Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Tom Kessler: Nuevo Valso

3

Tom Kessler: Nuevo Valso

By

Sign in to view read count
Tom Kessler: Nuevo Valso
For his fourth album as a leader Mexican guitarist Tom Kessler gets drummer Jochen Rueckert and bassist Eivind Opsvik on board to deliver nine, self-penned and diverse pieces. Opener "Ascilina" demonstrates the treats that the trio brings to the table. Intriguing voicings on guitar, buzzing melodic lines on bass and an understated percussive structure. The production is crisp and dry.

Much on Nuevo Valso presents itself in similarly subtle fashion. Kessler's guitar radiates an earthy vibrancy, giving the entire session an acoustic feel. At no point does the guitar's sound deny its wooden origin and instead embraces it.

In a diverse pool of traditional blues structures, ballads and post-bop numbers, Kessler exhibits his dexterous and versatile skillset as a composer as well as a guitarist. At the same time he is a full-on team player, giving his colleagues ample space. While the slow-paced tango "Swanzira" sees Opsvik making use of the bow, the South American rhythm exercise on "Chasquinho" gives him the opportunity for another short but expressive solo.

On one level, Nuevo Valso brings a traditional approach to jazz heritage. On another, it leans towards the unexpected—be it because of unorthodox drum shapes, exciting guitar effects or an unusually melodic and prominent bass. It's nice to see that the traditional guitar trio format is far from done being explored and still has plenty to offer, without necessarily undergoing a radically modern-electronic approach.

Track Listing

Ascilina; Blues Me; Swanzira; Chasquinho; Serpentina; Nuevo Valso; Labrador; Tres Acordes; Lidinum.

Personnel

Tom Kessler
guitar

Tom Kessler: guitar; Eivind Opsvik: bass; Jochen Rueckert: drums.

Album information

Title: Nuevo Valso | Year Released: 2019 | Record Label: Unit Records

Comments

Tags


For the Love of Jazz
Get the Jazz Near You newsletter All About Jazz has been a pillar of jazz since 1995, championing it as an art form and, more importantly, supporting the musicians who create it. Our enduring commitment has made "AAJ" one of the most culturally important websites of its kind, read by hundreds of thousands of fans, musicians and industry figures every month.

You Can Help
To expand our coverage even further and develop new means to foster jazz discovery and connectivity we need your help. You can become a sustaining member for a modest $20 and in return, we'll immediately hide those pesky ads plus provide access to future articles for a full year. This winning combination will vastly improve your AAJ experience and allow us to vigorously build on the pioneering work we first started in 1995. So enjoy an ad-free AAJ experience and help us remain a positive beacon for jazz by making a donation today.

More

What Was Happening
Bobby Wellins Quartet
Laugh Ash
Ches Smith
A New Beat
Ulysses Owens, Jr. and Generation Y

Popular

Eagle's Point
Chris Potter
Light Streams
John Donegan - The Irish Sextet

Get more of a good thing!

Our weekly newsletter highlights our top stories, our special offers, and upcoming jazz events near you.