Rippling with starpower guests in Ibrahim Maalouf, Gerardo Núñez and Anat Cohen the core Daniel García trio is a formidable unit at the heart of the flamenco-infused Vía de la Plata. It's a top tip for the autumn as we think ahead to future must-hear releases.
The Madrid based Salamanca born Spaniard pianist García, who was taught at Berklee in Boston by Danilo Pérez, uses Salamanca's Vía de la Plata (''the silver way'') as inspiration. First listens are very involving. Maalouf is superb in all mournfulness for instance on 'The Silk Road'. Elizarde's opening riff on 'Spring of Life' is also a pleasure.
García is a very positive player and there is a flowing involving trajectory to all the pieces.
The album, to be released by Siggi Loch's ACT Records in late-September, opens with an iridescent highly compelling and yet drastically different intimate arrangement of Manuel de Falla's 'Canción del fuego fatuo' (1915) that was famously interpreted by Miles Davis as 'Will o' the Wisp' on Sketches of Spain (1960), the García version unveiling the poetic side of Maalouf so delightfully.
Reinier Elizarde “El Negrón”, above left, Daniel García, Michael Olivera. Photo: Uli Fild
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