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This section contains several reviews and comments from music & entertainment related media and persons, which I received from diverse sources. It will also
include the comments that you will gently send us by the CONTACT section.
Raimundo Rodulfo
"I've no doubt that the name
Rodulfo will be up there with the other great composers and I mean great
composers!"
"It is full of life, textures and emotion. Guitar, Spanish and electric
are outstanding and the flute and violin pieces are truly beautiful. Raimundo
and his fellow musicians gel together coherently and still hang sufficiently
‘loose’ to create that edge."
Hairless Heart Herald, UK
"High standard of musicianship and the joy in the music making, together with
melodic writing of the highest calibre and a similar high standard for the
rhythmic element. The arrangements are rich and diverse: I cannot recall hearing
so many different instruments/sounds – both traditional and modern - on one
album: Rodulfo himself plays acoustic and electric guitars, bass and mandolin
but he calls on twelve other excellent musicians to assist in unfolding his
sonic visions."
Sea of Tranquility, USA
"Few musicians there are today in the universe of progressive rock that are
so ambitious and qualified like Raimundo Rodulfo."
Mellotron Magazine, Argentina
"A versatile and virtuoso Venezuelan artist. A superior guitar playing
technique and an impressive intellectual approach to music from a sure
well-informed musician."
"Raimundo is an incredibly high-skilled musician able to pinch the chords
of his guitar as few guitarist can do. He has a very classical background and a
clever intellectual approach to music. Listening to his music is actually like
'to live a dream', an intense and multicoloured dream, so well represented by
Peter Rodulfo's paintings."
Tales of Wonder, Italy
"How can such an artist has been unnoticed?"
Kakehashi Records, Japan
"A very talented artist."
Colossus Magazine, Finland
"All the Progressive elit sings the praises of this guy"
"The work of the group is impressive."
"The guy has more than the talent: everything is under control to the extreme"
Koid9 Magazine, France
"Raimundo Rodulfo reveals his quality as composer,
arrangeur and guitarist... An impressive work, which I can only recommend."
"Italian Prog lovers and all fans of the romantic symphony genre will enjoy
this work."
"The band plays warmly, the technical presentation of the performances is
good. Raimundo Rodulfo composes heavy symphonic songs, which sound typically
South American. Melodic weight and deep poetry are just as related to Italian
Prog."
Ragazzi, Germany / Progressive Newsletter, Germany
"Raimundo Rodulfo is one of those
musicians who proudly sports his origins in his musical output."
"An impressive array of guest musicians supplementing Rodulfo’s equally
impressive skills."
Progressor, Uzbekistan
"Raimundo Rodulfo is one of the
great, (relatively) young guitar heroes in the Latin American progressive rock.
He has a style that makes it tempting to compare him with the dimensions of
Steve Howe and Steve Hackett, but at the same time his music has a very
distinctive Latin American style."
"Raimundo Rodulfo lives in Miami now, but he still represents some of the
best that South American prog has to offer."
Tarkus Magazine, Norway
"Excelsius Venezuelan guitarist and composer"
"The phrases from Raimundo's virtuosic performance are an ideal vehicle
that interconnects one idea with another"
LaDosis Magazine, Venezuela
"The classical guitar, often performed solo at many
breaks often have accents of Villa-Lobos, Rodrigo and even, suggesting the
classical training of its author. But very quickly, breaks the electric guitar
and the tone is progressive, so take notes of Mike Oldfield, Steve Hackett and
Carlos Santana (ha! Course, always the Hispanic side...)."
Prog-Résiste Magazine, Belgium
"Outstanding guitar work"
"I am impressed by his virtuosity on all guitars"
"Jawdropping technique but it also sounds very pleasant, not clinical or as
‘scale-acrobatics’"
"Guitar skills with a pleasant and varied way of composing"
"Impressive guitar work with hints of Steve Howe"
Progwalhalla, Holland / Background Magazine, Holland
"There are musicians/composers that play like the Gods. The Venezuelan
guitarist Raimundo Rodulfo is one of them..."
"The music of Raimundo Rodulfo has a high complexity and if we add to this a
band of musicians (including a girl with a fantastic voice) with an enviable
performing capacity, we have no other choice than to recognize the lofty quality
of a musician that left us astonished."
Margen Magazine, Spain
"Raimundo's music offers soft seductive acoustic Spanish guitar with some
lovely symphonia. Amazing guitar fretting and phrasing."
Unger's Wonderful World of Progressive Rock, Canada
"Raimundo has his own vision, his own performing way and a frankly exquisite
jazz sound. The compositions together form an all instrumental that one listens
upper to down, from beginning to end."
La Corte Final, Mexico
"An ensemble of very talented musicians."
Rockaxis, Chile / Progresiva70s, Argentina / Nucleus, Argentina
"This is a talented Venezuelan guitarist and composer, putting together some
nice prog fusion with his excellent guitar work. Check it out!"
Estonian Progressive Rock, Estonia
"It's worth listening to the sound of this Venezuelan. In this true 'musical
cauldron' exists a mixture of tecno music, Andean music and generous doses of
progressive rock, whose result is a sound with proper identity, filled with a
pallette of peculiar instruments."
Kanto do Rock Progressivo, Brazil
"Rodulfo is a fantastic guitarist (rather, multi-instrumentalist), surrounded
by equally talented folks on a variety of instruments."
Progressive World, USA
"Rodulfo, true virtuoso of guitar (and also of bass, I add) simply without to
comply in accommodating and self-pleasing elucubrations, possess the innate gift
of to charm the listener. The European public, mainly the Italian one, must not
to ignore this Artist!"
Escursioni Musicali, Italy / Arlequins, Italy
"This is some of the best music I have ever heard in my life - and that,
my friends, is really saying something."
"This South American guitarist and composer is, IMO, a genius in the
progressive rock realm. It is absolutely criminal that his work is not widely
known and recognized for its extraordinary quality."
"The most stunning talent I've heard from South America in some time. Anyone who
claims to be a fan of symphonic progressive rock absolutely MUST check out his
work, as it is absolutely phenomenal."
"Amazing guitar work (both electric and acoustic)"
www.mikeportnoy.com : General Public and
Music Chat, USA
"Sometimes I ask myself, where the people get again and again new ideas for
music. In the case of RAIMUNDO RODULFO, Venezuela lodges a guitarist like the
best."
Progressive Pages, Germany
"Venezuelan Raimundo Rodulfo is a highly-skilled guitarist, whether playing
acoustic, classical, electric, or bass guitar or even mandolin."
Kinesis, USA
"Raimundo is an excellent guitarist, whether of classic or electric guitar."
SomethingProg, France
"Guitar virtuoso"
Artist Shop, USA
"An outstanding artist."
"Comparable to Steve Hackett, Steve Howe, Anthony Phillips - with South
American attitude"
"Raimundo Rodulfo is not only an impressive technical guitar player, as he
impressively proves in both acoustic and electric guitar, but he is also capable
of writing sweeping and varied compositions."
"Raimundo Rodulfo consolidates his reputation as a South American Steve
Hackett"
Babyblaue, Germany
"There seems to be no boundaries to hold the creativity that the artist tries
to implement"
ProgGnosis / SilverDB, USA
"A guitarist who sees far"
Harmonie Magazine, France
"His guitar shows from sweet
phrases to superior excellence playing. A fantastic artistic impression that
does not cease to overwhelm you with its multi-colored diversity."
Gardenshed, Japan
"A musician with great critical acclaim."
"This guy knows how to build a song"
"Guitarist/Composer Raimundo Rodulfo brings symphonic/classic prog back
into the new millennium with nods to the giants of the 70's while adding a latin
flavor all it's own. Beautiful instrumentation can be found throughout
especially in the guitar playing which goes from classical to flamenco to rock
within a few moments."
ProgNaut, USA
"Excellent musician from Venezuela. The Latino Mike Oldfield."
Acid Dragon Magazine, France
"Raimundo Rodulfo is a sort
of American-wise Mike Oldfield, where there is room for all types of
fusions that just magnify his music in a lucid and intelligent manner.
With an absolute mastery of the six strings in any of its many forms,
Raimundo shelled a powerful musical machine full of emotion and feeling,
which develops through languid and meandering soundscapes, this very great
symphonic music full of roots, to which we are used to."
Portal Esquizofrenia, Spain
"Killer guitar."
Of Sound Mind, USA
"A musician that doesn't have anything to envy to bands that have found a
good contract record. The technical style of Rodulfo betrays a visceral passion
for neo-classicism, but the entire work is influenced by groups as Jethro Tull,
Mike Oldfield and Genesis."
MilleRecords, Italy / Tempi Duri, Italy
"Rodulfo has surrounded himself
with a very energetic and adept cast of musicians that understand his vision
with unparalleled clarity."
Miami New Times, USA
"Exceptional Venezuelan guitarist multi-instrumentalist, of string
instruments, composer in the most deep and classic meaning of the word, and very
skilful on orchestration and arrangements"
"A contemporary artist between the best and most brilliant ones in
circulation."
"It's incredible how Rodulfo, in the middle of an ocean of style influences
between which stand out primarily Steve Hackett and Steve Howe, Jethro Tull, Yes
and a bite of jazzy tastes, succeeds to unite with a personal revisiting of the
classic symphonies and baroque in latin key so much different instrumental
sounds without being overwhelming and submerging the listeners without making
them lose interest."
"Guitarist with excellent technique and Latin sound"
Movimenti Prog, Italy
"They are still there: musicians with an unrestrained ambition and an
identity between classical music and progressive rock. Venezuelan Raimundo
Rodulfo is one of this kind."
Progwereld, Holland
"The composition is also excellent. I have to put the name Raimundo Rodulfo
behind my ear."
Rate Your Music, USA
"A superfine guitarist and eclectic composer"
"His compositional pen is soaked in an ink that is a robust mix of genres,
classical - old music - jazz fusion - rock, with which Rodulfo draws scores of
concrete quality composition, and a brilliant capacity for entertaining,
immersive in a public with no forks in their ears."
"To define the work of Raimundo, a magma of notes banner a music designed for
the ear and heart!"
"A really superfine musician"
"A musical writting that is comprehensively constant, valuable, with good
quality, where classical music notes, rock sparks, jazz thrills, chase the big
reservoir of progressive music!"
"A musician in progressive ascension"
Campo de' Fiori Magazine, Italy
"Raimundo Rodulfo is one of the well-guarded insider tips in the
Prog scene."
"His highly melodic playing, mostly on the acoustic guitar, but
sometimes just changing to the electric version, is virtuosic, very fluently and
by no means created limited to showmanship. Furthermore, mood and tempo changes
make for a significant degree of variety and playful vitality."
Progressive Newsletter, Germany
"Fortunately there are still artists that gets you excited when you
introduce their compositions in the CD player. And that is the case of this
Venezuelan guitarist that would deserve a greater awareness from a public that
now seems to have lost the desire to seek what is worthy among the tides of
groups that this world continue to propose."
"Raimundo Rodulfo is one of the most interesting characters that the world of
progressive rock has given birth recently. Author of a great job such as "Mare
et Terra", which shows everything that is good in both his guitar and
compositional technique, Raimundo is one of those musicians that should be known
outside the small niche of fans that listens to innovations in the progressive
field."
Arlequins, Italy
"This guy is an incredible talent and I would highly recommend to
any fans of Spanish prog or symphonic prog in general."
"Incredible playing... Great instrumental prowess with a wonderful band!"
"A great talent... God bless you Raimundo."
"Breathtaking."
Progressive Ears, USA
"I love the blend of classical music with violin, cello, guitar and
orchestral symphonic rock with mellotron, church-organ, MiniMoog and powerful
electric guitar embellished with pleasant Spanish vocals of
multi-instrumentalist Raimundo Rodulfo from Venezuela."
"Here's the Latin American Steve Howe... outstanding guitar play."
"Raimundo himself is a master on the acoustic and electric guitar, some
people already called him the "Latin Steve Howe". For a Western European the
music of Raimundo Rodulfo seemed to be very complex, but on the other hand you
know that he is doing something really special."
Background Magazine, Holland
"The virtuosity with which Raimundo Rodulfo plays his instruments, the
melodic and technical diversity of speed, the ultra-fast playing style, and
quite funny presence are THE big proportion of Rodulfo's music"
"Virtuoso guitar playing, acoustic folk and typical electric rock,
technically excellent"
"It bewitches the amazing concise and fast guitar playing that flits a
technically stunning band"
"Acoustic and electric guitar, keyboards, violin and flute draw a romantic
and nevertheless strong progressive outline, which processes influences from the
classical period, Venezuelan folklore and jazz. Just in the extended
instrumental work, is recognized the parallel to the best time of Premiata
Forneria Marconi... Impressive progressive rock. Since Raimundo understands much
about filigree music architecture, he will bring the PFM community to ecstasy."
Ragazzi, Germany
"One of the premiere guitarists to emerge from Venezuela"
"Raimundo’s music plenty of thrilling guitar passages that show his coming
from the academic world, yet an enchanting array of folk, rock, jazz and ethnic
elements."
"He has a unique distinctive voice."
The Beating Planet, Venezuela
"Raimundo is a very good guitar player"
DPRP, Holland
"Playing, particularly the guitar, is impressive throughout, with a clear nod
in Fripp's general direction."
The Giant Progweed, USA
"Guitarist from Miami with a group with flute
and other instruments with a sound like Hackett/Genesis and Yes, with some
vocals and Latin colors combined in a dynamic and dramatic development."
World Disque, Japan
"This exceptional Venezuelan guitarist, with just two published works,
has achieved to attract the expectation of the progressive world because of his
professionalism and imagination."
Descubre La Caja de Pandora Magazine, Spain
"Raimundo is a very talented and excellent guitar player"
"Raimundo Rodulfo from Venezuela is another gem worth listening to, Howe-PF
alike, moody and well structured."
ProgArchives, USA
"Virtuoso Venezuelan guitarist with a great classical music school devoted to
Symphonic Rock. Joined by many guest musicians his style reminds us in some
aspects to Steve Hackett."
Viajero Inmovil, Argentina
"Excellent guitarist with influences from diverse genres"
Noticiero Digital, Venezuela
"The style developed by our man and his many guests can as well be brought
closer to the electric flamenco as of Mike OLDFIELD even CAMEL. The six-strings
take the leading part of course, in a style at the same time melodic and
dishevelled. The jazz-rock or classic influences are perfectly assimilated,
within an exotic and coloured musical vortex."
Musea Records, France
"I love his blend of classical (violin, cello,
guitar) and bombastic symphonic rock (Mellotron, church-organ, Minimoog and
powerful electric guitar), embellished with pleasant Spanish vocals."
DVDivas, USA / ProgWalhalla, Holland
"Thrilling guitar work"
Yahoo Auctions, Japan
"Raimundo Rodulfo is a great Venezuelan guitarist and aside a good composer."
"Raimundo Rodulfo is a true artisan as musician and composer."
"If one group has impacted the public of BajaProg, this is the Raimundo
Rodulfo's one. The way he plays his acoustic guitar began to make us try to
count his fingers therefore with five in each hand seemed impossible to do. It
was impressive, the Chamber Music conjunction with Rock derived in a full
concert of virtuosity not only his but of his companions. Finally, very good."
"I have always thought over and over again in my head what could an academic
guitarist do, that is to say, a classical guitarist of those that can play Bach,
Joaquin Rodrigo or Antonio Lauro, that learned to play well the electric guitar,
that of course has a different tecnique, but that is an instrument that could
nourish itself magnificently of the dexterity that develop with the fingers
these executors of very complex harmonies, used to fight with the more difficult
acoustic guitar. Therefore well, Raimundo belongs to this caste of guitarists.
He can pass naturally from the acoustic to the electric guitar and in both his
technique is irreproachable."
Spanish Progressive Rock Page / La Caja de Música, Spain
"Rodulfo avoids taking constantly centre stage as it could be expected
from such a skilled artist recording under his own name. The guitars sometimes
allow vague hints of the traditional South American style, but all of them
skilfully hidden amongst traditional prog passages and rock riffs."
Colossus Blog, Finland/Italy
"It's clear this group has such a fine
tension."
Psyche Van
Het Folk, Belgium
"Rodulfo is one of those
musicians that use very diverse elements for a musical development that
transcends the barriers of styles. Rodulfo is progressive without being
endeavored to be it, without to enclose himself in the artificial
limitations that some musicians impose to themselves. I don't find any
purpose in to resemble anybody and on the other hand I see a personal
development, so much in his roles on the acoustic guitar and on the
electric one. As a composer he takes charge of to make rock, baroque
music, Venezuelan folk tradition and a jazzy ingredient visibly present in
his work. The incorporation of flute, harp and violin besides the
traditional rock instruments, is enricher of his work. I have got
pleasantly impressed by this music."
Progresiva70s, Argentina
"All I can say is WOW! I
could not have asked for a better band to renew my faith in music... This
was a band full of energy and passion. A band that without pretentiousness
plowed the fertile ground of art and rock. Raimundo, while very much a
soloist, integrated well all the various aspects and feel of such a large
band... Highly recommended."
Prog4You, USA
"Raimundo is an absolutely
amazing guitarist."
"Amazing musician."
Melo's ProgCast, UK
"An amazing guitar
player"
"One of the
best acts of the whole festival (BajaProg). A nice surprice."
e-Prog, USA
"Very high level
multi-instrumentist. Musician since very young age, he has a great
influence from Steve Hackett (specially on the classic guitar) and some
Fripp-like touches."
"This multi-instrumentalist artist is able
to create the most beautiful passages in a style that ranges from world
music to sophisticated prog-rock. Raimundo has created a very personal
sound, even reaching and penetrating the music of a contemporary cut.
Great compositional level, a very high technical level, with excellent
sound quality."
Sinfomusic, Spain
"In the stage could be
appreciated 8 members that gave the best of theirselves. The enrapt
audience, by the action of the band, did not finish to admire to each one
of the members and especially to the leader, who handled electric guitars
as well as acoustic, causing that it seemed as they were one more
extremity of his body."
Newspaper La Voz de la Frontera,
Mexico
"One of the best guitarists
of the country in his style, lighting up a gamut of arpegios and scales
played with great delicacy and velocity al the same time, handling to the
perfection the jazz fusion combination in the John McLaughlin style with
symphonic rock in Yes style, as well as Venezuelan and Italian music
influences. But not only Raimundo was impeccable, all the band also showed
a great level."
EscenaRock, Venezuela
"Raimundo Rodulfo, pretty
cool, wild keyboard... Nice songs, atmospheric."
Nik Turner, UK
"One can't be able to say
more than the words with which the band was presented: 'A secret very well
kept'. The quality of this progressive rock group with tendencies to jazz
fusion and folk hints truly made feel itself."
Paradigma Magazine (UCAB),
Venezuela
"Composer and guitar monster."
Little Atlas -
USA
"A guitarist that will give a
lot to talk about"
ACIC / MusicVen, Venezuela
"Great symphonic rock guitarist from Venezuela who
wowed the crowd at BajaProg a few years ago"
Aeon Music,
USA
"Rodulfo's technique
impressed us, with an impressive velocity that for moments recalls to that
of the famous John McLaughlin. Likewise, the handle of the classical
guitar, makes evident the academic formation of this young artist. It was
all a pleasing discovery to know that projects of this type are being done
in Venezuela."
Terra.com, Venezuela
"Opening the festivities was
the incomparable composer and musician Mr. Raimundo Rodulfo who stunned
the crowd into complete awe with talent that could only come from the
heavens treated with nurturing care by it's holder. Mr. Rodulfo's work
requires listening, not description and I wholeheartedly insist that you
peruse his website for an excursion through greatness."
"When was the last time you
were left speechless from simply listening to music? Have you ever been to
a concert and become so overwhelmed with emotion that you couldn't move? I
urge everyone to have a go through this amazing gentleman's website and
listen - truly listen to the music, because it's much more than played
notes, chords and tones. I was privileged to see Mr. Rodulfo in concert
last night and was awed by an overwhelming sense of a joyous artist at
work, bringing his soul to the forefront on stage."
"An incredible ride through
Melody and Virtuosity... Great Stuff... Incredible and Fascinating
work."
"Great
venezuelan musician... A clear influence from Steve Howe in some
moments... Very pleasant listening! The band that plays with him is really
good!"
Melo's
ProgBazaar - USA
"Raimundo Rodulfo is a
guitarist and composer, two qualities that allow him to explore and to
create with versatility his musical notes."
Newspaper El Impulso, Venezuela
"Strong folk elements,
musical scores with classical musical structures, experimentations with a
contemporary rock as base, jazz colors, and above all, a great sensibility
in each one of its parts. Progressive Rock of classical symphony orchestra
tendency in a great spectrum of performing."
Manticornio, Mexico
"The guitarist and composer
Raimundo Rodulfo, accompanied by his guitar performed several themes in
which he did boasting of his intimate relation with the sounds of this
special instrument."
Newspaper El Informador,
Venezuela
"I have been amazed after
years by the two official works (2 others live bootleg releases exist
available to who possesses the two officials) of this Venezuelan musician.
Frankly they have kept me truly amazed for the great quality of his
work."
"A magnific guitarist... In The
Dreams Concerto CD, besides the paintings (of the brother?) you can find
also the detail of the formulas and the mathematical models that inspire
his compositions. And there is a South American folk touch that is never
out of order. Bravo!!! The two downloadable concert releases from his web
site are optimal..."
"The work of the guitar is spectacular"
"He looks like taken from the
soap-operas but, but even if said from a layman of the instrument, he is a
great guitarist."
Arlequins
Progressive Rock Forum, Italy
"Venezuela's
top progressive musician."
Shroom Productions, USA
"Raimundo Rodulfo represents
part of the new generation inside the rock scene in Venezuela, framed
inside the progressive classical tendencies. His work is recent, but he
has already developed a style that allows to put him among the great
representatives of Progressive Rock in Venezuela."
"Raimundo Rodulfo is outlined
as one of the maximums of progressive music in Venezuela, completing an
excellent trilogy next to Vytas Brenner and Témpano."
Rock Hecho en Venezuela,
Venezuela
"Rodulfo's compositions are
very bright and flowery."
Progression Magazine, USA
"It's hard to find music like
this. Much appreciated."
Youtube comments from the audience
"You have a
great voice!"
"the way you play guitar is just so
amazing"
"Raimundo has a stars voice"
"Beautiful guitars a la Jason Becker. Guitars are
strong. The recording is well done.
"The person
playing the guitar knows how to get the guitar to do exactly what they
wanted, and they kept it unique and interesting. I liked that the guitar
was much different than anything else I've ever heard."
"great job on what your doing, i love you just keep
producing music and ill buy it."
"The artist has a
great voice"
"I would like to hear more of this
artist 's work"
"i like the voice. Raimundo really
has a beautiful tone"
"I love the classical feel.
Guitar solo is descent. Reminds me of the band Kansas. The Drummer is
capable and the meter is solid. Overall you can tell these guys are
excellent musicians."
"very unique voice. distinct
and recognizable. it reminds me of Simon and Garfunkle. I truly think the
guitar is so beautiful"
"You really have incredible
soul and style... You have wonderful emotion and groove that is so
impressive in my point of view. You have a wonderful creativity and
style..."
"The guitar playing is really clear and
well skilled."
"I can tell that the guitar playing
is very talented. Raimundo has a good sounding voice."
"The band does an incredible job in displaying their
talents"
"Raimundo has a unique sound to his
voice"
"I really love this mix of ethnic sound and
classic rock."
"You have wonderful styles in the
way that you sing. Your music is very bright and focused structure
wise."
"You really have great class and
style"
Reverbnation
comments from the audience
“real good outdoor concert type music. Brings
images of relaxing in the open fields and the 60's mood thanks”
"Love
your Spirit... ”
"super like!"
"love your cover! beautiful music,
thank you"
"Very good!"
"keep it up, sounding smooth
"
Digital Radio Stations comments from the
audience
"A complete musician and
guitarist. He made a conceptual work as good as any other work from around
the world. One of the best musicians nowadays, able to amuse anybody, able
to concentrate beauty, ambient, good music and a great story in the same
show."
"An excellent
musician without fear to experiment his perfectionism as guitarist with
the classic elements of blues, jazz, r'n'r, fusion, folk, flamenco, etc.,
and a special touch of the most academic side of Venezuelan music.
Raimundo is a highly valuable jewel of Rock, and Progressive Rock critics
worldwide consider him as the Latin American Steve Howe."
Transatlantic,
Venezuela
"Your music is excellent and I
keep it together with my classic progressive symphonic records. You are at
the same level of any of the great masters of the genre."
"Raimundo, your music has the
best quality and it is the finest I have ever listened to! This is one of
the concerts I enjoyed the most at BajaProg. How exciting is to watch the
video. I wish you come back with your group to play at another BajaProg!
As of today I keep enjoying your music."
"Excellent!!! I've really enjoyed and I am very
impressed about your music & your site!"
"After only one listen I can
tell you I'm really glad I ordered your CDs! Keep up the good work"
"I am a great fan of your
amazing guitar playing! I was totally blown away when I for the first time
heard your guitar work!"
"I can't stop listening to this amazing piece of
music."
"Keep up your
good work. Is an honor for me to have a collegue whose works are so
interesting, expressive and varguardist"
"Highly excellent work!"
"Great site.. excellent music. Many thanks Raimundo!
Please keep up the great work...looking forward to your next CD!"
"Very interesting south
american/world music with spanish vocals and an orchestra"
"Your musical concept is very
well accomplished"
"Congratulations for such spectacular albums, I am
proud of a Venezuelan have such hugh talent"
"As an older progfan from the
Seventies it´s good to see/hear that there is so much great music being
made all over the world"
"Everybody as me like your music. We are all enchanted
with your music"
"Excellent site... Excellent performer"
"I love your music... You have
impressed me"
"I am very
impressed! Really! I cannot even imagine you play such a beautiful mix of
latin-sound and progressive! I'm your fan now! You're a real great
musician... Thank you very much for your special music, Raimundo"
"Congratulations for the
excellent music you are composing. I didn't know that such a music exists
in South America"
"Few
musicians have the gift to express their real feelings in music. Keep on
that way"
"Excellent
person... Excellen musican...."
"I am very pleased that young people like you are doing
this kind of music, with so much instrumentation and creativity"
"Congratulations for such a
good concept"
"Pride of
Venezuela"
"Excellent
work combining prog, jazz, classic, and Venezuelan folk"
"Excellent ProgRock with fine
guitar leads"
"I want to
express the satisfaction I feel when I listen to a work like yours with
this special combination of creativity, performing and good taste that
hardly is accomplished by symphonic bands."
"This buddy has nothing to envy to Pat Metheny, or any
of those. Great Project!"
"He and his musician are pretty good."
"I am a great admirer of your
work. Thanks for making so good music and being an inspiration."
"Interesting and unusual
music!"
"Since the
moment in which you began to play with your virtuosity and all your band's
one, simply I remained with my mouth open and hungry for more."
"I didn't expect so much
professionalism by a national band."
"Raimundo Rodulfo and his band was a marvelous
experience, being able to enjoy a lot how some Venezuelans can transmit
what the great musical artists have done during the history of music, that
passion, the rhythm, the admiration by virtuosity and the composition. I
remain short with these words to express the quality of the work of these
gentlemen."
"We are in
the presence of one of the most complete guitarists and composers of this
side of the Western Indias."
"The last theme that played R R. was EXTRAORDINARY.
Today I think about it with cold head and setting apart the emotion that
produces to me to know that this guy is Venezuelan, I am convinced that he
is excellent..."
"I
remained convinced and impressed of the quality of the band. Very
recommendable without remaining any doubt about that. Extreme quality in
execution and composition."
"5 stars to Raimundo Rodulfo"
"I felt as I'd listened to a
native Steve Howe"
"An
excellent musician, his music, progressive with jazz fusion sounds seemed
excellent to me. Excellent music made in our country and with a quality at
the same level of any internationally renown band."
Comments from the
Public
CD
REVIEWS
"Strong
candidate for one of the best symphonic progressive rock recordings ever.
Seriously!"
"Imagine the
Flower Kings, Yes, and Santana collaborating to create the ultimate
symphonic rock epic."
"In the wonderful world of independent and small label
progressive music recordings, concept works are in constant bloom. To my
ears, several are every bit as successful as Yes's 'Tales From Topographic
Oceans' and Genesis's 'The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway'. Among
recordings experienced recently, I would include Big Big Train's remake of
'English Boy Wonders' and Raimundo Rodulfo's flamenco-flavored 'Mare et
Terra'."
"For now, I
hear a Raimundo Rodulfo epic beckoning for an umpteenth listen."
Progression Magazine, USA
Mare et Terra Received a Perfect Rating of 16/16
at the 57th Issue of Progression Magazine
"A masterpiece"
"Orchestral music with male and female vocalists,
classical instruments such as violins, cellos, flutes and clarinets,
centering on his guitar that shows from sweet phrases to superior
excellence playing."
"A
fantastic artistic impression that does not cease to overwhelm you with
its multi-colored diversity."
Gardenshed, Japan
"An
imposing work"
"The
artist was able to push his art to great heights of control and beauty,
leading to the quintessence of the meeting of electricity and acoustic
orchestrations (flute, violin, clarinet, cello, voice...)."
"This suite (Náufrago) is the
symbol of a know-how and a typically South American musical
fluidity."
"A mastery in
song and beautiful Symphonic acceleration"
"Mare et Terra leaves paths beaten because of its
variety that allows us to appreciate all musical universes at the same
time, including Flamenco, South American, Symphonic Rock, Jazz Rock, Prog,
Classical Prog, and sometimes even rock. All these universes prove the
width of the pallet of compositions of a guitarist who sees far, and
offers us an opus with a great quality in which 'variety' remains the key
word."
Harmonie Magazine, France
"Mare et Terra is a gem"
"What marks this out as outstanding music is the high
standard of musicianship and the joy in the music making, together with
melodic writing of the highest calibre and a similar high standard for the
rhythmic element. The arrangements are rich and diverse: I cannot recall
hearing so many different instruments/sounds – both traditional and modern
- on one album..."
"Astonishingly, the fusions do not jar; they work
together: there are few composers able to bring this off
successfully."
"It is
music that you can both concentrate on and relax to, depending on your
mood and sounds far better than I can express it in words. If you enjoy
this type of eclectic style-mix from first-rate musicians then you may
well love this."
Sea
of Tranquility,
USA
"It is
not everyone who begins a work with a 36 minutes suite ('Náufrago') of
which the first six sound in substance with the virtuoso guitar legacy of
the Flamenco world worthy of the best Paco De Lucia. 'Náufrago' is a suite
that will be surely introduced among the best things that the South
American progressive rock has produced in these last times (and not
only)."
"'Mare et Terra'
produces a mature work, beautiful, with memorable passages..."
"Beyond being one among the more beautiful discs that
2009 gave us, this work, logically for the undersigned, could easily be
put amongst the examples of how the progressive rock in its more canonical
form has still something to say even when all around you tells you the
opposite."
"Author of a great work such as
"Mare et Terra", which shows everything that is good in both his guitar
and compositional technique, Raimundo is one of those musicians that
should be known outside the small niche of fans that listens to
innovations in the progressive field."
"RAIMUNDO Rodulfo - 'Mare et Terra' proves that you can
do symphonic progressive rock and still have something to say without
being necessarily limited to the covers."
"I consider the suite 'Náufrago' the best thing coming
out recently from South America where the Camelian and Olfieldian
atmospheres join those of the Iberian 'Triana'"
Arlequins, Italy
Mare et Terra was featured in Arlequins' "Best of
2009" list
"A
sumptuous slice of old-school, proudly Latin-flavoured progressive rock,
“Mare Et Terra” will surely delight lovers of vintage symphonic prog, as
well as those who appreciate ethnic influences in their music. Definitely
one of the most accomplished albums of 2009, even if a tad overlong and
not likely to appeal to fans of minimalism."
"Raimundo Rodulfo is one of
those musicians who proudly sports his origins in his musical output.
'Mare Et Terra' is a prog album as only a South American musician could
have produced: extremely ambitious, both in concept and length, but never
convoluted or overblown, and drenched in melody. Moreover, unlike so many
albums released in recent years, it is a disc brimming with the simple joy
of making music."
"The
penchant for authentically symphonic, almost orchestral textures is there,
as witnessed by the impressive array of guest musicians supplementing
Rodulfo’s equally impressive skills." "A real tour de force, and a
successful one – almost against all odds"
"On the whole, 'Mare Et Terra' is a very solid,
finely-crafted album"
Progressor,
Uzbekistan
"A perfect combination
of symphonic prog with a distinctive South American flavor with plenty of
jazz passages and scattered folksy intrusions. It is experimental and
exotic while keeping a good ear-friendliness"
"There seems to be no
boundaries to hold the creativity that the artist tries to implement, and
so the album flows freely, wondering through conscientious styles while
mixing them in a sonic shaker"
"Overall this is a worthy album. It is very well played
and it is original, which is something that is rarely found these days.
And Mare et Terre is destined to finally give this artist the recognition
that he deserves."
ProgGnosis / SilverDB,
USA
"If you
are up to a varied, very tastefully arranged guitar driven album with a
nice 'vintage keyboard flavor', this one is yours!"
"Listening to this new (third
solo) album entitled Mare Et Terra (2008), again I am impressed by his
virtuosity on all guitars and again I notice strong hints of Steve Howe
(and Yes)."
Progwalhalla,
Holland
"The latest release in
the career of a musician with great critical acclaim."
"Unbelievably complex work on
the guitar and flutes abound."
"Can you really dance to prog…well you can to
this!"
"I do love the
epics and this guy knows how to build a song and fill it with the sounds
of the ocean and every wonderful instrument from this Earth!"
"Very inspired work! How do you
top this!"
"The guitar
work is wonderful throughout."
"Racing guitars that remind me of some of Jimmy Page’s
solo material"
"This is
just completely different than anything I have heard. Yes there are
elements of Santana and many other prog heroes, but never together in the
same way. The Latin influence adds variety to a genre that desperately
needs variety."
"I will
be playing it often, now that I have discovered it... Very good and
original. Music that experiments and always varies throughout."
ProgNaut,
USA
"Raimundo Rodulfo is one of the well-guarded insider
tips in the Prog scene."
"His highly melodic
playing, mostly on the acoustic guitar, but sometimes just changing to the
electric version, is virtuosic, very fluently and by no means created
limited to showmanship. Furthermore, mood and tempo changes make for a
significant degree of variety and playful vitality."
"Despite the very
spacious structure of pieces you do not get bored, because in addition to
folk music and symphonic works are also plenty of rocking and progressive
moments in South American flair, that come along very loose and
lively."
"'Mare et Terra' is an album full of vitality, with a
lot of harmonic moments. Give therefore a chance to this pleasant artist
from South America, and listen to representative audio clips on its
website for a proper impression of this very attractive album."
Progressive Newsletter, Germany
"A
really wonderful Spanish flavored symphonic CD with beautiful
arrangements, killer guitar (Spanish and Electric), flute, strings, keys
(piano, mellotron and Moog) and some lovely Spanish and English
vocals"
"This guy is an incredible talent and I would highly
recommend to any fans of Spanish prog or symphonic prog in general."
"The production quality is very good."
Progressive Ears, USA
"An
album with many surprises"
"The conversations between the guitars and the acoustic
instruments, flute, piano, violin, trumpet and saxophones, enhance the
charm of this semi-exotic, semi-canonical prog rock, in the 'Colossus
Project' sense of the word!"
Progressia, France
"This is
a high level great masterpiece!"
"A group with flute
and other instruments with a sound like Hackett/Genesis and Yes, with some
vocals combined with Latin colors in a dynamic and dramatic
development"
World
Disque, Japan
"An
imposing 77-minute rock symphony of great sophistication."
"Think of this as Rodulfo’s Tales from Topographic
Oceans, but distinguished by the inclusion of Spanish/Latin American,
classical, and jazz-rock colors."
"Impressive."
Kinesis, USA
"For the lovers of
old and new symphonic prog I allow myself to recommend the last album,
that according to me is very beautiful, of this Venezuelan guitarist.
Surely one of the most beautiful of the entire South American progressive
rock scene (and not only current)."
Video HiFi. Italy
"More ambitious than his previous efforts."
The Beating Planet,
Venezuela
"A very
beautiful varied music... I hear it again and again! I hope you'll enjoy
it. I have not much doubt about that..."
AmarokProg Forum,
France
"We become fascinated with the elegance of its sounds
territory, in a way similar to PFM"
"Exquisite classical Symphony"
Tosei Midorikawa,
Japan
"An
excellent feature of progressive rock laden with psychotropic references,
awash in lush Latin landscapes, orchestras, folk, criollismos, Caribbean
music, blues ... ahh! Let me see if I can paint a better picture. Add up
the following: Simon Diaz, Frank Zappa, Yes (Tales from Topographic Oceans
in particular), Tom Jobim (specifically, the balance between his albums
Tide and Wave), the unheralded coolness of Colombia's psych-folk outfit
Génesis, Dizzy Gillespie, Procol Harum, and Blues for Salvador-era Carlos
Santana."
"Rodulfo has
surrounded himself with a very energetic and adept cast of musicians that
understand his vision with unparalleled clarity, and there's so much going
on in this album, it's almost exhausting. Time for a drink. But I'd love
to see this guy jam out live."
Miami New Times,
USA
"Comparable to Steve
Hackett, Steve Howe, Anthony Phillips - with South American
attitude"
"Certainly
highly recommended. It's worth it!"
Babyblaue, Germany
"What a great album has released Rodulfo!"
"Among the most beautiful
symphonic releases of recent times."
"A great album!!!"
"With respect to his previous works, the symphonic
component is increased."
"The work of the guitar is spectacular, but besides
that, the technical aspect (that is very high) of the entire work is
actually really remarkable."
"From what one can listen to on his myspace, the album
seems marvellous..."
Arlequins Forum, Italy
"An
extremely ambitious project with lots of instruments, a progressive &
neo-progressive/neo-symphonic piece stuffed with well arranged to
semi-improvised band arrangements"
PsycheMusic.org - Belgium
"The stylistic and emotional variety of the composition
is enormous and certainly will not be fully understood in one only
listening."
