There are not, as far as our website is aware of, art forms able to fuse cultural elements of different countries and melt them together in a very harmonic fashion as much as music does.
Furthermore, to have the capacity, the skills and the vision to unite sounds with tradition and local folklore in style without being obvious or, in any way disrespectful by altering said elements in any shape or form, it's a massive achievement and, in that respect, the Peruvian Jazz artist Gabriel Alegría completely fulfilled this challenging artistic brief by putting together a project called Gabriel Alegría Afro-Peruvian Sextet, whose musical talent and sense of sonic authenticity has (and still is) been the real core of this extraordinary collective for the last 20 years.
To celebrate in style such an important landmark in the group's musical history (the collective's 20th anniversary since their formation), Alegría and his band of brothers and sisters, namely Laura Andreia Leguía on Tenor Saxophone, Jocho Velásquez on Guitar, Mario Cuba on Bass, Freddy "Huevito" Lobatón on Percussions, Hugo Alcázar on Drums and JF Maza on Saxophone, have now released a new and very vibrant record called El Muki, with the album title taking inspiration from a mythological figure seen as, in Andean traditions, as a sort of protector of miners working in the Peruvian highlands.
El Muki has a major starting point, even before you start listening to the album; every composition and individual instrumental part was recorded without any alteration, may you call them click tracks on any other little studio trickery, an aspect that paid off on many levels on the album's sonic aspect and overall quality.
Alegría and the whole Sextet were able, on this rather inspired instrumental record, to balance New York style Contemporary Jazz with Peruvian music folklore, by adding elements of Lando and Festejo grooves and, from time to time, tribal African percussions too very successfully.
Every single band member played a significant role in the building of each instrumental composition: the Horns Section made by Alegría himself, Leguía and Maza offered breathtaking moments of class and inspired improvisation especially on tunes like Luciérnagas, Panabe and Despertar, while the "extended" Rhythm Section, which includes the extra added bonus of having another talented musician like Lobatón on Percussions within their backbone, shone beautifully on pieces like La Zafra, the album's title-track, Panabe and Mala Señal, amongst others.
Perhaps the only tune that, in our personal opinion, is not cohesive with the rest of the album, is the closing tune Walking On The Moon, an instrumental cover of the 80's British Rock band The Police, where the improvisational spin given by this amazing collective would have made more sense in another musical context, out of the splendid previous 8 original compositions part of El Muki.
Atmospheric, sonically inspired, sometimes dreamy and masterfully played, El Muki is a record where the Gabriel Alegría Afro-Peruvian Sextet’s full craftsmanship shines at its best, whilst delivering an album that brings together different sonic worlds brilliantly, respectfully, creatively and with effortless class.
El Muki is out now and it is available to be purchased via Apple Music .
