Gonzalo Rubalcaba in Yerevan Jazz festival 2017: Spontaneous inner dialogue from a brilliant, inquisitive mind … Videos

There are few piano solo in the history of jazz and Afro-Caribbean music: Ask any concert hall owner too cheap even to pay scale, and he’ll say his favorite configuration for a trio is piano, piano player and stool. Ask any pianist whose performing is worth a small fortune every time he plays–like Gonzalo Rubalcaba–and he’ll agree, but only because it translates into the ultimate freedom.

So in the Yerevan jazz festival 2017 is Gonzalo Rubalcaba, as naked as an artist can be, sans rhythm players, sharing 15 tracks that sound very much like a Keith Jarrett concert: not in execution, but in concept. No need for elaborate arrangements. Just set up the sound properly …

What emerges here may disappoint Gonzalo Rubalcaba’s growing army of fans in one respect: There is only a suggestion of the pyrotechnics that marked earlier releases such as Paseo or Besame Mucho. Most of the tracks are slow, introspective explorations, such as the two lovely “Cancions”, the rhapsodic “Silencio”, the impressionistic “Nightfall” and “Suena de Munecas”, which features 90-plus seconds of upper-register doodling. There is no straightahead jazz. Rubalcaba’s meanderings are so highly personal, the only tracks that come close to being uptempo provide more familiar territory with their aggressive, left-hand ostinatos.

Accept Solo for what it is – spontaneous inner dialogue from a brilliant, inquisitive mind – and your enjoyment of this album will be considerably enhanced. Two tracks in particular underscore Rubalcaba’s justification for solo format: “Here’s That Rainy Day” and “Besame Mucho,” analyzed, dissected and deconstructed so painstakingly, many listeners are apt to miss the occasional hints of melody.

Best known for his beautiful albums “Avatar” and “Fe” Gonzalo Rubalcaba is modest about his achievements. “I never called myself a jazz musician,” he said. Attributing his success to his extensive exposure and the works of others, he said: “I think it is important to have a wide background, to have an unprejudiced view … without divisive limits. In the end this helps to enrich your experience and wisdom”.

Gonzalo Rubalcaba comes from a musical family in Cuba: his father and grandfather were prominent members of popular orchestras. His father, Guillermo Rubalcaba, was for a time the pianist in the band of the violinist Enrique Jorrin, who created the Cha-cha-cha.

After the concert hall named after Aram Khachaturyan, Gonzalo Rubalcaba played jam session in Yerevan Mezzo club !!!