CD Review: Silvano Monasterios - Unconditional

CD Review: Silvano Monasterios - Unconditional

Jazz has always been a music of fusion, so it is not surprising that in the 21st century, one hundred years since the beginnings of jazz, musicians are still exploring with new ways of fusing jazz with music styles from around the world.

On his new release Unconditional, venezuelan pianist/composer Silvano Monasterios creates an interesting fusion of jazz with rhythms from Venezuela like the Joropo in the compositions "A song for Jacques Part II" and "Sno Peas".

On "Farmacia del Angel", dedicated to his father, the music has a distinct samba influence and on "Monseiur Petit Noir" the percussion takes us to the more familiar rhythms of the caribbean.

But Monasterios is also a musician well versed in the jazz language. On "Forgotten Gods" Monasterios, along with saxophonists Troy Roberts play some of their best improvisations over a frantic swingin tempo. The title track "Unconditional" is a jazz ballad with elements of smooth jazz and the music and funk rhythms on "Black Saint" are reminiscent of groups like The Rippingtons.

Monasterios is a pianist of extraordinaire fluidity and good technique equally comfortable expressing himself over South American rhythms or Straight Ahead Jazz.

Tracks: Farmacia de Angel, Monsieur Patit Noir, A Song for Jacques Part I, A Song for Jacques Part II, Sno' Peas, Forgotten Gods, Unconditional, Black Saint

Musicians: Silvano Monasterios - piano, keyboards, Troy Roberts - Saxophones, Jon Dadurka - bass, Gabriel Vivas - bass (5,7), Rodolfo Zuñiga - drums, José Grgorio Hernandez - percussion