Rubalcaba At the Bird
BY LARS BJORN
After
a year's absence, Gonzalo Rubalcaba's trio had a triumphant
return on January 25th to the Bird of Paradise in Ann Arbor. Once owner
Ron Brooks and WEMU's Alberto Nacif introduced the trio, not a
word was spoken from the stage for the entire set. The music spoke for
itself and the audience was enthusiastic.
Rubalcaba communicates a variety of moods through
his piano playing and his trio. In contrast to most, he began extremely
softly, with minimalist piano touches backed by a subdued bass and brushes
on a snare. By the second tune he was moving fast, with styles ranging
from that of Herbie Hancock to Cuban rhythms. Rubalcaba is as comfortable
in the cool and dispassionate style of the former, as he is in the more
emotional grooves of the latter. The trio specializes in dramatic shifts
of style, tempo, and intensity, which could not be pulled off were it
not for Rubalcaba's marvelous technique and Ignacio Berroa's expert
drumming. The interplay between these two masters of the piano and drums
was simply amazing, while Carlos Henriques' bass was simply a foil.
Do not miss this trio next time they are in town!
photograph by Lars Bjorn
I N - T H I S - I S S U E :
1. ROBERT HURST 2. GONZALO
RUBALCABA
3. RUDY ROBINSON 4. MARK
DRESSER / CARLO ACTIS DATO
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