Historia

Description

3 CDs and a 60pp book in a sturdy, compact box This box collects and restores two legendary mid-70s releases, met at the time with extravagant critical acclaim but few sales outside of Spain - and presents for the first time previously unknown studio recordings by the otherwise undocumented Trio Altisent - which featured members of both other projects, alongside a substantial and comprehensive book of background materials, newly conducted interviews, rare unpublished photographs and a general overview of the Barcelona music scene in the mid 1970s. CD1: Musica Urbana - one of the most impressive albums of its time; it's unique contribution was to to infuse the languages of rock, jazz and formal composition with flamenco, the Spanish folk tradition and the sensibility of national composers, such as Manuel de Falla and Isaac Albeniz - and then to weave all these elements into a uniquely Spanish iteration of experimental rock. CD2: Joan Albert I Felui Gasul, released a year later by Musica Urbana's keyboardist Joan Albert Amargos and flamenco virtuoso Feliu Gasul. Again, it is marked by a seamless fusion of styles combined with a lightly-worn intensity and high degree of musical intelligence. With edge-of-the-seat playing and a mixture of compositional and improvisational flexibility, there's also a lightness and sense of here that conceals the fiendish complexity of the compositions. Joan Albert plays acoustic piano, fender electric and clavinet, Jaume Cortadellus adds some perfectly judged flute on one of the tracks and the whole of Musica Urbana appear on another. Both are beautifully recorded and mixed - with an unusually clear, strong, sound and exquisite separation. Together they capture an explosive cultural moment - which rapidly faded as music industry values regained control. CD3: Trio Altisent, presents for the first time recordings by Amargos, Gasul and Cortadellus made in 1984. Amargos and Gasul went on to become respected composers, Benavent went on to work with Paco de Lucia, Chick Corea and Miles Davis. They all worked with Maria del Mar Bonet. This box sets the record straight and captures a short-lived moment of runaway creativity. At a reasonable price.