"An
illustrious masterpiece whose best features are first the acoustic, highly
virtuosic guitar parts, that frequently returns in many ravishing solos
and complex symphonic band arrangements"
"Virtuoso guitar playing, acoustic folk and typical
electric rock, technically excellent"
"This kind of wacky slanted blissful harmony can
probably come only from South American climes"
"It bwitches the amazing
concise and fast guitar playing that flits a technically stunning
band"
"Mad Album. Tons
of melodic material, countless ideas, coherent, plausible, and in
particular sonic aesthetic beauty of enormous speed. In all, heavenly
playful, accurate, precise uneven-ness"
Ragazzi, Germany
"A
marvellous expanse in the polyhedral musical universe of the
Venezuelan/American guitarist"
"'Mare et Terra' is another marvellous work of Raimundo
Rodulfo, of large appeal, with not hypertrophic but nither simplistic
arrangements. The little 'Rodulfo orchestra' has come to the center
again"
MovimentiProg,
Italy
"This excelsius Venezuelan guitarist and composer
delivers an album with fascinating sonorities with the density he got us
used to. Extended compositions that resemble dream-like episodes, with
diverse textures and casual phrases loaded with emotivity that flirts with
jazz and classical music."
"The phrases from Raimundo's virtuosic performance are
an ideal vehicle that interconnects one idea with another."
La Dosis Magazine,
Venezuela
"This is
an wonderful masterpiece that is unique in its content, shows elegant
classical sounds in all its extension, with Latin / Folk dark melodies
with originality and good taste gracefully present at the end of each
arrangement."
Euclid,
Japan
"The work of the group is
impressive."
"The guy
has more than the talent: everything is under control to the
extreme"
"This work
should appeal to many, given the number of genres covered. Discover"
KOID9 Magazine,
France
"The classical guitar, often
performed solo at many breaks often have accents of Villa-Lobos, Rodrigo
and even, suggesting the classical training of its author. But very
quickly, breaks the electric guitar and the tone is progressive, so take
notes of Mike Oldfield, Steve Hackett and Carlos Santana (ha! of course,
always the Hispanic side...)"
"These compositions provide a fresh breeze from the
south or southwest rather which is a pleasure to hear."
Prog-résiste Magazine,
Belgium
"Raimundo Rodulfo is one of the great, (relatively)
young guitar heroes in the Latin American progressive rock. He has a style
that makes it tempting to compare him with the dimensions of Steve Howe
and Steve Hackett, but at the same time his music has a very distinctive
Latin American style."
"It is complex and requires
some listenings through, but it is also exciting and intense in its
mixture of acoustic and electric instruments, and traditional prog rock
with southern music."
"North/South central theme:
melodic jazz, reggae and Latin American traditional music meet the
Americanized progressive rock, and the result are strikingly fresh and
exhilarated"
"Raimundo Rodulfo lives in Miami now,
but he still represents some of the best that South American prog has to
offer."
Tarkus Magazine, Norway
"A very
beautiful song. Some elements of Folk, with a great melody after all! And
put the name of a solo guitarist, and amazing people involved!"
Tommy's Blog,
Japan
"It
really sucks you into your stereo set"
"Raimundo is a very good guitar player"
"This album can be enjoyed with
full attention or just as background music while holding a cold beverage
by the side of the pool. Although I think mainstream music lovers will
find this album too difficult, it is prog after all."
DPRP, Holland
"Great
new album!"
SynPhonic,
USA
"An
impeccable symphonic rock composition"
"Moody fusion of
exotic colors, from pure symphonic, to light Latin colors where percussion
participates, which let you listen without hesitation its 35-minute
opening suite of this brilliant professional progrock work from South
America."
"Recommended."
Kakehashi
Records,
Japan
"Even
when this album is considerably technical, it is not excessive, and after
listening to the expertise of its music constructions it exceeds with, it
probably is deeply one of the best kept secrets of South America."
"This is a work with high level density."
"This is a luxurious album!"
"There is no way of
getting tired of this album."
"Fans of all kind of
symphonic rock and jazz rock will regret if they don't buy this
album!"
"The sound quality is also good. In our high-quality
audio system it sounds so good!"
Kakehashi
Records Forum,
Japan
"The
artist has managed to push his art to great heights of beauty and control,
leading to the quintessence meeting of electrical and acoustic
orchestrations..."
"An impressive work"
"Not discovering this little symphonic jewel is a true
crime of lese-majesty!"
Musea
Records, France
"75
minutes of a fantastic symphonic and neo-classic rock, melodious and
adventurous"
"This colourful and enthusiast music, constantly
inspired and lively, is at the top of the symphonic nowadays
production."
Artist Shop,
USA
"A
brilliant symphonic music, made of long and complex musical compositions,
mixing progressive and latin influences."
Clear
Spot, The Netherlands
"A style
that takes both the touch of a Mike Oldfield and the romanticism of Camel,
also incorporates jazz and rock with classical influences. Acoustic
orchestrations (flute, violin, clarinet, cello, sax, vocal variety) and
soaring electric coexist with the greatest happiness in 4 long pieces (36,
9, 11 and 20 minutes) instrumentals that make this Mare et Terra a real
success!"
Cosmos Music, France
"'Mare' is undoubtedly the most
successful. It includes all the warmth of the Latin South America... Here,
the author never wanted to confine his music in the restricted field of
only a guitarist wanting to spread his knowledge and technique. Acoustic
and electric guitars, keyboards, wind instruments, vocals and percussion
mix with art, the creation of a complex and ambitious, always balanced,
well constructed and clear. Raimundo Rodulfo managed to create a
Progressive flamboyant, never bastard typically South American. Work close
to perfection!"
Music in Belgium, Belgium
"'Mare
et Terra' is a masterpiece album of a beautiful melodic progressive and
symphonic rock of RAIMUNDO RODULFO from South America (Venezuela)."
"Thrilling guitar work"
"It is absolutely recommended
for all the fans of beautiful melodic progressive and symphonic
rock"
Yahoo
Auctions, Japan
"As good
or better than the previous two CDs! Progressive symphonic!"
Rock
Symphony, Brasil
"In addition to the sound of
the Melotron, this album comes with a classical orchestra, some times a
reggae rhythm, fast playing mediterranean guitar in the style of Paco de
Lucia, all made with cohesiveness and diversity in this work which comes
with a standard impression and nearly 80 minutes to be fully
enjoyed."
"Epic beyond scales, with brass
and strings ensembles. You will be amazed with the Flamenco and orchestral
symphonic development of this masterpiece."
"Very talented people!"
Yahoo
Forum, Japan
"Amazing
guitar work (both electric and acoustic)"
"Everything a prog listener could possibly
want!"
"I cannot
recommend it highly enough"
MickPortnoy.com Forum, USA
"A large
finished gorgeous Classical/Symphonic Rock masterpiece that makes the best
use of the music background in which real Classic is mastered without
reserve with 12 backing musician..."
"This is a gem where you can enjoy the beauty and
originality of its own content"
"Excellent arrangements of flowing elegant classic
guitar that gracefully sprinkles the melody."
DiskUnion, Japan
"If you are
into classically-based progressive, this could be the album of the
year!"
"New album from
who is now Venezuela's top progressive musician. The music is grand in
scale and very beautiful indeed, with loads of textures and
moods."
Shroom Productions, USA
"If it was possible to combine the talents of some
great musicians/composers such as Bach, Mozart, Ian Anderson, Steve Howe,
Steve Hackett, Rick Wakeman (to name but a few) at the height of their
creativity and produce a piece of music, then Venezuelan musician Raimundo
Rodulfo's The Dreams Concerto would probably be the result."
"The Dreams Concerto must be
at the top of the league. This must be the prog album of the year in its
class especially as it is unique. In years to come, I've no doubt that the
name Rodulfo will be up there with the other great composers and I mean
great composers!"
Hairless Heart Herald, UK
"It's not everyday that you get to hear a recording
that is just dripping with so much beauty that it almost brings tears to
your eyes. This 'concerto' from musician Raimundo Rodulfo is a lush,
gorgeous amalgam of progressive rock, South American classical motiffs,
and folk, that succeeds on all fronts... This gets my highest rating
possible."
Sea of Tranquility, USA
"The
Dreams Concerto" is in Sea of Tranquility's Five Star Reviews
selection.
"Few musicians there are today in the universe of
progressive rock that are so ambitious and qualified like Raimundo
Rodulfo. This Venezuelan guitarist and composer already had published an
elaborate work with his debut work Dreams in the year 2000. And with this,
his second studio album, he reached a notable degree of sophistication.
The Dreams Concerto is surely one of the most intelligent works of the
contemporary movement of progressive rock, taking to the limit the
capacity of an artist. Wasn’t that exactly the purpose of progressive
rock?"
Mellotron Magazine, Argentina
"A chamber orchestra, vocals,
percussionists, and your basic prog-rock band elements are featured in
very colorful arrangements"
"A real showpiece full to the brim with drama and
energy, thanks to a bit of flamenco juxtaposed with the more baroque
classical directions, not to mention some very Steve Howe-ish speed guitar
by the composer"
Progression Magazine, USA
"A magnificent fresco divided into three long
movements"
Harmonie Magazine, France
"A beautiful blend between progressive rock and
classical music, with Hackett influences and links to EKSEPTION and KING
CRIMSON and a Latin American touch. Highly recommended for symphonic
progressive lovers!"
"A
complex album from Venezuela, mixturing classical music, jazz, South
American folk and rock with rich instrumentation. A lot of musicians
playing cohesively but, even when music is essentially melodic, maybe this
album needs more than one listening to fully enjoy it, due his complexity.
A sort of a King Crimson, Vivaldi and a jazz band cross. Very
interesting!"
ProgArchives, USA
"What a great record this is! We hear on this disc
influences from almost all the great musicians on the planet that live and
had lived. The classic masters Bach, Bethoven, Vivaldi and Mozart. The
progressive rock masters Steve Howe, Keith Emerson, Rick Wakeman, Robert
Fripp and Ian Anderson. The jazz-rock masters Chic Corea, John McLaughlin,
Al DiMeola and Allan Holdsworth. The pop masters George Harrison, Paul
McCartney and John Lennon. And the master of all kind of styles, Frank
Zappa. Every time you listen to it you will hear new things. I almost
would call it a musical journey into a fantasy dream world. Well
done!"
Background Magazine, The Netherlands
"It is absolutely stunning. It is amazing and
beautiful, encompassing varying moods, styles and colours… Rodulfo is a
fantastic guitarist (rather, multi-instrumentalist), surrounded by equally
talented folks on a variety of instruments. The Dreams Concerto is a
thoroughly stunning and epic work that is a pleasure to listen to. Varied
enough that you will discover something new upon each listen, but not so
varied as to be disjoined - everything flows seamlessly together with a
measured ebb and flow. Seek this one out."
Progressive World, USA
"The
Dreams Concerto" is in Progressive World's April's
Five Star Reviews for April 2003.
"A versatile and virtuoso Venezuelan artist. This cd is
truly a wide kettle of the main progressive schools that the history of
music has given to us, enriched by an unique latin taste, a superior
guitar playing technique and an impressive intellectual approach to music
from a sure well-informed musician. An excellent album from the point of
view of the exhibited technical rate... A monumental and intellectually
very ambitious album for listen with the ears well connected to the brain
!!"
"A monumental and
very ambitious cd that I recommend to everyone's looking for complex music
played with heart and brain."
Tales of Wonder, Italy
"The Dreams Concerto, in 3 movements and 6 sections, is
a living musical work and in continuous expansion, whose philosophy
situates in the extension of all the traditional models that have been
assimilated in the creative music during the last 4 decades. Yes,
creative, since the progressive rock envelope is excessively narrow to
harbor the enormity of this disc that sails among the intimate and the
sophisticated of jazz, folk, rock and classics and that has been planned
with most greatest care and to balance different common sense tempos and
states of mind utilizing an extensive rank of harmonies and tones. A must
have."
Margen Magazine, Spain
"This is one of the best discs produced in Latin
America the last years. It is a master work by Venezuelan musician
Raimundo Rodulfo. It is a disc that shows the greatness which can be
obtained from the fusion between various musical genres, from classical
music to rock and jazz. I sincerely hope to barely be close to this
musical legacy by Raimundo, maybe my words are short but I sincerely
recommend you to listen to this work."
Música Progresiva, Costa Rica
"A really well good album coming out in 2002, with lot
of Classical elements, traditional Folk, in a prog format that I highly
recommand. Excellent work..."
"Believe me this song ('Sueños') is one of the best
progressive songs I never heard. Absolutly Superb !"
Proglands, Canada
"This album is something really special. Rodulfo mixes
classical music with rock in a way I have not yet heard before, all
sounding perfectly natural... For people with a classical music
background, combined with a love for prog rock, I believe this album is
essential..."
Dutch Progressive Rock Pages, The Netherlands
"The Dreams Concerto" is in DPRP Recommended selection.
"Venezuelan Raimundo Rodulfo is a highly-skilled
guitarist, whether playing acoustic, classical, electric, or bass guitar
or even mandolin."
"Highly recommended."
Kinesis, USA
"A disc that becomes part with
full authority of the category 'irrenounceable'"
"Rodulfo, true virtuoso of
guitar (and also of bass, I add) simply without to comply in accommodating
and self-pleasing elucubrations, possess the innate gift of to charm the
listener. The European public, mainly the Italian one, must not to ignore
this Artist!"
Escursioni Musicali, Italy / Arlequins, Italy
"For those who like classical music as well as
progressive rock, this might be a concept worthy of attention."
Axiom of Choice, The Netherlands
"Simply put, one of the most gorgeous pieces of
symphonic rock to come along in recent memory... Highly recommended to
symphonic fans who like lots of guitar and baroque influences. One of my
favorites so far this year!"
"This disc has class."
Exposé Magazine, USA
"A really very beautiful CD
that shines with much bright light between the productions that have come
from South America in the last years. Recommended with the highest
rating."
"A really very
attractive disk in which the classic music is placed side by side or
almost perfectly melted with progressive rock. The more classic parts,
bytheway the best of the disk, bring again to mind sometimes Bach,
sometimes Vivaldi, and some compositions for classic guitar and orchestra
(the works of Rodrigo, for example), and are characterized for the
absolute absence of drums or electric instruments and, on the contrary, by
sumptuous acoustic arrangiamenti with strings, flute and classic guitar to
weave continually the beautifulst melodies. In other moments, instead,
with the arrival of drums and with Rodulfo who takes the electric guitar,
we have a perfect merger between classic and modern music… Demand careful
and participating listening to be deeply appreciated."
Eventyr Magazine, Italy
"'The
Dreams Concerto' is an ambitious prime album from a very talented
artist."
Colossus Magazine, Finland
"Symphonic progressive. Full of tremendous and
beautiful parts. Especially the acoustic guitar parts are superb."
"Raimundo evolved a lot since
his first album, and developed various of his ideas as if a dream came
true. The compositions are much richer, arranged and performed... For
various reasons very recommended. Both acoustic guitars as electric guitar
playing / arrangements are splendid."
Psyche Van Het Folk,
Belgium
"The use of several instruments besides the traditional
rock instruments makes the sound very rich and much more interesting. It's
a very good album."
Tombstone, Greece
"Raimundo Rodulfo reveals with 'The Dreams Concerto'
his quality as composer, arrangeur and guitarist... An impressive work,
which I can only recommend."
Ragazzi, Germany / Progressive
Newsletter, Germany
"Sometimes I ask myself, where
the people get again and again new ideas for music. In the case of
RAIMUNDO RODULFO, Venezuela lodges a guitarist like the best. This
versatility on his 'The Dreams Concerto' is already impressive."
Progressive Pages, Germany
"Beautiful stuff. Killer guitar plus sax, flute, harp,
violin, plus lots more."
Of Sound Mind, USA
"A real classical-progressive work with strong Spanish
connotations... Raimundo is an excellent guitarist, whether of classic or
electric guitar. The music is crystal clear and pours as a waterfall into
your wide opened ears. A very beautiful work. Doubtless."
SomethingProg, France
"The Dreams Concerto is a recommendable album in all
its extension."
Newspaper Letras, Venezuela /
noticierodigital.com, Venezuela
"' The Dreams Concerto' is a
complex, but direct and charming album, rich in textures that evoke
different sensations. Highly recommended for people of different tastes,
above all for the lovers of musical fusion and quite elaborate and
complete works."
Rock Total Magazine,
Venezuela
"Raimundo Rodulfo announces the color and holds his
word. After his first published album two years ago (Dreams - Sueños),
here is what one could call his grand work... a facility of tempting
listening and a cordial beauty."
Prog-Résiste Magazine, Belgium
"The music has a lot of variation and some great
moments... The electric guitar solo in the end (1st Mov.) is great and is
played with a lot of passion. It (3rd Mov.) includes fantastic work on
classical guitar and it reminds me somehow of the classical album Anthony
Phillips made together with Enrique Berro Gracia. But at the same time the
high speed guitar playing reminds me of one of my guitar heroes; Al
diMeola. There are beautiful parts with acoustic instruments like
classical guitar, violins, flutes and harp. Also you can find some
beautiful melodic guitar solos."
ProgVisions, Spain / The
Netherlands
"An extremely ambitious
production of an outstanding artist. One rarely gets such one perfectly
thought out CD release, which musical contents and conceptual contents are
in such a manner perfectly co-ordinated... It can reveal finely symphonic
elegance in its fullest beauty."
Babyblaue, Germany
"Guitarist/Composer Raimundo Rodulfo brings
symphonic/classic prog back into the new millennium with nods to the
giants of the 70's while adding a latin flavor all it's own. Beautiful
instrumentation can be found throughout especially in the guitar playing
which goes from classical to flamenco to rock within a few
moments."
ProgNaut, USA
"Many
people with an interest in classical music, especially of the Baroque
style, will get a lot out of this album. It is certainly well conceived
and presented."
Classic Rock Society, UK
"This is the second by this excellent musician from
Venezuela. Second achievement. The music is more symphonic (divided in 3
movements), featuring a wide range of instruments: sax, violin, flute,
mandolin, harpsichord ... And of course great guitars (both acoustic and
electric). On a whole, this production by the Latino Mike Oldfield should
please to all adventurous ears."
Acid Dragon Magazine,
France
"'The Dreams Concerto' (2001) is a magnificent fresco
broken up into three long movements, for a total of almost 80 minutes. A
multitude of performers, among whom one finds for example the singer Pedro
CASTILLO, contribute to the richness of work."
Musea Records, France
"A musician that doesn't have anything to envy to bands
that have found a good contract record. The technical style of Rodulfo
betrays a visceral passion for neo-classicism, but the entire work is
influenced by groups as Jethro Tull, Mike Oldfield and Genesis. A product
to listen second to second, and with an amazing 36 pages booklet indeed
beautiful. A cd simply unique."
MilleRecords, Italy /
Tempi Duri, Italy
"The previous production is exceeded as much as
possible. Full heart work."
Gardenshed, Japan
"A symphonic album of high level"
August Carol, Japan
"Contents have
become well enough serious, featuring the classic & electric guitar
which Raimundo Rodulfo plays as soloist, at the same time the classic
guitar with the chamber orchestra, and the electric band which is playing
in the back among different parts of the concerto. It makes enormously
good..."
Gates of Dawn, Japan
"Rather than
calling it the solo album of a guitarist, it sounds with the power of a
real symphonic rock band"
"The music has a high degree of completion which makes
you think of ESTRUCTURA from the same country"
Yahoo Auctions Japan
"Self-produced
masterpiece, perhaps one of the best of 2002."
"A contemporary artist between
the best and most brilliant ones in circulation."
"It's incredible how Rodulfo,
in the middle of an ocean of style influences between which stand out
primarily Steve Hackett and Steve Howe, Jethro Tull, Yes and a bite of
jazzy tastes, succeeds to unite with a personal revisiting of the classic
symphonies and baroque in latin key so much different instrumental sounds
without being overwhelming and submerging the listeners without making
them lose interest."
Movimenti Prog, Italy
"It alternates
between rock parts, orchestra parts, and both in unision, and Rodulfo
plays both electric and acoustic guitar with high technical skill. The
opening is promising with the 24 minute long "Sueños", a symphonic cascade
with exquisit interplay between Rodulfo¹s guitars, the band, orchestra and
vocalists. It continues with great folk-prog parts lending an ear to both
Tull and Focus."
Tarkus Magazine, Norway
"Excellent second CD of this Venezuelan project which
played recently in BajaProg 2002. Digipack edition with book."
Rock Symphony, Brazil
"The
Dreams Concerto is a work with a classical music concerto structure, and a
chamber orchestra including progressive rock instruments, electric guitar,
synthetizers, drums, bass, etc. It includes a female singer with a soprano
style, although the vocals don't predominate in this work. I strongly
recommend it. If you see it, don't hesitate to buy it."
"This second album of Raimundo
is very good... This Dreams Concerto is an album even more academic than
the first one, called Dreams, which obviously is the precursor of the
sound of this excellent guitarist."
República Progresiva,
Mexico
"They are still there: musicians with an unrestrained
ambition and an identity between classical music and progressive rock.
Venezuelan Raimundo Rodulfo is one of this kind, and after reading the
thick booklet featured at this cd, you realize that the expectations
become on high musical challenges. Expectations which are most fulfilled
in the first part of "The Dreams Concerto", where are Sueños (Dreams) and
the short Esperanza. Sueños is a 24-minutes lasting endless flow of superb
musical ideas, where we are swung back and forth between traditional parts
in which both the classic acoustic guitar and high-tone flute conduct, as
well as parts in which Rodulfo's Hackettian/Oldfieldesque delay-crying
electric guitar playing is accompanied and more than supported by a vast
rock presence."
Progwereld, The Netherlands
"The Dreams Concerto is a fairly solid recent entry
into the realm of South American progressive rock... The playing,
particularly the guitar, is impressive throughout, with a clear nod in
Fripp's general direction. Fans of modern symphonic rock or contemporary
sounding South American prog who don't mind a rather bombastic,
self-conscious classical angle will want to sit up and take notice of this
recording..."
The Giant Progweed, USA
"Great
stuff! Highly recommended to fans of vintage Steve Hackett and Italian
progressive rock! Probably the best progressive rock CD to ever come out
of Venezuela!"
"One of
my all-time favourites."
"I bought your The Dreams Concerto some months ago and
I really love it - it´s really a great album."
"Great booklet, with Peter's
very beautiful paintings! But your CD has suprised me not only on the
visual side. Till now I have listened to it only once, so my opinion can
obviously be incomplete and imperfect; nevertheless I dare say you that
your music is WONDERFUL: romantic, symphonic, latin prog rock full of good
ideas and rich in creative moods. I really believe that Italians could
like a lot your compositions, so it's important that in my country,
too, prog fans know your CDs."
"I have listened to your CD more times, and I confirm
you my first impression: your music is really great, very technical but
also very emotional."
"I'm your fan now! You're a real great musician and I
love "The Dreams Concerto"! It was a revelation to me!"
"I do not recover yet from the
astonishment of such work (The Dreams Concerto). Incredible. From the book
of presentation, really fabulous in concept and content, to the musical
criterion and musical capacity it is a work as not very often I listened
in my life. Sincerely. I admire very much the people like you who have
ambitious ideas, and not only have them but make them real. And how! I
personally enjoy very much the combination of classic/rock with 'real'
instruments, that so rarely are used the last times, because of money or
lack of ambition."
"I
liked it much, is very well done in all the aspects: performing,
composition, recording, art... It is quite ambitious, and without spirit
to establish any comparison, I listen to reminiscences of some bands that
I like much, among them Yes (by the Howe side), Mahavishnu Orchestra and
Il Rovescio Della Medaglia. The disc has a lot of personality… I am sure
that internationally it will have more repercussion than here."
"What so good is your new
disc!!! Today I listened to it for the first time and I was listening to
it three more times. A very deep, serious and enjoyable work. It is the
type of work that whenever you hear it allows you to find something new on
it. It is really the more interesting CD that I have listened to this
year. Congratulations."
"Very interesting South American/world music with
Spanish vocals and an orchestra."
"The truth, the simple idea by which this album was
developed (the equations and all of that – and I study engineering) seemed
brilliant to me. It is unquestionably, one of best discs of the year, even
when this year promises a lot (Wakeman, Arena, Rush, etc.). A friend
bought your album and he fell in love with your music, inclusively, his
wife (whom does not like anything that has an electrical guitar included)
loved it."
Comments from the
Public
"From the
lively 6/8 opener 'Laberinto' to the 21-minute, seven-part closing suite
'Códigos Universales' the CD offers some of the most exciting instrumental
symphonic rock that I've heard in a long time... Very highly
recommended."
Exposé Magazine, USA
"Highly recommended."
Kinesis, USA
"Another unknown heavy
symphonic, concept album gem from Venezuela. This sounds very 70's, and
has outstanding keyboards with flute... It is amazing where great stuff
comes from sometimes!"
Shroom Productions, USA
"Here's the Latin American Steve Howe: the music on
this CD is carried by his outstanding guitar play."
Background Magazine, The Netherlands
"There are musicians/composers that play like the Gods.
The Venezuelan guitarist Raimundo Rodulfo is one of them and his first
disc, Dreams, a marvelous rainbow of related tones that are accommodated
in a ductile instrumental style and narrative that convinces since the
first minute and doesn't decay in the long hour and seven compositions,
included the suite Universal Codes in 7 parts and almost 22 minutes
long."
Margen Magazine, Spain
"It is quite a gem if you are interested in calm, moody
and semi-acoustic music. This must also be the reason that Musea Records
has selected this album as their pick of the month January... It has all
the quality to deserve a good marketing and distribution channel."
Dutch Progressive Rock Pages, The Netherlands
"A strongly pleasant instrumental solo album"
Harmonie Magazine, France
"If you liked Steve Howe's acoustic pieces on Fragile,
then this might be something for you. The music has complexity, is often
classically styled, but is also filled with various folk music
influences."
Axiom of Choice, The Netherlands
"Here is a great little album that I came across
recently which completely took me by surprise... Raimundo's music offers
soft seductive acoustic Spanish guitar with some lovely symphonia.
'Dreams' is a delicate album which really does work like a dream with the
flowing flute and soft drum and percussion. Raimundo's guitar work is the
centre piece of this work with some amazing guitar fretting and
phrasing."
Unger's Wonderful World of Progressive Rock, Canada
"A very good album, with very interesting guitars
melodies and solos" "Raimundo is a very
talented and excellent guitar player" "The
songs are quite good and the music is very original, I recommend it to
anybody"
"Raimundo
Rodulfo from Venezuela is another gem worth listening to, Howe-PF alike,
moody and well structured. Dreams is the album you should go for."
ProgArchives, USA
"If you want to listen to something different,
interesting and made in Venezuela I recommend you a disc of Barquisimetan
Raimundo Rodulfo, called 'Dreams'."
Pedro Castillo (Tempano),
Venezuela
"Raimundo has fashioned a
wonderful and varied CD of incredible playing... Great instrumental
prowess with a wonderful band!"
Progressive Ears, USA
"Nice Italian style complex and dreamy prog from
Venezuela."
Ultima Thule Records, UK
"Virtuoso Venezuelan guitarist with a great classical
music school devoted to Symphonic Rock. Joined by many guest musicians his
style reminds us in some aspects to Steve Hackett."
Viajero Inmovil, Argentina
"All the tracks are rather
pleasant and not lacking of a certain originality, feature this last which
finds the greatest expression in the fourth track, not randomly titled
"Brainstorm", in which is gone with a certain effectiveness from fusion to
reggae until arriving to jazz and blues, making seven minutes of the best
progressive."
Eventyr Magazine, Italy
"A
quality work that will surely please the Symphonic Progressive
lovers."
Musical Box Magazine, Brazil
"Very good."
Progwalhalla, Holland
"Pupil: Finally, this is a must have, Sir? | Teacher:
Yes, certainly!"
Acid Dragon Magazine,
France
"This album can be recommended for the people who like
jazz fusion and progressive music."
Colossus Magazine, Finland
"All in all this is a fantastic album. Very warm in
both tone and style."
Progressive World, USA
"Symphonic progressive. Full of tremendous and
beautiful parts. Especially the acoustic guitar parts are superb."
"A recommended CD if you like
both symphonic and fusion guitar progressive music."
Psyche Van Het Folk, Belgium
"One disc intimate, personal and indoubtedly charming.
One trip to a magical world, of great beauty."
Mellotron Magazine, Argentina
"The Venezuelan guitarist Raimundo RODULFO is the
author of a pleasant strong instrumental album in solitary, entitled
'Suenos - Dreams'. The style developed by our man and his many guests can
as well be brought closer to the electric flamenco as of Mike OLDFIELD
even CAMEL. The six-strings take the leading part of course, in a style at
the same time melodic and dishevelled. The jazz-rock or classic influences
are perfectly assimilated, within an exotic and coloured musical
vortex."
Musea Records, France
"Dreams" is in
Musea's Selection of the
Month for January 2001.
"Raimundo has his own vision, his own performing way
and a frankly exquisite jazz sound. The compositions together form an all
instrumental that one listens upper to down, from principle to end. It is
that kind of discs that you enjoy, don't tire and always get you willing
to listen to it again, full of those musical accents that charm us who
enjoy the symphonic progressive and in which the guitar is given time to
sing. Very recommendable."
La Corte Final, Mexico
"It traps us in a vortex of rhythms and sonorous
experiences mixed with electronic and natural elements all they born in
Raimundo's strings."
El Vigía de los Cielos,
Chile
"Without any doubt a very interesting discovery,
actually this disc forms part of the seleccion of the month of January of
MUSEA record label. Raimundo Rodulfo is a great Venezuelan guitarist and
aside a good composer. The coolness and the naturality of his compositions
are two good attributions in this album."
"All the disc sounds very sincere, fresh, made with an
enormous ilusion and this grants it a very special shine that obliges you
to listen with care. All the notes, sometimes excessive, are very
carefully since Raimundo Rodulfo is a true artisan as musician and
composer."
Spanish Progressive Rock Page / La Caja de Música,
Spain
"A great musical level, and all an explosion of
creativity that foretell a major success. All the songs of the disc are
excellent, there is no waste, each minute of recording was very well taken
advantage of."
EscenaRock, Venezuela
"This weekend I´ve been listening twice to your Dreams
album, and I must say it´s a very beautiful album."
"I recently came into the
possession of 'Dreams' from a friend in France! I was totally blown away
when I for the first time heard your guitar work! 'Brainstorm' is my
favorite! I can listen to that scratched cd-record ten times a day, and it
moves me in a different way every time."
"What a big piece of art is entering by my ear
labyrinth!. I am delighted with your group’s music here in my office while
working with the databases labyrinths, files and statistics. What a better
companion to this than this musical delight that, listening to it for the
first time already reminds me the parts of the concert even when I had
never listened to them. The truth is that the melodies as well as the
complex lines of instruments are sticky and they remain recorded in the
mind of who sits to listen to your music once; or maybe they are so
memorable that they are burdened in the entrails."
" I want to congratulate you
for the work of the album Dreams (What a good stuff!!!!!) I am pleased to
know that you are active and with so good style, of course for intelligent
people, but really it is very good..."
"You really super-astonished me... I consider that your
disc is of the best music than has been written in Venezuela; it combines
complexity, melodies, many different instruments, a fabulous performing
yours in electric and acoustic guitars, and a studio band that shows
having felt deeply and done theirs the pieces. Congratulations and there
it goes my wishes again so that you can continue creating as you have been
doing it."
"I consider
it one of the most important works in the symphonic-progressive genre of
our country… A disc full of colors, not only for its artistic cover which
by the way offers a special touch to this work, but by the diversity of
sounds and styles fused in each track. Jazz, Folk, Rock'n’Roll,
VENEZUELAN-ish (very important), Indian music, guitars sounds that remind
us the great ones like Jhon McLaughlin (speed) and Steve Howe (technical
and sounds)… In conclusion a very artisan work musically speaking, plenty
of fantasy, imagination, feeling and music, main components of all our
DREAMS."
Comments from the Public
RAIMUNDO
RODULFO
To LIVE a Dream - Official
Bootleg
"A disc that
in the time to come will become a classic."
"A sample of the musical
excellence that offers Raimundo Rodulfo and of the great representation
that he did of our country in the famous Festival BajaProg."
Rock Hecho en Venezuela, Venezuela
"It's clear this group has such a fine tension...
'Suenos' goes beyond the craftsmanship's symphonic music early Genesis
explored, with Latin American female voice, progressive rock guitar, etc.
Beautiful."
Psyche Van Het Folk, Belgium
"It is full of life, textures and emotion. Guitar,
Spanish and electric are outstanding and the flute and violin pieces are
truly beautiful. Raimundo and his fellow musicians gel together coherently
and still hang sufficiently ‘loose’ to create that edge."
Hairless Heart Herald, UK
"This
live performance gives me the opportunity to confirm my very positive
feedback I wrote about "The Dreams Concerto" album. Raimundo is an
incredibly high-skilled musician able to pinch the chords of his guitar as
few guitarist can do. He has a very classical background and a clever
intellectual approach to music. Listening to his music is actually like
"to live a dream", an intense and multicoloured dream, so well represented
by Peter Rodulfo's paintings. My deep recommendations is to buy his two
official albums and to start the download immediately afterward at
www.RaimundoRodulfo.com"
Tales of Wonder, Italy
"Acoustic and electric guitar, keyboards, violin and
flute draw a romantic and nevertheless strong progressive outline, which
processes influences from the classical period, Venezuelan folklore and
jazz. Just in the extended instrumental work, is recognized the parallel
to the best time of Premiata Forneria Marconi... Impressive progressive
rock in a much better than bootleg sound. Since Raimundo understands much
about filigree music architecture, he will bring the PFM community to
ecstasy."
Ragazzi, Germany
"Rodulfo is one of those musicians that use very
diverse elements for a musical development that transcends the barriers of
styles. Rodulfo is progressive without being endeavored to be it, without
to enclose himself in the artificial limitations that some musicians
impose to himself. I don't find any purpose in to resemble anybody and on
the other hand I see a personal development, so much in his roles on the
acoustic guitar and on the electric one. As a composer he takes charge of
to make rock, baroque music, Venezuelan folk tradition and a jazzy
ingredient visibly present in his work. The incorporation of flute, harp
and violin besides the traditional rock instruments, is enricher of his
work. I have got pleasantly impressed by this music."
Progresiva70s, Argentina
"This comes out at a great moment, it's an excellent
idea to release a live CD only after two previous official releases, even
if is not an official release. It's a real gift... The recording really is
not so bad and give a great idea of what the band sound live. Also they
are over an hour of free music here, so it worst to buy the previous one
just to have this one, good chance."
ProgLands, Canada
"Congratulations for such a brilliant work that you
have offered through your webpage, at this moment I am listening to it and
I am completely sure that your performance at BajaProg was one of the best
ones, as far as quality and musical innovation, that appeared in the
festival. The best of everything is that it is a live work that shows
differences respect to which it is heard in studio."
"That was a great idea. I'll be
looking forward to the next album. Thanks from NYC!"
"Excellent shows, specially the
performance of the suite 'Sueños'; on both bootlegs the result was
spectacular... master works."
Comments from the
Public
RAIMUNDO
RODULFO
To LIVE a Dream 2 - Official
Bootleg
"Italian Prog
lovers and all fans of the romantic symphony genre will enjoy this
work."
"The band plays
warmly, the technical presentation of the performances is good. Raimundo
Rodulfo composes heavy
symphonic songs, which sound typically South American. Melodic
weight and deep poetry
are just as related to Italian Prog."
Ragazzi, Germany / Progressive
Newsletter, Germany
"Great venezuelan musician... a
tune with typical latin flavour... a clear influence from Steve Howe in
some moments... very pleasant listening! The band that plays with him is
really good!"
Melo's ProgBazaar, UK
"Excellent shows,
specially the performance of the suite 'Sueños'; on both bootlegs the
result was spectacular... master works."
Comments from the Public
"Spanish guitar maestro Raimundo Rodulfo’s offering
Ascenso Tortuoso is also instrumental but this time it’s a busy but
melodic jazz-fusion exercise with intricate guitar noodling and classy but
spacious drumming in the Bill Bruford mould."
DPRP, Holland
"Raimundo Rodulfo adds the jazzy/fusion touch that was
missing up to this point and his ability to mix that mindset with a sympho
prog attitude. He shows how eclectic and dynamic his musically normally
is. A good way to discover this artist."
Proggnosis, USA
"Raimundo Rodulfo from the USA: impressive guitar work
with hints of Steve Howe, concluded with a sensational Minimoog
solo."
ProgWalhalla,
Holland
"Very good"
Debaser, Italy
"Among the handful of newcomers, I’m pleased to see
Raimundo Rodulfo and Phideaux."
Monsieur Délire, Canada
"It seems trite and superfluous to praise the umpteenth
'center' of Raimundo Rodulfo that enriches the minutes available to him
with a short recited excerpt (by Gabriele Lepre) taken directly from the
4th Canto."
Arlequins,
Italy
"Raimundo Rodulfo, in a recording where the guitar is
dominant, offers us a mix of guitar dexterity almost jazzy mixed with
purest symphonic prog."
Harmonie Magazine, France
"Rodulfo avoids taking constantly centre stage as it
could be expected from such a skilled artist recording under his own name.
The guitars sometimes allow vague hints of the traditional South American
style, but all of them skilfully hidden amongst traditional prog passages
and rock riffs."
Colossus Blog, Finland/Italy
"...Then multi-instrumentalist Raimundo Rodulfo (plus
guest musicians), I love his blend of classical (violin, cello, guitar)
and bombastic symphonic rock (Mellotron, church-organ, Minimoog and
powerful electric guitar), embellished with pleasant Spanish
vocals."
DVDivas, USA / ProgWalhalla,
Holland
"Raimundo Rodulfo, Falsedad y castigo: 10/10. Something
different. It starts like a classical piece with an acoustic guitar and
violins and then it turns out to be the best song of the whole
release."
"Raimundo
Rodulfo, Falsedad y castigo: 9/10. Ok, there's the harpsichord I have been
waiting for quite a while already. Venezuelan multi-instrumentalist
Raimundo Rodulfo is one of the most positive surprises of the whole
release. There are millions of different instruments to be heard on this
song and presumably Rodolfo plays them all - from violin to electric
guitar - by himself. The composition is also excellent. I have to put the
name Raimundo Rodulfo behind my ear."
