Rare Zoo

Folk-jazzy bass-accordeon duo

More than the sum of its parts. That is one description of the Spanish duo Taper Duel: Jorge Arribas (folk accordion) and Cesar Diez (funky jazz bass). Together, they are the largest small combo in the world, with Arribas pouring out melodies and Díez as accompanying slap-funk-bass player and rhythm tamer, in a musical world that unites traditional rhythms and improvisation.

On Rare zoo, their second album, they have developed their cooperation and original ideas to perfection. The music flows freely and naturally, sometimes with abrupt changes (listen to The worm's love) but the musicality is constantly high.

They have both contributed material to the album (four tunes each, three together), with Spain as a base. But in some cases, the inspiration comes from other countries: Los osos tocan también la trompeta (The Bears also play the trumpet) is Eastern European gypsy music, with David Herrington as a guest trumpeter. Nube para 3 (Cloud for 3) has oriental overtones, with Díez on bouzouki and Arribas on flute, while guest drummer Adal Pumarabín helps with oriental percussion. Delfiner till havs seems to just have a Swedish title, the music is 100% Iberian.

This time my favorite tracks are Gamusinos intrépidos (Fearless gamusinos), an imaginative composition about a fantasy animal that can only be caught at night, and the heavily jazz-scented El corrido del Curavacas, with vocals by Eliseo Parra.

LarsFahlin

Comprar "Rare Zoo". tApEr dUEl. 2013.