Visual
© Copyright-Fresh Sound Records
(8427328421829)
Record Label: Fresh Sound New Talent
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A native of Barcelona (Spain) and resident in New York since 1999, Alexis Cuadrado is an active member of the city’s jazz scene. After graduating from the Taller De Músics in Barcelona (1993) he went on to study with the legendary concert bass master Fran'*ois Rabbath in Paris (1995-98). In 2001 he obtained a Master’s Degree in Jazz Performance and Composition at the Aaron Copland School Of Music-Queens College (NY).
He developed an impressive career in Spain in the 1990’s as a jazz performer and composer. He toured Europe with many outstanding musicians such as Kurt Rosenwinkel, Bruce Barth, Ben Monder, Perico Sambeat, Jorge Rossy, Louis Stewart, Sean Levitt, Peter King and John Stetch to name a few. He co-led the jazz quartet ALGUÍMIA which performed throughout Spain, recorded three CDs with his original compositions (U, Dos, and Standards), and in 1998 was given the RNE4 (Spanish public radio) Best Spanish Debut CD award. During that time he also led the house band in the Catalan syndicated TV show Paral.lel. All the while, he was honing his craft at becoming one of Spain’s most solid and innovative bassists at Barcelona’s Pipa Club, where he led the jam sessions for three years.
Cuadrado has published two CDs as a leader: Metro (Fresh Sound New Talent 2001) and Visual (FSNT 2004). These CD include all-original compositions and have received enthusiastic reviews from both critics and fans.
Alexis also appears on several albums with many artists including the Ben Waltzer/Bill McHenry Quartet, Chris Kase, Orquestra de Cambra teatre Lliure conducted by Lluís Vidal, Nuno Ferreira, Kris Bauman Quartet featuring Kurt Rosenwinkel, Erik Jekabson, Alan Ferber Nonet, and John Chin Trio featuring Mark Turner.
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Cuadrado is currently working on a new album that will be published in 2006. His current quartet featuring cutting-edge New York musicians plays a new original repertoire and has gained enthusiastic audience reactions in recent performances in Europe and America.
He has recently joined the band of the three times Grammy Award nominee vocalist Angelique Kidjo, and keeps busy freelancing with different bands around New York, the US and Europe.
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"Visual is consistently good music by a smart, lateral-thinking musician."
author: Nate Dorward
Bassist Alexis Cuadrado was born in Barcelona and is now part of the New York jazz scene; he has a likeable, vibrant approach to his instrument, and writes a good tune to boot. On Visual his arrangements take full advantage of the three-horn front-line (Bauman and Ellis again, plus trombonist Alan Ferber) and guitarist Steve Cárdenas. It’s the big sound of the ensemble and the richly colored writing that make an impression on the first couple of tracks; the solos are well-turned but hardly striking, especially with Ellis confined to piping soprano rather than his meatier tenor and bass clarinet. “El Perro,” a yearning Frisellian serenade, is much more like it, and the churning blues “El Gran Profeta” is downright hot, with a spirited brawl among the horns and a roughhouse guitar solo. Cuadrado’s interest in unusual musical textures leads him to a couple intriguing experiments with studio overdubbing. “Mario’s Pencil” is a mysterious free-form collage constructed by overdubbing the entire band over the original take of the tune. Even more striking is Cuadrado’s feat of overdubbing on the Víctor Jara song “Te Recuerdo Amanda,” a gorgeous, heartfelt arrangement for five basses (two pizzicato, three bowed). Visual is consistently good music by a smart, lateral-thinking musician, and just occasionally – as on the Jara song – something really special.
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"Cuadrado's sextet makes an impression on Visual."
author: Ron Wynn - JAZZTIMES January/February 2005 issue
Alexis Cuadrado heads a pianoless sextet for Visual (Fresh Sound New Talent). Along with drummer Mark Ferber, Cuadrado takes up much of the space usually occupied by a keyboardist, giving the frontline players more room to maneuver on such pieces as "Black Tulip," "Camperdown Elm" and "Mario's Pencil." Trombonist Alan Ferber plays some jaunty, humorous and rich solos, aided by multireedist John Ellis and alto saxophonist/clarinetist Kris Bauman. Ellis' versatility gives the group a wider range of colors, as he not only offers some bluesy tenor sax and soprano sax solos but also chimes in on bass clarinet and flute. Guitarist Steve Cardenas adds harmonic flair and some interesting colors and textures. While they are better on the extensive works than on the shorter ones, Cuadrado's sextet makes a good impression on Visual.
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