Rate Your Music /
USA
"The final disc has the best moments of the piece:
Raimundo Rodulfo (canto 30) in which the polyhedral Venezuelan artist is
accompanied by a beautiful string orchestra."
MovimentiProg /
Italy
"Classical baroque is the inspiration for Raimundo
Rodulfo’s piece which is dominated by a string quartet, classical guitar
and massed counterpoint voices. It’s more Lloyd Webber than Verdi however
but still remains one of the most distinctive and entertaining
here."
DPRP / Holland
"Venezuelan Raimundo Rodulfo's song in Disc 4 is
in classic style and is very good."
Tosei Midorikawa / Japan
"Raimundo Rodulfo’s Falsedad y Castigo takes the
listener deep into neo-Baroque territory, with a string ensemble,
harpsichord, and counterpoint vocal parts."
"Fans of the more operatic varieties of prog will
undoubtedly be delighted by it."
Progressor /
Uzbekistan
"I love the blend of classical music with violin,
cello, guitar and orchestral symphonic rock with mellotron, church-organ,
MiniMoog and powerful electric guitar embellished with pleasant Spanish
vocals of multi-instrumentalist Raimundo Rodulfo from Venezuela."
Background Magazine,
Holland
"A skillful mixture of influences."
Progressia,
France
Background Magazine -
http://www.backgroundmagazine.nl - The Netherlands
-Issue # 74
Raimundo Rodulfo's
Dreams
Here's the Latin American Steve Howe: the
music on this CD is carried by his outstanding guitar play: an intro on
the classical guitar for the track "Labyrinth", followed by fiery guitar
(lots of solos) and some flute, sensitive (electric guitar) interplay with
a violin in "Friendship", virtuous play on the acoustic (Martin?) guitar
and mandolin in "New Horizons", a fine duel between the electric guitar
and saxophone in "Brainstorm" and jazzy electric guitar on "Math &
Arts" (with a great bombastic finale)... And the focal point remains the
impressive Raimundo on several guitars. If he joins a band on his level we
will certainly hear more from him!
Erik Neuteboom
-Issue # 80
Raimundo Rodulfo - The
Dreams Concerto
As you may remember
from my review of the Baja Prog Festival, I had major problems to stay
awake during Raimundo Rodulfo's performance, because I was suffering form
a jet-lag. I could hardly keep my eyes open. When I heard his second
album, "The Dreams Concerto, Concerto for Guitar, Group And Chamber
Orchestra", I had no trouble at all to stay awake. What a great record
this is! In my live review I already told you that this man was a master
on the guitar. My fellow reviewer Erik Neuteboom called him a "Latin
American Steve Howe" in the review of his first album. What bigger
compliment can you give a musician? You might call this complex piece of
art a modern version of the old Deep Purple project "Concerto for Group
and Orchestra" which Jon Lord composed back in 1969. Only this time it is
much more than just classical music and rock music. We hear on this disc
influences from almost all the great musicians on the planet that live and
had lived. The classic masters Bach, Bethoven, Vivaldi and Mozart. The
progressive rock masters Steve Howe, Keith Emerson, Rick Wakeman, Robert
Fripp and Ian Anderson. The jazz-rock masters Chic Corea, John McLaughlin,
Al DiMeola and Allan Holdsworth. The pop masters George Harrison, Paul
McCartney and John Lennon. And the master of all kind of styles, Frank
Zappa. So you can imagine what styles you all can hear on this record. I
will not go into any details concerning the music on all of the tracks.
That would take too much time and space, but the music is divided into
three movements. They again are divided into different segments - all of
them have different musical styles. We hear in every style the same kind
of theme, but played differently. You will recognize it immediately, no
matter in what style it is played in - classical, prog or jazz rock. All
very cleverly done. Rodulfo is credited for all the music, concept and
lyrics. He also produced, orchestrated and directed the whole thing. But
we must not forget the great musicians that helped him to finish this
complex project. All are introduced in the booklet. I won't mention all,
but two of them are pretty amazing: Beatriz Rivas, the great female
singer, and Andrés Briceño on his electric and acoustic drums. He can play
all kind of styles, but the most enjoyable is probably the way he plays
the jazz-rock themes. Bravo! I already mentioned the booklet. It is
together with the cover very beautiful done. The cover is together with
the other paintings in the 40 pages booklet done by Peter Rodulfo.
Reminding me of Rubens, Breughel and Bosch. Inside the booklet you also
get some inside information about every track and a personal note of
Raimundo himself. As said before: all very tasteful done.The same I can
say about the music. Every time you listen to it you will hear new things.
I almost would call it a musical journey into a fantasy dream world.
Well done!
Henri Strik
-Mare et Terra (online review)
Raimundo Rodulfo - Mare et Terra
http://www.backgroundmagazine.nl/CDReviews/RaimundoRodulfoMare.html
(same as Progwalhalla's review)
Erik
Neuteboom
Shroom Productions -
www.shroomangel.com - USA
Raimundo Rodulfo -
Dreams
Another unknown heavy symphonic, concept
album gem from Venezuela. This sounds very 70's, and has outstanding
keyboards with flute. The Cd is also enhanced and explains the concept, as
well as giving you photos and extra artwork. It is amazing where great
stuff comes from sometimes!
Raimundo Rodulfo - The Dreams
Concerto
New album from who is now Venezuela's top
progressive musician. This is a "Concerto for Group, Guitar, and Chamber
Orchestra" The theme of this "concept" album is one of "The unswerving
spirit of the human being and his endeavors to fulfill his dreams, and
discern his surrounding universe". The music is grand in scale and very
beautiful indeed, with loads of textures and moods. There are many top
musicians helping out here, and many performances shine. If you are into
classically-based progressive, this could be the album of the year! The
packaging is also very beautiful, with a very huge booklet.
Greg Putman.
Hairless Heart Herald -
www.hairlessheartherald.co.uk - UK
Raimundo Rodulfo's The Dreams
Concerto
First impressions can have a lasting effect.
Sometimes when I listen to an album for the first time it can be like a
good book in that I don't want it to end. Some albums require a number of
listens to fully appreciate, but The Dreams Concerto is an instant hit. At
least it is for me.
If it was possible to combine
the talents of some great musicians/composers such as Bach, Mozart, Ian
Anderson, Steve Howe, Steve Hackett, Rick Wakeman (to name but a few) at
the height of their creativity and produce a piece of music, then
Venezuelan musician Raimundo Rodulfo's The Dreams Concerto would probably
be the result.
A blend of classical and modern
encompassing a lot of prog and a little jazz and folk, The Dreams Concerto
is in three movements. The first movement, which runs at a little over 28
minutes, starts in chamber orchestra mode leading into a delicate acoustic
guitar with female vocal piece before rocketing into a full blown prog
epic along the lines of Jethro Tull's A Passion Play in feel with element
of Hacketty guitar, Mel Collins sax and plenty more besides. Finishing
with a short coda, the first movement just flies by. Pure brilliance!
The second movement, the shortest at just under 17
minutes, is very YES/Steve Howe in style leading into fusion merging YES
with King Crimson with Gong and probably a lot more besides. Ingenious
must be Raimundo's middle name. Yet he manages to incorporate a short
baroque rock style theme that appeared in the first movement towards the
end of the first half of this movement. The latter half of this movement
introduces a Celtic rock style with ELP. There are constant time changes
throughout this movement and Raimundo goes to great lengths to explain the
mathematics behind it all using complex equations (well they are complex
to me particularly as they are in Spanish) in the accompanying CD booklet
that runs to many pages.
The third movement (33
minutes) starts with a combination of Spanish guitar and chamber
orchestra, which has a very upmarket classical feel about it. A very
reflective piece. The second part of this movement awakes with the chamber
orchestra and guitar apace like something Gryphon or Sky may have thought
up. Combinations of male and female vocals join in with good effect. The
orchestration, which was prominent in the mix, suddenly seams to disappear
for a period to allow the rock side of the arrangement to feature with
guitar sound changing from that of Andy Latimer to Steve Hackett and then
to Roine Stolt. The end of the movement revives the chamber orchestra with
strains of Enid sounding guitar.
Whilst all three
movements appear quite different, the theme from the first is evident in
the last and for a short period touches on the second. Whilst the vocals
are in Spanish, they are sung so sweetly that a non Spanish-speaking
listener would find them of no distraction from this mainly instrumental
work. The lyrics are printed in the CD booklet (again in Spanish) are
about dreams, their power and the freedom they provide. The booklet also
provides comprehensive information about the individual musicians that
perform on the album (in both English and Spanish). Instead of a standard
jewel case, the CD is contained inside the front cover of the booklet
which in turn slides into a CD size cardboard container, all of which are
covered with the wonderful artwork of Peter Rodulfo, a distant relative
who now resides in England (check out his work via a link on Raimundo's
website below).
When I spoke with Rick Wakeman he
commented on the quality of music that was emanating from South America.
Well, The Dreams Concerto must be at the top of the league. The
combination of classical and progressive rock is seamless and should
appeal to fans of either genre. This is nothing like a contrived 'Royal
Philharmonic Play The Music Of (insert prog band name here)', nor is it an
orchestra playing prog rock or a prog rock band playing classical - each
instrument is allowed to play in its own style and consequently makes up
the whole.
There are so many different style of
prog it is impossible to say that this is 'the prog album of 2002'.
However, this must be the prog album of the year in its class especially
as it is unique. In years to come, I've no doubt that the name Rodulfo
will be up there with the other great composers and I mean great
composers!
Jem
Jedrzejewski
(Thanks to Louise Jedrzejewski for the
translation of the lyrics)
Raimundo Rodulfo - To LIVE a Dream (Official
Bootleg)
Raimundo Rodulfo’s
The Dreams Concerto was an instant hit with us here at HHH when we
reviewed the album last year. Well, Raimundo has released a new live album
cunningly titled To LIVE A Dream, an official bootleg which he has made
available for download from www.RaimundoRodulfo.com free to those who have
purchased both of Raimundo’s studio albums – you need the original CDs to
gather the information for the password that allows the download. If you
haven’t got both of these albums (and why not???) visit the site for
details.
When we reviewed Raimundo Rodulfo’s
second album, The Dreams Concerto, last year we were blown away by the
rich tapestry of prog, jazz and folk encased in a modern classical frame.
To LIVE A Dream is a collection of solo, duo and
band performances. Raimundo recorded these over the last three years, from
gigs, festivals, and a TV show. As the recordings come from a variety of
sources from video soundtrack to sound desk, the sound quality and mix is
not always ideal so, instead of making this live album available for
purchase, Raimundo has decided to offer it for download from his website
for free to anyone who has purchased his two studio albums – but more
about that later.
Now, I must state that I am not
generally a fan of live albums for a couple of reasons; many sound ‘tinny’
and lack warmth, and the performances are often lacklustre. If you attend
a concert, the atmosphere and, to some extent, the volume level can do
much to turn a less than perfect performance and sound mix with all its
hisses and pops into an entertaining evening but the magic is difficult to
capture on a recording. There are exceptions, one being the band Camel who
has somehow managed to capture the energy on more than one of their live
albums, helped by the fact that they often rearrange the music for the
live performance. I am pleased to say that Raimundo has, regardless of the
sometimes less than perfect recordings, also managed to capture the energy
of his performances for this album. It is interesting to note that he too
adopts a free approach to the live arrangements – perhaps that is the
secret!
I won’t go into length to describe the
music (see The Dreams Concerto if you want to know more) other than to say
it is full of life, textures and emotion. Guitar, Spanish and electric are
outstanding and the flute and violin pieces are truly beautiful. Raimundo
and his fellow musicians gel together coherently and still hang
sufficiently ‘loose’ to create that edge.
To
download the album (website link at bottom of this page) you will need a
username and password. The username is ‘dreamer’ and the password is a 3
character alphanumeric string taken from the serial codes written in the
inner ring of the disc silver surface of "Dreams" and "The Dreams
Concerto" CDs. If you have both discs, take the CDs out of their
cases/booklets, and look at the non-printed silver surface. Take the first
2 characters of the Dreams CD serial code, and then take the first
character of The Dreams Concerto CD serial code to form the 3 characters
password (use only upper case). The sound files for the album are fairly
large so you may wish to consider getting a broadband connection too
before you download! Included in the download files is the complete
artwork for making up the jewel case inserts and CD label. And if you are
going transfer the tracks once downloaded to CD, you’ll need an 80 minute
CD Audio blank (CD Data discs will work on your PC but may not work in hi
fi equipment). Yes, it requires a little time and trouble but it is
ultimately worth it.
And if you haven’t got one or
other of the studio CDs, there are some sound samples available for
download from Raimundo’s website and purchase details.
Jem Jedrzejewski
Sea of Tranquility - www.seaoftranquility.org -
USA
Raimundo
Rodulfo's The Dreams Concerto.
It's
not everyday that you get to hear a recording that is just dripping with
so much beauty that it almost brings tears to your eyes. This "concerto"
from musician Raimundo Rodulfo is a lush, gorgeous amalgam of progressive
rock, South American classical motiffs, and folk, that succeeds on all
fronts.
Broken down into three movements, The
Dreams Concerto has huge sweeping melodies, punctuated quite liberally by
Rodulfo's excellent acoustic and electric guitar work. The first 28-minute
movement is perhaps the most striking and symphonic in nature, and no
doubt will appeal the most to progressive rock listeners. Rodulfo's
electric guitar playing is particularly riveting here (yes, the guy has
chops aplenty!), and he is complemented by keyboards, harp, woodwinds, and
violin. Perhaps the biggest contribution though is from female vocalist
Beatriz Rivas, who has a stunning voice. Her range and tone adds a
majestic quality to this awesome mixture of rock and baroque signatures.
The piece ends with a lovely acoustic section that quiets things down a
bit and allows you to get ready for the next part.
The second movement starts off with a very Gentle
Giant sounding prog rock workout, with nimble guitar/keyboard lines and
soaring violin. A jazz touch is added complements of Pablo Gil Rodulfo,
whose screaming solo eventually gives way for brutal electric solos from
Raimondo and violinist Cesar Romano. The guitarist then launches into a
gripping electric jaunt, filled with echo and various effects, that really
shows off his experimental rock side.
The final
movement allows the guitarist to strut his skills on classical guitar, and
the results are a thing of beauty. Surrounded by violins, flute, assorted
percussion, clavier, and flugelhorn, this is baroque infused progressive
folk at its finest. The full band kicks in for the grand finale, a wild
mix of chamber and symphonic rock with the obvious classical overtones.
See if you can hear some references to the band Kansas on this one,
especially in the violin melodies.
This gets my
highest rating possible. Filled with heartbreaking beauty and awesome
technical musicianship, Raimundo Rodulfo has put together a wonderful
extended piece of music that is never boring, and succumbs the listener
effortlessly into all its worldly pleasures. Oh, and the packaging is just
superb, filled with lots of live photos, notes on each track, musician
listings, and fascinating paintings.
Added:
January 6th 2003
Reviewer: Pete Pardo
Score: *****
Rodulfo, Raimundo: Mare et Terra
It was only recently that I began a review of
Riveryman's Magic World album by decrying Musea's normally fine judgement
for releasing that artist's music. Luckily, with Raimundo Rodulfo's Mare
et Terra, the record company are back on track in my book, doing what they
do best: Rodulfo may be resident in Florida but his musical roots lie in
the country, in the continent of his birth – Venezuela, South America –
and the label's speciality is unearthing these musical gems from around
the globe.
Mare et Terra is a gem: its brand of multi-style
fusion eclecticism incorporated into single compositions reminds me of the
fabulous Karcius and in particular of their Episodes album, which remains
only one of two to which I have given the full 5-stars on SoT. Mare et
Terra is not quite up there yet with Episodes but I suspect that's perhaps
because I haven't yet heard it often or loud enough for it to really hit
home. Episodes took a few more listens to get to the 5-stars than I've yet
given Mare et Terra but my judgement is – and I could be wrong! – that it
will just fall short, even after some months. I note, however, that young
Pete Pardo did assign the full sheboodle to Rodulfo's previous album The
Dreams Concerto.
What marks this out as outstanding music is the
high standard of musicianship and the joy in the music making, together
with melodic writing of the highest calibre and a similar high standard
for the rhythmic element. The arrangements are rich and diverse: I cannot
recall hearing so many different instruments/sounds – both traditional and
modern - on one album: Rodulfo himself plays acoustic and electric
guitars, bass and mandolin but he calls on twelve other excellent
musicians to assist in unfolding his sonic visions. We get an array of
keyboards including minimoog, violin, cello, flutes, saxophone, clarinet,
trumpets, flugelhorn, and a variety of drums and percussion; as well as
recordings of sounds from nature when appropriate. Unlike Karcius's music,
Mare et Terra is not totally instrumental; "Blue" being the only
composition not to feature singing. Peculiarly, this may weigh against it
because – and I prefer sung and vocalised music to instrumental music –
the singing is not to the extremely high standard set by the composition
and musicanship. The music itself is, well, it's music! Composed entirely
by Rodulfo, it is a fusion of all of the elements that he enjoys, and the
man has eclectic tastes! So, you will find elements of the South American
music with which he inevitably grew up, you will find rock, you will find
jazz, you will find classical, you will find reggae: often quite a few of
these elements are mixed into the same composition – the album's major
opus, for example, "Náufrago", has the time and space to showcase a few of
these elements in a dazzling display of compositional and technical skill.
Astonishingly, the fusions do not jar; they work together: there are few
composers able to bring this off successfully. Having said that, the
eclecticism on offer isn't going to be to everyone's liking, not even
amongst all progressive fans.
The 36-minute "Náufrago" (translated = Shipwreck")
opens with an instrumental suite of nearly 15 minutes: initially some
beautiful Spanish style guitar. Flutes and keyboards are introduced, there
are mellotronic sounds; then some electric guitar; variety in tempo etc.
The singing is in Spanish and continues for a while before the piece
becomes quite rocky in its latter phases. What makes the composition work
through all these various moods – equating to the various moods of the sea
- is the overall beauty of the music, it is that which cements the
eclecticism together. The fusion is of predominantly classical, rock and
South American styles. "Libertad" ("Freedom") is boppier, more upbeat as
though a celebration of freedom from tyranny, and relies on the South
American rhythms to create the party effect: again a multi-instrumental
arrangement has been written to great effect. "Blue" is the jazziest and
most experimental piece but never becomes unpleasantly so; in the latter
half the composition sounds almost like some of Santana's music. The last
two pieces are parts of the "Thoughts" composition; the first part
("Seeds") has English singing, some beautiful harpsichord sounds at the
start, before turning rocky and featuring more South American rhythm
courtesy of castanets etc. "Moments" is instrumental and goes through a
reggae phase before developing into a rockier electric guitar led
extravaganza; the album then eases out on the same relaxing mood it came
in with, courtesy of the flute and Spanish guitar.
Overall, it is music that you can both concentrate
on and relax to, depending on your mood and sounds far better than I can
express it in words. If you enjoy this type of eclectic style-mix from
first-rate musicians then you may well love this.
Track Listing:-
Mare
1) Náufrago (36:34)
2) Libertad (9:01)
Terra
3) Blue (11:30)
4-5) Thoughts (19:45)
Added: August 18th 2009
Reviewer: Alex Torres
Score: 4.5/5
Miami New Times -
http://blogs.miaminewtimes.com - USA
Raimundo Rodulfo - Mare et Terra
This is an excellent feature of progressive rock
laden with psychotropic references, awash in lush Latin landscapes,
orchestras, folk, criollismos, Caribbean music, blues ... ahh! Let me see
if I can paint a better picture. Add up the following: Simon Diaz, Frank
Zappa, Yes (Tales from Topographic Oceans in
particular), Tom Jobim (specifically, the balance between his albums Tide and Wave), the
unheralded coolness of Colombia's psych-folk outfit Génesis, Dizzy
Gillespie, Procol Harum, and Blues for
Salvador-era Carlos Santana.
The first track, "Náufrago," runs through a range
of emotions before releasing vocals some 15 minutes in. From there the
energy just keeps building until it finally consumes itself at the
36-minute mark. "Libertad" is a little peppier in a weird soca/New
Wave/power pop manner and it's also the shortest track here, clocking in
at just nine minutes.
These are followed by another half-hour of music
broken down into the tracks "Blue" and "Thoughts 1 and 2," both of which
continue to explore and push the symbiosis of the album's many elements.
Rodulfo has surrounded himself with a very energetic and adept cast of
musicians that understand his vision with unparalleled clarity, and
there's so much going on in this album, it's almost exhausting. Time for a
drink. But I'd love to see this guy jam out live.
By Abel Folgar
Progressor -
http://progressor.net/review/raimundo_rodulfo_2009.html - Uzbekistan
Raimundo Rodulfo - Mare et Terra
Prolusion. Raimundo RODULFO is a
classically-trained multi-instrumentalist from Venezuela, though currently
based in Florida (USA). He started his musical career at the age of 7 by
joining the Children’s Symphonic Orchestra as a violinist. After having
been a member of various bands, in 1992 he embarked on a solo career,
though all of his albums were released in the 2000’s. “Mare Et Terra” is his third release, conceived
and recorded during a four-year span (starting in 2004) with the help of a
number of guest musicians, including fellow Venezuelans Gerardo Ubieda and
Pedro Castillo of Tempano, and keyboardist Carlos Plaza from Spanish
outfit Kotebel.
Analysis. Raimundo Rodulfo is one of those
musicians who proudly sports his origins in his musical output. “Mare Et
Terra” is a prog album as only a South American musician could have
produced: extremely ambitious, both in concept and length, but never
convoluted or overblown, and drenched in melody. Moreover, unlike so many
albums released in recent years, it is a disc brimming with the simple joy
of making music. Firmly entrenched in the classic tradition of Latin
American symphonic prog, “Mare Et Terra” shares all the distinctive
features of this subgenre within a subgenre. The penchant for
authentically symphonic, almost orchestral textures is there, as witnessed
by the impressive array of guest musicians supplementing Rodulfo’s equally
impressive skills. Those who have heard Rodulfo’s contribution to Dante’s
Inferno (included in CD 4 of the project) will recognize some of the
trademarks of the artist’s style. However, in spite of their epic length
(the shortest item, Libertad, approaches 10
minutes), the tracks featured on “Mare Et Terra” are surely more
restrained than that slightly over-the-top offering. In any case, this is
an album that demands some dedication on the part of the listener. The
music, while not overly complex in the cerebral way typical of Avant-Prog
or the more experimental fringes of prog-metal, still contains enough
twists and turns to require some intensive listening sessions. The album
opens with a veritable bang – the 36-minute Naufrago (Shipwrecked), a concentrate of all the
distinguishing features of Rodulfo’s inspiration. In time-honoured,
symphonic prog tradition, it is a massive undertaking with a truly epic
sweep, though thankfully not as blatantly pretentious as ‘epics’ are all
too prone to being. In the first six minutes or so, Rodulfo treats us to a
display of his considerable skills as a classical guitarist. The track
develops slowly, at first with an almost loose feel, with the instruments
entering gradually, almost tentatively, but keeping a strong melodic line
in place; the trumpet inserts can bring to mind Ennio Morricone’s
spaghetti-western soundtracks. There are enough time signature changes to
keep the listener on their toes, though without giving that impression of
patchiness that all too often mars compositions of similar scope.
Rodulfo’s classical guitar acts as the thread holding the various sections
together, while the clear flamenco inspiration is strengthened by the
vocal parts, often sung by a male and a female voice in typical Hispanic
style. Strings and a full horn section lend a grandiose, orchestral feel
to some of the sections; while towards the end the rock imprint becomes
more dominant, with thundering, Emerson-like keyboards and a frantic
guitar solo. A real tour de force, and a successful one – almost against
all odds. In contrast, the second item on the “Mare” side, Libertad (Freedom), is also the shortest and most
accessible track on the album. Its upbeat, somewhat poppy melody, strongly
Latin in inspiration, is enhanced by lively percussion, with an infectious
chorus celebrating the joy of freedom. The instrumental Blue shows instead some evident jazz influences,
though tempered by the all-pervasive Latin flavour, alternating bursts of
energy with lazier, mellower parts in which the instruments all get their
chance to shine. Sax and trumpet play quite a relevant role, and the
lively, guitar-led section in the second half of the track distinctly
brings to mind Santana’s early output. On an album that, while not overtly
folksy, possesses such a strong ethnic characterization, the presence of
English vocals in the last track, Thoughts, may
come across as somewhat jarring. The song itself, a two-part epic
approaching 20 minutes in length, while as impeccably performed as the
rest of the album, does not stand out equally well, and could have done
with some editing. It is also more reminiscent of the classic English
bands of the Seventies (Genesis above all) than of the distinctive sound
of the South American school. The most intriguing section (occurring in
the second part, Moments) shows clear reggae influences, underpinned by
whistling synths somehow harking back to the Eighties. Thoughts is also the rockiest item on the album,
with a stronger contribution on the part of the electric guitar and some
solid, chunky bass work. On the whole, “Mare Et Terra” is a very solid,
finely-crafted album, though, in my view, a somewhat shorter running time
would not have hurt it at all. A special mention should also go to the
cheerful, colourful artwork (painted by Peter Rodulfo and designed by
Davide Guidoni, a prolific Italian graphic artist and musician), which is
the perfect complement to the album’s open, optimistic nature.
Conclusion. A sumptuous slice of old-school,
proudly Latin-flavoured progressive rock, “Mare Et Terra” will surely
delight lovers of vintage symphonic prog, as well as those who appreciate
ethnic influences in their music. Definitely one of the most accomplished
albums of 2009, even if a tad overlong and not likely to appeal to fans of
minimalism.
Raffaella Berry, Feb 6,
2010
ProgArchives - www.ProgArchives.com - USA
Raimundo Rodulfo's The
Dreams Concerto
A
beautiful blend between progressive rock and classical music, with Hackett
influences and links to EKSEPTION and KING CRIMSON and a Latin American
touch. Guitarist but also multi-instrumentalist RAIMUNDO RODULFO,
sometimes referred as the South American Steve Howe, plays complex but
melodic music, using different music styles like folk and jazz rock.
Highly recommended for symphonic progressive lovers!
Claude
Raimundo Rodulfo's The Dreams
Concerto
A complex album from
Venezuela, mixturing classical music, jazz, South American folk and rock
with rich instrumentation. A lot of musicians playing cohesively but, even
when music is essentially melodic, maybe this album needs more than one
listening to fully enjoy it, due his complexity. A sort of a King Crimson,
Vivaldi and a jazz band cross. Very interesting!
Marcelo Olivera
Raimundo
Rodulfo "Dreams"
This is a very good album,
with very interesting guitars melodies and solos. In fact, I don't give it
more stars because I think its saturated with the guitar. Don't get me
wrong, Raimundo is a very talented and excellent guitar player but I
think, this album should have a little more space for other instruments
like the flute. Anyway, I think the songs are quite good and the music is
very original, I recommend it to anybody (I've got it).
Carlos Ascanio
Raimundo Rodulfo from
Venezuela is another gem worth listening to, Howe-PF alike, moody and well
structured. Dreams is the album you should go for.
Lunar
Margen Magazine -
www.margenmusic.com - Spain
-Issue # 22
RAIMUNDO RODULFO - Dreams
/Sueños
Rock sinfo/progresivo
con matices fusión y folk por este guitarrista/compositor venezolano.
Magnífico!!!! CD multimedia que incluye un cuento en formato html y dos
vídeos.
Hay músicos/compositores que tocan
como los dioses. El guitarrista Venezolano Raimundo Rodulfo es uno de
ellos y su primer disco, Sueños, un maravilloso crisol de sonoridades
emparentadas que se acomodan en un estilo instrumental dúctil y narrativo
que te convence desde el primer minuto y no decae en la hora larga y siete
composiciones, incluida la suite Códigos Universales en 7 partes y casi 22
minutos de duración. Nueve músicos (guitarras, mandolina, bajo, flauta,
violín, viola, teclados, saxo, batería...) dan vida a esta obra que
dinamiza el genero progresivo gracias a un acertado uso de elementos
importados de la fusión y el folk. Un soporte musical de suavidad aceitosa
acoge y amalgama a la perfección diversos estilos y tímbricas para
regalarnos un disco generalmente ensoñador de paisajes sinfónicos
inéditos, aunque perfectamente vertebrado por matices y ataques rítmicos.
Protagonismo guitarrístico que igualmente te suena a Howe como a
McLaughlin. Innumerables referencias combinadas de modo personal... Yo de
vosotros no perdía mas tiempo leyendo esto y me hacia con este CD
Multimedia que incluye dos videos y un cuento en formato html.
Carlos
Jauregui
-Issue # 25
RAIMUNDO RODULFO – The
Dreams Concerto.
Lo nuevo de este
multiinstrumentista venezolano acompañado de una docena de músicos. Gran
formato para una música de variados aromas desde el rock progresivo hasta
el jazz o el folk. Muy bueno.
De formato
mucho más ambicioso que su trabajo anterior, Dreams, que recomendamos
efusivamente desde estas páginas, nos llega el segundo trabajo del
multiinstrumentista venezolano Raimundo Rodulfo acompañado aquí de un
plantel de casi una docena de músicos a todo tipo de instrumental entre
los que destacan Pedro Castillo (Témpano), la vocalista Beatriz Rivas o el
batería Andrés Briceño.
The Dreams Concerto, en 3
movimientos y 6 secciones, es una obra de música viva y en continua
expansión, cuya filosofía radica en la extensión de todos los modelos
tradicionales que hemos ido asimilando en la música creativa durante las 4
últimas décadas. Sí, creativa, puesto que el embalaje rock progresivo es
excesivamente estrecho para albergar la enormidad de este disco que navega
entre lo íntimo y lo sofisticado del jazz, el folk, el rock y la clásica y
que ha sido programado con sumo cuidado y sentido común para equilibrar
diferentes tempos y estados anímicos utilizando un amplio rango de
armónicos y tonalidades.
Desde Genesis a Metheny y
en medio Yes, Congreso, King Crimson, The Enid...
Todo tipo de sonoridades perfectamente encadenadas que
muestran la flexibilidad y energía de este compositor. Y por si faltaba
algún detalle, un lujoso embalaje y un librillo explicativo. De obligada
escucha.
Rafa
Dorado
Arlequins - Italy
RAIMUNDO RODULFO - MARE ET TERRA
On the other side from the sub-genres, of the new
tendencies of progressive rock, of the future of this musical world loved
and mistreated at the same time, fortunately there are still artists that
gets you excited when you introduce their compositions in the CD player.
And the case of this Venezuelan guitarist that,
only known by the "workaholics", would deserve a greater awareness from a
public that now seems to have lost the desire to seek what is worthy among
the tides of groups that this world continue to propose, even in a period
of deep crisis.
It is not everyone who begins a
work with a 36 minutes suite ("Náufrago") of which the first six sound in
substance with the virtuoso guitar legacy of the Flamenco world worthy of
the best Paco De Lucia. "Náufrago" is a suite that will be surely
introduced among the best things that the South American progressive rock
has produced in these last times (and not only). It interweaves wonderful
acoustic and electric that succeed for all the duration of the piece where
Yes go arm by arm with the South American or Latin musical tradition
genres (being that this album in some parts reminds a lot the progressive
scene from the Andalusian rock years in the mid-70's). However, the entire
album is noteworthy and, although the 74 minutes of music, the disk runs
in a pleasant way and without phases of stagnation.
The other 3 compositions (one of twenty minutes and
two of ten) in fact, simply not pirotecniche like the opening piece, are
of the highest level, showing in certain passages the love of the
Venezuelan guitarist for Camel and Mike Oldfield (inspired by them and
never copying, though).
Raimundo Rodulfo's
instrument plays the lion's part during the entire work, nevertheless the
Venezuelan fairly brings the company of (leaving them the other spacious
fields of action) special guests of high carats. Amongst all we remember
the keyboardist Carlos Plaza, leader of the Spanish group Kotebel, the
drummer of Tempano Gerardo Ubieda, and a highly inspired Pedro Castillo on
vocals. Guests that render themselves to this entire work in all its
parts, unlike certain works in which the virtuoso of the moment is
oblivious of everything what surrounds him, proposing productions that
beyond showcasing the value of the performer, at the end often result
densely mediocre. Raimundo Rodulfo with this "Mare et Terra" produces a
mature work, beautiful, with memorable passages, above all in the moments
in which the guitar follows the flute and the other acoustic instruments
used all inside the album (we remember flute, violin, and cello above
all).
A disc of this type could not be able not to
have also a most beautiful cover created by Peter Rodulfo (the graphic
design is the work of Davide Guidoni) that reminds a lot the Darwinian one
of Banco (here a wristwatch with varied stages that explain at large lines
the concept, there the well-known pocket watch).
Beyond being one among the more beautiful discs that
2009 gave us, this work, logically for the undersigned, could easily be
put amongst the examples of how the progressive rock in its more canonical
form has still something to say even when all around you tells you the
opposite.
We hope that someone notices it.
Antonio Piacentini
Progressive Ears - USA
RAIMUNDO RODULFO - MARE ET TERRA
Having read the 16/16 review of Raimundo Rodulfo's
"Mare et Terra" in the latest Progression Magazine, I ordered it online
and received it today. A really wonderful Spanish flavored symphonic CD
with beautiful arrangements, killer guitar (Spanish and Electric), flute,
strings, keys (piano, mellotron and Moog) and some lovely Spanish and
English vocals - though mainly instrumental. This guy is an incredible
talent and I would highly recommend to any fans of Spanish prog or
symphonic prog in general.
The production quality
is very good. I haven't heard his other releases so can't compare. Its not
a "slick" sound like Flower Kings, etc. But all the instruments seem well
recorded and placed in the mix to me.
Forum
Kakehashi Records - Japan
RAIMUNDO RODULFO - MARE ET TERRA
Recommended: RAIMUNDO RODULFO / MARE ET TERRA.
Symphonic Rock from Venezuela. Third project from guitarist Raimundo
Rodulfo, year 2008. Soloist recording with the sound and style of a band,
with more than 10 guest players and a wonderful symphonic retro sound.
Raimundo Rodulfo's acoustic guitar playing is full of exotic
mostly-Spanish phrases, and even when it shows its upsurge and reaches a
climax, it keeps its unique refreshing South American atmosphere. On the
other hand, the electric guitar, playing lyrical phrases with feeling,
becomes a united body with the band, with technical approaches, and a wide
sound. The male and female guest vocalists sing from the heart with poetry
and lyrical arrangements. Many orchestral instruments such as violin,
cello, saxophone, trumpet, trombone, and flute have been introduced, in an
impeccable symphonic rock composition. Drummer Gerardo Ubieda of the great
progressive rock band TEMPANO from Venezuela participates, and, similarly,
shows a solid and reliable support. Moody fusion of exotic colors, from
pure symphonic, to light Latin colors where percussion participates, which
let you listen without hesitation its 35-minute opening suite of this
brilliant professional progrock work from South America.
http://records.kakehashi-style.com
Kakehashi Records
Forum - Japan
1- RAIMUNDO RODULFO - MARE ET TERRA
How can such an artist have been unnoticed? Year 2008,
third album.
In the recent history, Venezuelan
progressive rock bands such as Estructura and Tempano have appeared with a
high level. Like the soloist project work of this guitarist named Raimundo
Rodulfo.
Raimundo Rodulfo plays the acoustic
guitar with a Spanish scent, specially early in the album, and also plays
the electric guitar supporting and in unison with the other band and
orchestra musical instruments, with a refreshing style. Symphonic and
Progressive Rock is developed in this work, and vocal overflows melodious
with singing from the heart. And the effective usage of instrauments such
as flutes and others sounds like GOTIC, also called the CAMEL of Spain.
Even when this album is considerably technical, it is not excessive, and
after listening to the expertise of its music constructions it exceeds
with, it probably is deeply one of the best kept secrets of South America.
Suites of 30 and 20 minutes can be easily listened
to, even when the epic format was adopted. This is a work with high level
density. This can be recommended first to fans of Spanish and South
American music, end even to those who like string and wind instruments
such as flutes and others.
http://records.kakehashi-style.com
2- RAIMUNDO RODULFO - MARE ET TERRA
This is a luxurious album! All the four songs. There
is a suite of more than 36 minutes and one of 20 minutes, and Carlos Plaza
from KOTEBEL takes care of the keyboards on the first 36-minute song and
the second song! The melancolic sound of the mellotron creates a path that
flows to the beginning of the second song; those two songs are impressive.
There is no way of getting tired of this album, when the third and the
fourth songs hit you, with so much variety and a lot of breaks! Fans of
all kind of symphonic rock and jazz rock will regret if they don't buy
this album!
PS: The sound quality is also good. In
our high-quality audio system it sounds so good!
http://records.kakehashi-style.com
Tosei Midorikawa - Japan
RAIMUNDO RODULFO - MARE ET TERRA
Venezuelan-born guitarist, Raimundo Rodulfo album.
2009 record. He has a great song recorded for Musea's album "INFERNO". 36
minutes suite at the beginning, with the acoustic guitar played with
Spanish flavor. When classical flute and piano get involved, we become
fascinated with the elegance of its sounds territory, in a way similar to
PFM. With the additional electric instruments and synth, it gently becomes
Symphonic Rock. Enriched by the guest violin, cello, trumpet, saxophone as
well as effective, sleek and graceful male and female vocals, we went to
enjoy the exquisite classical Symphony. All five songs make thie 78
minutes tour de force, with hints of dark folk. Classical symphonic.
http://www.lily.sannet.ne.jp/midorikawa/music.html
Artist Shop -
USA
RAIMUNDO RODULFO « Mare et
Terra » FGBG 4792
It’s the third
album by this venezuelian artist, guitar virtuoso, living in Miami.
