Albare ITD

“And Albare? He sounds like a positive blend of the late Wes Montgomery and an early George Benson. Airy and light melodic improvisations and the themes reflect an inner harmony of boundless grace.” Jazzpodium (Germany) Aug-Sept. 2012 ALBARE & INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL DIARY (iTD) by Alan Howe – August 2012-08-12 The music of Albare is not for those charmed by triviality. The Australian convincingly imposes – in a modern jazz setting – the music of his heritage on sometimes languid, sometimes thrusting compositions for jazz guitar. By the time Albare’s first guitar was in his hands, he had gathered life experiences that would help shape the man, and later his music, not that these stopped when he was eight. Speaking Spanish as part of an ancient family from northern Morroco, the boy known as Albert Dadon moved with his parents to Israel and then on to Lyon, in France, departing their homeland at a time of convulsive change. Albare later settled in Australia and the combination of that young country’s exuberance, and the sobering history of the region of his birth, can both be found in music that is sometimes bent with energy, but can also be almost mournfully reflective. Originally, Albare wished for an accordion so that he would play like his cousin. At first Albare was disappointed, but we today are indebted to his parents for buying him a guitar and lessons. The classical lessons moved to slow for the boy who had already heard Hendrix, Benson and Django! In Lyon, Albare washed cars and taught guitar until he had saved enough to buy his first electric guitar – an imitation Les Paul. This was powered by an ancient valve amplifier, courtesy of patient parents. He played with bands around the city, enthusiastic young musicians experimenting with sounds at a time when music was moving at an astonishing speed and absorbing and reinventing influences from almost everywhere, including folk, theatre, and, of course, jazz. Always jazz. Albare remembers it as a fun-filled bohemian life in which “you lived for the ecstasy of a great sounding solo”. “I couldn't wait for the next rehearsal or gig. The street was usually our stage, but also the churches, the schools and sometimes the Lyon Hot Club when it was located in la Rue de L'Arbre Sec.” Albare moved to Australia aged 27 - the age at which one of his inspirations, Hendrix, died. Like Hendrix in that last year, Albare’s musical canvas was quickly broadening and he was soon at the forefront of a burgeoning acid jazz scene. He performed widely in and out of Australia with his band, under his name Albare (the phonetic spelling of his given name). He recorded several albums and then turned producer for his band’s Joe Chindamo, on the pianist’s recording debut. A History of Standard Time garnered strong reviews and launched Chindamo’s career. It helped that Albare was able to get the now late bass legend Ray Brown to take part. The two became friends and Brown shared inspiring stories of performing with some of Albare’s heroes including Django Reinhardt and Wes Montgomery. Albare’s more recent recordings – including the well received Travel Diary - have seen him navigate a route north of George Benson and south of Montgomery and brought him to the attention of Matthias Winckelmann, founder of prestigious German jazz label Enja. This relationship spawned Albare’s latest project, Long Way, with an international superstar band Albare refers to as iTD (international Travel Diary) including harmonica virtuoso Hendrik Meurkens, Grammy Award-winner Antonio Sanchez, tenor sax star George Garzone, and unconventional Argentinian piano prodigy Leo Genovese. “There are African and South-European flavours here, diverse sounds, melodies and rhythms – all interwoven and fused with jazz heritage,” says Albare. Albare’s compositions might be seen as a musical Rosetta Stone through which we can interpret what may once have seen the impenetrable sounds of a distant elsewhere.