Alex Conde Origins

‘’ORIGINS” is a fusion album from the roots and elements of flamenco (bulerías, soleáres), afro-cuban (guaguancó and rumba) and american jazz form. The work is also an exploration of the musical origins of this international pianist who has traveled the world and explored the roots of afro-cuban music and jazz from a flamenco perspective.

African music and its tradition on percussion are the key of most of the world folkloric rhythms and syncopated accents. During colonial times, Africans were exported as slaves to many geographies, and in the process, their cultural and religious believes as well as their rhythmic patterns landed in the Caribbean, North America and Spain. Consequently, it’s not a coincidence that the magic resemblance of the ‘’3+2’’ rhythmical patterns from Africa is implicit in the most traditional expressions of flamenco, rumba and jazz.

The mystery of the clave can be found in Spanish flamenco palos like seguiriya, bulería or soleá. These rhythms are unique and specific expressions from a region where a unique melting pot of sounds and cultures (Jewish, Moorish, and Gypsy) co-existed for centuries. The rhythmic elements of North Africa collided with Eastern melodies and European harmonies, creating unique combinations of ‘’3 plus 2’’ on the rhythmical cells, clapping and footwork spread on the twelve-beats patterns.

Alex Conde blends all these ingredients in compositions like “Bulerijazz”, a piece that combines the sounds, rhythms and flavors of a bulería de Jerez with a touch of the Jazz Messengers three-horns sounds in Caravan, bridging Jerez and New York City in one go. He also shows his colors on “Upper West Side”, a Tango flamenco (not to be confused with the Argentinian tango) that is not too fast, not too slow, and that merges the flavor of Latin-jazz trumpet solo improvisation with a traditional compás reminiscent of Granada.