Raimundo Rodulfo released in 2000 and 2002 two critically acclaimed
albums, “Dreams” and “The dream concerto”. “Mare et terra” is more than
one step further, with contribution of south American prog stars like
Carlos Plaza (leader of KOTEBEL), Pedro Castillo and Gerardo Ubieda
(TEMPANO), among many others. Rodulfo uses here a “chamber orchestra”:
violins, cello, flutes, sax, clarinet, trumpets,…, added to usual the rock
band, with male and female vocals. Two suites divided in two parts compose
these 75 minutes of a fantastic symphonic and neo-classic rock, melodious
and adventurous. Rodulfo’s guitar playing reminds Steve HOWE (YES), and is
combined with seventies orientated keyboards (including mini-moog), and
groovy rythms, revealing hints of latin traditional music. This colourful
and enthusiast music, constantly inspired and lively, is at the top of the
symphonic nowadays production.
http://www.artist-shop.com
Clear Spot -
Holland
RAIMUNDO RODULFO - MARE ET TERRA
A guitarist from Venezuela, living in Miami, with
musicians from KOTEBEL, TEMPANO, and others (including a classic "chamber
"orchestra) - A brilliant symphonic music, made of long and complex
musical compositions, mixing progressive and latin influences.
http://www.clear-spot.nl
Ragazzi -
Germany
RAIMUNDO RODULFO - MARE ET TERRA
"Mare et Terra" is the fifth album of the Venezuelan
multi-instrumentalist Raimundo Rodulfo, if you include his two live
"Bootleg" Internet publications. At the age of 12 years old Raimundo
Rodulfo learned the playing of the acoustic guitar, and two years later
the electric guitar. Before, he had been brought to the violin at the
early age of 7 years. Today he maintains a small studio in Miami, Florida,
USA. Ten years ago Raimundo Rodulfo was engaged in an organization in
Venezuela, that organized concerts by Rick Wakeman, After Crying, Flower
Kings, Steve Hackett, Camel, PFM and Focus among other artists. With his
own band, Raimundo was the opening act for a Flower Kings concert.
Moreover, he organized the ProgJazz festival in Barquisimeto, Venezuela in
2001, followed by further academic musical events.
"Mare et Terra", is his third studio album, after
"Dreams" that was created in 2000 and "The Dreams Concerto" published in
2002; it was recorded in 2007 and contains four long tracks, two of which
are assigned the theme of "Mare" and "Terra". The LP-length "Náufrago"
(36:34) opened the CD. The stylistic and emotional variety of the
composition is enormous and certainly will not be fully understood in one
only listening. 12 guest musicians were in part only in individual songs
or passages in recording parts, while others, such as a string trio and
two wind instrumentists (flute, trumpet, flugelhorn), as keyboardist,
percussionist and drummer can be heard in all the pieces. A long-flamenco
acoustic guitar motif opens the CD on the non-subdivided track, until the
band enters and plays classic virtuoso progressive rock. South American
folklore and Symphonic Rock in a South American lyrical way of playing,
but without the sometimes badly sweetish, shares hearty jazz rock go in
different musical themes, and long instrumental parts of male and female
vocals driving graceful vocal parts. The compositional effort will take
place in the complex musical language and artistic quality of its
counterpart. The long song, if it may ever be referreed as of "Song", is
an illustrious masterpiece whose best features are first the acoustic,
highly virtuosic guitar parts, that frequently returns in many ravishing
solos and complex symphonic band arrangements. On his third album,
Raimundo Rodulfo plays all guitars, bass and mandolin parts; all other
instruments and vocal parts he left to his guests. Structurally, the
following songs are constructed like the first one, on which the guitar is
the foundation and a melodic solo instrument. The opulent and lyrical
string and keyboard arrangements have a big harmonic and soloist space,
but are subordinated to the guitar.
The 9-minute
"Libertad" is a romantic ballad with a gentle, with catchy solos and
choral singing, Crimson-esque bass parts, flamenco guitar and a symphonic
orchestral presentation. Also here is the virtuoso guitar playing,
acoustic folk and typical electric rock, technically excellent. Without
the excellent guitar work on this song, its whole work would be fad and
average. But the virtuosity with which Raimundo Rodulfo plays his
instruments, the melodic and technical diversity of speed, the ultra-fast
playing style, and quite funny presence are THE big proportion of
Rodulfo's music.
Terra begins with " Blue," a
jazzy score, which carries chaotic courses, without being extremely
chaotic in the long run however. The free composition of the CD is
disintegrated, is the least accessible, but it does not diminish in
quality. Again, there is the excellent guitar playing alongside oblique
winds sentences, abrupt rhythm changes and agogic instrumental peaks. The
eleven minutes instrumental song has South American lightness and
progressive complexity, symphonic and jazz poetry craze. This kind of
wacky slanted blissful harmony can probably come only from South American
climes.
Finally, the almost 20 minutes of
"Thoughts" are subdivided in two equally long parts. Again bewitches the
amazing concise and fast guitar playing, flits a technically stunning
band, which never plays too accurate, and gladly loosely goes around with
the arrangement without ruining it, quite the contrary, it is just so
vibrant and effective to do with verve and dynamics through the complex
parts.
It is not retro, in any case not in the
classic type. The sound effects are subtle dusty, but in fact, timeless in
its combination of lightness and complexity. The kind of mind and child
spirit that German and European bands do not have to be. The music
mentality of Raimundo Rodulfo knows accurate precision, and snatches it
out of the useless mud and all music rubbish and plays therewith it in the
highest virtuosity.
Mad Album. Tons of melodic
material, countless ideas, coherent, plausible, and in particular sonic
aesthetic beauty of enormous speed. In all, heavenly playful, accurate,
precise uneven-ness...
Volkmar Mantei.
MovimentiProg -
Italy
RAIMUNDO RODULFO - MARE ET
TERRA
It was since 2002 that the
musician and Venezuelan composer transplanted stable in the United States
did not publish an album of new pieces. Raimundo Rodulfo from the times of
"The Dreams Concerto" has gotten married with the French label Musea
Records and finally published to the end of 2008 this "Mare et Terra",
concept on two of the fundamental and precious elements of the ours so
mistreated planet, water and land. Rodulfo composed and recorded "Mare et
Terra" between 2004 and 2007 in his studios of Miami. Between the dear
native land of Venezuela, Spain, and Weston (USA) have recorded their
parts instead the numerous guest musicians, among whom we can mention the
keyboardists Carlos Plaza and Richard Marichal, the drummer Gerardo
Ubieda, the singers Cristo Aguado, Minerva Borjas Owen, and Pedro
Castillo. To complete the crowd of artists a trios of string and of winds.
Guitarist from excellent technique and Latin
sound, Rodulfo lavishes himself also to the organ, synth, percussion,s and
to the voice, succeeding to unite the deep soul of the South American
music with the ample spaces of true and actual progressive-rock. It begins
with "Náufrago", a long musical journey of beyond 36 minutes in the
conceptual and theme part dedicated to the "Mare", built on a tapestry of
the epic guitars of Rodulfo, classic and electric, large technique and
passion, interweave of wind instruments, keyboards, calms and motion, soft
and restless. A marvellous expanse in the polyhedral musical universe of
the Venezuelan/American guitarist. It is closed therefore with "Libertad"
the Rodulfo's vision of the sea with infinite expanse in which he sounds
really free, a Latin American piece that mixes jazzy and classical
perfumes with long solos of minimoog that I recall sole and tightly from
the prog, and of electric guitar.
Percussions
bound to the ethnicity and to the heart of the peoples of the South of the
world open "Blue", the part dedicated to the "Terra". Still complicated
resonant plots in Rodulfo-style , complicated, confused but sublime and
catchy at the same time, large quality of this Latin artist. It closes the
album a suite divided in two parts, "Thoughts", almost 20 minutes of
flash-Latinizing elaborate rock and palpitant technique, but fortunately
not a goal for himself. Rodulfo in fact puts always to the first place the
melody and leaves aside any type of abstruseness. "Mare et Terra" is
another marvellous work of Raimundo Rodulfo, of large appeal, with not
hypertrophic but nither simplistic arrangements. The little "Rodulfo
orchestra" has come to the center again.
Daniele Cutali.
PsycheMusic.org -
Belgium
RAIMUNDO RODULFO - MARE ET
TERRA
Long time ago since I heard from
Raimundo Rodulfo. He recorded this new album over a four year period. It
also is an extremely ambitious project with lots of instruments, a
progressive & neo-progressive/(neo-)symphonic piece stuffed with well
arranged to semi-improvised band arrangements. The first piece of 36
minutes is most promising, like I know Raimundo is capable of, but now has
even more musicians and instruments at his disposal than ever before,
unfolding its ideas with acoustic nylon flamenco guitar, flute, piano, a
classical string arrangement, trumpet and vocals, and some electric
guitar/keyboards and vocals holding a mood in between the acoustic
symphonic music of Los Jaivas and some 70s Italian progressive, with a
neo-and jazzy touch here and there. After this the drums/bass/electric
guitar parts and fast-melodic keyboards become a more steady part of the
arrangements, adding a stuffed and saturating tension, tiring a bit with
all its non-stop notes, despite its uplifting effects of jazzy flavours
and flamenco castanets. More and more this band becomes a semi-improvised
symphonic rock band. When some harpsichord and acoustic guitar part and
flute breaks the mood a bit, for me it is a bit too late : I more had the
feeling I was glad that they stopped playing. Raimundo with this album
showed its full strength (track 1) but also his limitations of wanting too
much perhaps. The complete album might not the best starter of his work,
but still a welcome addition. Most tracks are just a bit more something
for neo-progressive lovers compared to some of his other works. But the
first, most perfect track however, of over 36 minutes, is worth alone
checking out, and has already the value and perspective of a (great) full
album.
Gerald Van
Waes.
Video HiFi Forum -
Italy
RAIMUNDO RODULFO - MARE ET
TERRA
For the lovers of old and new
symphonic prog I allow myself to recommend the last album, that according
to me is very beautiful, of this Venezuelan guitarist. Surely one of the
most beautiful of the entire South American progressive rock scene (and
not only current).
At his myspace
http://www.myspace.com/raimundorodulfo you won't have the possibility to
listen to more than sound extracts. Take into consideration that the first
piece lasts 40 minutes... which if is not even representative.
Antonio.
Dutch Progressive Rock
Page (DPRP) - Holland
RAIMUNDO RODULFO - MARE ET TERRA
Raimundo Rodulfo is a guitar player from Venezuela who
creates prog music with a Latin twist, and by using his acoustic guitar a
lot he gives the music a taste of flamenco. Mare Et Terra is his third
album, (both previous albums have been reviewed by DPRP), and in between
he played a part on the Colossus project Dante’s Inferno ~ The Divine
Comedy Part 1, which my colleague reviewer stated about his contribution
for that album as "one of the most distinctive and entertaining". Normally
on a Colossus project bands play a song that lasts about twenty minutes.
Raimundo only played 7 minutes on that album and keeps the epic songs for
his solo release.
As an opener for his album he
has written a song that lasts more than half an hour. Náufrago starts with
acoustic flamenco guitar that is gradually joined by flute and piano. The
electric guitar brings the melody that is repeated throughout this song,
which itself bounces from one part of the musical spectrum to the other
side. Many Latin flamenco influences with flute but also energetic
electric guitar parts. The vocals are in Spanish but do not follow a
predictable line, no standard pop song schemes can be found in this song.
Due to the length it is a hard song to get in to and some parts seem a bit
incoherent.
This is completely different on the
second song, Libertad is "only" nine minutes long and follows a more
predictable path. As a prog lover I certainly do not mind a epic song, but
Libertad brings me more pleasant listening time than the first song. The
chorus is very friendly and this song really shakes. More flamenco
influences and certainly acceptable for a prog head like me. This song
shows all the great parts from the first song but nicely packed within ten
minutes. The track also features some nice violin, cello and some great
Latin percussion.
Blue is completely instrumental
and gives the Latin flamenco a bump towards jazz-fusion, at times it
reminds me a bit of the music of Gong but also from Mike Oldfield. It is a
very intriguing song, the pace is very slow and it really sucks you into
your stereo set. A very impressive track which shows that Raimundo is a
very good guitar player.
Thoughts is regarded as
one song, but on the disc it is split into two pieces, both lasting almost
ten minutes. The first part contains the lyrics and the second part starts
when the soloing begins. The lyrics are in English, which is a shame, as
although I do not speak Spanish, it suited the music better and gave it a
bit more of a mystical side. The beginning is not so stretched as on the
first song and stylistically reminds me of the Russian band Apple Pie. The
faster pace of the first part makes it sound a bit nervous, with the
second part at first continuing in that nervous pace, but breaks open for
a collection of different solos. Keyboard, guitar and flute each get their
spot without becoming separated. Nice transitions and all remains a very
interesting collective.
So Mare Et Terra is a
progressive album with many Latin influences, Spanish flamenco guitar,
flute and percussion from this musician from Venezuela. The first song is
very, very long and could scare away some listeners, whereas the much more
compact song Libertad contains all the aspects of Raimundo Rodulfo's music
but keeps it nicely compact. While writing this review summer is starting
and only a few weeks before my vacation and certainly this album helps to
get you in the mood. This album can be enjoyed with full attention or just
as background music while holding a cold beverage by the side of the pool.
Although I think mainstream music lovers will find this album too
difficult, it is prog after all.
Edwin Roosjen.
Cosmos Music -
France
RAIMUNDO RODULFO - MARE ET TERRA
Raimundo Rodulfo is a guitarist originally from
Venezuela, who has already delivered a few instrumental works,
unfortunately, little distributed in Europe. With this new album, released
by Musea and therefore better able to meet a wider audience, the musician
remains faithful to a style that takes both the touch of a Mike Oldfield
and the romanticism of Camel, also incorporates jazz and rock with
classical influences. Acoustic orchestrations (flute, violin, clarinet,
cello, sax, vocal variety) and soaring electric coexist with the greatest
happiness in 4 long pieces (36, 9, 11 and 20 minutes) instrumentals that
make this Mare et Terra a real success!
http://www.cosmosmusic.fr
Harmonie Magazine - France
English - French
Raimundo Rodulfo - Mare et Terra - Musea
Venezuelan guitarist Raimundo Rodulfo is
already the author of a strong nice instrumental solo album entitled
"Suenos - Dreams", published in 2000, and The Dreams Concerto (2001), a
magnificent fresco divided into three long movements.
He returns with this new opus Terra et Mare in which
we found among other things, a musician from Tempano, drummer Gerardo
Ubieda, and keyboardist Carlos Plaza, Kotebel leader. The musical style
remains that of the beginnings, but the artist was able to push his art to
great heights of control and beauty, leading to the quintessence of the
meeting of electricity and acoustic orchestrations (flute, violin,
clarinet, cello, voice...). This gives us an imposing work divided into
two parts, divided themselves into two tracks. The particularity of this
Opus is the presence of often mixed singing male and female, which allows
a real variety of voice parts. In addition, classical instruments are
present (flute, violin, clarinet, cello). The dominant is of course the
guitar that illuminates throughout the opus. Raimundo Rodulfo seeks to
vary the atmospheres within the long suite Naufrago, in which we find
arpeggios of Flamenco guitar, an enchanting flute, a mastery in song and
beautiful Symphonic acceleration. This suite is the symbol of a know-how
and a typically South American musical fluidity. It retains a strong
imprint of works from the 70's of Renaissance (for the classical side),
but the style developed by our man and his guests can also be brought
closer here to electric Flamenco such as Mike Oldfield, Camel, or even
Steve Hackett. The three following pieces will further cloud the tracks
because of the colors of jazz rock that will come and join the party
(especially in Blue, almost free-jazz rock), and elements of traditional
South American music.
The second part of the opus
allows us to taste more rock at times, especially with the piece Thoughts
and its many developments, in which keyboards/electric guitars dialogues
are numerous.
Thus, this Mare et Terra leaves
paths beaten because of its variety that allows us to appreciate all
musical universes at the same time, including Flamenco, South American,
Symphonic Rock, Jazz Rock, Prog, Classical Prog, and sometimes even rock.
All these universes prove the width of the pallet of compositions of a
guitarist who sees far, and offers us an opus with a great quality in
which “variety” remains the key word.
Raymond Sérini
Raimundo Rodulfo - Mare et
Terra - Musea
Le guitariste
vénézuélien Raimundo Rodulfo est déjà auteur d’un fort agréable album
instrumental en solitaire, intitulé Suenos - Dreams, paru en l’an 2000 et
de The Dreams Concerto (2001), magnifique fresque décomposée en trois
longs mouvements.
Il nous revient avec ce nouvel
opus Mare et Terra dans lequel l’on retrouve entre autres un musicien de
Tempano, le batteur Gerardo Ubieda ainsi que le claviériste Carlos Plaza,
leader de Kotebel. Le style musical reste celui des débuts mais l’artiste
a su pousser son art vers des sommets de maîtrise et de beauté,
aboutissant à la quintessence de la rencontre de l’électricité et des
orchestrations acoustiques (flûte, violon, clarinette, violoncelle,
voix...). Cela nous donne une oeuvre imposante, divisée en deux parties,
elles-mêmes découpées en deux pistes. La particularité de cet opus est la
présence souvent mêlée des chants masculins et féminins qui permet une
variété réelle des parties vocales. De plus, les instruments classiques
sont très présents (flûte, violon, clarinette, violoncelle). La dominante
est bien sûr la guitare qui illumine l’opus de part en part. Raimondo
Rodulfo s’attache à varier les atmosphères avec la longue suite Naufrago
dans laquelle nous trouvons des arpèges de guitare flamenco, une flûte
enchanteresse, une maîtrise dans le chant et des accélérations
symphoniques de toute beauté.
Cette suite est le
symbole de tout un savoir-faire et d’une fluidité musicale typiquement
sud-américains. Elle garde une forte empreinte des oeuvres des années 70
de Renaissance (pour le côté classisant) mais le style développé par notre
homme et ses nombreux invités peut aussi bien être rapproché ici du
flamenco électrique que de Mike Oldfield voire Camel ou Steve Hackett. Les
trois morceaux suivants vont encore plus brouiller les pistes car des
couleurs de jazz rock vont venir se mêler a la fête (surtout dans Blue,
presque free-jazz rock), ainsi que des éléments de musique traditionnelle
sud-américaine.
La seconde partie de l’opus nous
permet de goûter à des moments plus rock avec surtout le morceau Thoughts
et ses nombreux développements dans lesquels les dialogues
claviers/guitares électriques sont nombreux.
Ce
Mare et Terra sort donc des sentiers battus du fait de sa variété qui nous
permet d’apprécier tout à la fois des univers musicaux flamencos,
sud-américains, jazz rock, prog symphonique, prog classisant et même donc
parfois rock. Tous ces univers prouvent la largeur de la palette de
compositions d’un guitariste qui voit loin et nous offre un opus de grande
qualité dans lequel « variété » demeure le maître mot.
Raymond Sérini
Progwalhalla -
Holland
RAIMUNDO RODULFO - MARE ET TERRA
In 2000 I wrote a review for Dutch progrock paper
Background Magazine about his first album Dreams in which I nicknamed him
“The Latin-American Steve Howe” and hailed his outstanding guitarwork.
Well, listening to this new (third solo) album entitled Mare Et Terra
(2008), again I am impressed by his virtuosity on all guitars and again I
notice strong hints of Steve Howe (and Yes). The CD starts with the epic,
very alternating and melodic composition Naufrago (almost 37 minutes!):
the intro delivers an excellent piece of solo classical guitar that
alternates between classical, Spanish and flamenco, what a jawdropping
technique but it also sounds very pleasant, not clinical or as
‘scale-acrobatics’. When the music blends with flute, Dutch progfolk
Flairck comes to my mind. Then we can enjoy cascades of shifting moods and
breaks, from a slow rhythm with sensitive electric guitar and piano, a
string-section, a blend of classical and Howe-inspired electric guitar
with Grand piano to a swinging rhythm with saxophone, a compelling part
with electric guitar and choir-Mellotron and a Seventies Yes oriented
bombastic grand finale with jawdropping classical guitar runs, accompanied
by castagnettes and lush choir-Mellotron, great! The other four tracks
also showcase Raimundo his guitar skills and his pleasant and varied way
of composing, I am delighted about the violin-Mellotron and warm clasical
guitar in Libertad, the Santana-inspired atmosphere (guitar sound and
conga’s) with trumpet, flute and synthesizers in Blue, the Minimoog
flights in Thoughts Part One and variety in the final track Thoughts Part
Two, from a swinging rhythm with conga’s and flute to bombastic Hammond
and Minimoog with delicate steel-guitar work (evoking Yes) and the final
part with tender classical guitar and violin, beautiful. If you are up to
a varied, very tastefully arranged guitar driven album with a nice
'vintage keyboard flavor', this one is yours!
Erik Neuteboom
Progressia - France
English - French
Raimundo Rodulfo
Mare and
Terra (2009)
(Musea) Recorded by Raimundo
Rodulfo
01 - Mare:
Náufrago
02 - Mare: Libertad
03 - Terra: Blue
04 - Terra:
Thoughts
05 - Terra: Thoughts
Prog
rock exists in Uzbekistan, so why not in Venezuela? It is precisely in
this South American country that Musea went to find guitarist Raimundo
Rodulfo, who defends with Terra et Mare the multiple colors of a
progressive sun.
This album
is conceptual needless to say, and uses all the trappings of a classic
melodic art rock , complex and light at the same time. The queen of this
colorful festival is called Guitar. Even thou it is marked by the obvious
Latin roots, the playing of Raimundo Rodulfo goes through many other
musical horizons, acoustic and electric, and especially jazz. The master
of ceremony was surrounded, as in his two previous albums, by a car full
of guests. Takes the presence of Carlos Plaza, keyboardist of Spanish
group Kotebel, as well as the refreshing presence of several classical
musicians. The conversations between the six-strings and acoustic
instruments, flute, piano, violin, trumpet and saxophones, enhance the
charm of this semi-exotic, semi-canonical prog rock, in the "Colossus
Project" sense of the word! Raimundo Rodulfo also appears on the next
episode of the Colossus series, a quadruple (!) Album based on "Inferno"
of the Dante's Divine Comedy.
The thirty-six minutes of the opening ( "Náufrago")
give the full measure of the instrumental richness developed on Mare et
Terra. Vocals in Spanish, discreet and often welcome, are assured by three
vocalists and once in a while invade the mostly instrumental titles. Only
"Libertad" and the first part of the "Thoughts" feature the beautiful and
special vocals of Pedro Castillo. The disc opens with gentleness and
warmth, with the delicate notes of a guitar and a flute, and it closes in
a flash of joy. Elevated, jumping, joyful, "Thoughts" will delight both
fans of Yes than a neo-progressive scene.
The only regret that raises concerns on Terra et Mare
is the production. Mixing, irregular, unbalanced, leaves something to be
desired, and the instruments are in turn too much and too little present,
so that one wonders sometimes if they do not play each one in their
corner. This flaw is fortunately only in a few occasions and do not waste
too much listening to an album with many surprises.
Jean-Philippe Haas
Raimundo Rodulfo
Mare and
Terra (2009)
(Musea) Enregistré par Raimundo
Rodulfo
01 - Mare:
Náufrago
02 - Mare: Libertad
03 - Terra: Blue
04 - Terra:
Thoughts
05 - Terra: Thoughts
Le
rock prog existe bien en Ouzbékistan, alors pourquoi pas au Venezuela ?
C’est précisément dans ce pays d’Amérique du Sud que Musea est allé
dénicher le guitariste Raimundo Rodulfo, qui défend avec Mare et Terra les nombreuses couleurs d’un
progressif ensoleillé.
Cet
album, conceptuel est-il besoin de le préciser, fait appel à tout
l’attirail mélodique d’un art rock classique, à la fois complexe et
aérien. La reine de cette fête colorée s’appelle Guitare. S’il est
fortement marqué par des origines latines évidentes, le jeu de Raimundo
Rodulfo parcourt bien d’autres horizons musicaux, acoustiques et
électriques, et plus particulièrement le jazz. Le maître de cérémonie
s’est entouré, comme sur ses deux précédents albums, d’un wagon entier
d’invités. On retiendra la présence de Carlos Plaza, claviériste du groupe
espagnol Kotebel, ainsi que la prestation rafraîchissante de plusieurs
musiciens classiques. Les conversations entre la six-cordes et les
instruments acoustiques, flûte, piano, violon, trompette et autres
saxophones, renforcent le charme particulier de ce prog mi-exotique,
mi-canonique au sens « Colossus Project » du terme ! Raimundo Rodulfo
figurera d’ailleurs sur le prochain épisode de la série, un quadruple (!)
album basé sur « L’Enfer » de la Divine Comédie de Dante.
Les trente-six minutes
d’ouverture (« Náufrago ») donnent toute la mesure de la richesse
instrumentale développée sur Mare Et Terra. Le
chant en espagnol, discret et souvent bienvenu, est assuré par trois
vocalistes et n’envahit jamais des titres essentiellement instrumentaux.
Seul « Libertad » et la première partie de « Thoughts » font la part belle
au chant, et plus particulièrement à la voix de Pedro Castillo. Le disque
s’ouvrait avec douceur et chaleur, par les notes délicates d’une guitare
et d’une flûte, il se referme dans un éclat de joie. Enlevé, sautillant,
joyeux, « Thoughts » ravira tout autant les amateurs de Yes que ceux d’un
néo-progressif festif.
Le
seul regret que suscite Mare et Terra concerne
la production. Le mixage, irrégulier, déséquilibré, laisse parfois à
désirer, les instruments sont tour à tour trop et trop peu présents, à tel
point qu’on se demande parfois s’ils ne jouent pas chacun dans leur coin.
Ce défaut n’apparaît heureusement qu’à quelques occasions précises et ne
gâche pas outre mesure l’écoute d’un album aux multiples
rebondissements.
Jean-Philippe Haas
Yahoo Forum -
Japan
RAIMUNDO RODULFO - MARE ET
TERRA
I bought the solo work of this
Venezuelan guitarist because Mr. WD strongly pushed. He was right again.
At the first listening I did not get it, but at the second and third time
of listening, I instinctively cought the density of the content of this
work. Flamenco-style guitar, but mostly symphonic rock, as hot as TRIANA
but more refined and easy listening. In addition to the sound of the
Melotron, this album comes with a classical orchestra, some times a reggae
rhythm, fast playing mediterranean guitar in the style of Paco de Lucia,
all made with cohesiveness and diversity in this work which comes with a
standard impression and nearly 80 minutes to be fully enjoyed.
ProGGnosis / SilverDB -
USA
RAIMUNDO RODULFO - MARE ET
TERRA
This Venezuelan artist has been around for a while
and constructing a good name for himself in the fusion circles. With Mare et Terre, Raimundo
Rodulfo has gathered a good number of excellent guest musicians, which
include Tempano’s famous Pedro Castillo.
The result work is a perfect combination of
symphonic prog with a distinctive South American flavor with plenty of
jazz passages and scattered folksy intrusions. It is experimental and
exotic while keeping a good ear-friendliness.
The album opens with Naufrago, a 36 minute+ opus that fully demonstrate
not only the characteristics that I announced in the previous paragraph,
but that really sets the mood of the listener forwhat is still to come.
The remaining tracks keep up the task of presenting the listener with
overviews to the fantastic sonic world of Raimundo. If Libertad is more on the folksy/sympho side, Blue tends to mix that same sympho with full jazz
soloing and rhythmic section. The wind instruments in this track really
implement that jazz feel while the keyboards bring back the music to more
progressive grounds. But it all works well entwined.
The acoustic guitar is also worth noticing, as it
adds a curious mix of medieval, flamenco and South American tones that add
different colors to an already wide array of approaches. There seems to be
no boundaries to hold the creativity that the artist tries to implement,
and so the album flows freely, wondering through conscientious styles
while mixing them in a sonic shaker.
Thoughts part 1 is a cheerful piece of music,
with Gabrielesque singing and swirling guitars
and keys, which impose a good rhythm and will make you start taping your
foot accordingly. The second part has some experiences to propose, as it
presents a more folksy approach, in slight reggae or rumba tones.
Well…refreshing and challenging…
Overall this is a worthy album. It is very well
played and it is original, which is something that is rarely found these
days. And Mare et Terre is destined to finally
give this artist the recognition that he deserves.
Nuno
Music in Belgium - Belgium
English - French
Raimundo Rodulfo
Mare and
Terra
Born in 1970 in Venezuela, the guitarist and
composer currently residing in Florida has already released five albums,
including three in the studio. "Dreams" in 2000 and "The Dreams Concerto"
in 2001 appear to have met a good review on this side of the Atlantic.
With this new recording,
Raimundo Rodulfo was daring. Seventy-six minutes of music divided into two
parts of two songs each, is both generous and risky, because we must stay
the course.
The first
part, "Mare", the longest, is undoubtedly the most successful. It includes
all the warmth of the Latin South America, which has not yet too many
Anglo-Saxon elements. Here, the author never wanted to confine his music
in the restricted field of only a guitarist wanting to spread his
knowledge and technique. Acoustic and electric guitars, keyboards, wind
instruments, vocals and percussion mix with art, the creation of a complex
and ambitious, always balanced, well constructed and clear. Raimundo
Rodulfo managed to create a Progressive flamboyant, never bastard
typically South American. Work close to perfection!
The tone changes in the second
part, "Terra." The tempo accelerates but it does not throw into a panic.
The song is not in Spanish but in English.
"Blue" enters the world of Jazz and North American
Jazz-Rock, with some peaks of Free Jazz. The guitars go into
demonstration, without any real restraint. The work of brass and wood
becomes more important. The new keyboard brings a new hardness. If all
this is excellent for jazz lovers especially, it loses all personality.
In contrast, "Thoughts"
often disappoints because it hangs by bribes and cuts. Taking Yes and
Steve Howe as models, Raimundo Rodulfo strayed here in so many solos that
his technique certainly impressive cache poorly on the low point. Even
partners are often drowned in a deluge of guitars. A disappointment!
In conclusion, "Mare et Terra"
blows hot and cold. Fortunately, the balance remains significantly
positive: 60% of an Art-Rock South American high-end (17/20), 15% of a
Jazz-Rock Quality (15/20), 25% of a Progressive less inspired, modeled on
the work of Steve Howe (10/20).
The titles (75'50):
"Naufrago" (36'34)
"Libertad"
(9'01)
"Blue" (11'30)
"Thoughts" (19'45)
Interpreters:
Raimundo Rodulfo: Guitars, Bass, Mandolin &
Compositions / Organ, Synth, Percussion & Vocals Additional
Gerardo Ubieda: Drums
Yoel del
Sol: Percussions
Franklin Diaz: Flutes, Saxophones
& Clarinet
Osvaldo Fleites: Trumpet &
Flugelhorn
Carlos Plaza: Keyboards (1, 2)
Richard Marichal: Keyboard (3, 4)
Cristo Aguado: Vocals (1)
Minerva Borjas Owen: Vocals (1)
Pedro Castillo: Vocals (2, 4)
Anna Ventura: Violin
Mariana
Carreras: Violin
Konstantin Litvinenko: Cello
Raimundo Rodulfo
Mare and
Terra
Né en 1970 au Venezuela, ce guitariste et
compositeur résidant actuellement en Floride a déjà publié cinq albums,
dont trois en studio. « Dreams » en 2000 et « The Dreams Concerto » en 2001 semblent avoir
rencontré une bonne critique de ce côté de l’Atlantique.
Avec ce nouvel enregistrement,
Raimundo Rodulfo s’est montré audacieux.
Septante-six minutes de musique subdivisées en deux parties de deux titres
chacune, c’est à la fois généreux et risqué, car il faut tenir la
distance.
La première
partie, « Mare », la plus longue, est sans
conteste la plus réussie. On y retrouve toute la chaleur latine de
l’Amérique du Sud, celle qui n’a pas encore intégré trop d’éléments
anglo-saxons. Ici, l’auteur n’a jamais voulu cantonner sa musique dans le
champ restreint d’un guitariste uniquement désireux d’étaler son savoir et
sa technique. Guitares acoustiques et électriques, claviers, instruments à
vent, chant et percussions se mêlent avec art, au service d’une création
ambitieuse et complexe, toujours équilibrée, bien construite et limpide.
Raimundo Rodulfo est parvenu à créer un Progressif flamboyant, jamais
bâtard, typiquement Sud-Américain. Un travail proche de la perfection !
Le ton change dans la seconde
partie, « Terra ». Le tempo s’accélère
lorsqu’il ne s’affole pas. Le chant n’est plus en Espagnol mais en
Anglais.
« Blue » pénètre dans l’univers du Jazz et du
Jazz-Rock Nord-Américain, avec quelques pointes de Free Jazz. Les guitares
partent alors en démonstration, sans réelle retenue. Le travail des
cuivres et des bois prend plus d’ampleur. Le nouveau claviériste amène une
dureté nouvelle. Si tout cela reste excellent, pour l’amateur de Jazz
particulièrement, l’ensemble perd en personnalité.
A l’opposé, « Thoughts » déçoit souvent, car n’accroche que
par bribes et morceaux. Prenant Yes et Steve Howe comme modèles, Raimundo Rodulfo s’égare
ici dans de nombreux solos où sa technique, certes impressionnante, cache
mal la relative faiblesse du propos. Même ses partenaires se retrouvent
souvent noyés sous un déluge de guitares. Une déception !
En conclusion, « Mare et Terra » souffle le chaud et le froid.
Heureusement, la balance reste nettement favorable : 60% d’un Art-Rock
Sud-Américain haut de gamme (17/20), 15% d’un Jazz-Rock de qualité
(15/20), 25% d’un Progressif moins inspiré, calqué sur le travail de Steve
Howe (10/20).
Les titres
(75’50) :
« Naufrago » (36’34)
« Libertad » (9’01)
« Blue » (11'30)
« Thoughts » (19’45)
Les interprètes :
Raimundo Rodulfo : Guitares, Basse, Mandoline
& Compositions / Orgue, Synthétiseurs, Percussions & Vocaux
Additionnels
Gerardo Ubieda : Batterie
Yoel del Sol : Percussions
Franklin Diaz : Flûtes, Saxophones &
Clarinette
Osvaldo Fleites : Trompette & Bugle
Carlos Plaza : Claviers (1, 2)
Richard Marichal : Claviers (3, 4)
Cristo Aguado : Chant (1)
Minerva Borjas Owen : Chant (1)
Pedro Castillo : Chant (2, 4)
Anna Ventura : Violon
Mariana Carreras : Violon
Konstantin Litvinenko :
Violoncelle
Yahoo Auctions -
Japan
RAIMUNDO RODULFO - MARE ET
TERRA
"Mare Et Terra" is a masterpiece album of a
beautiful melodic progressive and symphonic rock of RAIMUNDO RODULFO from
South America (Venezuela).
It is the latest trascendent work with beautiful
melody of the Venezuelan guitarist.
Please shed tears for the too beautiful development
that he manages to create, making good use of thrilling guitar work, man
and woman sweet vocals, violin, cello, flute, and clarinet, etc.
The wonderful expression of feelings from South
America, and the beautiful melodic progressive and symphonic rock that
exists in the picture are all developed in a dignified manner.
It is absolutely recommended for all the fans of
beautiful melodic progressive and symphonic rock.
MikePortnoy.com Forum -
USA
RAIMUNDO RODULFO - MARE ET TERRA
This South American guitarist and composer is, IMO, a
genius in the progressive rock realm. It is absolutely criminal that his
work is not widely known and recognized for its extraordinary quality. I
am hopeful that this new release will help to change that somewhat,
because it's absolutely brilliant. In addition to the amazing guitar work
(both electric and acoustic), there are strings, horns, flutes, keyboards,
male and female vocals, and a great rhythm section - everything a prog
listener could possibly want! You can check out samples from the album at
www.mindawn.com - and then, if you like what you hear (and you should, if
you're a symphonic prog fan at all), you can then download it in either
Ogg Vorbis (for a mere $6.99) or FLAC format (for $8.99) and convert it to
mp3 if you wish. The physical CD is also available at www.kinesiscd.com
(with a link to mp3 sample clips), and I cannot recommend it highly
enough.
Tracks:
Naufrago
(36:34)
Libertad (9:02)
Blue (11:30)
Thoughts - Part 1
(9:53)
Thoughts - Part 2 (9:52)
Check it out!
Jeff
http://www.mikeportnoy.com/forum
DiskUnion -
Japan
RAIMUNDO RODULFO - MARE ET TERRA
Just released, 2008 work by Venezuelan-born guitarist
and composer, currently active in North America. A large finished gorgeous
Classical/Symphonic Rock masterpiece that makes the best use of the music
background in which real Classic is mastered without reserve with 12
backing musician including Carlos Plaza (keyboards), Gerardo Ubieda
(drums), Minerva Borjas Owen (vocals), and Anna Ventura (violin) among
others. This is a gem where you can enjoy the beauty and originality of
its own content, with dense Latin Folklore colors and great musical
characteristics like SAGRADO from South America and CAST, and excellent
arrangements of flowing elegant classic guitar that gracefully sprinkles
the melody.
http://diskunion.net
Colossus Blog - Finland
and Italy
RAIMUNDO RODULFO - Canto
XXX of Dante's Divine Comedy "INFERNO"
Canto XXX – Raimundo Rodulfo (Venezuela) – “Falsedad y
Castigo”....
The Venezuelan artist, accompanied by
a strings ensemble, a drummer and a good number of guest vocalists, also
deals with the Falsifiers and then follows Dante’s story through his
meeting with Gianni Schicchi. The song has a distinct operatic feel, with
Rodulfo that avoids taking constantly centre stage as it could be expected
from such a skilled artist recording under his own name. The guitars
sometimes allow vague hints of the traditional South American style, but
all of them skilfully hidden amongst traditional prog passages and rock
riffs.
Marco Piva
http://blogs.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendID=268018519&blogID=463280881
World Disque -
http://www.marquee.co.jp/world_disque/d.w.frameset.html -
Japan
RAIMUNDO RODULFO - MARE ET
TERRA
Album by guitarist from Miami.
It also features a group with flute and other instruments with a sound
like Hackett/Genesis and Yes, with some vocals and Latin colors combined
in a dynamic and dramatic development. This is a high level great
masterpiece!
http://www.marquee.co.jp/world_disque/d.w.frameset.html
La Dosis Magazine -
http://www.revistaladosis.com - Venezuela
RAIMUNDO RODULFO - MARE ET TERRA
Luego de 2 álbumes, Dreams y The Dreams Concerto, este
excelso guitarrista y compositor venezolano nos entrega un álbum de
fascinantes sonoridades con la densidad a la que nos tiene acostumbrados.
