SUNNYSIDE RECORDS (RECORDED JULY 2023)
To say that pianist Alvaro Torres has a fondness for Paul Bley would be an understatement. On his first trio recording in 2019, Torres featured pieces titled “Hillcrest Club” and “Like Paul.” His next two releases, Heart is the Most Important Matter and Live in Barcelona may not have songs dedicated to Bley, but Torres’ playing is certainly influenced by him. With the release of Iris, Torres cements his connection to Bley in more ways than one. For starters, his compositions and playing on Iris incorporate Bley’s distinct use of space, his knotty melodic lines and his unique sense of rhythm. More importantly, Torres finally realized his dream of performing with drummer Barry Altschul who played with Bley on a regular basis between 1964 to 1970 and Intermittently through the 1970s and 1980s. Working hand in hand with Altschul and bassist John Hebert, Torres performs seven originals and a Bud Powell tune. Like the music of the Paul Bley trio or Chick Corea’s ARC, the music on Iris is full of quirky twists and turns expertly navigated by the trio. Hebert’ s strong and steady bass lines build a strong foundation for Altschul’s array of percussive rhythms and colors. The trio deconstructs Bud Powell’s “Celia” only to end the tune with the familiar bebop line of that Powell classic. Torres, Hebert and Altschul feel right at home on Iris — a home filled with love, respect and passion for the musical concept Bley explored during his lifetime and the music Alvaro will hopefully continue to expand upon in the years to come.
BOTTOM LINE: Madrid-born pianist Alvaro Torres is inspired by the music of the Paul Bley trio and Chick Corea’s ARC. On Iris, he is further inspired by the presense of Barry Altschul, the drummer who appeared on those releases. Along with bassist John Hebert, the trio reinforces the power of those iconic recordings from the 1970s as well as paving the way for more musical adventures in the 21st century.
PAPATAMUS REDUX 
Leave a comment