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BM24 A killer soulful album with a lot of great grooves! The sax solos in "Why not?" are fantastic! Favorite track: Why Not?.
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1.
Intro 05:27
2.
3.
4.
Taaacatà 08:51
5.
6.
7.
Why Not? 08:19
8.
One 08:32
9.
10.

about

Through music we can overcome.

It’s a core truth for so many musicians, and certainly for Valencian drummer and composer Quique Ramirez, whose imaginative debut album Through the Darkness is set for release on ΠKmusic on May 27, 2022. The title evokes those “moments when you feel lost,” Ramirez says, “but at some point you find your way out, you see light, a path you can follow to keep going. You walk through the darkness, fighting to get out of there.”

When it comes to fighting the darkness, great company is essential. And in this Ramirez is blessed: the virtuoso drummer is joined on Through the Darkness by tenor saxophonist Daniel Juárez, keyboardist Diego Hervalejo and electric bassist Akos Forgacs, players who lend Ramirez’ compositions a mix of ethereal sonic wizardry and complex, ever-shifting groove, underpinned by the leader’s highly skilled, sensitive and always musical drumming. David Binney, one of the most accomplished and influential figures in forward-thinking jazz of our time, plays alto saxophone on “The Microtiming Man” and “Why Not?”, songs specifically chosen by Ramirez as conducive to Binney’s intense yet lyrical sound.

Binney is among the groundbreaking figures in jazz who inspired Ramirez to compose the music for Through the Darkness in the first place. The two met and became friends during Ramirez’ masters studies in Groningen and New York. In some ways, Through the Darkness reflects Binney’s aesthetic influence in its searching harmonies, unpredictable rhythmic structures and adventurous sonics, but it was important to Ramirez that the album also include Binney’s direct input as a soloist. Sparks fly as these kindred spirits engage, with Ramirez pulling from drum influences that run the gamut from jazz to funk, heavy rock and electronic music.

Ramirez is equally passionate about his bandmates: Juárez with his warm tenor tone and agile yet unhurried improvisational approach, Forgacs with his exceptional time and technique, and Hervalejo with his original way of phrasing and sonic creativity on vintage keys as well as cutting-edge synth sounds. On his own initiative, Hervalejo created his own remix of “The Microtiming Man” and offered it to Ramirez as a gift. It’s included on Though the Darkness, with all sounds derived from the original instrumental track.

Ramirez’ assessment of his compositional approach is direct and concise, mirroring the music itself: “Most of the things I wrote, I sang them first. I tried to write everything that felt natural to me, not paying much attention to the ‘right notes’ or ‘chords.’” That directness, that attachment to melody and groove amid harmonic and rhythmic density, permeates Through the Darkness, enhanced by the fluid guitar of Isaac Martín, one of Ramirez’ closest friends and a meticulous stylist, on “One” and “Taaacatà.” The enveloping wordless vocals of Viktorija Pilatovic on “Slow Marching Theme” transform that song into a dreamscape, prefaced by a brief intro suffused with haunting Wurlitzer harmonies and naturalistic water and percussion sounds, creating a kind of extended form. Ramirez also offers a special note of thanks to Richard Cano, an engineer “who knows what sound I want even if I don’t know how to express it,” Ramirez marvels. “Patient, creative and professional. Without him this album wouldn’t sound the way it does.”

Through the Darkness is above all a soulful and deeply heartfelt document, mindful of dark times but also conveying a sense of the hope that music can provide. “El record que tinc de tu”, for a dear departed cousin, captures this poignantly. It is Ramirez’ first time singing on a recording, supplemented by the voice of his cousin Arantxa, Marco’s sister, who helped finish the lyrics. It is a moving musical gesture, foregrounding the bond of family and the powerful emotional pull it can exert on all artistic expression. With Through the Darkness, Ramirez introduces us to his own unique story while offering his vibrant perspective on a wider world of music and creativity.

credits

released May 27, 2022

Daniel Juárez - tenor sax
Diego Hervalejo - Wurlitzer and synths
Akos Forgacs - Electric Bass
Quique Ramírez - drums and vocals

Special guests:
David Binney, Viktorija Pilatovic, Isaac Martín and Arantxa Rossi

All the tunes composed and produced by Quique Ramírez besides 'Remix of The Microtiming Man' by Diego Hervalejo

Recorded at R-Track Studio in San Juán, Alicante, Spain, on 25, 26, 27 & 28 of November 2021

Mixed and mastered by Richard Cano
Album cover by Rédsky Design
Cover photo by Celia Cardona

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about

Quique Ramirez Spain

Drummer/composer from Valencia, Spain. Debut album 'Through the Darkness' coming out on May 27th by ΠΚmusic.

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