Composiciones extensas que semejan episodios oníricos, con diversas
texturas y casuales frases cargadas de emotividad que coquetean con el
jazz y la musica clásica. Mare et Terra -enmarcado dentro del progrock-
transpira barroco en temas como "Thoughts", pero revela aspectos
"zappeanos" en "Blue", tal vez una marcada diferencia con respecto a sus
predecesores. A lo largo de poco más de una hora y cuarto, las 5 piezas
que conforman Mare et Terra no se desprenden enteramente de las fórmulas
clásicas del género, y son las frases de la virtuosa ejecución de Raimundo
un vehiculo idóneo que interconecta una idea con otra. El disco incluye a
íconos del progrock venezolano como Pedro Castillo y Gerardo Ubieda, de
Témpano.
Issue # 5
http://revistaladosis.blogspot.com/2010/02/ladosis-5-julio-agosto-2009.html
Leonardo Biggot
Tommy's Blog -
Japan
RAIMUNDO RODULFO - MARE ET
TERRA
His Myspace has the sound of an immediate buying
decision!
Inherent to the guitar solos, in case by case, they
are good works, and there are so many!
In "Naufrago", suddenly come the Spanish vocals,
flute, trompet... good atmosphere.
Overall, I like
that one, and it had like a fusion style
His
guitar is in a sense, from various angles, and can be accomplished, one
song, a very long.
There is comfort to its
listening. One only song (Naufrago), that has more than 30 minutes!
I like that song, also a very
beautiful song. Some elements of Folk, with a great melody after all!
And put the name of a solo guitarist, and amazing
people involved!
He uses many instruments.
Euclid -
Japan
RAIMUNDO RODULFO - MARE ET TERRA
New CD. Currently active in North America, this is
a 2008 solo work from Venezuelan-born guitarist and composer. Carlos Plaza
(keyboards), Gerardo Ubieda (dr), Minerva Borjas Owen (vo), Anna Ventura
(violin), welcomed back a total of 12 other musicians, fully utilizing
serious Classic background music mastered with big gorgeous classical /
Symphonic Rock elaborated work, similar to Latin American bands SAGRADO
and CAST.
This is an wonderful masterpiece that is unique in
its content, shows elegant classical sounds in all its extension, with
Latin / Folk dark melodies with originality and good taste gracefully
present at the end of each arrangement.
KOID9 Magazine - France
French - English
RAIMUNDO RODULFO - MARE ET TERRA (French)
Vénézuelien résidant actuellement aux Etats-Unis
(en Californie, plus précisément), ce guitariste (également compositeur) a
plusieurs albums à son actif (cinq en tout). La liste des commentaires
relatifs à son travail que l’on trouve sur son site Internet www.raimundorodulfo.com est
impressionnante ! A croire que tout le gotha progressif chante les
louanges de ce type… sauf nous (nous n’avons apparemment jamais parlé de
son travail à ce jour). Mais qui est donc ce célèbre inconnu ? Né en 1970,
il a d’abord pris des cours de violon à 7 ans, puis en autodidacte la
guitare classique à 12 ans et la guitare électrique (qu’il étudie toujours
à ce jour) à 14. Il fera partie de nombreux groupes pour lesquels il
composera une musique mêlant le classique et le contemporain. Depuis 1992,
il se consacre à son projet soliste. En 2000, il sort son premier album
"Dreams", puis "The dreams concerto", un concerto pour guitare, groupe et
orchestre de chambre en 3 mouvements, avec 15 invités dont des prestigieux
musiciens. Cette musique sera jouée live avec 7 musiciens lors du 6ème
festival Baja Prog au Mexique. En 2003, il sort
2 albums live uniquement téléchargeables sur son site web : "To LIVE a
dream - Official bootleg" and "To LIVE a dream 2 - Official bootleg", qui
reprennent des enregistrements tirés du Baja
Prog, du Prog Jazz et même d’une première
partie des Flower Kings. Pour ce nouveau
disque, c’est pas moins de 76 minutes de musique très ambitieuse qu’il
nous est donné de découvrir ! Commençons par les musiciens sur ce projet :
outre Raimundo Rodulfo (guitares, basse,
mandoline & compositions / orgue, synthétiseurs, percussions &
vocaux additionnels), l’on trouve deux claviéristes (Carlos Plaza – de Kotebel
- et Richard Marichal), trois chanteurs (Cristo Aguado, Minerva
Borjas Owen et Pedro Castillo), deux
violonistes (Anna Ventura et Mariana Carreras), un violoncelliste (Konstantin Litvinenko), ainsi que Franklin Diaz (flûtes, saxophones &
clarinette), Osvaldo Fleites (trompette &
bugle), Gerardo Ubieda (batterie) et Yoel del Sol (percussions). Ca fait du monde !
Résumer cet album tient de la gageure tant l’artiste a de multiples
facettes : prog, bien sûr, mais aussi symphonique, jazz, jazz-rock, rock
typiquement sud américain, etc. Avec "mare", c’est près de 37 minutes d’un
epic qui ouvre l’album. Suivront un titre de 9 minutes, un de 11 et un de
près de 20 (divisé en deux parties égales) ! J’avoue ne pas avoir compris
pourquoi, sur mon exemplaire, les morceaux 1 et 3 sont inversés, mais bon,
passons… Il va sans dire que le bonhomme a plus que du talent : tout est
maîtrisé à l’extrême et il n’y a pas grand-chose à jeter. Amoureux de
longs développements lyriques, ne pas s’abstenir. La guitare mène souvent
le bal, mais les instrumentistes sont tous à la fête. Le travail de groupe
est impressionnant, jamais l’on a affaire à un homme seul face à ses
instruments. J’aime moins les parties chantées en anglais par rapport à
celles en espagnol, mais tout dépend des goûts. Disons pour finir que
cette oeuvre devrait plaire au plus grand nombre, vu le nombre de genres
abordés. A découvrir…
Renaud Oualid
RAIMUNDO RODULFO - MARE ET TERRA (English
Translation)
Currently residing in the United USA (California
specifically), this Venezuelan guitarist (also composer) has several
albums to his credit (five in total). The list of
comments on his work that we found on his website
www.raimundorodulfo.com is impressive! To believe that all the Progressive
elite sings the praises of this guy... except us (we apparently never
spoken about his work to date). But who is this famous unknown? Born in
1970, he first took violin lessons at age 7, then self-tought on classical
guitar at 12 years old, and the electric guitar at 14 (he is still
studying to date). He was part of many groups in which he composed music
mixing classical and contemporary. Since 1992, he devoted himself to his
solo project. In 2000, he released his first album "Dreams", and then "The
Dreams Concerto" a concerto for guitar and orchestra group Room in 3
movements, with 15 guests including prestigious musicians. He played this
music with 7 musicians live at the 6th Baja Prog Festival in Mexico. In
2003 he released 2 live albums only downloadable from its website: "To
Live a Dream - Official Bootleg" and "To Live a Dream 2 - Official
Bootleg", which compile recordings from Baja Prog, ProgJazz, and even an
opening show for The Flower Kings. For this new disc, is not less than 76
minutes of very ambitious music that we are given to discover! Let's start
with the musicians on this project: Raimundo Rodulfo (guitars, bass,
mandolin & compositions / organ, synthesizers, percussion & vocals
additional), also there are two keyboardists (Carlos Plaza - of Kotebel -
and Richard Marichal), three singers (Cristo Aguado, Minerva Borjas Owen,
and Pedro Castillo,) two violinists (Anna Ventura and Mariana Carreras), a
cellist (Konstantin Litvinenko), and Franklin Diaz (flutes, Saxophone
& clarinet), Osvaldo Fleites (Trumpet & flugelhorn), Gerardo
Ubieda (drums) and Yoel del Sol (percussion). It feels like the world!
Summarizing this album takes the challenge as the multifaceted artist:
prog, although course, but also symphonic, jazz, jazz-rock, rock typically
South American, etc.. With "Náufrago" is about 37 minutes of an epic
openiong the album. Follow a 9-minute track, a 11, and a nearly 20
(divided into two equal parts)! I admit I do not understand why, on my
copy, pieces 1 and 3 are reversed, but hey, let it go ... without saying
that the guy has more than the talent: everything is under control to the
extreme and there is not much to throw. Lovers of long developments lyric,
not to abstain. The guitar often leads the ball, but instrumentalists are
all at the feast. The work of the group is impressive, never one is
dealing with a man alone with his instrument. I least favor the parts sung
in English compared with those in Spanish, but it depends on tastes. Let
us say finally that this work should appeal to many, given the number of
genres covered. Discover...
Renaud Walid
Yahoo
Japan
RAIMUNDO RODULFO - MARE ET
TERRA
Introducing "MARE ET TERRA" from Venezuelan
guitarist RAIMUNDO RODULFO. It sorprises you at the beginning with a song
of more than 30 minutes duration that is epic beyond scales, with brass
and strings ensembles. You will be amazed with the Flamenco and orchestral
symphonic development of this masterpiece.
The
next songs sound like a Spanish group involving a jazzy piano, and bring a
unique sound.
Very talented people!
Gardenshed -
www.gardenshedcd.com - Japan
RAIMUNDO RODULFO - MARE ET
TERRA
Guitarist from Venezuela. 2008
work. Orchestral music with male and female vocalists, classical
instruments such as violins, cellos, flutes and clarinets, centering on
his guitar that shows from sweet phrases to superior excellence playing.
The first half presents South America flavor with a Spanish color that
evolves similar to JEAN-PASCAL BOFFO. The second half is what we could
call a band product, featuring the rhythm section and the keyboard
player's technical solos, and a fantastic artistic impression that does
not cease to overwhelm you with its multi-colored diversity. It produces
an impression similar to OVNI from El Salvador. A masterpiece.
www.gardenshedcd.com/best
RAIMUNDO RODULFO - THE
DREAMS CONCERTO
New second work of South American Venezuelan
guitarist. The previous production is exceeded as much as possible, with
its became. Full heart work including a beautiful voice woman, many
musical instrument such as flute, violin, horn and harp were introduced,
classical color was added to the ensemble substantially, as a symphonic
work. It seems like the masterpiece EN BUSCA DE UNA NUEVA FLOR of the same
South American Cuban GRUPO SINTESIS, I think, delicacy that keeps putting
the world together with classical arrangement. Book type special case
edition.
www.gardenshedcd.com/best
Gates of Dawn -
http://homepage2.nifty.com/gdawn/ - Japan
RAIMUNDO RODULFO - THE DREAMS
CONCERTO
New work (year 2002) and 2nd album of the
Venezuelan guitarist. It is released in a deluxe edition, with an almost
40 pages booklet. Contents have become well enough serious, featuring the
classic & electric guitar which Raimundo Rodulfo plays as soloist, at
the same time the classic guitar with the chamber orchestra, and the
electric band which is playing in the back among different parts of the
concerto. It makes enormously good, but it has a kind of air from the
past. Track 1 is a great opening of woman vocals entering and twisting
Latin winds. This tune has class.
Gates of Dawn
August Carol -
http://fc2bbs.com/bbs?action=all&uid=31990 - Japan
RAIMUNDO RODULFO - THE
DREAMS CONCERTO
Sueños (Dreams) was the first album of this
guitarist who receives the alias of the "Latin Gordon Giltrap". His second
album, The Dreams Concerto, features keyboard, violin, and introduces a
woman on vocals and the guest participation of TEMPANO's singer.
Everything very well built in a symphonic album of high level, improving
from the first one. Also improving with the attached 40-page color
booklet.
August
Carol
Yahoo Auctions Japan -
http://auctions.yahoo.co.jp - Japan
RAIMUNDO RODULFO - THE
DREAMS CONCERTO
The second album of
RAIMUNDO RODULFO from Venezuela. As per its content, rather than calling
it the solo album of a guitarist, it sounds with the power of a real
symphonic rock band, especially on the first movement which has lots of
female vocals, and where the music has a high degree of completion which
makes you think of ESTRUCTURA from the same country. Equipped with
luxurious booklet this CD is difficult to find.
Yahoo Auctions Japan
Proglands - www.Proglands.com -
Canada
Raimundo Rodulfo's The
Dreams Concerto.
Hum ! That's a gem this one, an hystorical album for
myself, with a 37 pages booklet in which it contain the CD right on the
first inside centerfold page, the box is made from a soft cardboard an all
are decorated with painting from Peter Rodulfo, I don't know if they are
brother. The booklet is also pretty well documented, containing 10 pages
only for the explanation of the Maths model of 'Mathematica y Arte II'.
"It is rather the effect of my little orthodox, non-academic way of doing
music, which is mainly by ear and heart" say Raymundo. I don't know in
what consist the 1st project called 'Dream', but here, we are in front of
an excellent Classical progressive concept album and for the first time
Raimundo had incorporated "a traditional rock group" in his music.
In this album "I want to render tribute to the
unswavering spirit of the human being in his endeavors to fullfill his
dreams and discern his surrounding universe" say Raimundo. 15 years ago
when Raimundo wrote his Suite for Guitar and Chamber orchestra, the first
notes of 'The Dream Concerto' were borned and titled 'Baroque' as an
hommage to his favorite period of music, this is mostly a 15 minutes of
Classical acoustic music with guitar, flute, violin and viola. "Started to
expand itself to a second suite" called 'La gran Epopeya de la Musica y
las Ciencias' (The great Epic of Music and Science), togheter these 2
tracks complete the third movement" and simultaneously the album with a
suite of 17 minutes for Electric guitar, Group and Chamber orchestra. A
quite progressive ending.
The first song 'Suenos',
"a sort of modern symphony...including a great deal of new elements... of
contemporary music". A superb 24 minutes of pure progressive music devided
in seven part with lot of Classical arrangements. Raimundo has a Classical
background behind him and he used many other styles. The drumming of
Andrès Briceno is absolutly superb at 3 time (2:14-3:00), (12:29-13:20),
(21:56-. I try to do the beat with my two hand on my thighs, hum ! highly
progressive beat! like the one I prefer. From the 10 others musicians,
Beatriz Riva enhanced the music with her particular voices. 'Suenos' is
both the longer song and the best one from the album. Believe me this song
is one of the best progressive songs I never heard. Absolutly Superb ! The
movement finish with the 4 minutes song 'Ezperanza' which is mostly a
traditional folk song, because of "the melodic treatment dragged a trace
of melancholy...I felt that would produced a final impression of sadness.
I created a 'Coda'...with a essentially sense of hapiness, providing an
optimist finale" to the movement. 'Esperanza', is a traditional song with
Venezuelan's instrument like a the folk Harp and Maracas.
"The second movement was born in a completely
different way...having...fascination for the science...my professional
formation in engeneering has strengthened my contact with several branches
of physics and mathematics. This radically changed my conception of the
music...beginning to understand the links between maths and the different
forms of art. The first attempt result in the song 'Matematica y Arte'
from the album 'Dream', then I devellop a Mathematical model of timming
for this project in a segment of the second movement of this work, which
became the song 'Mathematica y Arte II'". This song is almost a fusion
song, with a harder trend. 10 page show his maths model on the booklet
with graphic, equation and explination, good chance! The song seems like
normal ! so don't worry. The second part of the movement is an experiment
with the Digital Signal Processing (DSP)... the random patterns and
Fibonaci... applied to an electric guitar and to voice". The 2nd movement
"abruptly breaks the predominance of the classic essence in the music of
this work and insert experimental, electronic and fusion ingredients".
'Muestreo al Azar' is effectively starting with an electronic/experimental
trends before moving into symphonic-rock and with a harder guitar sound
pratically without Classic influences.
A really
well good album coming out in 2002, with lot of Classical elements,
traditional Folk, in a prog format that I highly recommand. Excellent
work...
Denis
Taillefer
Raimundo Rodulfo: To LIVE a Dream - Official
Bootleg
This comes out at a great moment, it's an
excellent idea to release a live CD only after two previous official
releases, even if is not an official release. The CD is availaible only by
internet and by the way under Mp3 format, it comes with the cover artworks
at the size of a real CD. It is free by the way if you can get the
password: so if you are already into the possession of the two previous
recording, or if you buy them, 'Dreams' and 'The Dream Concerto' are also
available in the Raimondo website. "I decided to don't issue it as a
commercial CD, but as an official bootleg. And then I wondered: Why don't
release it as a virtual album in the Internet? And actually, a
downloadable CD, in both artwork and music" is available, say Raimondo.
It's a real gift...
The music comes from the last
three years of live performances in 3 different places and one song from a
studio recording from 1986, it's a recording in solo on electric guitar of
a piece from Bach called 'Bourre'. 'Duet' was recorded in duo with Manuel
Rojas on flute during a TV Show. All the other songs were from two bigger
show with the rock band togheter at the Baja prog Festival and a ProgJazz
show. "The sound quality is not the greatest, but it is good enough to
enjoy the music well. In those performances there are some fantastic
moments that won't be repeated with special guest musicians and very
inspired heart playing" say Raimondo. The recording really is not so bad
and give a great idea of what the band sound live. Also they are over an
hour of free music here, so it worst to buy the previous one just to have
this one, good chance.
Denis Taillefer
Prog-Résiste Magazine - www.progresiste.com -
Belgium
-Issue # 31
Raimundo Rodulfo: The Dreams
Concerto.
French - English
Raimundo Rodulfo announce la couleur et tient
parole. Après son premier album paru il y a deux ans (Dreams - Sueños),
voici ce que l'on pourrait appeler son grand oeuvre, avec un concerto pour
guitare, groupe et orchestre de chambre. Rien n'est fait à moitié: de la
durée de l'oeuvre (qui équivaut à un double vinyle, au bas mot) à la
grosseur du livret (40 pages, en couleur, explications, paroles, photos,
biographie des musiciens et formules mathématiques à l'appui), jusqu'au
boîtier cartonné et aux magnifiques peintures de Peter Rodulfo qui
illustrent et jalonnent le concept.
Ce disque aura
l'heur de plaire à un nombreux public, de mon avis. Aux amateurs de rock
symphonique, bien sûr, car c'est le ciment de l'édifice. Mais ce
gigantesque monument est, à l'instar de certaines constructions du passé,
travaillé, peaufiné et inventé de telle manière qu'il s'y creusent des
niches permettant à une multitude de styles de s'intercaler, rendant la
visite guidée agréable et passionnante. Une grande place est dédiée au
baroque classique, naviguant dans les eaux territoriales des quatours à
cordes, agrémentés d'électricité et de rythmique dentellière.
La construction fut édifiée sous le soleil vénézuélien
et il se dégage une chaleur latine bienvenue, particulièrement lors des
interventions vocales illuminées de la jolie Beatriz Rivas. Cette chaleur
transpire dans le jeu de guitare fluide et délié de Raimundo Rodulfo, qui
se veut rond, enjôleur et caressant. Mais ces qualités ne suffiraient pas
à soutenir notre attention une heure et quart durant, lors de cette visite
et c'est pour cette raison que notre architecte a rajouté moult couloirs
parallèles et autres labyrinthes, d'aucuns sont imbriqués dans le
classicisme latent, d'autres sont présentés en une fourmilière complexe
digne du meilleur jazz-rock (la partie centrale du bâtiment). De nombreux
artisans ont contribué à l'élaboration de cette oeuvre, mettant leurs
instruments variés au service du maître des travaux (qui est responsable
de tous les instruments à cordes): basson, viole, violon, harpe, flûtes,
saxophones, maracas et autres instruments électriques classiques.
Le tout a été construit et réfléchi, bâti avec
sensibilité, mais avec une rigueur mathématique qui est expliquée par de
nombreuses formules de progressions aritmétiques et géométriques, tendant
à démontrer l'implication d'un modèle mathématique pour une construction
musicale qui, au final, s'avère d'une facilité d'écoute séduisante et
d'une beauté chaleureuse.
Gilles Arend
Automatic french - english
translation.
Raimundo Rodulfo: The Dreams Concerto.
English - French
Raimundo Rodulfo announces the color and
holds his word. After his first published album two years ago (Dreams -
Sueños), here is what one could call his grand work, with a concerto for
guitar, group and chamber orchestra. Nothing is half done: duration of the
work (which is equivalent to a double vinyl, with the low word) with the
size of the booklet (40 pages, color, explanations, texts, photographs,
biography of the musicians and mathematical formulas for support), to the
hard-bound case and splendid paintings of Peter Rodulfo, who illustrate
and mark out the concept.
This disc will have the
hor to like many public, in my opinion. With symphonic rock lovers, of
course, because it is the cement of the building. But this gigantic
monument is, following the example of certain constructions of the past,
worked, polished and invented in such manner that it dig niches there
allowing a multitude styles to intercalate itself, making the guided tour
pleasant and enthralling. A great place is dedicated to the traditional
baroque, sailing in territorial waters of the string quartets, decorated
of electricity and rhythmic lacemakers.
The
construction was built under the Venezuelan sun and it releases a welcome
Latin heat, particularly at the time of the illuminated vocal
interventions of pretty Beatriz Rivas. This heat perspires in the fluid
and untied guitar playing of Raimundo Rodulfo, which wants to be round,
enjolor and cherishing. But these qualities would not be enough to support
our attention one hour and quarter during, at the time of this visit and
for this reason our architect added grinds parallel corridors and other
labyrinths, of aucuns that are overlapping in latent classicisme, others
are presented in a complex anthill worthy of the best jazz-rock (the
central part of the building). Many craftsmen contributed to the
development of this work, putting their varied instruments at the service
of the Master of work (who is responsible for all the string instruments):
bassoon, viola, violin, harp, flutes, saxophones, maracas and other
traditional electric instruments.
The whole was
built and reflected, built with sensitivity, but with a mathematical
rigour which is explained by many aritmetic formulas and geometrical
progressions, tending to show the implication of a mathematical model for
a musical construction which, finally, are proves of a facility of
tempting listening and a cordial beauty.
Gilles Arend
-Issue # 57
Raimundo Rodulfo: Mare et
Terra.
French - English
Ha mais RAIMUNDO RODULFO
n’est pas un inconnu de nos colonnes. Vous le reconnaîtrez, chers
lecteurs, l’index des chroniques sur notre site de Prog-Résiste est un outil somme toute très effi
cace.
C’est grâce à lui que j’ai pu retrouver le numéro
dans lequel nous avions déjà parlé de Raimundo.
Mazette ! C’est qu’avec 57 numéros et plusieurs
centaines de disques chroniqués à chaque numéro, un petit index pour
rafraîchir la mémoire est souvent le bienvenu. Bon, donc, Raimundo Rodulfo
nous avait fait l’honneur en 2003 de sa présence dans nos colonnes à
l’occasion de la sortie de son deuxième album, The
Dreams Concerto sorti en 2002 et qui suivait alors de près le premier
sorti en 2000, Suenos – Dreams. Et puis plus
rien pendant près de 7 ans. C’est que, sans doute, la création musicale
progressive est faite d’embûches. Selon le livret, l’oeuvre daterait de
2007, mais n’aurait été enregistrée à Miami qu’en 2008 et enfi n publiée
chez Musea cette année. Musicalement, alors que
le premier album consistait en une oeuvre en solitaire et quasi
essentiellement à la guitare et que le second, avec ambition, s’embarquait
dans une aventure symphonique, Mare et Terra
est une oeuvre typiquement progressive exécutée en groupe avec un
combo de base (guitare, clavi ers, basse, batterie) et d’autres
intervenants à des instruments qui ont, eux aussi, fait les beaux jours du
Prog, comme le violon, la fl ûte et le saxophone. Bien que
structurellement parfaitement Rock progressif, les compositions sont
(origine vénézuélienne oblige…) fortement hispanisantes. La guitare
classique, souvent jouée en solo lors de nombreux breaks a souvent des
accents de Villa-Lobos, voire même de Rodrigo, ce qui trahit la formation classique de
son auteur. Mais très vite, les breaks à la guitare électrique donnent le
ton progressif qui alors va prendre des accents de Mike Oldfi eld, Steve Hacket
ou de Carlos Santana (ha ! bien sûr,
toujours ce coté hispanisant…).
Quand c’est la fl ûte qui s’en mêle, c’est alors
plutôt à Jethro Tull que l’on a envie de
penser, cette idée étant renforcée par le support de la guitare électrique
qui peut alors prendre des accents à la Martin Barre. Et puis restent ces claviers, tantôt
Mellotronesque, tantôt Moogesque qui vont défi - nitivement apporter ces
touches typiquement Prog ou Néo-Prog. Reste le chant en espagnol qui
peut-être fonctionne mieux quand il s’agit de Salsa ou de Mambo. Mais bon,
la part belle est donnée aux parties instrumentales, alors… Même si elles
ne sont pas une révolution ni n’apportent une grande révolution dans le
genre, les compositions apportent un petit vent de fraîcheur venu du sud
ou plutôt du sud-ouest qui fait plaisir à entendre.
Alex Willem
French to English Automatic
Translation.
Raimundo Rodulfo: Mare et Terra.
English - French
Ha,
RAIMUNDO Rodulfo is not an unknown in these columns. You will recognize,
dear readers, the index of reviews on our website Prog-resistant is a tool
after all, very efficient. Thanks to it I could find the issue in which we
had already talked about Raimundo.
Duffer! It is
only 57 numbers and several hundred disks chronic each issue, a quick
index to refresh the memory is often welcome. Well, then, Raimundo Rodulfo
we had the honor in 2003 of his presence in our columns to mark the
release of his second album, The Dreams Concerto released in 2002 and was
following closely the first out in 2000, Suenos - Dreams. And then nothing
for almost 7 years. Because, without doubt, the progressive musical
creation is made with pitfalls. According to the booklet, the work dates
from 2007 but have been recorded in Miami in 2008 and fi nally published
Musea by this year. Musically, while the first album was a solo work and
almost essentially on guitar and the second, with ambition, embarked on an
adventure Symphony, and Terra Mare is a typical progressive work done in
groups with a combo basis (guitar, claviers, bass, drums) and others on
instruments that have, too, made the heyday of prog, like the violin,
flute and saxophone. Although structurally quite progressive rock, the
compositions are (Venezuelan born forces...) heavily Hispanic. The
classical guitar, often performed solo at many breaks often have accents
of Villa-Lobos, Rodrigo and even, suggesting the classical training of its
author. But very quickly, breaks the electric guitar and the tone is
progressive, so take notes of Mike Oldfield, Steve Hackett and Carlos
Santana (ha! Course, always the Hispanic side...).
When is the flute that gets involved, then it is
rather to Jethro Tull as one wants to think this idea is strengthened by
the support of the electric guitar that can then take accents of Martin
Barre. And then these keyboards are sometimes Mellotronesque, sometimes
going Moogesque challenge - definitively make these keys typically
Neo-Prog or Prog. The rest of the song in Spanish that perhaps works best
when it comes to Salsa or Mambo. Anyway, the spotlight is given to the
instrumental parts, so... Even if they are not a revolution or a
contribution to a great revolution in the genre, the compositions provide
a fresh breeze from the south or southwest rather which is a pleasure to
hear.
Alex Willem
Escursioni
Musicali -
http://francescofabbri.firenze.net - Italy
Arlequins - www.arlequins.net - Italy
Raimundo Rodulfo. The Dreams
Concerto.
Italian - English
Ecco un
disco che si inserisce a pieno diritto nella categoria "irrinunciabili".
Raimundo Rodulfo, chitarrista e compositore venezuelano dal grande
talento, con "The Dreams Concerto" è al secondo lavoro: l'opera si
presenta intrigante fin dal bellissimo booklet, in cui sono riprodotti i
variopinti quadri di Peter Rodulfo, quantomai in tema con la musica di
Raimundo, che è puro prog al 100%, di quello sfavillante e
indimenticabile!
La mezz'ora lungo la quale si
distende il "First Movement" è davvero notevole: in "Sueños" i preziosi,
delicati intrecci chitarra acustica/flauto si alternano a crescendo
sinfonici da pelle d'oca, per un sound sempre caldo e melodicamente
sopraffino. Chi ha già ascoltato gruppi come Iconoclasta e Via Lumini, ma
soprattutto Sagrado e Quaterna Requiem, andrà a nozze con i sontuosi
arrangiamenti di Rodulfo, molto ben elaborati. E non c'è dubbio che il
feeling del CD sia assolutamente latino, tant'è che spesso tornano alla
memoria anche bands nostrane quali Banco e Locanda Delle Fate; forse non è
un caso, vista l'origine italiana della famiglia materna di Raimundo.
Tornando alla suite, eccellenti sono pure le parti vocali femminili (in
spagnolo), affidate a Beatriz Rivas; vivace è l'ultima parte strumentale,
la folkish "Esperanza". Su basi differenti si muove il "Second Movement",
per comporre il quale Rodulfo, che fra l'altro è ingegnere elettronico, si
è servito di un complicato modello matematico di sua creazione,
esaurientemente descritto nel libretto. Ciò resterà astruso per i più;
nondimeno la musica che ne esce è affascinante, oscillando da trame
Camel-canterburiane a passaggi maggiormente jazzy e avanguardistici. Largo
spazio alla sezione ritmica e a strani effetti e filtri applicati alla
chitarra, ora oldfieldiana, ora aggressivamente distorta: 17 minuti di
geniale originalità. "Baroque", prima parte del "Third Movement",
esplicita per contro fin dal titolo tutto l'amore che Rodulfo nutre per
quello stile e per Vivaldi in particolare. Nei dialoghi fra chitarra
classica e strumenti da camera l'energia è più contenuta che altrove, ma
comunque non mancano buone soluzioni armoniche. La suite prosegue con "La
Gran Epopeya de la Música y las Ciencias", sulla scia dei New Trolls di
"Concerto Grosso" e del Rovescio della Medaglia di "Contaminazione": il
connubio fra musica classica e rock è spumeggiante e non artificioso,
proprio come nei capolavori del maestro Bacalov.
Dunque il buon Rodulfo, vero virtuoso della chitarra
(e anche del basso, aggiungo) pur senza indulgere in compiaciute e
masturbatorie elucubrazioni, possiede l'innato dono di rapire
l'ascoltatore. Un sincero plauso a lui e allo stuolo di abili
collaboratori di cui ha saputo circondarsi: tra flauto, sax, violini,
tastiere e percussioni è davvero un bel sentire. Il pubblico europeo, in
primis quello italiano, non può ignorare questo Artista!
Contatti:
www.RaimundoRodulfo.com
Francesco Fabbri - luglio 2003
Italian-English
translation:
Raimundo Rodulfo. The Dreams Concerto.
English - Italian
Here is a
disc that becomes part with full authority of the category
"irrenounceable". Raimundo Rodulfo, Venezuelan guitarist and composer of
great talent, with "The Dreams Concerto" is at his second work. The work
introduces intriguer due to the beautifulst booklet, in which the colorful
pictures of Peter Rodulfo are reproduced, so related in topic with
Raimundo's music, that is pure prog to 100%, of that sparkling and
unforgettable one! The long half hour which stretches the "First Movement"
is really remarkable: in "Sueños" the precious, delicate acoustic guitar
and flute intertwins are alternated with a symphony in crescendo which
gets a goose flesh, for an always warm and melodically excellent sound.
Those who have already listened to groups like Iconoclasta and Via Lumini,
but above all Sagrado and Quaterna Requiem, will go married with the
sumptuous arrangements of Rodulfo, a lot quite elaborated. And there is no
doubt that the feeling of the CD is absolutely Latin, so much that often
return also to the memory local bands like Banco and Locanda Delle Fate;
perhaps it's not a casualty, sight the Italian origin of the maternal
family of Raimundo. Returning to the suite, it's excellent too the female
vocal parts (in Spanish), entrusted to Beatriz Rivas; lively is the last
instrumental part, the folkish "Esperanza". On different bases moves the
"Second Movement", due to the composition which Rodulfo, who among other
things is electronics engineer, has served of a complicated mathematical
model for its creation, described in grand length in the booklet. This
will stay abstruse for many people; nevertheless the music that goes out
is fascinating, oscillating from Camel-Canterbury structures to mainly
jazzy and avant-garde passages. Wide space is left to the rhythmic section
and to strange effects and filters applied to the guitar, at times
Oldfield-ish, at times aggressively distorted: 17 minutes of brilliant
originality. "Baroque", first part of the "Third Movement", explicit title
since it shows all the love that Rodulfo rise for that style and Vivaldi
in particular. In the conversations between classic guitar and chamber
instruments the energy is more contained than elsewhere, but however it
doesn't lack of good harmonic solutions. The suite continues with " La
Gran Epopeya de la Música y las Ciencias", with airs of New Trolls's
"Concerto Grosso" and Rovescio della Medaglia's "Contaminazione": the
marriage between classic music and rock is sparkling and not cunning, just
as in the masterpieces of Maestro Bacalov. Therefore the good Rodulfo,
true virtuoso of guitar (and also of bass, I add) simply without to comply
in accommodating and self-pleasing elucubrations, possess the innate gift
of to charm the listener. A sincere applause to him and the crowd of
skillful collaborators of whom he knew how to surround himself: between
flute, sax, violins, keyboards and percussions is indeed a beautiful
feeling. The European public, mainly the Italian one, must not to ignore
this Artist!
Contact: www.RaimundoRodulfo.com
Francesco Fabbri - July
2003
Tales of Wonder - http://web.tiscali.it/talesofwonder/
- Italy
Raimundo Rodulfo. The
Dreams Concerto.
Italian - English
A monumental and very
ambitious cd that I recommend to everyone's looking for complex music
played with heart and brain.
Per molti di voi
Raimundo Rodulfo potrebbe tranquillamente essere un attore di soap-opere
sudamericane, belloccio e sempre pettinato in modo impeccabile. Invece è
solo un ben pettinato ma poliedrico e virtuoso artista venezuelano tanto
conosciuto in patria quanto sconosciuto all'estero, soprattutto in Europa.
"The Dreams Concerto" è un album composto, suonato
e confezionato tutto in famiglia Rodulfo, potremmo dire. Infatti se le
composizioni sono tutte di Raimundo, i quadri ed i disegni presenti nella
bellissima confezione del cd (ben 37 pagine di booklet) sono opera del
fratello Peter.
Il lungo cd è veramente un ricco
calderone delle principali scuole progressive che la storia della musica
ci ha regalato. Il tutto personalizzato dal gusto latino, dall' immensa
tecnica chitarristica e dall'approccio intellettuale di un musicista
certamente preparatissimo. Si passa con grande disinvoltura dal prog
sinfonico e lineare al prog-jazz più tecnico ed improvvisato lambendo i
territori art-rock. Ma non mancano neanche alcuni momenti di estrazione
più classical-prog come nella prima parte del terzo movimento dove
l'artista venezuelano ci delizia con delle evoluzioni di chitarra classica
accompagnata da flauto, viole e violini. Il tutto corredato (nel booklet)
dalla rappresentazione geometrica, con tanto di formule matematiche
dettagliate, della musica contenuta nella ambiziosissima "Matematica Y
Arte".
Un album eccellente dal punto di vista del
tasso tecnico esibito, di fronte al quale si rimane annichiliti e che
tuttavia per molti potrebbe dimostrarsi un polpettone in alcuni frangenti
duro da digerire.
Un album monumentale ed
intellettualmente molto ambizioso da ascoltare con le orecchie ben
collegate al cervello !!
Luca Alberici
Italian to
English translation
Raimundo
Rodulfo. The Dreams Concerto.
English - Italian
A monumental and very ambitious cd that I recommend to
everyone's looking for complex music played with heart and brain.
For many of you Raimundo Rodulfo could easyly be
an actor of South American soap-operas, fairly good-looking and always
combed in impeccable way. Instead he is not only well combed but a
versatile and virtuoso Venezuelan artist, quite well known in his country
but totally unknown outside, especially in Europe.
" The Dreams Concerto " is an album composed, played
and packaged by Rodulfo family in its entirety, we could say. In fact, the
compositions are all of Raimundo, and his brother Peter made the paintings
that make the 37 pages booklet a small jewel of colours and contents.
This cd is truly a wide kettle of the main progressive
schools that the history of music has given to us, enriched by an unique
latin taste, a superior guitar playing technique and an impressive
intellectual approach to music from a sure well-informed musician.
Here music passes with great sprightliness from the
symphonic and linear prog to the more technician and improvised prog-jazz
walking on the territories of art-rock. But it doesn't lack of some
moments of more classical-prog extraction like in first part of the third
movement where the Venezuelan artist delight us with the evolutions of
classic guitar accompanied with flute, viola and violins. There is a full
development (in the booklet) of the geometric representation, with a lot
of mathematical formulas detailed, of contained music in the most
ambitious " Matematica y Arte ".
An excellent
album from the point of view of the exhibited technical rate, of forehead
to which you remaine annihilated and that however for many people it could
show itself in some parts a little hard to digest.
A monumental and intellectually very ambitious album
for listen with the ears well connected to the brain !!
Luca Alberici
Raimundo Rodulfo. To LIVE
a Dream - Oficial Bootleg.
Italian - English
Raimundo Rodulfo è un
virtuoso della chitarra proveniente dal Venezuela che si sta pian piano
imponendo alla ribalta della scena prog mondiale.
"To Live A Dream" è il suo primo album dal vivo, anche
se in realtà è un bootleg ufficiale, scaricabile esclusivamente dal suo
sito web; per avere accesso all'area protetta è necessario possedere i
suoi primi due album e da questi ottenere la password di accesso.
L'ascolto di questo live, la cui registrazione in
verità è lontana da una qualità eccellente, mi da l'opportunità di
confermare quanto di positivo scrissi sulla sua ultima fatica ufficiale
"The Dreams Concerto": Raimundo è un musicista incredibilmente tecnico,
che sa pizzicare le corde ed usare gli armonici come pochi ma che sa anche
"abbassarsi" e mettersi al servizio di una maggiore accessibilità.
La sua musica è come il petrolio venezuelano: è
abbondante (beati loro), ti contagia a macchia d'olio e qundo si infiamma
ti riscalda al punto giusto. Vi sono chiare influenze progressive, quelle
più classiche e sinfoniche (alla Jethro Tull e Curved Air ) grazie all'uso
molto frequente di strumenti quali violino, viole e flauti; ma non vengono
disdegnati ripetuti sconfinamenti verso il folk di matrice sudamericana,
cioè molto allegro e ritmato come da tradizione.
Ascoltare la sua musica è proprio come vivere un sogno
colorato, molto simile alle rappresentazioni pittoriche del fratello Peter
che puntualmente fanno da corredo ai cd di Raimundo.
