Alvaro Pérez - FOR THREE ALTOS (2023)

Madrid-based saxophonist-composer and martial artist Álvaro Pérez's long-awaited debut solo album, "For Three Altos," represents a profound and mature expedition into the depths of his musical brilliance. In each composition, Pérez employs three recorded tracks featuring himself on the alto saxophone, naturally infusing the music with an authentic sensibility shaped by the rich traditions of contemporary European classical music and chamber jazz.

Throughout this musical journey, Pérez, also a triple national Kung Fu champion of Spain, embarks on an extensive exploration of compositional and improvisatory principles and strategies inspired by his martial arts praxis with a prominent focus on the intricate art of three-part counterpoint as a particularly evident and exceptional facet of his exploration. The ultimate result of this endeavor is a captivating ride that thoroughly entrances the audience from beginning to end, leaving no room for anything less than sheer fascination.

The album's standout feature is Álvaro’s extraordinary ability to generate and interlace an extensive array of continually evolving motifs within his compositions. Similar to threads meticulously woven into a finely crafted tapestry, these motifs contribute to a prevailing sense of harmony and logicality throughout the album.They invite listeners to trace the development of musical ideas as they reappear in new and surprising iterations, imparting an added richness and dimension to the overall experience. Furthermore, his lightning-fast counterpoint passages, like heard on Chained Fists and Morphing into a Mantis, infuse most of his compositions with an electrifying dynamism, guaranteeing that listeners are consistently held in a state of elevated anticipation and engagement throughout the entirety of the album.

A defining characteristic of Pérez's music is its fractal nature, a concept he has been refining through his collaborations with guitarist-composer-producer Álvaro Domene on their Zodos project, also featured on Iluso Records. In a manner akin to how fractals demonstrate self-replication across different magnifications, Pérez's compositions unfurl with labyrinthine patterns and nuanced intricacies. Whether you're closely examining the smallest fragment of a musical phrase or immersed in the overarching grandeur of an entire composition, this fractal dimension unveils fresh subtleties upon each subsequent listening.

Additionally, Álvaro Pérez's exceptional saxophone skills are nothing short of extraordinary. His mastery of the instrument is marked by impeccable technique, heartfelt expression, and an innate ability to convey a wide range of emotions. He doesn't merely play the saxophone; he breathes life into it, establishing an intimate bond between the artist, the instrument, the space, and the audience.

In "For Three Altos,” Álvaro Pérez demonstrates an astounding aptitude for elevating and broadening the scope of saxophone-centered music, all the while pushing the conventional limits found within the realms of both jazz and classical music. His talent for amalgamating diverse musical strategies, deftly intertwining recurring themes, and instilling his compositions with a rich fractal intricacy has culminated in the creation of a musical masterpiece that, in our opinion, is primed to make a lasting impression on the lineage of saxophone repertoire, contemporary composition and chamber jazz. The eager anticipation that preceded the album has unquestionably been validated, and the patience exercised in awaiting its arrival has been abundantly rewarded. What a remarkable debut!