Pablo Lanouguere Quintet

Eclectico

Self-released

Pablo Lanouguere is a native-born Argentinian bassist and composer and this is the recording debut of his quintet, Eclectico. These are a dozen originals, 11 by Lanouguere. Their music is unique, for lack of a better term, world fusion, combining modern jazz, tango, Argentinian, and classical music. Lanouguere has been based in New York since 2013 and creates mostly ensemble music with violinist Nick Danielson, guitarist Federico Diaz, pianist Emilio Teubai and drummer Franco Pinna. Synths imbue on two tracks. If there is a tangible comparison to the sound, it might be early Return to Forever.

The melodies will draw you in and as you listen to the different layers, the music becomes energetic, colorful, unpredictable, and ever changing rhythmically. What more could one want?  Right away these ingredients are apparent in the opener “Mil Grullas Papei” into the tango feel of “Piano, Piano.” ”Villa” brings acoustic fusion and “Un Primero Saldra” takes a repetitive pattern to unexpected places and uses a synth as does the  rocking piece “Hacia Donde Vamos.  The  most beautiful tune is “Valz Para Olvidar,” a waltz. While the whole album at times feels like one long suite, that’s especially true in the middle section where the brief “Rotin” and “Introspection” serve as preludes or interludes to the explorative “Complicando Lo Simple” and “Descalzo.”  Throughout, the dialogues between the lead instruments – violin, piano, and guitar are engaging, as Lanouguere’s bass bubbles underneath, confidently steering them through surprising changes and back to the melody.

Lanouguere was born in Buenos Aires and earned a degree in jazz from the Escuela de Musica Popular de Avllaneda. After working with numerous bands in his own country, he moved to New York six years ago and is a founding member of the traditional Tango sextet, Abaddon. Based on his composition skills and the colorful brand of music here, Eclectico should have a bright future.

• Jim Hynes