SLAMCD327 George Haslam – Once Upon a Time in Argentina

Once Upon a Time in Argentina’ is a 2-disc package from leading baritone saxophonist George Haslam, with the two discs presenting two distinct projects.

Disc One, the title disc, is by a quartet including two percussionists. This unconventional line-up reflects the importance of rhythm in the music. In fact the whole continuous story comprises various chapters linked by different rhythms, none of which were pre-planned but were created in the studio by the combination of 2 percussionists of very different styles.

George Haslam: baritone saxophone, tarogato
Juan Carlos Martello: drum kit
Jorge Savelon: percussion
Ruben Ferrero: piano, pianica, percussion and voice

Disc Two is again a studio recording, this time by a saxophone quartet – “The Walter Thiers Memorial Saxophone Quartet”. The history of jazz in Argentina and the place it holds today is deeply indebted to the work of Walter Thiers. Walter was that rare sort of guy, an absolute fanatic who devoted his life to his love of the music and expressed this by helping the musicians and making things happen. All four members of the quartet have reason to remember him with love and gratitude.

Pablo Ledesma: soprano saxophone
Sergio Paolucci: alto saxophone
Daniel Harari: tenor saxophone
George Haslam: baritone saxophone

“It’s very much a collective adventure, of the kind George Haslam instinctively gravitates towards. Few British players straddling mainstream and free have opened up so many new territories and potential associations. In Eastern Europe and Italy, in Cuba and Argentina. The first disc is a continuous journey, in 12 “chapters”, round a country whose cultural nearness and distance is perfectly captured in an often noisy interplay of winds, piano and percussion. The second, a saxophone quartet with three Argentines, pays tribute to Walter Thiers, the late catalyst of Argentinian jazz, who took Haslam, Elton Dean, Paul Dubmall and Simon Picard to the country in 1996. Rich, involving music, with a rare energy and sense of (there’s no other word) adventure.” – Brian Morton, Jazz Journal

“The first session segues between instrumental interludes via percussive ‘patches’, featuring Ferrero’s melodica, Haslam’s tarogato and other instruments, all enlivened by indigenous Chacarera and Carnivalita rhythms, climaxing with “Fireworks”, in which siren whistles and birdcalls overlay the pulse’s urgent ebb and flow…The saxophone quartet, led by Ledesma’s charismatic soprano and underpinned by Haslam’s soulful baritone, balances composition with improvisation, mixing chorales and tessellated textures with more dissonant sections, best exemplified by stirring tributes to Walter Thiers (a seminal figure in Argentine jazz) and Albert Ayler.” – Andrey Henkin, The New York City Jazz Record

“The first quartet sounds wonderful throughout with George’s strong-toned bari sax or serpent like tarogato swirling powerfully while the piano & percussion dance together…Pianist Ruben Ferrero is another wonder and plays an amazing unaccompanied solo on “Chacarera”. Even with no bassist involved, trap drummer Juan C. Martello keeps the groove nailed down and joyous. An excellent date!…the sound of the [saxophone] quartet is immense, striking and orchestral at times. These pieces are actually songs and not quite free yet the harmonies and writing is consistently fascinating…Both of these discs show very different sides to what George Haslam can do with different collaborators and both discs complement each other in more ways than one.” – Bruce Lee Gallanter, Downtown Music Gallery

Disc One: Recorded 18 October, 2008 at Estudio Sadem, Buenos Aires.
Recording engineer Adrián Odriozola.
Disc 2: Recorded 17 February, 2010 at La Montana Records, Buenos Aires.
Recording engineer Néstor Diaz.
Both CDs mastered by Eric Smith, Monstersound.

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