Extremos (2004)

Extremos, my second solo album, this time with a real bassist an drummer. We recorded this album, and even composed some of it, in a very brief period, less than a couple of weeks, maybe ten days. The beginning of this work keeps track of "Breves Piezas Rockeras" ("Brief Rock Pieces"), initiated in "Virgo" (2003), now, with a drummer and a bassist. The spirit is the same: instrumental, direct and powerful pieces. BPR VI characterizes by the constant strength given by drums and bass and above this, the keyboards running with a triumphant spirit through a constant changing harmony. In BPR VII the keyboards don't stand out, in fact I play only synthesized bass, leaving all the responsibility to the guitar, played by Rodrigo Godoy. Sonido Vital I is music for piano solo, just that. Honestly I composed this track thinking in the “Piano-solo-moment” which every show must have, and it has worked ok through the years. BPR VIII is pure strength, with Alex von Chrismar playing a changing rhythmic pattern in 4/4 and 4/4 + 1/8, the keyboards introduce a dodecaphonic theme, and later,  a unison line with the bass, with tension and energy. BPR IX, again Rodrigo on guitars and I, playing synthesized bass, now in a direct and energized track. Sonido Vital II, music mostly for piano, with a acoustic guitar in the main theme. A documentalist used this music for a film that showed wild life in southern Chile. When I composed it, I was thinking in having a good glass of wine rather than penguins, but it worked just fine. BPR X, This track summarizes the other BPRs: a combination of irregular rhythms and 4/4, unison keyboard/bass themes and the classic C minor solo. Tiempos de Paz is a musical wish for better times. Piano and synthesizers. Finally, Viajero Astral, the progressive track of the album. It is a team work composition, in which Alex and Rodrigo worked on ideas of rhythms, solos, and harmonies. Right after we finished the recording of this album, and the copies were delivered from the label, we took a plane and toured Mexico for a month, sometimes a good tour is a powerful motivator to finish an album in time.