Tryo: Patrimonio (CD, 41:13) Cantera Producciones Chilean progressive band Tryo's third release Patrimonio is a case where a mixture of many different influences - not the least of which is King Crimson - can somehow result in a whole that is in itself distinct and refreshing. Patrimonio is a well produced, well written example of how good progressive music can sound forward-thinking, rather then a lot of the "retro" direction many of today's bands seem to favor. Wonderfully complex song writing along with some incredibly playing combine to create a CD that should be at the top of every prog fan's wish list. The three instrumentalists that make up Tryo: drummer and percussionist Felix Carbone, guitarist Ismael Cortez, and bassist/cellist Francisco Cortez prove themselves incredibly adept and shifting back and forth between the hard driving fusion rock of tracks like "Grieta" to the more spacey opener "Valparaiso Psicodelico". And just to prove they're versatile, the boys throw away their drums and basses in exchange for a marimba and cello to create the track "Juegos" - a very light and beautiful piece of music that would almost seem out of place if it wasn't so good. The instrumental prowess on the album is top notch; the bass and guitar playing are very reminiscent of Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson at some points, while invoking the spirits of Tony Levin and Robert Fripp at other times. Tryo shows a maturity and constraint in their compositions by being both complex AND natural at the same time, making sure not to force things like time signature changes and song lengths. As a matter of fact, only one track (the very powerful "Justicia") clocks in at over 6 minutes - proof that good progressive music need not take up 15 or 20 minutes at a time. These guys know what they want to say musically, and get right to the point in their songs avoiding the filler and fluff that tend to plague some of their progressive brethren. In short, if you want to hear some seriously talented musicians play some seriously well-thought out progressive rock music, look no further than Tryo's Patrimonio. I guarantee that you'll be pleasantly surprised - if more bands like this come out of the South American nation of Chile, I may have to book myself a flight! More information on Tryo can be found at http://www.tryo.scd.cl - Michael Askounes (michael@gscyclone.com) PERSONNEL: Felix Carbone: Drums Ismael Cortez: Guitars and Vox Francisco Cortez: Bass, Cello, and Vox TRACKLIST: 1. Valparaiso Psicodelico (5:05) 2. Juegos (2:40) 3. Puerto (2:44) 4. Marina (4:08) 5. Camino (2:22) 6. Contrastes (2:30) 7. Recuadros (5:41) 8. Estudio (1:18) 9. Danza Del Furor (1:58) 10. Justicia (6:19) 11. Grieta (5:06) 12. Epilogo (1:20)
Tryo: Crudo (CD, 43:27) Via Producciones Chile is probably known more for its grapes and dictators than for its contributions to the progressive rock scene, but Chilean trio Tryo tries to change all that with its live release Crudo. Crudo not only succeeds on pretty much every level as a progressive rock CD, it also adds something that is not often seen in the progressive arena - namely a "groove". Some of the tracks on Crudo will both stimulate your mind and get your "body rockin'" at the same time! The tunes "Nueva Epoca" and "Fanfarria" are two such songs; the rhythm section of drummer Felix Carbone and bassist Ismael Cortez lay down some serious grooves for guitarist Francisco Cortez to strut his six-string stuff Hendrix-style with some killer riffs and fantastic jams that really will stir your soul. That's not at all to say that Crudo is nothing but mindless jamming and grooving - far from it. As a matter of fact, half way through the proceedings the CD takes a severely sharp turn into acoustic land that is every bit as effective as it is surprising. I've never heard such contrast between two sections of the same CD work so perfectly. The seventh track "Transcurso" consists of nothing but the sound of crickets, and prepares you for the remainder of the CD, which sees the band transform from a kick-ass fusion outfit to a Latin-inspired acoustic guitar/cello/marimba trio. The effects are lovely - the track "Nocturno" features some wonderful flamenco-style guitar work from Francisco Cortez, as well as some tear inducing cello playing from his brother Ismael. "Nguillatan" (say that three times fast!) adds some tribal drum sounds to the mix for a very ritualistic sounding composition. The remainder of the CD continues along the same pattern, with some absolutely beautiful dissonant acoustic guitar playing along with the sad refrains of the cello. To think that this is the same band that only 6 tracks or so ago was rocking out with Hendrix-style jams is absolutely incredible. I haven't heard music range like this in one band in quite some time. Recommending Tryo's Crudo is simple - this is one of the best instrumental progressive CD's I've heard in quite some time. The musicianship and innovation shown by this trio is mind blowing, and these guys are certainly deserving of more exposure worldwide than they currently get. Do yourself a favor and find yourself a copy of Crudo - you won't believe what you've been missing. More information on Tryo can be found at http://www.tryo.scd.cl - Michael Askounes (michael@gscyclone.com) PERSONNEL: Felix Carbone: Drums, Percussion Ismael Cortez: Guitars Francisco Cortez: Bass, Cello TRACKLIST: 1. Fuenteovejuna (4:42) 2. Viento de Otono (4:00) 3. Vitral (3:15) 4. Nueva Epoca (3:55) 5. Fanfarria (4:11) 6. Homenaje (5:05) 7. Transcurso (1:15) 8. Nocturno (6:30) 9. Nguillatun (4:42) 10. Mantra (6:25) 11. Danza (1:09)
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