Vi consiglio di procurarvi i 2 album che ho menzionato
e di iniziare subito dopo il download di questo concerto. Il sito lo
trovate all'indirizzo www.RaimundoRodulfo.com
Luca Alberici
Italian to English translation
Raimundo Rodulfo. To LIVE
a Dream - Oficial Bootleg.
English - Italian
Raimundo
Rodulfo is a virtouso guitarist coming from Venezuela, whose popularity is
slowly growing up in the classical progressive scene. "To Live A Dream" is
his first live album, even if it's only an official bootleg downloadable
exclusively from Raimundo's website; you can enter the protected area only
if you have his previous two albums which you take the password from.
Althought the recording quality is not so high and
clear, this live performance gives me the opportunity to confirm my very
positive feedback I wrote about "The Dreams Concerto" album.
Raimundo is an incredibly high-skilled musician able
to pinch the chords of his guitar as few guitarist can do; but he also
knows how to "go lower" and to work for a greater accessibility. He has a
very classical background and a clever intellectual approach to music.
Nevertheless his music is far from being boring and
too complex. Inside each track (usually quite long lasting) you can find
progressive influences, as well as classical and symphonic (like Jethro
Tull and Curved Air), thanks to the very frequent use of instruments as
violin, violas and flutes; but also South American folk influences, very
cheerful and rhythmical as per tradition.
His music
is like the petroleum which Venezuela has plenty of and which recently
caused some walk-outs in that country; it's contagious like an oil-stain
and when it caught fire you feel very excited.
Listening to his music is actually like "to live a
dream", an intense and multicoloured dream, so well represented by Peter
Rodulfo's paintings.
My deep recommendations is to
buy his two official albums and to start the download immediately
afterward at www.RaimundoRodulfo.com
Luca Alberici
Movimenti
Prog - www.movimentiprog.net - Italia
RAIMUNDO RODULFO
(Venezuela). The Dreams Concerto.
Italian - English
Un genio dal paese delle telenovelas
Si è sempre data una definizione del rock progressive
come una miscela, un blend di tantissimi generi musicali uniti a formare
una sinergia unica e potente nelle emozioni che regala. Questo disco
rispecchia in pieno tale definizione e lo fa in modo veramente egregio.
Raimundo Rodulfo è un trentaduenne venezuelano
polistrumentista su strumenti a corde e percussioni, laureato in
ingegneria elettronica che ha profonde nozioni di fisica e matematica.
Il suo carattere lo ha sempre portato a cercare di
capire l'influenza che hanno i sogni sulla psicologia dell'uomo e la
positività filosofica che ne scaturisce da essi.
Questa vena onirica di Rodulfo è ben contemplata nei
suoi due unici dischi, il precedente, "Dreams" del 2000, e quest'ultimo
"The Dreams Concerto" del 2002, tutti autoprodotti e distribuiti da
un'etichetta indipendente, la Musical Mind.
E'
incredibile come Rodulfo, in mezzo ad un'oceanica influenza di stili tra i
quali svettano in primis Steve Hackett e Steve Howe, Jethro Tull, Yes e un
pizzico di sapori jazzati, riesca ad unire con una personalissima
rivisitazione delle sinfonie classiche e barocche in chiave latineggiante
così tante sonorità strumentali diverse senza far sì che le stesse oberino
e sommergano l'ascoltatore senza fargli perdere interesse.
Eredità dei suoi studi in ingegneria elettronica è
invece la scomposizione in mere formule matematiche della musica da lui
suonata. Direttamente dal suo sito si può addirittura scaricare un
programma di modeste dimensioni (circa 3 MB), che sulle note del "Secondo
Movimento - Matematica y Arte II" costruisce una rappresentazione grafica
frattale dinamica basata sulle formule matematiche sui cui si basa la
musica stessa.
Tutto questo può però essere meno
interessante per l'ascoltatore attento. D'altronde Rodulfo sottolinea nel
corposo booklet di 38 pagine che fa tutt'uno con l'elegante digipack del
CD, delle quali 10 impegnate nella spiegazione delle sue teorie
matematiche, che chi non fosse interessato alle elucubrazioni astruse da
lui trattate vada pure avanti e si goda il lavoro artistico e prettamente
musicale. E questo è veramente da godere.
E' però
comunque un bene notare come al giorno d'oggi un'artista si applichi e
s'impegni culturalmente da ogni punto di vista intellettivo, e anche
quello visuale è molto curato. Questa è una parte assegnata al pittore
americano Peter Rodulfo (nessuna relazione di parentela con Raimundo), il
quale tratteggia benissimo il significato di ciò che vuole esprimere il
musicista. Dato che anche il concept art del disco precedente del
chitarrista venezuelano era disegnato dallo stesso artista, si può dire
che Peter Rodulfo è diventato un po' come Roger Dean per gli Yes:
un'estensione visuale della concezione sonora del musicista stesso.
Come curiosità si può notare che è presente tra i
numerosi musicisti del disco un altro Rodulfo che non ha nessuna relazione
con Raimundo: il sassofonista statunitense Pablo Gil.
L'album è diviso in Tre Movimenti, come nella più
classica concezione delle sinfonie dei secoli scorsi, a loro volta
suddivisi in altri due sotto-capitoli per ogni Movimento. Ogni traccia del
disco è arte allo stato puro.
Il Primo Movimento,
nella parte della suite di oltre 24 minuti "Sueños", comincia con un
motivo molto classicheggiante cantato dalla soave voce di Beatriz Rivas,
famosa cantante in madre patria e anche bella ragazza, il che non guasta
mai, fino all'incirca il quinto minuto, accompagnata da una precisa
ritmica. Dopo di che c'è un intermezzo, energico e di flauto molto
tulliano, che fa intravedere quel che verrà dopo. Si riprende con il
motivo iniziale orchestrato con violini e chitarra classica e poi si parte
con una cadenza molto rock sempre con stacchi classici cantati dalla
Rivas.
Da circa il dodicesimo minuto inizia il
motivo principale del Movimento sottolineato dalle voci della Rivas e di
Pedro Castillo insieme, con una ritmica movimentata e stacchi ben
congegnati di chitarra elettrica suonati con egregia tecnica da Rodulfo su
controtempi e tempi dispari. Un'orgia di suoni, tecnica e progressive allo
stesso tempo unita ad una sinfonia di stampo classico.
Si chiude in crescendo, dopo un intermezzo d'atmosfera
yessiana e violini, con le voci della Rivas e di Castillo che volteggiano
splendidamente ed esplosioni orchestrali a iosa mentre Rodulfo non smette
mai con i suoi solos tecnicissimi fino alla fine. Splendido brano. Un
tripudio.
Per cercare di rimettere in strada
l'ascoltatore, Rodulfo prosegue con la coda del Primo Movimento,
"Esperanza", motivo allegro e movimentato per chitarre varie in stile
molto Howe nelle atmosfere ma anche molto personale su una ritmica
cadenzata e dispari e con una bella chiusura di flauto.
Eccezionale Rodulfo nell'utilizzo perfetto, tecnico,
preciso e soprattutto appassionato degli strumenti a corda acustici. E'
bravo e suona con cuore, caratteristica dell'artista latino di lontane
origini italiane.
Passiamo al pezzo forte per gli
appassionati delle sonorità prepotentemente progressive: il "Secondo
Movimento", formato da "Matematica y Arte II" e "Muestro al Azar" due
pezzi che sono la summa degli studi matematici di Rodulfo tradotti in arte
musicale.
"Matematica y Arte II", ideale
proseguimento di "Matematica y Arte" presente nel primo disco, parte con
un inizio al fulmicotone in stile Yes, con scale velocissime di chitarra
che ancora una volta esaltano la bravura di Rodulfo su tempi dispari e
stacchi in controtempo e che faranno andare in brodo di giuggiole gli
amanti di queste sonorità. Si prosegue con un tempo cadenzato e giochi
strumentali di chitarra e basso. Si conclude con gli assoli impazziti di
sax di Pablo Gil Rodulfo e di chitarra, sul tempo sostenuto dal basso di
Ricardo Furiati e dagli splendidi stacchi di batteria di Andrés Briceño.
Brano perfetto che sfuma sui giochi di effetti di chitarra in "Muestro al
Azar". Effetti che svaniscono quando attacca la batteria, con balzelli di
drum-kit elettronici come quelli utilizzati da Bill Bruford durante la
tourneè di "Union"nel '91, e la chitarra apre con accordi d'atmosfera in
secondo piano che ricordano qualcosa dei Pink Floyd. Entrate di synth
molto ariose completano le rotondità sonore, mentre Rodulfo chiude
svisando in lontananza e sfumando fino alla fine, nella quale gioca con
gli effetti. Ancora un plauso al chitarrista venezuelano che in questo
brano ha applicato una generazione casuale di pattern elettronici alla
chitarra producendo effetti molto suggestivi.
Si
sentono parecchie influenze in questo lavoro ma il sound e le composizioni
sono tutte molto personali.
Il "Terzo Movimento" è
composto da "Baroque" e "La Gran Epopeya de la Musica y las Cencias".
"Baroque" è un omaggio di quasi un quarto d'ora al
periodo musicale preferito da Rodulfo.
Un
concentrato di stile barocco composto per chitarra classica, violino,
clavicembalo, flauto e arpa. Brano forse un po' soporifero per chi non è
abituato a queste atmosfere classiche di periodi ormai quasi dimenticati.
Però a farceli tenere bene a mente c'è Rodulfo con la sua splendida
tecnica, ed è interessante notare come un musicista moderno sia ancora in
grado di comporre un'opera del genere che sembra scaturita direttamente
dal XVII secolo.
Questo è il brano che lo fa
avvicinare di più in assoluto ad un compositore classico che non ad un
musicista rock. Un altro bravo.
"La Gran Epopeya de
la Musica y las Cencias" è il proseguimento naturale di "Baroque", come
spiega Rodulfo stesso nel booklet, soltanto che che sulle sonorità
precedenti ha inserito, a perfetta chiusura dell'album e a favore della
varietà sonora, il suo perfetto chitarrismo e tutta la strumentazione
elettrica di un gruppo rock che riprende in tutto e per tutto gli stilemi
di questa musica.
Questo rende il pezzo di quasi
sedici minuti un perfetto connubio di barocco, classica e rock il quale
alla fine non è nient'altro che la mera definizione del progressive, per
tornare al discorso iniziale, ma che comunque infine si trasforma in
qualcosa che non è progressive nella comune accezione del termine.
Rodulfo nella sua genialità riesce a completare questa
sua sinfonia in modo perfetto ricordando addirittura a volte, ma solo
nelle atmosfere e nelle modalità di giuntura tra i diversissimi mondi
musicali del classicheggiante e del rock, un altro "mostro" della
chitarra: Yngwie J. Malmsteen, che ha fatto dell'unione tra i sinfonismi e
l'heavy metal la sua bandiera. Rodulfo lo fa però in modo molto più
elegante, meno pesante e monotono, bloccando all'improvviso le sue
sfuriate di chitarra e riprendendo nel bel mezzo le melodie di chitarra
classica e i barocchismi dei violini quando capisce che sta per sforare in
un campo che non gli appartiene. Un altro brano memorabile del suo
repertorio.
In conclusione questo è un lavoro
prettamente strumentale, nel quale le voci della Rivas e di Castillo sono
soltanto di contorno e nel quale vengono esaltate le capacità strumentali
e compositive di Raimundo Rodulfo, vero e proprio mattatore e protagonista
del disco come è giusto che sia.
E' un artista
contemporaneo tra i migliori e più geniali in circolazione ed è un peccato
che non trovi un contratto adeguato presso una major. Ma si sa: questo non
è un genere assolutamente trainante su cui investire, in barba alla
validità del musicista.
Se non viene dato il
massimo dei voti è soltanto per la cattivissima distribuzione europea,
quasi totalmente assente, che rende di difficile reperibilità questo
capolavoro autoprodotto, forse uno dei migliori del 2002.
Daniel Cutali
Italian to English
translation:
RAIMUNDO RODULFO (Venezuela). The Dreams Concerto.
English - Italian
A genius from the country of the soap-operas
Always has been given a definition of rock
progressive as a mixture, a blend of so many musical genres united to form
a powerful and unique synergy of the emotions that it gives. This disc
fully reflects such definition and does it in a really distinguished
way.
Raimundo Rodulfo is a thirty-two-years-old
Venezuelan multi-instrumentalist on strings and percussion instruments,
graduated in electronics engineering that has deep knowledge of physics
and mathematics. His character has always made him want to understand the
influence that dreams have on the psychology of man and the philosophical
positivism that springs of that. This dreamlike vein of Rodulfo is quite
contemplated in his two soloist discs, the precedent, "Dreams" of 2000,
and this last one "The Dreams Concerto" of 2002, all self-productions.
And it's incredible how Rodulfo, in the middle of an
ocean of style influences between which stand out primarily Steve Hackett
and Steve Howe, Jethro Tull, Yes and a bite of jazzy tastes, succeeds to
unite with a personal revisiting of the classic symphonies and baroque in
latin key so much different instrumental sounds without being overwhelming
and submerging the listeners without making them lose interest.
Inherited of his studies in electronics engineering is
instead the decomposition in pure mathematical formulas of the music that
he plays. Directly from his site is possible to download a program of
modest dimensions (about 3 MB), that builds on the notes of the "Second
Movement - Matemática y Arte II" a graphic dynamic fractals representation
based on the mathematical formulas on whose the same music is based.
However, all this is less interesting for the careful listener. On the
other hand Rodulfo underlines in the thick 38-pages booklet that forms the
elegant CD digipack, of which 10 are dedicated to the explanation of his
mathematic theories, that those don't interested in his abstract
elucubrations can go ahead and enjoy the artistic and truly musical work.
And this is really to enjoy.
However, is good to
notice how, like the nowadays artists, he is culturally dedicated and
engaged to every intellectual point of view, and also the visual one is
deeply treated. This is a part assigned to the American painter Peter
Rodulfo (no connection of relations with Raimundo), who sketches well the
meaning of what the musician wants to express. As the Venezuelan guitarist
previous disc art concept was also drawn by the same artist, that means
that Peter Rodulfo became a little like Roger Dean for Yes: a visual
extension of the sound conception of the musician himself.
As a curious note, between the numerous musicians of
the disc is present another Rodulfo that has no connection with Raimundo:
the American saxophonist Pablo Gil.
The album is
divided in three movements, like in most classic conception of the past
centuries symphonies, at the same time subdivided in other two
sub-chapters for every movement. Every track of the disc is art in pure
state.
The First Movement, in the part of the
beyond-24-minutes suite "Sueños", begins with a very classical theme sung
by the gentle voice of Beatriz Rivas, well-known singer in mother homeland
and also attractive girl, what never is out of order, until it changes
over the fifth minute, accompanied of a precise rhythmic theme. After that
comes an interval, energetic and with lot of Tull-like flute, that
foresees what comes after. It comes again with the initial theme
orchestrated with violins and classic guitar and then it is left with a
very rockish cadence always with classic gaps sung by Rivas. From about
the twelfth minute it begins the main theme of the movement underlined
from the voice of Rivas and Pedro Castillo together, with a lively
rhythmic theme and breaks quite devised of electric guitar played with
notable technique by Rodulfo on polyrhythmic and uneven tempos. An orgy of
sounds, technique and progressive united at the same time to a symphony of
classic estructure. It is closed in crescendo, after an interval of
Yes-ish atmosphere and violins, with the voice of Rivas and Castillo which
splendidly return and orchestral explosions in abundance while Rodulfo
never stops with his technical solos through the end. Splendid piece. A
rejoice. In order to put the listener again in the road, Rodulfo continues
with the tail of the First Movement, "Esperanza", cheerful and lively with
varied guitars very Howe style in the atmospheres but also very personal
on the rhythmic cadence and uneven tempo and with an attractive closing of
flute. Exceptional Rodulfo in the perfect utilization, technique, precise
and passionate above all in the acoustic strings instruments. And capable
to plays with heart, characteristic of the Latin artist of distant Italian
origins.
We go next to the strong theme for the
fascinating predominantly progressive sound: the "Second Movement", formed
by "Matemática y Arte II" and "Muestreo al Azar", two tracks that are the
summa of the mathematics studies of Rodulfo translated to musical art.
"Matemática y Arte II", ideal sequel of "Matemática y Arte" present in the
first disc, starts with a fulminant beginning in a Yes style, with the
fastest scales of guitar that once again exalt the skill of Rodulfo on
uneven times and tempo breaks and that will make the lovers of these sound
happy. It continues with a time cadence and instrumental guitar and bass
playing. It is concluded with the mad sax solo of Pablo Gil Rodulfo and
the guitar solo, over the continuous bass of Ricardo Furiati and the
splendid drum playing of Andrés Briceño. Perfect piece that vanishes on
the guitar effects playing in "Muestro al Azar". Effects that vanish when
drums attack, with heavy doses of electronic drum-kit as those used by
Bill Bruford during the '91 "Union" tour, and the guitar opens with
atmospheric chords in the background which remembers Pink Floyd. Then the
synth enters pompously completing the soundscape, while Rodulfo closes
harmonizing in the distance and vanishing through the end, in which he
plays with the effects. Still an approval to the Venezuelan guitarist that
in this track applied an aleatory generation of electronic patterns to the
guitar producing very evocative effects. Several infuences can be felt in
this job but the sound and the compositions are all very personal.
The "Third Movement" is composed of "Baroque" and "La
Gran Epopeya de la Música y las Ciencias". "Baroque" is a tribute of
almost quarter an hour to Rodulfo's favorite musical period. A compendium
of baroque style composition for classic guitar, violin, clavicembalo,
flute and harp. A suite perhaps a little soporific for who is not used to
these classic atmospheres of periods now almost forgotten. However let's
keep well in mind that there Rodulfo is with his splendid technique, and
it's interesting to note how a modern musician is still in a position of
to compose a work of the kind that seems sprung directly from the XVII
century. This is the theme that he approaches more absolutely as a classic
composer than as a rock musician. Another Bravo!.
"La Gran Epopeya de la Música y las Ciencias" is the
natural sequel of "Baroque", how Rodulfo himself explains in the booklet,
only that on this theme he introduced, as a perfect closing for the album
and in favor of the varied sound, his perfect guitar playing and all the
electric instrumentation of a rock group that takes it in all again and
for all the styles of this music. This renders the suite of almost sixteen
minutes a perfect marriage of baroque, classic and rock which finally is
nothing but the mere definition of progressive, to return to the initial
speech, but that however is finally transformed in something that is not
progressive in the common meaning of the word.
Rodulfo in his brilliance succeeds to complete his
symphony in perfect manner quite remembering in times, but just in
atmospheres and the modalities of making an union between the most various
musical worlds of classics and rock, another guitar "monster": Yngwie J.
Malmsteen, who did of the union between symphonic music and heavy metal
his flag. Rodulfo does it however in a more elegant way, without being
weighing and monotonous, blocking unexpectedly his guitar picking and
taking again in the beautiful intermezzo the melodies of classic guitar
and the baroque feeling of violins when he understands that is about to
overrun in a field that does not belong him. Another memorable piece of
his repertory.
In conclusion this is a truly
instrumental work, in which the voice of Rivas and Castillo are just
surrounding and in which is excited the instrumental and compositive
capacity of Raimundo Rodulfo, true and actual director and protagonist of
the disc just the way it is. And a contemporary artist between the best
and most brilliant ones in circulation, and is a sin that he doesn't find
an adequate major distribution contract. But it is known: this is not an
absolutely pulling ahead genre on which invest, in spite of the value of
the musician. If it doesn't get the maximum of the votes is just for the
worst European distribution, nearly totally absent, that renders of
difficult availability this self-produced masterpiece, perhaps one of the
best of 2002.
Daniel
Cutali
Eventyr Magazine -
www.eventyr-records.it - Italy
Raimundo Rodulfo - Sueños
Italian - English
Autoproduzione - 2000
Raimundo Rodulfo è un compositore e polistrumentista
venezuelano autore di due album, entrambi recensiti in questo decimo
numero di Eventyr Magazine. In questo lavoro d'esordio Rodulfo, oltre ad
aver composto tutte le partiture, si è fatto carico di suonare le chitarre
(elettriche, acustiche, classiche e slide), il mandolino, il basso e le
percussioni. A coadiuvarlo in questa impresa vi è una folta schiera di
musicisti: Frank Alburjas (flauto), Lermit Martinez (tastiere), Jesus
Perez (batteria), Alfredo Suarez (percusioni), Carlo Rodriguez (basso),
Cesar Romano (violino), Efrain Ramirez (viola), Edgar Rodriguez (sax). Lo
stile compositivo di Rodulfo trae ispirazione principalmente dagli Yes,
soprattutto per quanto riguarda la maniera di suonare la chitarra: il buon
Raimundo infatti, sia che si esibisca con l'elettrica o con l'acustica,
sembra essere cresciuto con in mente i soli del grande Steve Howe e con
una gran voglia di emularli. L'influenza Yes non è tuttavia così assoluta
(e ingombrante) nei quasi 70 minuti del disco. La presenza di flauto e
violino fa si che le composizioni virino talvolta verso un folk piuttosto
gradevole mentre altre volte è il jazz a fare capolino grazie sia alla
presenza del sax (strumento purtroppo non così utilizzato in ambito prog)
che al "cambio di stile" della chitarra che prende le distanze da Howe e
confeziona improvvisazioni non proprio degne di John Scofield ma tutto
sommato non spiacevoli. Per concludere possiamo dire che i brani sono
tutti piuttosto gradevoli e non privi di una certa originalità,
caratteristica quest'ultima che trova la massima espressione nella quarta
traccia, intitolata non a caso "Tormenta de ideas", nella quale si passa
con una certa efficacia dalla fusion al reggae fino ad arrivare al jazz e
al blues, a confezionare sette minuti di ottimo progressive. Stranamente
il brano più debole dell'album è forse proprio la canonica, onnipresente
mega-suite (oltre 21 minuti), a volte orientata verso una insipida new age
e nella quale le idee risultano comunque un po' annacquate ed
eccessivamente dilatate forse proprio allo scopo di raggiungere l'elevato
minutaggio sempre gradito ai prog fan (che alle volte sembrano dimenticare
come si possa fare dell'ottimo progressive anche in brani di 4 o 5 minuti.
Gentle Giant docet...). Da ascoltare.
Paolo Formichetti
Italian to English
Translation:
Raimundo Rodulfo - Sueños
English - Italian
Self Production - 2000
Raimundo Rodulfo is a Venezuelan composer and
multiinstrumentalist author of two albums, both reviewed in this tenth
issue of Eventyr Magazine. In this debut work of Rodulfo, beyond having
composed all the scores, he has played the guitars (electric, acoustic,
classic and slide), the mandolin, the bass and the percussions. To help
him in this endeavour is a large rank of musicians: Frank Alburjas
(flute), Lermit Martinez (keyboards), Jesus Perez (drums), Alfredo Suarez
(percussion), Carlos Rodriguez (bass), Cesar Romano (violin), Efrain
Ramirez (viola), Edgar Rodriguez (sax).
The
compossing style of Rodulfo take inspiration mainly from Yes, mainly
regarding the way to play the guitar: actually the good Raimundo, whether
is exhibited with the electric or the acoustic, seems to have been grown
up with the unique grand Steve Howe in mind and with a big desire to
emulate him. The Yes infuence is not however therefore absolute (and
cumbersome) in the almost 70 minutes of the disk. The presence of flute
and violin does itself that the compositions turn sometimes towards a
rather pleasant folk while other times is the jazz predominating thanks to
the presence of the sax (instrument unfortunately therefore not used in
within prog) and to the "change of style" of the guitar that keeps a
distance from Howe and manifactures improvisations worthy of John Scofield
but all together pleasantly.
To conclude we can say
that all the tracks are rather pleasant and not lacking of a certain
originality, feature this last which finds the greatest expression in the
fourth track, not randomly titled "Brainstorm", in which is gone with a
certain effectiveness from fusion to reggae until arriving to jazz and
blues, making seven minutes of the best progressive. Strangely the weakest
piece of the album is perhaps actual the canonical, omnipresent mega-suite
(beyond 21 minutes), sometimes orientated towards an insipid new age and
in which the ideas result however a little one watered down and ecessively
expanded perhaps actual to the purpose of to reach the high timing always
appreciated by prog fan (that sometimes seem to forget how is possible to
do the best progressive in 4 or 5 minutes: Gentle Giant). To listen to.
Paolo Formichetti
Raimundo Rodulfo - The Dreams Concerto
Italian - English
Autoproduzione - 2002
Secondo album per il bravo compositore venezuelano
Raimundo Rodulfo e seconda recensione sullo stesso numero di Eventyr
Magazine. In questo lavoro le cose si fanno ancora più complesse ed
ambiziose che nel precedente, Sueños. Il disco è sottotitolato infatti
"Concerto per chitarra, gruppo e orchestra da camera" e consta infatti di
3 movimenti, 3 mega-suite che durano, rispettivamente, 28, 16 e 33 minuti.
L'elenco dei musicisti utilizzati per registrare quest'opera è
lunghissimo: oltre allo stesso Rodulfo (chitarre, mandolino, percussioni,
basso, voce) la lista comprende Lermit Martinez (tastiere), Carlo
Rodriguez (basso), già presenti nel lavoro precedente, nonchè Pablo
Rodulfo (sax), Pedro Castillo e Beatrice Rivas (voce), Andres Briceno
(batteria), Cesar Romano (violino, viola), Carlos Orozco (arpa), Manuel
Rojas (flauto), solo per citarne alcuni. Passando ai contenuti diciamo
subito, tanto per essere chiari, che si tratta di un disco veramente molto
bello in cui la musica classica, a seconda dei casi, si affianca o si
fonde quasi alla perfezione con il progressive. Le parti più
classicheggianti, per inciso le migliori del disco, rimandano alla mente
ora Bach, ora Vivaldi, ora alcune composizioni per chitarra classica ed
orchestra (le opere di Rodrigo, ad esempio), e sono caratterizzate
dall'assenza assoluta di batteria o strumenti elettrici e, al contrario,
da sontuosi arrangiamenti acustici con archi, flauto e chitarra classica a
ricamare di continuo bellissime melodie. In altri momenti, invece, con
l'ingresso della batteria e con Rodulfo che imbraccia la chitarra
elettrica, abbiamo una perfetta fusione tra musica classica e moderna. I
risultati sono quasi sempre piuttosto apprezzabili tranne quando Rodulfo
si fa prendere un po' troppo la mano e si lancia in veloci soli di
Malmsteeniana memoria. In ogni caso anche in questi frangenti non si scade
fortunatamente mai nel cattivo gusto che invece caratterizza il pingue
guitar-hero svedese, anche se va sottolineato come Rodulfo dia il meglio
di se dal punto di vista compositivo più quando ricama con la chitarra
elettrica parti lente e melodiche che quando si lancia in scale barocche
eseguite ad iper-velocità, che poi, se vogliamo dirla tutta, non è neanche
così iper... (almeno in questo caso dobbiamo spezzare una lancia in favore
dell'adiposo Yngwie e riconoscerne la superiorità). Delle tre suite, la
prima e la terza, a parte piccolissime cadute di tono, sono veramente
molto belle e richiedono un ascolto attento e partecipe per essere
apprezzate fino in fondo. Oltre alle influenze classiche prima citate
fanno venire alla mente, per restare in ambito prog, Quaterna Requiem,
Sagrado, Iconoclasta, vale a dire la crema del progressive centro-sud
americano, nonché il mitico "Concerto grosso" dei New Trolls. La seconda
suite, fortunatamente la più breve delle tre, si lascia apprezzare un po'
meno a causa del suo carattere maggiormente sperimentale ed
avanguardistico che lascia l'ascoltatore un po' spiazzato specie a causa
dell'inevitabile confronto con il calore sprigionato dalle altre due
composizioni. In ogni caso si tratta di un cd veramente molto bello che
rifulge di luce assai brillante tra le produzioni che negli ultimi anni
sono provenute dal Sud-America. Promosso a pieni voti.
Paolo Formichetti
Italian to English
Translation:
Raimundo Rodulfo – The Dreams
Concerto
English - Italian
Self Production - 2002
Second album of the clever Venezuelan composer
Raimundo Rodulfo and second review on the same number of Eventyr Magazine.
In this work the things go even more complex and ambitious than in the
precedent, Sueños. The disk is actually subtitled "Concert for Guitar,
Group and Chamber Orchestra" and in fact contains 3 movements, 3
mega-suites that last, respectively, 28, 16 and 33 minutes. The list of
the musicians used to record this work is long: besides Rodulfo himself
(guitars, mandolin, percussions, bass, vocals) the list includes Lermit
Martinez (keyboards), Carlos Rodriguez (bass), already present in the
previous work, and Pablo Rodulfo (sax), Pedro Castillo and Beatriz Rivas
(vocals), Andres Briceño (drums), Cesar Romano (violin, viola), Carlos
Orozco (harp), Manuel Rojas (flute), just to name some. Passing to the
contents immediately we say, just to be clear, that it is a really very
attractive disk in which the classic music, second of the cases, is placed
side by side or almost perfectly melted with progressive rock. The more
classic parts, bytheway the best of the disk, bring again to mind
sometimes Bach, sometimes Vivaldi, and some compositions for classic
guitar and orchestra (the works of Rodrigo, for example), and are
characterized for the absolute absence of drums or electric instruments
and, on the contrary, by sumptuous acoustic arrangiamenti with strings,
flute and classic guitar to weave continually the beautifulst melodies. In
other moments, instead, with the arrival of drums and with Rodulfo who
takes the electric guitar, we have a perfect merger between classic and
modern music. The results are almost always rather valuable except when
Rodulfo is done to take a little too much the hand and it is thrown in a
fast solo of Malmsteenian tradition. In any case also in these fragments
it is never ended fortunately in the bad taste that instead characterizes
the fat swedish guitar-hero, even if goes emphasized how Rodulfo gives the
best of himself from the composing point of view more when weaves with the
electric guitar slow and melodic parts than when goes on baroque scales
executed with hypervelocity, and then, if we want to say it all, is not
therefore that hiper... (at least in this case we must break one lance in
favor of the fat Yngwie and recognize his superiority). Of the three
suite, the first one and the third one, besides smallest tone falls, are
truly much beautiful and demand careful and participating listening to be
deeply appreciated. Besides the classic influences named before, came to
mind, in order to remain in within prog, Quaterna Requiem, Sagrado,
Iconoclasta, farewell to say the cream of the Center and South American
progressive, as well as the mythical "Concerto Grosso" of the New Trolls.
The second suite, fortunately the shorter of the three, lets appreciate a
little less itself except for because of its much more experimental
character and avant garde that leaves the listener a little moved out of
position specialy because of the inevitable comparison with the heat
emitted from the other two compositions. At any case it is a really very
beautiful CD that shines with much bright light between the productions
that have come from South America in the last years. Recommended with the
highest rating.
Paolo
Formichetti
Classic Rock Society - www.classicrocksociety.com -
UK
Rock Society
Magazine
-Issue # 129
"The Dreams Concerto" -
Raimundo Rodulfo
Raimundo Rodulfo is a
Venezuelan musician. With this album, subtitled "Concerto for guitar,
group and orchestra", he has written a modern classical composition
featuring his playing of classical, acoustic and electric guitar
accompanied by a group of over 12 accomplished musicians and vocalists. In
essence the 3 movements that comprise this piece form variations on a
theme with a general classical Baroque feel. The only break from this
general form is at the end of the second movement where Raimundo has used
a Digital Sound Processor on the main theme to generate electronic and
fusion ingredients. Conceptually the pieces are supposed to represent "the
unswerving spirit of the human being in his endeavours to fulfil his
dreams and discern his surrounding universe", but the lyrics present in
the first movement, although excellently sung in a classical style by
Beatriz Rivas, are not in English, so I cannot comment as to how well they
draw out this theme. What is clear is that Raimundo has spent considerable
time developing the mathematics and musical patterns behind these pieces,
which are depicted by computer generated equations and geometrical
fractals in the very detailed booklet that accompanies this album. While
mentioning this booklet I must also point out the stunning artwork
provided by Brit artist Peter Rodulfo. Whilst not rock music as such, I
feel that many people with an interest in classical music, especially of
the Baroque style, will get a lot out of this album. It is certainly well
conceived and presented. For more info see Raimundo's website at
www.RaimundoRodulfo.com.
Paul Allwood
ProgNaut - www.ProgNaut.com - USA
Raimundo Rodulfo's The Dreams
Concerto.
A prog gem came to me via Venezuela
late last month in the form of Raimundo Rodulfo's The Dreams Concerto.
This 6 track 78+ minute cd is done in three major
movements, all epic in sound and production.
Guitarist/Composer Raimundo Rodulfo brings
symphonic/classic prog back into the new millennium with nods to the
giants of the 70's while adding a latin flavor all it's own. Beautiful
instrumentation can be found throughout especially in the guitar playing
which goes from classical to flamenco to rock within a few moments.
The only "flaw" I hear is the low key vocals. They are
almost like background instrument.
There is a full
orchestra at work too but they are a part of the band rather than an
augmented after-thought.
Powerful yet melodic
symphonic rock dominates this fine release.
This
was a late entry in the year 2002 and almost snuck in so Raimundo is one
to watch for in years to come.
In the meantime buy
this cd as it's well worth the money to hear this fabulous piece of
music.
Ron Suchs
[February 16th, 2003]
Raimundo Rodulfo's Mare et
Terra
1. Who is the band? What is their history? What
motivates them?
“Raimundo Rodulfo is a Venezuelan-born artist,
guitarist and composer, currently living in South Florida. To date he has
produced three studio albums and two live albums, all featuring his own
compositions performed with a wide group of talented and renowned guest
musicians from several countries.” (Raimundo Rodulfo My Space.com, 2009).
“Rodulfo's music does not follow any kind of genre
or style. Nevertheless, specialized media from around the world refer to
it as Symphonic and Progressive Rock, Jazz Fusion, Folk Rock, and other
forms. In the artists own words: I agree with all of them; I just create
the kind of music I would like to enjoy as a listener, and it is simply
all the good music, regardless of its kind” (Raimundo Rodulfo My
Space.com, 2009).
“The last studio albums of Rodulfo’s discography
are Mare et Terra (Musea Records, 2008) and The Dreams Concerto. The first
one has just been released by Musea Records and was recorded in the US,
Spain and Venezuela between 2004 and 2008, featuring a mixture of
classical and contemporary elements in composition and performance. The
second one is a Concerto for Guitar, Group, and Chamber Orchestra,
featuring fifteen musicians playing both classical acoustic and modern
electric instruments. This album includes a three-movement work performed
over almost eighty minutes, with influences from classical music and the
contemporary genres of Rock and Jazz, as well as the inevitable element of
South American Folk music he was exposed to growing up. This work also
features some experimental elements, including a mathematical model
applied to music and other research works involving both music and
engineering fields” (Raimundo Rodulfo My Space.com, 2009).
“With his band Rodulfo has performed at the Baja
Prog Progressive Rock Festival in Baja California, Mexico, and the Prog
Jazz Festival in Venezuela, among other events. Rodulfo and the band have
also opened for International artists The Flower Kings (Sweden), Little
Atlas (USA,) and Pablo Gil (USA/France/Venezuela)” (Raimundo Rodulfo My
Space.com, 2009).
“All of Raimundo Rodulfo’s albums feature the
artistic work of Peter Rodulfo, a famed British painter, whose paintings
show in art galleries in Miami, New York, London, Rio de Janeiro and other
cities in America and Europe. Peter and Raimundo met at a genealogical
forum on the Internet when Peter was looking for far-flung relatives in
South America, and he discovered their common ancestry in Venezuela two
centuries ago” (Raimundo Rodulfo My Space.com, 2009).
2. Why did they make this album? What was the
passion or message that forced them to produce what they have? Or, simply
what was their motivation for the themes they chose for this album?
The latest release in the career of a musician with
great critical acclaim.
3. What message are they delivering through their
lyrics and music?
MARE (OCEAN)
1. Náufrago - Shipwrecked, the literal translation.
An over 36 minute piece of music starting from beachside with the ocean
breezes and sounds surrounding you. Then the flamenco guitar takes over
and sets the music in motion. The ocean fades away and you are left with
awesome guitar strumming and picking. Then some flute and piano as the
pace begins to pick up. Unbelievably complex work on the guitar and flutes
abound. Electric guitar, piano, keys, percussion and then violins come in
adding to the musical portrait as the song builds. Trumpets to bring in
the Spanish sound. This part makes you want to get up and dance. Can you
really dance to prog…well you can to this!
So many sounds surrounding you that you are
wondering what’s next. Good strong Latin beat, but the song is full of
wonderful changes of tempo and you are never bored.
Then some vocals and synths, as if you needed more.
But the song just keep building and getting stronger with each minute. I
do love the epics and this guy knows how to build a song and fill it with
the sounds of the ocean and every wonderful instrument from this Earth!
Very progressive with a Latin vibe. Then heavy bass
followed by synths and keyboards to provide more variation and excitement.
Maracas and more great percussion followed by soaring guitar riffs. Spacey
keys, then bass and drums following a Latin beat, as if you are traveling
on the coast of some South American beach!
Violins and brass help bring the music to a close,
with the wonderful sound of the tide rolling back out into the ocean, and
although you have enjoyed over 36 minutes of music you are ready for more.
Very inspired work! How do you top this!
2. Libertad - Violins, keys, and guitar open this
before vocals add to the variety. Definitely a Latin rhythm to this one.
Freedom, and you can feel it in this song! I do speak Spanish and all the
vocals on this album are in Spanish.
A more earthy mix, with flutes, drums, guitar,
piano and then some synths kick in to remind you this is a prog mix. The
guitar work is wonderful throughout. The sounds of the ocean end this side
or part of the album. Off to the land.
TERRA (LAND)
3. Blue - Sounds of percussion start this one off
with what sounds like construction machinery or the sounds of the city
with cars beeping and you know where I’d rather be…back on the beach! But
the guitar work and Latin rhythm continues supported by some very good
synthesizer work.
Saxophone and rougher, darker guitar strings to
highlight the change from sea to the city. Jazzier with trumpets and
heavier piano and synths. Flutes and faster beats then the relaxing flutes
sooth and slow things down. Piano and the rhythm settle back into a South
Florida relaxing feel.
