Holman Álvarez - Hidden Objects (2024) [Hi-Res]

Pianist and composer Holman Alvarez views the world through a compositional lens. In his latest release, Hidden Objects, he leads an all-star ensemble—featuring trumpeter Adam O'Farrill, bassist Drew Gress, and drummer Satoshi Takeishi—through nine expressive and winding compositions that reveal his unique musical vision. Alvarez’s playing is marked by touching lyricism and forward-thinking harmony, blending warmth with cerebral elements. His music includes Latin American rhythms and modern classical influences, integral to his compositional and improvisational style. Beyond these musical references, a broader, visionary artistic intent is evident.

In 2022, Alvarez realized that everything in his life had changed. “I like to restart,” he says. “I like to see things in a new way, waking up and asking, ‘What is reality for me today?’ Because it always changes.” At that point, he had just moved from Bogotá, Colombia, to New York, driven by love and arrived with no musical contacts and no English. Not long after, Alvarez connected with veteran percussionist Satoshi Takeishi, sparking a creative collaboration.

As Alvarez composed, he was inspired by global themes, including climate change and philosophy. The album’s compositions bring together folk motifs and classical elements. For example, "La Montaña Mágica" draws on a Colombian folk-song style, while “Drunken Moon” nods to Schoenberg’s Pierrot Lunaire and the nightlife of Cali. On "Arroyito," the ensemble greets a friend’s newborn daughter with the warm Peruvian rhythm huayno.

Hidden Objects showcases Alvarez’s broad, dynamic, and captivating musical vision, shaped by his experience in a new home. With the help of a talented ensemble, he creates a sound that reflects his roots and establishes his place in New York's jazz scene. “This is my way of saying, ‘Hello, I’m here,’” he says.

Holman Álvarez - piano
Adam O'Farrill - trumpet
Drew Gress - bass
Satoshi Takeishi - drums

Tracklist:
1 Hidden Objects
2 Dark Ecology
3 Salomia
4 Blue
5 Arroyito
6 La Montaña Mágica
7 Drunken Moon
8 La Aurora
9 We Are Nature