Espontáneo: The Abdala Sessions

Meaning ‘Spontaneous’, Espontáneo is more a recording of a coincidental collective than a band per se. While in Havana working on a project for PARMA Recordings, guitarist and producer Dayron Ortega Guzmán invited two musician friends to the studio: percussionist Eduardo Silveira and tres player Maykel Elizarde, the latter of whom was apparently ‘virtually unknown’ until this recording, according to the Buena Vista-esque blurb on the back cover.

The resulting ‘quasi-live’ album, a structured jam of sorts, is described as full of ‘groove, spice and free-flowing energy,’ although fortunately the album sounds less like a drum circle in a muddy field than that description suggests. Frustratingly, the producers appear to be dazzled by the impeccable musicianship of the players to the occasional detriment of their editorial judgement. The album has a somewhat meandering quality, and there's a sense that the chemistry the trio undoubtedly share loses a little spark in the recording process.

However, for the most part, the trio do an admirable job of creating sufficient interest and variety with just tres, guitar and percussion. The three musicians showcase their skill in building cycles of tension and release on ‘Guajirando’ and ‘A Improvisar’ in particular, creating moments of genuine excitement.