h3o is the
meeting of three long-standing musicians who freely travel through contemporary
Jazz and avant-garde music. On the one hand, pianist Sorkunde Idigoras artistic
curiosity, founder and director along with Alberto Lizarralde of Jazzle, first
Jazz and contemporary music school founded in the Basque Country, renowned
Plaza festival and promoter, “Zirrara” record label publisher
along with Alberto Lizarralde del seal. Focusing her career on creating and
collaborating on different artistic projects, she is a teacher at the Basque
Country Higher Music Center. On the other hand, drummer Hasier Oleaga, has
frequented different styles until he became a reference in local Jazz scene as a
player and creator. Mugalariak member, he has released several records and has
collaborated with artists such as Ruper Ordorika, Iñaki Salvador and Mikel
Andueza, among others. Trizak band
member and collaborator with countless artists such as Organik’s, RS Faktor,
Travellin Brothers, saxophonist Julen Izarra is another point of reference of
the most recent Basque Jazz scene.
Recorded and
mixed by Freddy Peláez at Pottoko Studios in Beasain in November 2019 and
produced by Alberto Lizarralde, this record suggests experimentation beyond a
mere Jazz label conception right from the beginning, permanently displaying the unexpected,
breaking any rule if needed to play
along harmonic structures and go back to the rule, only just to break them
again. “Sad Circus” paradox precedes “S3 … and 4”, both signed
by Sorkunde Idígoras in this perfect three musician’s interrelation searching
for the unsuspected every personal creativity speaking in a single common
language. Hasier Oleaga signs “Cronopio busca esperanza” (“Cronopio seeks
hope”), a small tribute to the Argentinean writer, Júlio Cortázar and
unequivocal proof of the record spirit, permanently removed from
conventionalisms or predictable structures. Along the line, Julen Izarra proposes
“Labyrinth” in addition to his particular tribute to Sonny Rollins’ creativity
in “Rollins”. One of the great values about this work is its impeccable production
and execution, in addition to the distribution of authorship in the songs,
where the magic displayed by each and every author awaits in every corner for the
listener eager for surprise. “Ezin saihestu eta larri” (“Rushed
for not being able to avoid it”). Written by Oleaga, conducted by Ibarra’s
saxophone in his introduction along with Idígoras on piano, we are taken to the
lands of the unknown just about to close
the perfect circle with three compositions signed by Sorkunde, “Laket”
(“Pleasant, friendly”), “Ziklo 1”, a title that refers to double bass player
Gonzalo Tejada first album published on Jazzle’s “Zirrara” label, where
Sorkunde participated, ending up with “Telmo
y yo” magical surrealism.
H3O speaks the
language of the moment. The moment is now and it is unknown, avant-garde
contemporary jazz if you like, but this record is the brave result of three
musicians eternal concern about achieving the beauty of the ephemeral, the unique, the unlearned but most of all the
unrepeatable.
