| Jazz |
Sergio Pamies is a pianist and composer, born in the early 80s in Spain. He will release this new album at the end of June, featuring Latin rhythms that support a complex form of jazz, allowing everyone to enter his universe. Michael Thomas on soprano saxophone is, for me, a true discovery, offering here an interpretation as captivating as it is breathtaking, just like the rest of the musicians on this album: the excellent Marshall Gylkes on trombone, Jimmy McBride on drums, and Ricky Rodriguez on bass. Sergio Pamies has collaborated with renowned artists such as Dave Liebman, Christian Scott, Rubem Dantas, Antonio Serrano, Diego Amador, Pepe Luis Carmona “Habichuela,” Quamon Fowler, Brad Leali, Quincy Davis, Stockton Helbing, Ashleigh Smith, Samuel Torres, Tatiana Mayfield, Michael Miskiewicz, and Joan Albert Amargós. In addition to leading his own projects, he has produced other artists such as Verso Suelto (Verso Suelto, Youkali Music 2016), the Korean singer Roja (My Shining Hour, Mirrorball Music, 2013), and The Zebras (Flamenco Jazz Project, North Texas Jazz, 2011).
Once again, we can see that navigating between European and American culture results in an album quite different from what the finest Latin jazz productions usually offer. Indeed, aficionados will recognize in the arrangements both Spanish cultures, Pamies’s classical training, and his passion for jazz. Never seeking to overshadow others on this album, it takes time to deeply listen to his piano playing. Sergio Pamies himself is truly impressive, making one realize how fortunate students at the University of Cincinnati are to have him as a professor. On the track “Sleep Delirium,” you’ll notice a sort of nod to his culture, as the rhythm of this piece is directly extracted from the most popular form of Spanish music, flamenco. The originality of this album lies in this beautiful cultural mix, which still requires solid references to navigate.
Playing with rhythms, colors, and the myriad facets of Sergio Pamies’s artistry unfolds a bit like the tales of One Thousand and One Nights, sometimes sporting a mysterious velvety robe to dazzle you better. It’s a game of hide-and-seek, world-jazz, jazz fusion, and it’s even difficult to imagine the immense work that went into creating this album. You truly discover it as you approach the last three tracks. To be honest, before receiving this album, I only knew Sergio Pamies by name. I knew he was a pianist and composer, but there are so many talented musicians in this field that it’s difficult to know them all. It’s through this album that I’ve been able to discover him, yet his music felt strangely familiar to me. I believe that’s what happens when you intellectually resonate with an album you discover, a book you read, or a painting that vibrates in an art gallery.
Most certainly, we’re making a place for this album in our “Essentials,” as it’s very different from what we usually offer, hoping that you’ll love it as much as we do.
Thierry De Clemensat
USA correspondent – Paris-Move and ABS magazine
Editor in chief Bayou Blue Radio, Bayou Blue News
PARIS-MOVE, May 13th 2024
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Here’s a video that has nothing to do with this album, where you’ll find Sergio Pamies with saxophonist Dave Liebman: