Thursday, August 26, 2021

Javier Subatin - Mountains (August 2021 Habitable Records)

Javier Subatin’s laser-accurate guitar drive grounds the interplay on Mountains, a natural world infused spin through the past and future of improvised music. Sidestepping the jazz concept of rhythm-section-with-lead-“voice” the partnership here operates with fluidity- a constant exchange of summit and valley- the listener’s attention drawn to multiple complementary synapses climbing together in tandem revelatory invention. Demian Cabaud’s double bass and Pedro Melo Alves’ drums suffuse Javier’s compositions with colorful innovation, restraint, heft, elation…guests (Samuel Gapp, piano; Ricardo Jacinto, cello; João Mortágua, alto sax) expand the range cohesive and untethered.

1. Mountain#1 03:52
2. Rocks 01:30
3. Mountain#5 11:29
4. Birds 03:42
5. Mountain#3 10:11
6. Cave 03:09
7. Mountain#4 06:02
8. Ground 02:44
9. Mountain#2 06:09
10. Mountain#6 10:05
11. Shadows 03:45
12. Solo#5 05:01

Javier Subatin - guitar, live electronics and composition
Demian Cabaud - double bass, birds (4) and water (3)
Pedro Melo Alves - drums
João Mortágua - alto sax (10, 11, 12)
Ricardo Jacinto - cello (9, 11, 12)
Samuel Gapp - piano (4, 5, 11, 12)

All tracks composed by Javier Subatin except 2, 4, 6, 8 and 11 (group improvisations)
Recorded by André Espada at Musibéria Sound Studio
Mixing and mastering by Javier Subatin
Design by Raquel Nobre G.
Produced by Javier Subatin with the support of Fundação GDA

"Mountains" was recorded in April 2021 as part of the RAM (Musiberia Artistic Residences) program at Musibéria, in Serpa.