4. Thoughts I – Solo flute and birds in the
background sound like a warm summer or spring day. Then some acoustic
guitar and what sounds like a harpsichord, before rocking guitars and
drums launch into a new rhythm. Maracas and English vocals, A love song
that closes with these lyrics, “moments I remember, I dreamed of our
future.” “Thoughts I won’t surrender, reality of delusion.”
5. Thoughts II – Racing guitars that remind me of
some of Jimmy page’s solo material and synths to open the closer. Then
flute and drums to a soft Latin rhythm. Then all the instruments from the
previous songs accompanied by synths and keys.
4. Does this music improve, change, or add to the
genre? What does the listener receive from listening to the music?
This is just completely different than anything I
have heard. Yes there are elements of Santana and many other prog heroes,
but never together in the same way. The Latin influence adds variety to a
genre that desperately needs variety. The album closes as it began with
the sounds of nature, acoustic guitars, and violins.
6. Does it have longevity? Is it something a fan
will like to play again and again?
Yes, I will be playing it often, now that I have
discovered it.
Rating: 8/10 – Very good and original. Music that
experiments and always varies throughout.
Reviewed by Prof on August 12th, 2009
DPRP -
www.dprp.vuurwerk.nl - The Netherlands
RAIMUNDO RODULFO'S
DREAMS
It is not often that we get a South American
album to review. Indeed it is quite a gem if you are interested in calm,
moody and semi-acoustic music. This must also be the reason that Musea
Records has selected this album as their pick of the month January. Behind
the CD lies quite a story that can be read on his Internet page (see
above, you can also find soundclips etc. there)... The band recently
opened for The Flower Kings, again giving a testimony to their musical
skills.
Now to the album itself: the Steve
Howe-like acoustic guitar opening of Labyrinth sets the scene for what is
to come. The song continues a bit folky, bringing seventies bands like
Happy The Man or the highly symphonic Sebastian Hardy albums to mind. As
such, the compositions sound a bit dated, but well, good music never dies.
The guitar, both electric and acoustic, plays the most prominent role on
this track, supported by a very strong rhythm section. In the guitar lines
I sometimes seem to hear a couple of bars of the odd Yes songs (which also
were clearly an influence to Raimundo). All in all a really nice uptempo,
sometimes even edging to jazz, opener of the album. The folky influences
continue in the next track, Friendship. Here, the Sebastian Hardy
reference is even stronger. The interplay between a violin and the guitar
is very nicely done. New Horizons starts very Howe-like again, fingering
the acoustic guitar in top speed. The flute and violin over it gives it a
calm mood, almost like Granchester's Meadow (Pink Floyd)... The song
combines uptempo almost danceable pieces with very withdrawn parts,
keeping it interesting... Brainstorm is more electric, a bit more in the
vein of the jazzier French jazz-fusion-proggers like Spheroe (although
they keep it quite easy at first, with a 2-4 beat rasta rhythm as the most
shocking part before entering a truly jazzy part, even featuring some
trumpet)... It is understandable why especially Musea showed interest in
this album, seeing the preference they show for the more jazzier and
complex progressive music, as well as the symphonic highlights of the
seventies. This album fits in seamlessly with the rest of their catalogue.
Therefore, I don't think this will remain an independent production for
long. It has all the quality to deserve a good marketing and distribution
channel.
Remco
Schoenmakers
RAIMUNDO RODULFO'S THE DREAMS CONCERTO
This album is something really special. Rodulfo mixes
classical music with rock in a way I have not yet heard before, all
sounding perfectly natural. His music on this album is an enormously rich
blend of many many genres, from Latin folk music, gypsy influences, Bach
to Steve Howe (some sections on the first movement sound like Soon). All
this is played on the original instruments (which doesn't mean that there
are no keyboards on the album, like organ sounds). He states that, being
an autodidact, he had some difficulty in getting his ideas across to the
players on the album, but in the end this rather unorthodox ways have paid
off. When listening to this album, and especially the first movement, you
never know whether you are listening to classical music or rock. So it is
definitely not like Ekseption, playing classical tunes with electrical
instruments, nor is is like the London Philharmonic playing Pink Floyd,
no, Rodulfo is a genre on his own right.
The compositions are a real enjoyment to
listen to if you can take the time to absorb them, even though the more
experimental Second Movement is a tough one. Many elements of seventies
progressive rock, like on his first album Dreams, are mixed between other
styles. Here you pick up some Steve Howe, there some Sebastian Hardy, some
Ian Anderson or even Keith Emerson (by the way, he does quote these
artists in his "thank you" section).
There is no time to drift away too far, this
music deserves your full attention while listening to it, and would best
be performed live in a "classical" concert hall, even despite the very
rocky guitar work at the end of the first movement. The second movement is
hard to digest, as I mentioned before. The whole section is based on a
quite ingenious mathematical model he has developed, which is presented in
Spanish in the booklet. I could not follow it completely, but it seems
quite well worked out, despite the occasional "for musical reasons we
adopt ..." statements, which throw in a more inexact component into the
otherwise abstract theory. The end result is a quite jazzy piece,
reminding of for instance Spheroe, or other French experimental jazz
bands.
In Muestreo al Azar he starts to experiment
with digital signal processing techniques. I am not quite sure where these
come in and what their effect is on the final result, which is quite
abstract and psychedelic in the beginning and subsequently becomes more
"rock"-like. There is no bigger contrast between the emotional and
impressive first movement and this experimental, mathematical and almost
"cold" second movement, even though the last section has its
merits.
The
third movement is closest to classical music, with the classical, Spanish
guitar playing a lead role. There are almost no rock elements, and it is a
mixture between the Baroque period and composers like De Falla or Ravel.
Only in La Gran Epopeya de la Música y las Ciencias does the rock element
return when the drums set in, giving the classical music a new rhythmic
drive with the use of syncopes.
In conclusion: for people with a classical
music background, combined with a love for prog rock, I believe this album
is essential, due to the First Movement. Maybe I've missed out on
something, but this First Movement was a unique experience to me, such a
joy in creating music that irradiates from this piece. Minor details are
the somewhat "dry" mix and some sections are a bit "thin" sounding, could
have benefited from a more massive keyboard sound (or even better, a
choir). Especially in the third movement I tend to loose my concentration
due to fact that no real climax is build. The Second Movement is very
interesting in terms of experiment, but the music is not too overwhelming
from an emotional point of view there. But still, there is so much to be
experienced on this album, it is so out-of-the-ordinary that I will grant
it a ´DPRP recommended´ tag. But caution: if you do not like complex
classical compositions, and just wanna rock, this is not for you!
Conclusion: 8 out of
10.
Remco
Schoenmakers
Kinesis -
www.kinesiscd.com - USA
RAIMUNDO RODULFO - MARE ET TERRA
Mare et Terra is Rodulfo’s 2008 studio CD, recorded in
the US, Spain and Venezuela between 2004-2008, featuring the usual large
cast of supporting musicians, among them Carlos Plaza, keyboardist and
leader of Kotebel, Tempano’s Pedro Castillo (vocals) and Gerardo Ubieda
(drums), musicians on violin, cello, woodwinds and trumpet, and more male
and female vocalists. It’s an imposing 77-minute rock symphony of great
sophistication, primarily instrumental, with more Yes influence than on
Rodulfo’s earlier works, especially in the guitar and bass. Think of this
as Rodulfo’s Tales from Topographic Oceans, but distinguished by the
inclusion of Spanish/Latin American, classical, and jazz-rock colors.
Impressive.
Larry
Kolota.
DREAMS and THE DREAMS CONCERTO
Venezuelan Raimundo Rodulfo is a
highly-skilled guitarist, whether playing acoustic, classical, electric,
or bass guitar or even mandolin. He leads a large cast of musicians,
including keys, drums, flute, violin, and sax. The Dreams Concerto is his
new 78-minute large-scale work, also featuring a chamber orchestra and
female lead vocals. Tempano's singer Pedro Castillo guests. Rodulfo often
sounds like a South American Steve Howe or Gordon Giltrap, playing long
tracks of a bounteous, symphonic style of guitar-dominated prog rock,
often with electric guitar playing lead while acoustic guitar provides a
foundation, solo acoustic guitar passages contrasting with full ensemble
sections. Beautiful packaging on these CDs, featuring the works of British
painter Peter Rodulfo; The Dreams Concerto has a full-color 40-page
booklet inside a slipcase. Both are highly recommended.
Larry Kolota.
Musea Records -
www.musearecords.com - France
RAIMUNDO RODULFO - MARE ET
TERRA
Singer Pedro CASTILLO and
drummer Gerardo UBIEDA, musician of TEMPANO, are found along with Raimundo
RODULFO on his third album "Mare et Terra" (2008). Also note the
participation of another big name of the current Hispanic progressive rock
scene: keyboardist Carlos plaza, known as the leader of KOTEBEL. The
musical style is the same one of his early releases, but the artist has
managed to push his art to great heights of beauty and control, leading to
the quintessence meeting of electrical and acoustic orchestrations (Flute,
violin, clarinet, cello, vocals ...). This gives us an impressive work,
divided into two parts, divided themselves into two tracks. It also starts
directly with the 36 minutes of "Náufrago"! And finally, the last
significant feature, "Mare et Terra" is the first opus of the Venezuelan
artist published on the Musea label. Conclusion? Not discovering this
little symphonic jewel is a true crime of lese-majesty!
Musea Records
THE DREAMS CONCERTO and
DREAMS
French - English
Le guitariste vénézuélien Raimundo RODULFO est
l'auteur d'un fort agréable album instrumental en solitaire, intitulé
"Suenos - Dreams" et paru en l'an 2000. Le style développé par notre homme
et ses nombreux invités peut aussi bien être rapproché du flamenco
électrique que de Mike OLDFIELD voire CAMEL. La six-cordes se taille bien
entendu la part du lion, dans un style à la fois mélodique et échevelé.
Les influences jazz-rock ou classisantes sont parfaitement assimilées, au
sein d'un tourbillonnement musical exotique et coloré. "The Dreams
Concerto" (2001) est une magnifique fresque décomposée en trois longs
mouvements, pour un total de près de 80 minutes. Une multitude
d'intervenants, parmi lesquels l'on retrouve par exemple le chanteur Pedro
CASTILLO, contribuent à la richesse de l'œuvre.
Musea Records
French-English translation:
English - French
The Venezuelan guitarist Raimundo
RODULFO is the author of a pleasant strong instrumental album in solitary,
entitled "Suenos - Dreams" and appeared in the year 2000. The style
developed by our man and his many guests can as well be brought closer to
the electric flamenco as of Mike OLDFIELD even CAMEL. The six-strings take
the leading part of course, in a style at the same time melodic and
dishevelled. The jazz-rock or classic influences are perfectly
assimilated, within an exotic and coloured musical vortex. "The Dreams
Concerto" (2001) is a magnificent fresco broken up into three long
movements, for a total of almost 80 minutes. A multitude of performers,
among whom one finds for example the singer Pedro CASTILLO, contribute to
the richness of work.
Musea Records
"Dreams" in
MUSEA's
Selection of the Month, January
2001:
MUSEA Selection of the Month
Many music fans informed us about their
doubts when receiving our catalog and additions, facing the huge quantity
of new releases offered by today's progressive scene.
Here, at MUSEA, we receive almost all new progressive
releases published in the world; after listening to them, we make a
selection to include in our catalog only the works which seem really
interesting; all other releases are rejected and do not appear in this
catalog. Theorically, we could then recommend to you ALL new releases from
this catalog. In fact, since the date of our last addition, in less than
five month, more than 200 new references are here proposed to you, ie more
than one every day ! Obviously only very rich people could afford such an
expense !
This is the reason why we offer you our
MUSEA Selection of the month for two purposes:
- to
select amongst those many new relesases the few most important ones and
help you to choose.
- eventually, this selection is
offered with an important discount.
By this
initiative, we wish to satisfy you still more and share with you the
pleasure we have with these musical discoveries.
And for January:
GERARD " The Ruins of A Glassfortress" - SOLAR PROJECT
"5" - RAIMUNDO RODULFO "Suenos Dreams"
Alain
ROBERT. (C) 2000 by MUSEA
SomethingProg -
www.somethingprog.com - France
Raimundo Rodulfo. The
Dreams Concerto.
French - English
Si vous ne connaissez pas encore
Raimundo Rodulfo et que vous aimez entendre quelque chose de frais et de
nouveau, alors vous serez peut-être intéressé de savoir que Raimundo
Rodulfo, compositeur vénézuélien, a écrit une véritable œuvre
classico-progressive avec de fortes connotations espagnoles (forcément).
Le disque mélange toutes les atmosphères, que ce soit du Genesis (et
surtout le touché de guitare de Steve Hackett), ou de groupes tels
Notturno Concertante ou d’autres groupes italiens du même genre. Entouré
par de nombreux musiciens (on en compte pas moins de quatorze, qui jouent
de la flûte, du violon, du saxophone, ou même de la harpe), Raimundo est
un excellent guitariste, que ce soit de la guitare classique ou
électrique. L’ambiance du disque est assez fraîche et apporte à l’auditeur
une relative quiétude, impression accrue par la voix de la chanteuse, très
douce, assistée par moment d’une voix masculine, pleine de sensualité. Ne
cherchez pas chez Raimundo Rodulfo des passages torturés ou alambiqués.
Non. La musique est limpide et coule comme une cascade dans vos oreilles
grandes ouvertes. De la très belle œuvre. Sans aucun doute.
Jerome Vié
French - English
translation:
English - French
If you don't still know Raimundo
Rodulfo, and if you like listening to something fresh and new, then you
will maybe be interested to know that Raimundo Rodulfo, Venezuelan
composer, wrote a real classical-progressive work with strong Spanish
connotations (necessarily). The disc mixes all the atmospheres, whether of
Genesis (and especially the touch of Steve Hackett's guitar), or of groups
as Notturno Concertante or the other Italian groups of the same genre.
Surrounded by numerous musicians (we counted not less than fourteen, who
plays flute, violin, saxophone, or even harp), Raimundo is an excellent
guitarist, whether of classic or electric guitar. The atmosphere of the
disc is rather fresh and brings to the listener a relative peace of mind,
an impression increased by the vocals of the female singer, very sweet,
assisted in moments by male vocals, full of sensualism. Don't look at
Raimundo's Rodulfo's music for the tortured or over-subtle passages. No.
The music is crystal clear and pours as a waterfall into your wide opened
ears. A very beautiful work. Doubtless.
Jerome Vié
Axiom of Choice -
www.cs.ruu.nl/people/jur/reviews - The Netherlands
IOPages Magazine - io.net4u.nl/io/archief/io34.htm -
The Netherlands
Raimundo Rodulfo - Suenos/Dreams
The music
The first track is a guitar piece with
fingerquick playing, Latin American influences by means of the flute of
Alburjas, and a rather dance like character, but with compositionally
classical influences. The music has that fiddly aspect of jazz rock and as
such plenty of variation... The next track is a bit shorter and features
again a far away sounding electric guitar and a violin, more up front...
New Horizons opens a bit in the acoustic Yes style. In fact I was even
waiting for the bass of Chris Squire to barge in, as on Roundabout. The
music is rather quiet in the beginning here with willowy, tranquil flute
and a bit of viola as well... Brainstorm is another nervous piece with
plenty (too much) alternations and up to this point it is probably the
most progressive among the tracks. Also because the keyboards are more
prominent here. The guitar meanders through labyrinthine melodies. Later
on a sax breaks into the song and the song becomes more jazzy. Towards the
end a nice theme sets in and the music becomes rather Yes like (also in
quality)... Math & Arts opens with an okay melody, which has something
military to it. Again rather labyrinthine and with some brassy keyboards
in the back. Again the music has references to Yes. The music is
definitely jazzrock and not of the blistering kind... The final track
Universal Codes is with over twenty minutes by far the longest track on
the album. Divided into seven parts, it seems to describe the story of
mankind on Earth by starting with Nova, going to the Naked Ape, the
Restless Warriors up to the Atomic Giants and finally the Global Village.
The track opens with nice cosmic keyboards and ethereal sounds. The
optimistic guitar that sets in the second part is soon taken over by a
more majestic overture to the rest of track... This takes form by a
percussive continuation which is rather playful. Sharp electric guitar
follows again, again in a more introspective way, contrasting with the
playful playing of just before. The guitar sound also gets a bit rougher
here, but the music never becomes really loud. A certain tenseness is
created here, but suddenly it seems the sun breaks through, with light
acoustic guitar and the waves on the beach... It takes a while before the
choral keyboards return and Rodulfo tries his hand and some more
meandering electric guitar playing. The sound of the guitar is quite high
and ethereal here, and melodically quite nice. After over 17 minutes some
pace comes into the music, especially in the drumming and the music
becomes more likable at that point. Rodulfo continues to play quick runs
on the guitar at this point, but the music gets a bit more energy. Some
themes are bound to return here, including some rather nice ones,
accompanied by some cosmic keyboards.
A nice
puzzle is to discover in the frontside of the backside of the disc all
references to parts and titles of the songs.
Conclusion
If you liked Steve Howe's acoustic pieces on
Fragile, then this might be something for you. The music has complexity,
is often classically styled, but is also filled with various folk music
influences (and I mean Latin American folk then). In the busier parts, the
music is most like Latin American jazzrock. For the rest there are more
echoes of Yes, than just the acoustic influences...
© Jurriaan
Hage
Issue #34
Raimundo Rodulfo - The
Dreams Concerto
Summary
Following his
related Suenos - Dreams album, this is the second works of Raimundo
Rodulfo with an extremely thick booklet (about 38 pages) detailing all
there is to know about the music and the people involved. The music has
been evolving over the last 15 years as the man states in the booklet.
Pedro Castillo you might know from his involvement with Tempano.
The music
The first track, Suenos, is a twenty four
minute study opening with very classical oriented stylings and melodic
female, dolorous vocals in the Spanish language. In the continuation we
get some strong guitar playing following the main theme of the modern
symphony (as the writer himself states it), based in his love for baroque
music. Some of the vocal lines are a bit too trite for my tastes, but the
music certainly has its appeal. Although in a way it has its own definite
identity, it combines the European sounds of Focus and Tull with a more
classical approach (say Ekseption), chamber orchestra like arrangements,
some Hackettish guitar playing and the temparement and melancholy of South
America. Most of the time the music is quite accessible and the music is
not what we might call typically progressive, only sophisticated. Later
however, the music enters more into the rock format with drums and the
like. Violins and high pitched guitars (way back in the mix) continue to
reveal a sadness in this track, although halfway the vocals sound almost
hopeful and are quite energetic with good vocal melodies. Following this
the music reaches another guitaristic climax with nods to old Genesis
(yes, again in the guitar work), but also a melodic flute setting in. I am
getting to like this. Time for some more frolic music now, with a folky
feel: violin, flute, dancing acoustics and the like. The rolling drums are
fine here, but the keyboards sound a bit cheesy. It also seems to me the
production at time leaves something to be desired. The rolling drums
continue when also a male vocalist, probably Raimundo himself (Raimundo
later told me this is Tempano's Pedro Castillo), enters the picture. This
part is one of heavily punctuated, but still slow moving symphonic rock,
quite bombastic and climactic, lined with saxophone. In the final few
minutes, some of the strong vocal melodies recur again sung in a loud
emotional fashion, but also revealing that the recording could have been
done better. The song ends with a long climax on guitar. Notwithstanding
some cheesier parts a good attempt at a long epic and one in which the
length of 24 minutes does not stand in the way at all. Esperanza is a much
shorter coda in which Rudolfo wanted to have a more optimistic antidote to
the emotionally rather moody first part. Esperanze is indeed a frolic tune
with plenty of Latin American influences, both in the way of playing and
the instrumentation.
The second movement opens
with Matematica Y Arte II, a continuation of the first part from Rodulfo's
first album. This is a rather fast and flashy track, very progressive
sounding, a strong bass presence, and with some abrupt breaks as well.
Instrumental rock of the more fiddly kind, but with a good groove. For
those interested in the mathematics, consult the booklet. The rhythm
section in this track takes on a different guise later on with the guitar
soloing over various complicated percussion patterns. The music has gone
from melodramatic classical inspired to something more claustrophobic
reminiscent of experimentalism in Crimson style, or even more avant-garde.
Quite a step. On the other hand, some of the melodic Suenos themes are
still with us. However, the saxophone gets some heavy duty wringing out,
it barely survives. On track 4, Muestra Al Azar, the experimentation
continues and if you are looking for pointers, look to the great Crim. The
music is often percussive and sparse, with ethereal guitars, and lots of
electronic percussion. The music continues with more fluency and drive,
but also some dull sounding drum computers. And yes the Suenos theme is
still with us, although less overt than earlier.
The third movement consists of the Baroque track,
written fifteen years earlier and La Gran Epopeya De La Música Y Las
Ciencias. The first of these opens nicely with acoustic guitar, later the
music gets more frolic when the somewhat manic chamber orchestra sets in.
I am actually not fond of baroque at all, so most of this music is not
really for me, although admittedly it has its moments. I especially can
appreciate the acoustic guitar playing, but not the stateliness of the
harpsichord/chamber orchestra parts. Fortunately, it is not all like that,
because Rodulfo also includes some more somber modes into the music along
the way, for instance around the seven minute mark. Around the ten minute
mark, the music gets a bit too fiddly, and there is too little fluency.
Then however, the music seems to pick up again. The finale seems to be
quite moody with plenty of flute. The second part of the third movement
continues in the same vein (and like the previous track also features the
Suenos theme again, but much more overt). One could say that the music
here is a return to the first track, and it also includes vocals with
intricate arrangements and the clear vocals of Rivas. The middle part
contains some typical classical phrasings as well as some up tempo
progressive rock, but never too rocky. The electric guitar features quite
prominently here. Surprising is the fast guitar playing evident towards
the end, but unfortunately for me the music does not continue the drive of
that part.
Conclusion
For those
who like classical music as well as progressive rock, this might be a
concept worthy of attention. Rodulfo really thinks about what he does and
for those who like, the story can be followed in the booklet. Rodulfo
tries to do a lot, but never forces his hand: the music is varied, the
second movement being totally different from the other two, but I had not
problems following it. In the third movement there is a predominance of
Hackett influences combined with the temparement of Latin America. One
might also think of Focus or Ekseption here, classical influences
abounding. The second movement sees us in a more experimental waters with
Crimsonesque electronic percussion and guitars. The third movement sees us
back with the classical influences, and because I am not that fond of
baroque music myself, this movement I liked least. However, if you have no
such problems you should soon feel at home with both the intellecual first
part and the more active and varied second part. The recording was not
always great, but do not mar the overal end result which is packaged in
way that ought to discourage cd copiers.
© Jurriaan Hage
Unger's Wonderful World
of Progressive Rock -
www.geocities.com/SunsetStrip/Backstage/8250/index.html - Canada
My All Time Favorite Prog Rock
Recordings...
Raimundo Rodulfo - Suenos Dream, 2000, Sacven Records, Venezuela (69
Mins)
Here is a great little album that I
came across recently which completely took me by surprise…..Raimundo's
music offers soft seductive acoustic Spanish guitar with some lovely
symphonia . Suenos Dream is a delicate album which really does work like a
dream with the flowing flute and soft drum and percussion. Raimundo's
guitar work is the centre piece of this work with some amazing guitar
fretting and phrasing. Throughout we are treated to a wide array of
guitars with electric, acoustic, classical, spanish, banjo and mandolin.
His music is melodic and ever flowing with lots of dream-like passages and
sounds used throughout. The focal point of the album rests in his 21 min
epic suite "Universal Codes" which gives the listener the best of all
worlds.
James
Unger
MilleRecords -
http://digilander.libero.it/stratocaster67/ - Italy
Tempi Duri -
http://digilander.libero.it/tempi_duri/ - Italy
Raimundo Rodulfo. The
Dreams Concerto.
Italian - English
Per quanto possa
ricordare non rammento musicisti particolarmente famosi provenienti dal
Venezuela, nazione che, rispetto soprattutto al Brasile, non ha una grande
tradizione nel campo del rock progressivo. E' grazie a Google che ho
potuto pero' smentire, in parte, i fatti, trovando un musicista che non ha
nulla da invidiare a bands che hanno trovato un buon contratto
discografico. Il suo nome e' Raimundo Rodulfo, chitarrista, ma in questo
caso il termine musicista sarebbe piu' appropriato, che ha registrato un
cd semplicemente unico. " The Dreams Concerto " e' un progetto musicale
basato su tre movimenti, di cui il secondo ed il terzo sono supportati da
una vera e propria orchestra. Lo stile tecnico di Rodulfo tradisce una
passione sviscerale pet il neo-classicismo, ma l'intera opera e'
influenzata da gruppi quali Jethro Tull, Mike Oldfield e Genesis. Un
prodotto da ascoltare secondo dopo secondo e impreziosito da un booklet di
36 pagine davvero bello.
Roberto Guarnieri
Italian to English translation:
Raimundo Rodulfo. The
Dreams Concerto.
English - Italian
As much as I can remember
I don't remind particularly famous musicians coming from Venezuela, nation
that, respect mainly to Brasil, doesn't have a great tradition in the
field of progressive rock. And is thanks to Google, and in part to the
facts, that I have been able to find a musician that doesn't have anything
to envy to bands that have found a good contract record. His name is
Raimundo Rodulfo, guitarist, but in this case the term musician would be
more appropriated, that has recorded a cd simply unique. "The Dreams
Concerto" is a musical project based on three movements, of which the
second and the third are supported by a true and own orchestra. The
technical style of Rodulfo betrays a visceral passion for neo-classicism,
but the entire work is influenced by groups as Jethro Tull, Mike Oldfield
and Genesis. A product to listen second to second, and with an amazing 36
pages booklet indeed beautiful.
Roberto
Guarnieri
Pedro Castillo -
www.pedrocastillo.com - Venezuela
ALGO
DIFERENTE
Si quieren escuchar algo diferente,
interesante y hecho en Venezuela les recomiendo un disco del
Barquisimetano Raimundo Rodulfo , llamado "dreams". Raimundo es un
virtuoso guitarrista y este es su primer trabajo que pueden conseguir en
las tiendas especializadas.
Pedro Castillo. Guitarrista y vocalista fundador de
Témpano. Cantautor, Locutor y caracterizador.
La Corte Final -
www.lacortefinal.com - Mexico
RAIMUNDO RODULFO - Dreams
EL progresivo latino
o hispano ha permanecido tras bambalinas injustamente, desde Mexico hasta
Chile (sin olvidar España) siempre han habido fenomenales bandas y
artistas que luego son eclipsados por otros con el apellido o escuela de
cierta nacionalidad.
Es por eso que de pronto no
nos enteramos de valientes y sensibles propuestas como la de este artista
Venezolano que con su guitarra crea y recrea paisajes musicales de
distintas tonalidades, pero siempre con un color y armonia notables. Por
su forma de tocar, se le ha comparado con Roine Stolt (inclusive ha
compartido escenario con the Flower Kings), pero esto resulta tambien
injusto, ya que Raimundo tiene su propia vision, su propia forma
interpretativa y un toque de jazz francamente exquisito.
Las composiciones juntas forman un todo instrumental
que uno escucha de arriba a abajo, de principio a fin. Es ese tipo de
discos que se disfrutan, no cansan y siempre esta uno dispuesto a escuchar
de nuevo, lleno de esos acentos musicales que nos encantan a quienes
disfrutamos el progresivo sinfonico y aquel en el que la guitarra se da
tiempo para cantar.
Raimundo ha tocado en varios
festivales y conciertos. Su historial, fotos, arte y sobre todo, audio en
mp3, se puede accesar en su pagina www.RaimundoRodulfo.com , se las
recomiendo bastante y felicitaciones a Raimundo por un trabajo de tan buen
nivel. Muy recomendable.
Carlos Malvido
Exposé Magazine -
www.expose.org - USA
-Issue # 22
Raimundo Rodulfo -
"Sueños/ Dreams"
Venezuelan guitarist Raimundo Rodulfo's
Sueños has had a long time to germinate. Its seven songs were composed in
the early 80's, but got recorded and released only last year. From the
lively 6/8 opener 'Laberinto" to the 21-minute, seven-part closing suite
"Códigos Universales:' the CD offers some of the most exciting
instrumental symphonic rock that I've heard in a long time. The
compositions are melodic ensemble arrangements, with five or six different
players on each. Flute, sax, violin/viola sometimes take the lead, and
keyboards, bass, and drums are used in most tracks, but the focus here is
Rodulfo's guitar work (both acoustic and electric). Stylistically, Rodulfo
reminds me of Steve Howe (particularly on "Laberinto"), although there are
touches of Hackett and McLaughlin as well. The latter's influence is
especially noticeable on the jazzier "Matemática y Arte". My only real
criticism is that Rodulfo's playing could profit from a bit more
restraint... All in all, though, that's a minor complaint about an album
that has been getting heavy rotation in my CD-player for the past three
months. Very highly recommended.
Jim Chokey
-Issue # 25
Raimundo Rodulfo - "The
Dreams Concerto"
FoIIowíng up on his 2000 debut, Venezuelan
Raimundo Rodulfo is back with a vengeance. Though Dreams (reviewed in
Exposé #22) was Impressive, The Dreams Concerto is even more. Whereas
Dreams sounded like a guitar album on which a few other musicians helped
out, this CD shows Rodulfo composing for a large rock ensemble in a way
that makes the most out of all instruments and musicians, rather than just
treating them as accompaniment. His virtuoso guitar work remains front and
center, but sax, harp, flute, violin, bass, drums, flugelhorn, keyboards,
Latin percussion, and vocals (both male and female) are used to create a
whole rock 'orchestra' with complex arrangements. Even more impressive,
however is the grand scope of Rodulfo's musical vision. The Dreams
Concerto is, in fact a concerto in the classical tradition, comprising
three movements structured around the statement, development, and
restatement of complex musical themes (Atypically, however each movement
is further subdivided two parts each of which is assigned its own track).
The overall style is that of pure symphonic rock with heavy baroque
infIuences (especially on the third movement). The standout segment,
though is the 28-minute first movement, the first half of which features
stunning
vocals by Beatriz Rivas and is, simply
put, one of the most gorgeous pieces of symphonic rock to come along in
recent memory. Highly recommended to symphonic fans who like lots of
guitar and baroque influences. One of my favorites so far this year!
Jim Chokey
Raimundo Rodulfo - "The Dreams
Concerto"
After our reviews of Raimundo's first disc
and his Baja '01 performance, this new disc lives up to my expectations
and more. The 24-minute Sueños portrays a strong mix of baroque-era
classical with a Venezuelan flavor and occasional Celtic turns. The main
theme provides a thread that is introduced and revisited after
invigorating detours, and provides a solid cohesion as well as a grandeur
that befits this genre. Beatnz Rivas' voice is beautiful and the sonic
palette is luxurious, from the orchestral instruments (classical guitar,
1st and 2nd violins/viola, piano/organ/clavier, harp, flute, percussion
and flugelhorn), to the rock instruments (electric guitars, drums, synth,
sax and bass). The classical portions have clarity and a lightness of
touch, while the rock explodes with vigor, lending muscular weight as
opposed to pseudo-rock pussyfooting. Next up is a rigorous folk
instrumental, displaying a Venezuelan character with its flute. Harp,
maracas, and lovely acoustic guitar/slide work. "Matematica y Arte II"
opens with a frenetically wound progressive rock work out that'll keep
tempo counters busy, morphing into a fussion jam, then returning to the
main theme from "Sueños" before a screaming sax explodes over an almost
out of control backdrop. Two opposites follow: "Muestreo al Azar" is a
cool rock ensemble piece, and "Baroque" is strictly classical - and a bit
long. The closer is an 18-minute symphonic prog instrumental with some
cool flamenco elements which can be forgiven for not quite living up to
the first track, but is a solid track nonetheless. This disc has class.
Mac Beaulieu
Progressive Ears -
www.progressiveears.com - USA
Raimundo Rodulfo -
Suenos/Dreams
This artist is a guitarist from Venezuela.
This CD release is a tour de force of guitar playing. Raimundo has
fashioned a wonderful and varied CD of incredible playing. He plays the
following: acoustic guitar, classical guitar, electric guitar, mandolin,
bass and also some percussion.
On this CD he is
joined by a group of very fine musicians including Frank Alburjas on the
flute, Lermit Martinez on keys, Jesus Perez on drums, Alfredo Suarez on
percussion, Carlos Rodriguez on bass, Cesar Romano on violin, Efrain
Ramirez on viola and Edgar Rodriguez on the sax. A most formidable and
tight band.
All the tunes were written by Raimundo
and are a concept about what can be encountered in dreams. Its based on a
story about a man and woman: Crilo and Marta. The tunes tell about their
relationship as they meet and begin a life together.
There are 7 songs that total over 68 minutes of music.
The music is almost like a "can you guess who's the influence here thing".
Raimundo's playing shows echoes of Steve Tibbetts, Mike Oldfield, John
Scofield, Steve Howe, and Al Dimeola. The music is very lush and upbeat
for the most part. The more romantic of the Italian groups can be heard in
some of the songwriting and arranging. Now take that and mix in inventive,
super fast (at times), versatile guitar playing (classical and jazz guitar
along with a Mike Oldfield tone on e.guitar) and you may get an idea of
what this sounds like. Now on top of all that you add sax, violin and
flute and you have the makings of a south American guitar classic. Oh yeah
don't forget the local flavorings of percussion i.e. congas, bongos, etc.
While I think this is incredible in its wonderful
playing and musicality, I did at times think that there was too much going
on. The keys that are played here are mostly for tonal coloring and not
much in the way of solos and are a little quiet in the mix. The trade offs
and dueling is mostly played between steel stringed acoustic guitar and
flute and sax. I think he is incredibly fast on this instrument and while
he plays the electric expertly he flat burns on the steel string acoustic
guitar. There are no vocals except for some samples at the beginning of
the 21 minute closer: "Universal Codes" and the center piece of the CD.
I'm not saying that its a bad thing only that the onslaught could have
been varied and not seem so "samey" with guitar playing. Here is where the
keys/synths take a more upfront role and I must say its about time and a
welcome addition. This piece has many parts to it as it tells of the
beginning of the world, just a little ambitious huh? Well, it works very
well but it could have been placed in the middle of the CD to ensure that
the listener would be paying attention.
This is a
great sampler of new prog/rock fusiony instrumental kinds of things that
are beginning to come out of South America.It may be a little hard to
find. I think you can get it direct from his website. Great instrumental
prowess with a wonderful band!
Bill Mathis
Música Progresiva -
www.musicaprogresiva.com - Costa Rica
RAIMUNDO
RODULFO'S THE DREAMS CONCERTO
Concerto for
guitar, group and chamber orchestra
Qué difícil
me ha resultado comentar este disco, no porque no lo merezca o no tenga
nada interesante mas bien todo lo contrario, es uno de los mejores discos
que se hayan editado en el ámbito latinoamericano, en los últimos años. Es
una obra maestra del músico Raimundo Rodulfo, de nacionalidad
venezolana.
Es un disco que nos demuestra la
grandeza que se puede obtener de la fusión entre diversos géneros
musicales, desde la música clásica hasta el rock y el jazz. Diríamos que
es una pieza de música formal contemporánea. Tal y como algunos lo dicen
de la "música clásica de este milenio" ( Frase utilizada por el programa
de radio argentino "The Musical Box"). Este calificativo le sienta muy
bien a esta música de Raimundo.
Recuerdo que la
primera vez que escuché a Raimundo y su grupo fue en el Baja Prog 2002 en
Mexicali, su presentación me motivó de inmediato a comprar su disco. Fue
un gran éxito en Mexicali, por la calidad de sus músicos y la exquisitez
de sus composiciones, también por la belleza y excelente voz de su
cantante Beatriz Rivas.
También recuerdo que
leyendo el libro interno del disco me encontré con la explicación de la
técnica de composición de Raimundo (la cual el mismo Raimundo comenzó a
comentarme en el Hotel Araiza de Mexicali). Esta la utiliza para el
segundo movimiento. Consiste en un modelo matemático sobre el cual compuso
toda la música de este movimiento. Un asunto ya de por sí complicado y que
mi cerebro se niega a tratar siquiera de ojear, pero mis sentimientos
encuentran en la música, de este movimiento, unos ambientes, texturas y
emociones que distan muchísimo de los fríos e incomprensibles números que
dieron origen a tan espléndida suite.
El concepto
del disco son los soñadores. Aquellos que se atrevieron a ver al mundo de
forma diferente, y que con su empeño lograron hacer que este mundo
avanzara. Esas personas que ante problemas sencillos y limitaciones
idearon formas diferentes de hacer las cosas y de resolver esos problemas
y limitaciones, esos aventureros que lucharon contra los estereotipos y se
negaron a creer en las barreras de la mente y sobre todo de las
tradiciones y mitos. Hombres que fueron capaces de cruzar el océano
arriesgándose a caer en el abismo, en el cual sus detractores ya se
encontraban pues estaban sumergidos en el abismo de la ignorancia y el
conformismo.
A esos visionarios que nos dieron un
nuevo continente, aunque algunos después lo saquearan, nos dieron la
rueda, máquinas que facilitaron nuestra vida diaria y que nos hacen
comprender quienes somos y a dónde vamos, a esos es que Raimundo con este
disco rinde homenaje. Un homenaje que se vuelve auto homenaje por que este
chico también es un soñador que ha materializado un gran proyecto
musical.
El disco consta de tres movimientos, en el
primero se desarrolla el tema de los sueños el primer ingrediente, el
horizonte la meta, la visión del soñador la lucha de David (el soñador) y
Goliat (los escépticos y los conformistas) y lo que todo soñador espera,
el éxito. Un primer movimiento lleno de un matiz totalmente clásico, sin
embargo como lo dice Raimundo "...el tratamiento melódico arrastraba un
marcado dejo de melancolía, produciendo a mi parecer una impresión final
de tristeza." Es por esto que Raimundo le agrega una coda con una melodía
mas alegre. En la coda la intervención de la flauta y percusiones le da al
tema una mayor viveza y corresponde a la alegría que da la esperanza de un
mundo mejor y de lograr los objetivos trazados.
El
segundo movimiento, como ya mencione, se basa en un modelo matemático.
