MusikOZ

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Oscar Penas Concerts

Feb 7 Sat

Oscar Peñas

Asu Kerr Cultural Center
Scottsdale, AZ

Feb 7 Sat

Oscar Peñas

Asu Kerr
Scottsdale, AZ

Feb 21 Sat

Oscar Penas

SFJAZZ Center
San Francisco, CA

Feb 21 Sat

Oscar Penas

SFJAZZ Center
San Francisco, CA

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