Gregorio Uribe describes his musical life as beginning by learning about different musical techniques and styles by walking around South America. After this South American sojourn, Gregorio traveled to Boston to enroll at the Berklee College of Music where he earned his music degree, graduating Summa Cum Laude. The jazz roots at Berklee affected Gregorio deeply.

 Gregorio brought to life his vision to create a show that blends different genres such as funk, samba and jazz with the intriguing folkloric rhythms of his native Colombia. He has done this largely through the vehicle of his big band.

 His bold approach to Latin Jazz in general and Colombian music in particular have occasioned him to share the stage with such renowned artists as the six-time Grammy-winner Rubén Blades and Latin Grammy Award-winners Aterciopelados and Bomba Estero.

 In February of 2013 Gregorio was invited as an “Artist in Residence” at Dartmouth College. He conducted workshops and performed in the 37th Annual Dartmouth Winter Carnival Concert on February 9th.

 In 2010, Jose Simian of the New York Daily News wrote "Gregorio Uribe, a mild-mannered 25-year old from Bogota, Colombia, manages to strike a rare balance between youthful energy and the authority of a self-made music impresario."

 This sentiment was profoundly on display with Gregorio Uribe’s solo album “Pluma y Vino (Pen and Wine)” from 2012.  In this his very first album, Gregorio shows his poetic lyricism and intelligent composing and arranging. He offers a fresh view of classic Latin rhythms such as Bolero, Currulao, Bullerengue and Trova. In fact the very first track is a bolero number entitled “Una Excusa.”

“Una Excusa (An Excuse)” is—like all the tracks on this album—written by Gregorio. It features Andres Rostmistrovsky on bass with Gregorio handling all the other instruments (guitar and congas). The slow bolero tempo is a tantalizing introduction to the CD.

The bolero often appears in 6/4 but was made famous by Ravel’s “Bolero” which was in a constant 3/4 time. Bolero was a tempo used by Chopin, Debussy and Bizet. Instead of guitar and castanets, Gregorio employs guitar and congas. Here and throughout the entire album, his choices are appropriate and well-reasoned.

The music and influence of Gregorio’s native Colombia is prominent on this recording. Gregorio uses accordion, guitar and more to shed light on the music of his homeland. His musical vocabulary is rich and his delivery swings from soulful to almost sinful in its sensuality.

“La Toma” is the third track and is taken from the name of a city in Colombia. It offers the street corner sounds of male ensemble vocals and is a rousing venture only to be calmed and charmed by the following piece entitled “Tu Barrio (Your Town)”. The flugelhorn is a well-placed accompaniment and is gently rendered into a sweet song of remembrance.

The effortless vocal delivery is calming and emotional. As splendid as the musicianship is on this album, it is the smooth and heart-warming voice of Gregorio that stills the spirit.

The understated “palmas” is a delicate and refined addition in “De Repente (Unexpectedly)”. Again, Gregorio chooses well. The beautiful Spanish guitar and laid-back rhythm section is as unexpected as the title. The vocalization is in flawless collaboration with the instrumentation.

Gregorio moves from whimsical to wistful between “Mi Super Heroe” and “Forgive and Forget” and the clarinet on the latter track is another rewarding choice. His call-and-response vocals are fitting.

Julia Kost accompanies on cello for “Asi Soy Yo.” The overdubbed layers render a string quartet effect with stunning results.

The album concludes with “Los Ninos del Alma (The Children of Alma).” A percentage of the profits from the album are assigned to Fundación ALMA which works with disadvantaged children in Latin America with the aim of building and enhancing community and promoting peace through music and arts education. “Los Ninos del Alma” is a sweet end to the recording. It is hopeful and optimistic, joyful and reverent…just like Gregorio must be himself.

Gregorio Uribe’s choices in musicians, instruments, arrangements and lyrics are without regret. The cumulative effect of the album is such that if there is a weak moment on the album, it is impossible to recall it.

My God, I love this album.

 

Purchase “Pluma y Vino” at http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/gregoriouribe



This site and the material contained herein is protected by copyright and trademark laws under U.S. and International law. No part may be copied without written permission of the author.
© copyright 2011-2013. Travis Rogers, Jr. All rights reserved.

The story of how this album came to be is one of those exquisitely tender tales of love—love of a wife who loves jazz. Bob Arthur himself gives the account in his own words.

The making of our new album, “Jazz for Svetlana,” was a labor of love. The guitarist Steve LaMattina and I have been playing together off and on for about ten years.  Our good friend Svetlana, who is a wonderful classical pianist, really loved hearing Steve and I play as a duo.  She also kept telling her husband Yuri how much she loved our music.  Yuri decided to give her a very special birthday present.  He called me one day and said that he would like to produce a duo album of Steve and myself.  All he wanted out of it was the first CD to give to Svetlana for her birthday.  After that he said we could promote and sell the album wherever and however we wanted.  So here we are. The CD has been well received by everyone who got an advance copy.  It was a pleasure to record, and I’m happy to say that Svetlana loved her birthday present.

What a splendid introduction to the album. Having heard that story, I was prepared for the party. The intimate interplay between trumpet and guitar was suitable for a live performance in Yuri and Svetlana’s living room. This was the image that accompanied me into my first hearing of the CD.

Bob Arthurs brings over 40 years of musical experience into the duet having played with so many jazz greats like Lee Konitz, Warne Marsh, Sal Mosca, Larry Coryell, Bucky Pizzarelli, Tal Farlow and so many more. Steve Lamattina is a seasoned performer and music educator himself and the chemistry between them is solid and fluid in coexistence.

There are nine songs on the album with two of them penned by Bob Arthurs himself. It is a charming collection of tunes from Irving Berlin to Jackie Gleason to Dizzy Gillespie and the performance of those pieces in trumpet and guitar duet is a great treat under Bob and Steve’s charming treatment.

Another treat is that this CD marks the singing debut of Bob Arthurs. It follows after “How Deep is the Ocean” by Irving Berlin and the first track wherein Bob sings is the Marks and Simons classic “All of Me.”

His vocal delivery is relaxed, unrestrained and gentle. It certainly must have been thought of as words from Yuri to Svetlana and was essential to an album made possible by one man’s adoration of his wife.

Dizzy Gillepsie’s “Night in Tunisia” is on everyone’s short list of jazz favorites and Bob and Steve add their own magic to the mythical number. Bob’s delivery is swinging and sharp.

Steve Lamattina is brilliant at accompanying with cool understrokes to Bob’s trumpet. He also provides fluid solos that go from whimsy to charm and his technical skills are refined and refreshing. He has a sweet talent for underscoring without undercutting.

Bob and Steve have been performing together for over ten years and their comfort level with each other is exceedingly clear in the movement between them. It is also evidenced in the number of single takes required during the recording.

The inclusion of old favorites is like a couple in love walking familiar lanes, reliving the memories, while Bob’s original numbers provide sights not seen on previous walks. If love is a gift for the giver and the receiver, it is certainly a gift to those of us who simply get to witness it. 


Purchase this CD at: http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/bobarthurs



This site and the material contained herein is protected by copyright and trademark laws under U.S. and International law. No part may be copied without written permission of the author.
© copyright 2011-2013. Travis Rogers, Jr. All rights reserved.