Diego Urcola Appreciation CAM JAZZ / Sunnyside Release date: 2/8

Diego Urcola
Appreciation
CAM JAZZ / Sunnyside
Release date: 2/8/2011
Trumpeter/composer Diego Urcola pays tribute to his heroes and contemporaries on his new CAM Jazz
recording, Appreciation. He shows his recognition not by imitation but through compositions inspired and
dedicated to heroes and friends, including Freddie Hubbard, Hermeto Pascoal, Paquito D’Rivera, and
Guillermo Klein. Urcola presents his original compositions with the help of an amazing ensemble, featuring
pianist Luis Perdomo, bassist Hans Glawischnig, and drummer Eric McPherson.
Each of the nine compositions on Appreciation reflects a different aspect of Urcola’s musical influences
and sensibilities. The first track, “The Natural,” was inspired by some of the classic Freddie Hubbard CTI
recordings from the 1970’s and uses an intricate rhythmic pattern (7 +7 +7 + 3), favored by Guillermo Klein
in many of his compositions, but also used in the Afro-Cuban tradition. “El Brujo” is based on the famous
“Giant Steps” chord progression. The tune goes back and forth between 7/4 and 4/4 in a Brazilian partido
alto rhythm, with a Hermeto Pascoal-like melody. Paquito D’Rivera, with whom Urcola has played for
twenty years, receives a shout out on “Milonga para Paquito”. Urcola describes the tune as “a typical
Milonga song very much in the style of Astor Piazzola.”
“Super Mario Forever” is a 12 bar blues re-harmonized with a parallel sus4 chord progression and a melody
th
that uses a lot of 4 intervals. “Guachos” again features Guillermo Klein’s 7 +7 +7 + 3 rhythmic pattern, but
at a much slower tempo, and with a Wayne Shorter-like call and response between the melody and the
bass line. “Deep” is a ballad with a tango influenced melody and harmony. The form is short but has a kind
of circular motion that makes it always want to go back to the top.
“Senhor Wayne” is inspired by some of Shorter’s classic Blue Note recordings from the ‘60’s, but in a
Brazilian samba rhythm, carioca style.
“Woody ‘n Diz” is inspired by the classic Dizzy Gillespie
composition “Algo Bueno (Woody ‘n You),” totally re-harmonized and with a melody very much in the style
of Woody Shaw. “Camila” is inspired by the classic Coltrane composition “Naima.” It uses an Afro-Peruvian
rhythm called Lando and has an Andean folk-like melody.
Born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, three time Grammy nominee Diego Urcola is currently at the height of his
musical career, as both a performer and a composer. Urcola’s new release, Appreciation, is his fourth
album as a leader, following Viva (CamJazz 2006) (2007 Grammy Nominee), Soundances (Sunnyside
2003) (2005 Grammy nominee and 2004 Latin Jazz nominee) and Libertango (Fresh Sound 1999). In
addition, over the past twenty years, Urcola has worked as a sideman with a legion of great musicians. He
has been a member of Paquito D’Rivera’s Quintet for two decades, and is a member of Los Guachos,
Guillermo Klein’s innovative large ensemble. He has played regularly with Jimmy Heath (under whom he
studied for his Masters at Queens College – after receiving his degree from Berklee in 1990) and was a
member of Avishai Cohen’s International Vamp Band. Highlights from the early part of Urcola’s career
include performing with Wynton Marsalis and the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra at the 1996 Olympic
Games in Atlanta, and with the Carnegie Hall Jazz Band (and Wayne Shorter) on an ABC-TV special
hosted by Bill Cosby in 1998. Urcola also earned second place honors at the 1997 Thelonious Monk
International Jazz Trumpet Competition.
For more information contact: [email protected] or [email protected]