The opening sounds of Jorge Pardo’s flute behind the Balkan gypsy classic ‘Djelem Djelem’ sets up this introduction for the presentation that’s about to begin for the first two minutes as Beledo himself portrays this beautiful landscape across the rivers of Spain before Carles Benavent and Asaf Sirkis get down to business for the intensive tango exercises to begin.
When it comes to his music, Beledo himself has proven to be a stronger key behind his violin, guitar, and piano work. His ninth, and his third studio album with the MoonJune label entitled Flotando en el Vacio (Floating in Space) was from one of Beledo’s early Uruguayan bands called Siddhartha.
Recorded at the famous La Casa Murada Studio, Flotando looks through the open world of the sounds with a strong Jazz-Rock orientation. Followed by his passion between the late Allan Holdsworth and mid-70s Soft Machine, it has that Uruguayan flavor that Beledo puts into the fold.
With its intensive arrangements, Beledo, Pardo, and Benavent lay down the law by going through this improv by taking turns with each other throughout ‘Rauleando’. They supply this laid-back groove thanks to Benavent’s incredible fret work and Beledo’s piano touches to portray this incredible painting that’s brought to life in all of its true form.
Once Gary Husband leads the charge with his Fender Rhodes behind ‘De Tardecita’ that clocks in at 11-minutes, all bets are off. Beledo charges through the race track that continues by making his fingers go through the fret board like a mad scientist.
You can tell that Husband and the rhythm section are having a ball, channeling those golden-era Jazz Fusion records from the two labels; Columbia and Epic. Honoring Weather Report, Jeff Beck, Return to Forever, and Stanley Clarke, the heat goes into an increasing temperature level during that time frame.
Once Husband takes a break from his fingers as they take a breather, Beledo brings in his magic carpet by sending his listeners into the cosmos with the title-track. Leading through the stars, Beledo goes to his piano and meditates throughout his arrangements by closing his eyes and imagines himself being this world-famous painter and following in the footsteps of Jackson Pollock.
As Husband reappears for ‘Es Prohibeix Blasfemar’, this is where the group go into this heavier mode while Beledo makes his guitar sweat like crazy. Darker, eerie, and complex, this is where Sirkis gets down to business when it comes to his drumkit.
Sirkis pounds and pours his heart out between the patterns by lending a helping hand to his band of brothers going into these insane changes that just comes completely out of nowhere while ‘Candombesque’ delves into a late ‘70s drive into the deserted highway with the sunsetting across the north.
And we’re not talking smooth jazz folks, we’re talking about a laid-back sound Beledo handles throughout his piano work, channeling the styles of Thelonious Monk’s arrangements and going back and forth between his two instruments. In the final section of the piece, Ramon Echegaray lays down the congas by leading Beledo to the end for a little samba with Pardo’s sax wailing out into the night.
Another return to form, Beledo still has the magic inside him as he dazzles throughout the musical format once more on Flotando.
