20,000 vinyl LPs 2: Jorge Pardo

photographer unknown

(click on any image for slidshow)

I started the Vinyl LP series because I have over 20,000 albums I am selling; each blog entry is about an album from my collection. Inquire for more information.

First, about the man, second, the album and images, then a brief description of the music at the end for those who are interested.

Jorge Pardo, jazz saxophonist & flutist, has played with some of the great Spanish & jazz musicians of the world including Paco de Lucia and Chick Corea. His first album, was  recorded in Maller, Mallorca (an island in the Mediterranean off the coast of España) in June of 1982 for Blau Records. The music is reminiscent of the wonderful, beatnik days of the fifties with its coffee houses, poetry readings, and jivey, cool jazz. In a biography by Craig Harris, Jorge was described as a leader of the "new flamenco" movement and lists his many styles as:

        Flamenco
        Spanish Folk
        Western European Traditions
        Contemporary Flamenco
        Contemporary Instrumental
        Latin Jazz
        World Fusion

Videos of his music can be seen on uTube.

photo of album cover by Styrous®

I discovered his first album on my
first trip to Barcelona in 1989.

photo of album cover detail by Styrous®

 The graphics on the album are what snagged me. 

I found they are wonderfully synced to the music; 

fifties styling with a twist.

photo of album cover detail by Styrous®

 The font is fantastic!

photo of album cover back by Styrous®

 I turned the album over . . .

photo of album cover detail by Styrous®

 And to my dismay found the font
almost impossible to read.

photo of album cover detail by Styrous® 

 On the sparse back cover,
in the black square next to the yellow rectangle 

(you have to look very carefully to see it) . . .

photo of album cover detail by Styrous® 

. . . is the enigmatic, oscuro face of a woman.

When you've looked at it long enough, you begin to have fantasies about the situation. Is she waiting for an ardent lover or mourning a lost one? Is she sad or is she in deep thought, lost in another world.

photo of record sleeve by Styrous® 

 I pulled out the sleeve that contained the record. 

I didn't need words; the photos told all.

photo of record sleeve back by Styrous® 

 But when I turned the sleeve over . . . 

photo of record sleeve detail by Styrous®

  . . .  I was back to square one.

photo of record sleeve detail by Styrous®

Oh, well, I didn't read or understand Spanish at the time, but I didn't care. The album had talked to me. I will never be able to explain or understand how an album talks to me. If it's a good one, it just does.

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Ok. The music:

Side 1:
Track 1: Gitano Gentile
    Starts out weird & jungly (is there such a word) then goes into a smooth jazzy moderate tempo with sax.

Track 2: Novos Tempos
    Great intro goes into a sensual, languid beat.

Track 3: Mugavero
    A very fast samba!

Track 4: Buena Suerte, Espero Que Al Final Nos Encontremos
    A slow, dreamy and mellow tune.

Side 2:
Track 1: Sky Watcher
    Starts with a rumble/thunder/atom blast (?) then a fast quiet hi-hat intro leads to a weird but dreamy and wonderful piece.

Track 2: Frutos Tropicales
    A slow, strange start but it goes into a moderate speed samba with a very lovely flute. Really nice.

Track 3: Makakos
    A sudden drum start goes into a jumpy, jivey dissonant tune.

Discography from Wikipedia

    1982: Jorge Pardo (Blau)
    1984: El canto de los Guerreros (Linterna)
    1991: In a Minute (Milestone)
    1991: Las cigarras son quizá sordas (Milestone)
    1993: Veloz hacia su sino (Milestone)
    1995: 10 de Paco (Milestone)
    1997: 2332 (Nuevos Medios)
    2001; Mira (Nuevos Medios)
    2005: Vientos Flamencos (Manantial de Músicas)
    2009: Vientos Flamencos 2 (Flamenco World Music)

What fun it was to find it. Thanks, Jorge, for the excellent music and presentation.

The entire collection is for sale. Interested? Contact Styrous®

Styrous® ~ July 6, 2012

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