Quizás no tenga la capacidad suficiente para explicar los pormenores del
modelo pero está en el libro del disco. Lo que sí es prudente indicar es
que esta suite para guitarra eléctrica es un recorrido por una serie de
ambientes alegres guiados por la guitarra. Es un movimiento más eléctrico
menos barroco que el anterior, pero de igual desligue de belleza y
complejas interpretaciones. Es una mezcla de jazz fusión y rock con la
rica intervención del saxofón y unos solos espectaculares de guitarra
eléctrica, sintetizador y batería eléctrica en algunos pasajes.
Nos comenta el propio Raimundo "...este movimiento
rompe de manera abrupta el predominio de la esencia clásica en la música
de la obra, para insertar ingredientes experimentales, electrónicos y de
fusión, donde dejo al oyente la tarea de descubrir la presencia oculta y
camuflada del tema principal." Eso es Matemática y Arte.
El tercer movimiento el más largo y espléndido del
disco es una suite para guitarra y grupo que nos remonta a la época de
Bach. Una emocionante y rauda guitarra nos lleva por un mundo de matices
barrocos, mas con la introducción del clavicordio deja completa la magia
de una obra que dura aproximadamente 33 minutos, los cuales están llenos
de apasionantes pasajes.
Y no podemos olvidar el
arte con que esta decorado el disco. Peter Rodulfo un extraordinario
pintor fue el encargado de las decoraciones tanto interiores como de la
tapa del disco. Ciertamente fue un acierto pues interpretó con belleza y
audacia los pensamientos vertidos por Raimundo en su música.
Espero sinceramente acercarme un poco a lo que es este
gran legado musical de Raimundo, quizás mis letras se queden cortas pero
sinceramente les recomiendo escuchar esta obra.
Para MúsicaProgresiva.com :
Johnny Coto Cerdas
jcoto@musicaprogresiva.com
Progression Magazine - www.progressionmagazine.com -
USA
Raimundo Rodulfo's The Dreams Concerto
Something you can enjoy right
now by ordering from one of the usual suspects is The Dreams Concerto by
Raimundo Rodulfo. Part of an increasingly happening Venezuelan prog-rock
scene, senor Rodulfo has put together a three-movement acoustic/electric
guitar concerto that is really six parts. A chamber orchestra, vocals,
percussionists, and your basic prog-rock band elements are featured in
very colorful arrangements.
Rodulfo's
extensive liner note explications of compositional strategy might remind
one of Robert Fripp's explanations of Frippertronics, after he abandoned
his yin-yang collaborations with the more romantically inclined Peter
Sinfield for King Crimson's early work. Yet the results are more often
full of passion and melodic intensity than sounding sterile or clinical.
Part 1 of the first movement is a 24-minute medley including lovely vocals
and very baroque/classical-sounding themes melded with warmer stuff more
in the Genesis vein. The quality is consistently high even though there
are no surpassingly dramatic peaks. Here, as on the rest, the recording is
a little faint, is just a little lacking in presence. This doesn't detract
from the exhilarating experience. But hopefully, Raimundo will improve on
this as he learns to better juggle and balance having so much stuff going
on at the same time via percussion, orchestra, vocals and rock band.
The 17-minute second movement is based on
calculus and trigonometric equations detailed in mystifying detail in the
CD booklet. But again, the result includes something for even the most
passionate listener. Melodies from the first movement are revisited in
deconstructed form that might recall the logic of King Crimson pieces such
as the "Fracture" instrumental on Starless and Bible Black, and there are
some great melodic ascents. If anything on the concerto gets overwhelmed
by compositional theory, it's the first half of the third movement for
chamber orchestra and acoustic guitar. Happily, the 17-minute second half
is a real showpiece full to the brim with drama and energy, thanks to a
bit of flamenco juxtaposed with the more baroque classical directions, not
to mention some very Steve Howe-ish speed guitar by the composer.
More happily stiII, Raimundo Rodulfo is hard at
work on a new concept work entitled Libertad (Freedom). In six parts
including a 34-minute suite, Libertad also wiII incorporate a chamber
orchestra. So much to look forward to!
David Taylor
Progression Magazine
Issue 46 Spring/Summer
2004
Progression Magazine
Issue 46
Spring/Summer 2004
Progresiva70s -
www.progresiva70s.com - Argentina
Raimundo Rodulfo: "To Live a Dream", Official Bootleg,
2003
Es necesario que manifieste que
no he escuchado la anterior discografía de este guitarrista y compositor
venezolano. Debido a las elogiosas críticas que había leído y los
elogiosos comentarios recibidos era mi deseo conocer alguno de sus
trabajos. Esta edición tan peculiar fue y es hasta ahora mi única
aproximación a la obra de este autor. Al decir peculiar me refiero a la
forma en que se consigue este álbum. Raimundo Rodulfo decidió que no iba a
vender este trabajo por considerar que no alcanza el estándar de calidad
sonora que él requiere para su obra. En cambio, y bajo el formato CD está
disponible en la red, desde el sitio www.RaimundoRodulfo.com para los
poseedores de los dos trabajos anteriores, que podrán bajar el material en
formato mp3, empleando una clave que se obtiene a partir de dos códigos de
los CDs. Si tuviera que resumir mi impresión a través de este trabajo
diría que Rodulfo es uno de esos músicos que recurre a elementos muy
diversos para un desarrollo musical que trasciende las barreras de los
estilos. Siendo este un sitio dedicado al rock progresivo, tal vez sería
más cómodo, e igualmente cierto, decir que Rodulfo es progresivo sin
esforzarse para serlo, sin encerrase en las artificiales limitaciones que
algunos músicos se autoimponen. Por el contrario, parece tener muy en
claro que alguien para ser progresivo debe tender a expandir las fronteras
de la música, y debe combatir la fastidiosa tendencia a la homogeneidad,
que hace sentir cómodo a tanto anodino. En los comentarios que he leído se
hacen referencias a Howe, Hackett, Zappa, Jethro Tull o Mike Oldfield
entre tantos otros. Es cierto que uno puede encontrar improntas de
diversos músicos, particularmente de los años 70s. Sin embargo no
encuentro intencionalidad alguna en asemejarse a nadie y en cambio veo un
desarrollo personal, tanto en sus roles en la guitarra acústica como en la
eléctrica. Como compositor se encarga de que el rock, la música barroca,
el folclore venezolano y hasta un ingrediente jazzero estén patentes en la
obra. La incorporación de flauta, arpa y violín además de los
tradicionales instrumentos del rock, es enriquecedora de la obra. Los
registros pertenecen al Baja Prog 2002, ProgJazz 2002, a una presentación
televisiva y como bonus se incorpora una versión de Bouré de Bach de
estudio con guitarra solista en 1986. El sonido no me pareció tan malo. A
esta altura del relato creo innecesario aclarar que he quedado gratamente
impresionado por esta música. Espero pronto dar más impresiones de este
excelente autor.
Humberto Luna
Musical Box Magazine - www.musical-box.org -
Brazil
-Issue # 3
Raimundo Rodulfo - "Sueños"
I had a nice surprise in listening to the
work of this new Venezuelan progressive (artist): the guitarist Raimundo
Rodulfo performs with excellency symphonic themes added with ethnical
elements, joined by competent guest players such as Frank Alburjas
(flute), Lermit Martínez (keyboards), Jesús Pérez (drums), Alfredo Suárez
(percussion), Carlos Rodríguez (bass), César Romano (violin), Efraín
Ramírez (viola), and Édgar Rodríguez (sax). The music in "Sueños", totally
instrumental, sounds in certain parts like Mike Oldfield and, in others,
during his performance with the acoustic guitar, you can feel a clear
influence of great guitar players as Steve Howe and Steve Hackett.
A quality work that will surely please the Symphonic
Progressive lovers.
Emerlist Davjack
Acid Dragon Magazine -
perso.club-internet.fr/acidrago/ad2.htm - France
-Issue # 31
Raimundo Rodulfo
"Suenos/Dreams"
Teacher: Can you give me names of Progressive
rock artists from Venezuela?
Pupil: Well, Tempano,
Sir!
Teacher: Very good! Have you ever hear of
Raimundo Rodulfo?
Pupil: No, Sir!
Teacher: This musician is close to Gordon Giltrap or
Mike Oldfield with a fusion attitude and jazz-rock hints. The music is
rich featuring flutes, sax, violin, viola, mandolin, Latin percussives...
The cover, drawn by Peter Rodulfo (his brother, I think) is awesome.
Those who have a computer, will discover two nice
videos too (the band playing live in the studio).
Pupil: Finally, this is a must have, Sir?
Teacher: Yes, certainly!
Roland Roque
-Issue # 35
Raimundo Rodulfo. "The Dreams Concerto"
This is the second by this excellent musician
from Venezuela. Second achievement. The music is more symphonic (divided
in 3 movements), featuring a wide range of instruments: sax, violin,
flute, mandolin, harpsichord ... And of course great guitars (both
acoustic and electric). You'll find elegant female vocals (Beatriz Rivas)
too, some fusion and folklore hints too. I forgot to mention the delicate
cover art and full cover booklet and digipack. On a whole, this production
by the Latino Mike Oldfield should please to all adventurous ears.
Roland Roque
Tarkus Magazine -
www.tarkus.org - Norway
-Issue #23
Raimundo Rodulfo: The
Dreams Concerto
Concerto for guitar, group and chamber orchestra is
the subtitle to this ambitious project from Venezuela, a rather unusual
country in a prog aspect. Similarities with other South Amercan bands like
Sagrado can be traced, but the music also contains many elements of
classical music from the time around Vivaldi.
It alternates between rock parts, orchestra parts, and
both in unision, and Rodulfo plays both electric and acoustic guitar with
high technical skill. The opening is promising with the 24 minute long
"Sueños", a symphonic cascade with exquisit interplay between Rodulfo's
guitars, the band, orchestra and vocalists. It continues with great
folk-prog parts lending an ear to both Tull and Focus. But after that, it
turns into a long-winding guitar solo, and from here on the record just
doesn't manage to keep the positive elements from the first half hour
(i.e. the first movement of the concert). Movement no 2 becomes mainly
tiresome guitar wanking, while the third movement is split in two parts.
The first part is a co-operation between classical guitar and chamber
orchestra, which unfortunately is not able to grab me. Even if the final
part sees the group back in the fold, we only now and then see glimpses of
the fine tendencies of the beginning of the record.
If you think that half an hour of exciting music is
acceptable in a record lasting almost 80 minutes, then you're
welcome.
Sven Eriksen
-Issue # 49
Raimundo Rodulfo: Mare et
Terra
Raimundo Rodulfo is one of the great, (relatively)
young guitar heroes in the Latin American progressive rock. He has a style
that makes it tempting to compare him with the dimensions of Steve Howe
and Steve Hackett, but at the same time his music has a very distinctive
Latin American style.
Mare et Terra is a strangely
structured album. The first half is "Naufrago," a 36 minutes long suite
that alternates between flamenco and symphonic rock, and gradually sliding
more in the latter. Particularly well structured, it is apparently not -
in fact it is probably a long time since I've heard a composition that
jumps so much back and forth as "Naufrago". The suite is complex and
requires some listenings through, but it is also exciting and intense in
its mixture of acoustic and electric instruments, and traditional prog
rock with southern music.
Then, a half of the
album is dedicated to four shorter songs (well, they last close to ten
minutes each). The first, "Libertad", is a collection of fine melody lines
which moves in the intersection of ethnic, but the result seems a mind
blast and directionless in relation to the rest of the material.
Things look up considerably with the atmospheric jazz
composition "Blue", and culminates with "Thoughts" parts 1 and 2. This
dual composition is the heaviest and most structured part of the album.
Again, the North/South central theme: melodic jazz, reggae and Latin
American traditional music meet the Americanized progressive rock, and the
result are strikingly fresh and exhilarated.
Raimundo Rodulfo lives in Miami now, but he still
represents some of the best that South American prog has to offer.
Trond Sätre
Colossus Magazine -
www.colossus.fi - Finland
-Issue # 14
Raimundo Rodulfo:
Dreams
(Private release UMC-001)
Finnish - English
Venezuelalaisen kitaristin Raimundo Rodulfon
soololevy "Dreams" sisältää monipuolista instru-mentaalista musiikkia
vaihdellen fuusiosta lähes he-vin kautta sinfoniseen progeen. Rodulfo
sävelsi osan levyn kappaleista jo 80-luvulla, mutta musiikki on äänitetty
kokonaisuudessaan vuonna 2000. Rodulfo on todella näppärä kitaristi olipa
sitten ky-seessä sähkökitara tai akustinen kitara. Useissa kappaleissa on
mukana suuri joukko erilaisia soitti-mia huilusta, viulusta ja
saksofoneista alkaen. Moni-puolista tavaraa, joka huipentuu yli
21-minuuttiseen suiteen "Codigos Universales". Levyä voi suositella
fuusion ja jazzahtavan progen ystäville.
Raimo Eurasto
Finnish to English translation (Thanks to Jari
Pakkanen)
Raimundo Rodulfo: Dreams
(Private release UMC-001)
English - Finnish
Venezuelan guitar player Raimundo Rodulfo
solo album "Dreams" includes diverse instrumental music, from fusion, via
heavy rock until symphonic prog music.
Rodulfo
composed part of the music (which is in his album "Dreams"), allready
between 1980 and 1990, but the music has been recorded totally during year
2000.
Rodulfo is a really skilful guitarist,
playing electric and acoustic guitar. In many of his songs there is a big
group of different kind of instruments starting from flute, violin and
saxophone. This album has diverse songs, which culminates with the more
than 21 minutes long suite "Codigos Universales". This album can be
recommended for the people who like jazz fusion and progressive music.
Raimo Eurasto
Issue #14
-Issue # 20
Raimundo Rodulfo: The
Dreams Concerto
Finnish - English
Venezuelasta kotoisin oleva Raimundo Rodulfo
osoitti ensimmäisellä albumillaan "Suenos" olevansa mielenkiintoista
nykymusiikkia tekevä artisti. Toisella albumillaan Rodulfo on mennyt vielä
pitemmälle ja julkaissut kolmiosaisen mammuttimaisen yli 78-minuttisen
teoksen "The Dreams Concerto - Concerto for guitar group and chamber
orchestra". Levyn mukana tulee myös 38-sivuinen lehdykkä, jossa on tarinaa
teoksesta ja siinä soittavista muusikoista. Rodulfo on valmistellut
teoksen musiikkia jo 15 vuoden ajan, joten kyse ei ole mistään nopeasti
purkkiin pistetystä lurittelusta, vaan hiljalleen kypsyneestä
kokonaisuudesta. Rodulfo hoitaa itse mallikkaasti kaikki kitaraosuudet ja
apunaan hänellä on suuri joukko eri instrumentteja soittavia muusikoita
sekä myös useita eri laulajia. Rodulfo sekoittaa mukavasti klassisen
musiikin rockin kanssa ja teoksen kolme osaa sisältävät vaihtelevaa ja
monipuolista musiikkia laidasta laitaan. Välillä rankaksikin äityvä
kitarointi pitää huolen siitä, että klassisemmat osat eivät pääse
pitkästyttämään kuuntelua ja albumin kokonaisuus tuntuu toimivan hienosti.
"The Dreams Concerto" on kunnianhimoinen omakustannetyö lahjakkaalta
artistilta.
Raimo
Eurasto
Finnish to English translation (Thanks to Jari
Pakkanen)
Raimundo Rodulfo: The Dreams Concerto
English - Finnish
Raimundo Rodulfo was born in Venezuela and
showed on his first album "Suenos" that he is an artist who can make
interesting modern music. On his second album Rodulfo has gone even
further and he has announced a three-part gigantic 78 minute long song
called "The Dreams Concerto - Concerto for guitar group and chamber
orchestra". There is a 38 page booklet attached to this album, booklet
tells more info about the songs and the artists who are playing on the
album. Rodulfo has been preparing music for this album already for 15
years, so we are not talking about any kind of fast built-up rubbish, but
a gradually developed entity. Rodulfo takes care of all guitar playing
parts by himself in a very professional way, there is also a big group of
musicians who are playing different king of instruments and several
singers who are helping him. Rodulfo is mixing nicely classic and rock
music and his three-part album includes diverse and all-around music from
one side to another. Sometimes his guitar playing gets heavy, and this
takes care of that the classical parts of the album do not feel so boring
and the whole aggregate seems to be working perfectly. "The Dreams
Concerto" is an ambitious prime album from a very talented artist.
Raimo Eurasto
Issue #20
Progressive World -
www.progressiveworld.net - USA
www.progressiveworld.net/rodulfo.html
Raimundo Rodulfo -
Suenos/Dreams
December 2001
Although based in Venezuela, there is a
slight Celtic element to Rodulfo's music. Dreams is an all instrumental
progressive rock album. In a rather broad way, one can say that it
contains elements of Italian prog with its rich instrumentation - along
side the guitar you'll hear flute, violin, viola, and sax - but also it
makes me think of Yes. The thought that came to me was: if Steve Howe
released an instrumental album, expanding his solos from the music of Yes
into pieces themselves, this is what it would sound like. Classical
structures form the lattice over which Rodulfo weaves his magic.
Inevitably, Al DiMeola and John Scofield also come to mind, at least for
me. Rodulfo has assembled a number of guests to help him realize this
project, a sci-fi themed concept album: Frank Alburjas on flute, Lérmit
Martinez on keyboards, Jesús Pérez on drums, Alfredo Su´rez on percussion,
Carlos Rodriquez on bass for a couple of tracks, César Romano on violin
for "Friendship," Efrain Ramirez on viola for a pair of tracks, and Édgar
Rodriquez on sax for two tracks. Rodulfo can be heard on, in addition to
acoustic, electric, and classical guitar, mandolin (on one track) and bass
(most of the album).
"Laberinto/Labyrinth" is, as
the name suggests, an intricate journey which starts off the album in
whirling manner. "Amistad/Friendship" has an open style not unlike a
waltz; in fact, there is so much energy here, that one thinks it must have
been written to be danced to. The music is light and lyrical, uplifting
and positive. "Nuevos Horizontes/New Horizons" has a southwestern/country
feel to it, and due to more than just the acoustic guitar of Rodulfo. I
thought of Emerson Lake and Palmer's "From The Beginning" every once in a
while, due to the sound of the bass during the opening section of this
10-minute plus track (also Rodulfo). "Tormenta De Ideas/Brainstorm" made
me think of latter-day Djam Karet (from Reflections From The Firepool on).
Even though this track still maintains that positive, upbeat feel, there
are darker tones woven in. Rodriquez joins in on sax, as this track takes
a jazzy turn. "Tiempos Dificiles/Hard Times" is, as elsewhere, mostly
upbeat, but at about two-thirds in, we get some moody reflection as well,
providing a nice contrast. The centerpiece to the album is the 21-plus
minute suite "Códigos Universales/Universal Codes." Here some other
textures come into play: atmospheric keys and voices, giving the first
movement of this track, "Nova," a spacey feel (tinkling percussion only
helps to enhance this feeling). Another section of this track reminds me
strongly of Craig Chaquico, and not for the reason you think, though
Rodulfo is playing a steel string here. Here is it more broad than that,
as the same feel and mood is captured by the same instrumentation -- like
Chaquico, it is a very naturalistic, outdoorsy feel. Because each section
isn't a separate track, I don't know if this is "El Mono Desnudo/The Naked
Monkey" or "Guerreros Incansables/Restless Warriors" (though the latter
matches the essence of the piece). The remaining movements are entitled
"Los Últimos Elefantes/The Last Elephants," "Tigres Ancestrales/Ancestral
Tigers," "Gigantes Atomicos/Atomic Giants," and "La Aldea Global/Global
Village."
There is also a multimedia component -
designed by Rodulfo - that includes bios, pictures, two video segments
(one a live-in-the-studio clip of "Amistad/Friendship") and the story
behind the concept, written by Rodulfo. Each track is a chapter, telling
the story of Crilo and Marta, illustrated by Anabella Delgado. The artwork
that graces the album's cover and the interior is by Peter Rodulfo, a
distant relative of Raimundo's that Raimundo came into contact with as he
was searching the internet for an artist to realize his vision
artistically.
All in all this is a fantastic album.
Very warm in both tone and style. There is a live feel to the music,
despite the fact that with Rodulfo playing multiple instruments on a
single piece, it had to be multi-tracked. You'd never guess as his
interplay with/between himself and others is quite organic.
Stephanie Sollow
www.progressiveworld.net/rodulfo2.html - USA
Raimundo Rodulfo. The
Dreams Concerto
April 2003
I regret
that this CD has waited so long for review because it is absolutely
stunning. But I'm getting ahead of myself.
The
Dreams Concerto is the second CD from Venezuelan musician Raimundo
Rodulfo. Lavishly packaged in a 19 page booklet and slipcase, both
featuring the artwork of Peter Rodulfo, the music inside is a mix of
classical and rock. Rodulfo developed a mathematical formula to map out
the structure of the music, allowing room for improvisation – the maps and
charts of the formula also included in the booklet.
The The Dreams Concerto, a concerto for guitar, group
and chamber orchestra, consists of three movements. This is a work of such
scope that I don't know really where to begin. It is amazing and
beautiful, encompassing varying moods, styles and colours… Rodulfo is a
fantastic guitarist (rather, multi-instrumentalist), surrounded by equally
talented folks on a variety of instruments. Some sections feature vocals
(Beatriz Rivas and Pedro Castillo), but overall it is an instrumental
work. The concept behind the concerto is a "tribute to the unswerving
spirit of the human being in his endeavors to fulfill his dreams and
discern his surrounding universe."
In Rodulfo's
guitar work you will hear elements of both a Steve Hackett and a Steve
Howe influence, though suggesting that any of the music here sounds like
Genesis or Yes would be misleading. Though, of course, the latter's
experimental spirit is certainly here – that sense of what if… that which
makes progressive music progressive. It is of Hackett that I think of at
about the 14 min mark of "First Movement: Sueños" and later in the CD of
Howe, especially in Rodulfo's acoustic playing. You might think of early
Genesis however at the 18 minute mark of this same track… and I must make
note of the sweet sax solo that Pablo Gil Rodulfo (no mentioned relation)
plays at the 20 min mark. This is by no means the only highlight – Rivas
is a powerful vocalist who can hit the high notes with aplomb. Add into
the over all mix on the piece violins, violas, flugelhorn, harp, flute,
piano… well, it is quite an intoxicating mix without being heady. It can
be both heavy and light.
Rodulfo mentions in his
essay in the liner notes that he found that the conclusion of "Sueños" was
too melancholic, and so added the coda, the more hopeful "Esperanza." This
shorter piece is certainly lighter, the latin-tinged acoustic arrangement
almost inviting one to dance… More than almost. Rodulfo's playing is
finely textured accompanied by flute, harp, drums and percussion, and
maracas.
Once past the darkly intriguing intro of
"Matemática y Arte II" – I can't really describe it other than as a deep,
cool blue – Rodulfo impresses again on guitar, bringing to mind the for
really the first time Howe, and more specifically Yes. Echoes of the solo
work in "Roundabout," though this piece doesn't sound like "Roundabout."
The crisp percussion at the 2:50 mark (or so) is so… real and close
sounding, it sounds live. So live it sounds as if it were being played in
an open air theater. Though Rodulfo's darker, slightly angry guitar
phrases are very much evident, it is the percussion that has the lead
here, throbbing bass filling the gap. A moment later… man, I love the
sound of a sax played well, and again Pablo Gil Rodulfo delivers. This
piece is given three subparts – "I. Modelo Inexacto de 7!," "II. Modelo
Exacto de 7!" and "III. Modelo Inexacto Traspuesto de 7!" The "inexacto"
and "exacto" refer back to Rodulfo's structure. This piece rocks. Fans of
Yes' rockier moments will love this. I love it – high energy without
losing texture.
The colours are darker in
"Muestreo Al Azar," the second part of the "Second Movement," a suite for
electric guitar, group, and DSP (Digital Sound Processing). Here Rodulfo
paints with a flurry of guitar notes that are simply amazing … The fifteen
minute "Baroque" brings back the acoustic guitar and is placed in an old
world setting. The music is bucolic, light and airy, bringing forth images
of the Italian countryside. Violinist César Romano plays an especially
sweet phrase, matched a moment later by Manuel Rojas on the flute … The
last piece and second part of the "Third Movement" is "La Gran Epopeya De
La Música Y Las Ciencias" (The Grand Epic Of Music And Science), a tribute
to folks like Copernicus and Galileo on the science side and to Mozart on
the music side. There is a passage at the 14 minute mark that for a brief
moment will have you thinking of Rush ("Spirit Of Radio"), before it
launches itself into a playful, near romp hinting more at Copeland's
"Bolero" than heavy rock. Of course, this shows that amongst all the
seriousness, Rodulfo and company can have a bit of fun. In fact, there
were a few times where I could almost identify some referenced phrases. At
the end, I was reminded of some of the scores heard in films from the late
40s-early 50s… no one movie in particular, but just some style and sound
that I associate with classic film.
The Dreams
Concerto is a thoroughly stunning and epic work that is a pleasure to
listen to. Varied enough that you will discover something new upon each
listen, but not so varied as to be disjoined - everything flows seamlessly
together with a measured ebb and flow. Seek this one out.
Rating: 5/5
Stephanie Sollow
Psyche Van Het Folk -
www.radiocentraal.be/psychevanhetfolk - Belgium
http://progressive.homestead.com/VENREVIEW.html
Private - Raimundo Rodulfo : Suenos /
Dreams (VEN,2000) ***
"Dreams" is a multimedia-CD which includes
the tale on which the music is based, the related WebPages, in both
English and Spanish, and a live in studio video recording. The style is
symphonic progressive instrumental on the first track with dense melodies,
skilfully and pacefully played (somewhat fusion like) electric guitar
accompanied by a progressive rock band : flute, drums, keyboards.. Also
the second, more relaxed track -again the guitar has this fusion ability
quality- is clearly led by the electric guitar, in duo with the violin and
like on the first track with a few touches of more happy Latin American
rhythmic melodic aspects within the symphonic rock structure. The third
track "Nuevos Horizontes" starts much more modestly with acoustic guitars,
flute and violin, like some of the better Spanish groups I know, with very
beautiful acoustic guitars, and a well balanced structural openness. The
following track "Tormenta de Ideas" I did not know how to approach it at
first for it started quickly with slightly less interesting keyboards, a
few more easy beats on the drums, then a jazzbluesrhythmic structure, and
an improvising over convoluted electric-guitar, but never the less the
total composition gives it some sense. "Tiempos Dificiles" following on
has much more extra interesting percussion, a rock flute, some saxophone,
latin jazz rock rhythmic skill, virtuoso acoustic guitars and violin. It's
been played by a well balanced group with chamber music rock
sensebilities. And the composition is structurally interesting too. Great.
Oddly structured should be "Matématica y Arte" (Mathematics and Arts) for
there Raimundo played with the contraposition of rigid rhythmic patterns
combined with jazzrock free improvisation segments. It's an interactive
play between automatic mathematical models and creative improvising. Last
22 minute track "Códigos Universales" is the best from all I mentioned
before, mostly in a relaxed mode but with the full band. A recommended CD
if you like both symphonic and fusion guitar progressive music. But you
haven't read or heard anything yet. Check out Raimundo's next album
reviewed underneath.
Gerald Van Waes
Private - Raimundo Rodulfo : The Dreams
Concerto
Concerto for guitar, group and chamber orchestra
(VEN,2002)****
Symphonic progressive. Full of tremendous and
beautiful parts. Especially the acoustic guitar parts are superb. The
acoustic part are so good / the arrangements are refined enough...
Raimundo evolved a lot since his first album, and
developed various of his ideas as if a dream came true. The compositions
are much richer, arranged and performed. A lot of work went into this. Not
only because the compositions are richly orchestrated (played by carefully
chosen musicians, like Pedro Castillo from Tempano, .. with a beautiful
female voice, chamber orchestra) but a lot of attention went also in the
booklet. Peter Rodulfo made inspired drawings with each composition.
Making Long compositions is not an easy task to preserve spontaneity, but
Raimundo succeeds. He also used some mathematical models in this album.
The theory is carefully explained in the thick booklet, still without
clearly saying how he used the graphic patern included. The mood on this
album is no longer symphonic, but more art rock and symphonic art folk.
For various reasons very recommended. Both acoustic guitars as electric
guitar playing / arrangements are splendid. Also ecommended for those
interested in groups like Amarok (Spain/Venezuela) or Baccamarte
(Brazil).
The mathematical model, Audio files as
well as extra pictures and reviews can be found at Rodulfo's personal
website.
Gerald Van
Waes
Raimundo
Rodulfo : to LIVE a dream -official bootleg (VEN,2003)***°
(VG/EG)
With a progressive/art/symphonic group we
never know the quality and the amount of spontaneous effect of the group
playing live before we actually hear them play live or hear a good live
recording. It's clear this group has such a fine tension. First track with
art folk tension, various tracks with a folk stage fusion symphonic
craftsmanship, with some improvisations of the musicians involved, and one
with progressive / symphonic feel. I was especially surprised by the harp
/ flute / maracas / strangely tuned guitar ? -with "tumbpiano feel" medley
& some violin / classical guitar and drums at the end, "Esperanza",
recorded on Progjazz show, 2002. A must have heard track. "Suenos" goes
beyond the craftsmanship's symphonic music early Genesis explored, with
Latin American female voice, progressive rock guitar, etc. Beautiful.
Gerald Van
Waes
Tombstone - www.tombstone.gr -
Greece
RODULFO RAIMUNDO - The
Dreams Concerto
This is the second
album of the man and it is a concerto for guitar, group and chamber
orchestra. You might ask what this has to do in the CD-Reviews section of
a metal web site and we will answer a lot. A lot, because the music is
mainly rock, with influences from progressive, but with very classical
arrangements and with a full orchestra behind the band providing rich
musical textures. The vocals are both male and female, with the female
ones being much better. Almost 80 minutes of rock, mixed with traditional
South American music influences and a very diverse album. The use of
several instruments besides the traditional rock instruments makes the
sound very rich and much more interesting. It's a very good album... It's
worth listening the album especially if you're an open minded fan...
8/10
Agelos Kanarelis
Ragazzi - www.ragazzi-music.de - Germany
Musikpalast - www.hcoels.de - Germany
Raimundo Rodulfo "The Dreams
Concerto"
German - English
Der Venezuelaner Raimundo Rodulfo ist
Multiinstrumentalist mit Hauptinstrument Gitarre sowie Graphiker und
Mathematiker, der für die Einspielung seines zweiten Albums "The Dreams
Concerto" etliche Musiker einlud, ein 78-minütiges, dreiteiliges Werk
einzuspielen. Gewidmet ist die Musik allen Menschen, die von einer
besseren Welt träumen. Dank sagt er etlichen Größen der klassischen und
progressiven Musik sowie Wissenschaftlern und Künstlern. Sämtliche Bilder
hat Peter Rodulfo, ein britischer Maler gemalt. Die Bilder sind (wie die
Musik) von einer unglaublichen farben- und themenreichen Vielfalt. Peter
und Raimundo sind nicht verwandt, vielleicht über etliche Ecken, wie
Raimundo meint (Peter Rodulfos Großeltern kommen aus Venezuela). Raimundo
hat im umfangreichen Booklet mathematische Formeln aufgeschlüsselt, die in
ihrer Komplexität einiges Genie verraten. Die Entstehungsgeschichte des
Albums, Texte und Musiker mit etlichen Informationen werden abgebildet.
Schon vor der Musik ein erstaunlich umfassendes Werk, an dem nicht gespart
wurde. Die Musik offenbart sich als komplexer, schwer lyrischer
Progressive Rock. Mal eher neoprogressiv, mal heftig und wild. Dann wieder
überrascht der Gesang mit hoher Frauenstimme, die in sehr süßer Melodie
singt. Zum Glück gibt es das kraftvoll gespielte Schlagzeug! Zwischen den
Gesangspassagen, die auch schon mal im Duett Männer-/Frauenstimme gesungen
werden, breiten sich epische Instrumentalteile aus, die vor allem von
elektrischer und akustischer Gitarre geführt werden. Klassische
Instrumente wie Violine, Flöte, Flügelhorn und Harfe werden genutzt. So
ergibt sich ein Wechselspiel der Stile, das harmonisch ineinandergreift
und das Werk nahtlos zu wunderschöner Musik schweißt. "First Movement" und
"Second Movement" sind stilistisch im klassischen Progressive Rock zu
Hause, immer mit einem Hauch Folklore und einer irgendwie exotisch
anmutenden, angenehmen Eigenwilligkeit. "Third Movement" beginnt im
ersten, 15 Minuten langen Part "Baroque" als rein klassisches Stück.
"Suite For Classic Guitar And Chamber Orchestra" untertitelt, werden hier
der venezuelanischen Folkore verwandte Themen in klassischer europäischer
Form gespielt. Die Suite ist von Transparenz und Klarheit, von tonaler
Schönheit und anspruchsvoller Eleganz, großer Dynamik und heißer
Leidenschaft, überraschend und hinreißend! Und so ist das komplette Album.
Zwar kommt "The Dreams Concerto" hin und wieder an etwas zu süße Punkte,
die zum Glück jedoch im druckvollen Arrangement nicht zum Überschwang
kommen. Raimundo Rodulfo offenbart mit "The Dreams Concerto" seine
Qualität als Komponist, Arrangeur und Gitarrist mit harmonischer,
dramatischer, virtuoser, berückender und impulsiver, schwer symphonischer
Rockmusik. Ein beeindruckendes Werk, das ich nur empfehlen kann.
Volkmar Mantei
German to English translation (Automatic
approximate translation by SYSTRAN)
Raimundo
Rodulfo "The Dreams Concerto"
English - German
The Venezuelan Raimundo Rodulfo is a
multi-instrumentist with guitar as main instrument as well as commercial
artist and mathematician, which invited some musicians for bringing its
second album "The Dreams Concerto", a 78-minutes three-part work. The
music is dedicated to all humans who dream of a better world. Owing to he
says some size to the classical and progressive music as well as
scientists and artists. Peter Rodulfo, a British painter painted all
pictures. The pictures are (like the music) from an unbelievable color and
topic-rich variety. Peter and Raimundo are not directly related, perhaps
over some corners, like Raimundo mean (some Peter Rodulfo's grandparents
come from Venezuela). Raimundo developed mathematical formulas, which
betray some genius in their complexity in the extensive Booklet. The
developing history of the album, texts and musicians with some information
are illustrated. Already before the music an amazingly comprehensive work,
at which one did not save. The music reveals itself as more complex, with
difficulty more lyrically progressive skirt. Times rather neoprogressiv,
times violently and wildly. Then again the singing surprises with high
woman voice, which sings in very sweet melody. Fortunately there is the
impact thing strong played! Between the singing passages, which are sung
already times in the Duet man/woman voice, spread over epic instruments
old hurry, which are led particularly by electrical and acoustic guitar.
Classical instruments such as violin, flute, wing horn and harp are used.
Thus results an interrelation of the styles, which interlinks harmoniously
and which work welds smoothly to beautiful music. "First Movement" and
"Second Movement" are stylistic in the classical progressive skirt at
home, always with a breath folklore and a somehow exotically seeming,
pleasant self-willedness. "Third Movement" begins in the first, 15 minutes
long part "Baroque" as purely classical piece. Titled "Suite For Classic
Guitar and Chamber Orchestra", are played here the Venezuela niches
Folkore related topics in classical European form. The Suite is surprising
and impregned of transparency and clarity, of tonal beauty and smooth
elegance, large dynamics and hot passion! And like that is the complete
album. "The Dreams Concerto" comes now and then to somewhat to sweet
points, which overshot fortunately however in the pressureful arrangement
not to comes. Raimundo Rodulfo reveals with "The Dreams Concerto" his
quality as composer, Arrangeur and a guitarist with more harmoniously,
dramatically, more virtuoser, more beru hit a corner and more impulsively,
to with difficulty symphonic skirt music. An impressive work, which I can
only recommend.
Volkmar Mantei
Raimundo Rodulfo "To live
a Dream - Official Bootleg" (internet Release)
German - English
Nachdem Raimundo Rodulfo im letzten Jahr "The
Dreams Concerto" veröffentlicht hat, gab es für ihn und seine Band viele
Möglichkeiten, Konzerte zu geben oder auf Festivals aufzutreten. Die
Konzerte wurden mitgeschnitten.
Sicher war
geplant, ein offizielles Live-Album aufzulegen, doch nicht alle Aufnahmen
sind in dem notwendigen Sound gelungen. So entschied sich Raimundo, "To
Live A Dream" als offizielles Bootleg anzubieten, das man komplett (samt
dem vollständigen und perfekt gemachten Layout) von seiner Internetseite
herunterladen kann, so man einen kleinen Obolus dafür bezahlt, das
Passwort zu bekommen.
Gerade 8 Stücke füllen die
CD.
Die ersten 4 Tracks sind auf der Baja Prog
Show im März 2002 mitgeschnitten worden. Wie auf dem früheren Album zeigt
sich die lyrische, melodisch reiche Musik des venezuelanischen
Gitarristen. Akustische und elektrische Gitarre, Keyboards, Violine und
Flöte zeichnen einen romantischen und doch kraftvollen Progressive Rock,
der Einflüsse aus der Klassik, venezuelanischer Folklore und Jazz
verarbeitet.
Nur das 28minütige "Suenos" gibt
Gesang zum besten, die anderen Songs sind rein instrumental. Gerade in der
ausgedehnten Instrumentalarbeit ist die Parallele zur besten Zeit von
Premiata Forneria Marconi zu erkennen.
Neben
einigen Soundmacken, die aber nicht besonders negativ auffallen, ist vor
allem der Gesang von Beatriz Rivas ein Problem. Stimme und Gesanglinie
sind ansprechend, aber auf die Dauer etwas eintönig. Zudem ist der
wiederkehrende Refrain fast schlagerhaft, reizt ihre Stimme eine Höhenlage
aus, die doch arg an die Nerven geht. Weniger Jubilieren wäre mehr.
Doch die anmutige Dame singt nicht zuviel, so ist mit
ein wenig Geduld der Engelsgesang bald überwunden. "Suenos" ist das Stück
mit dem schlechtesten Sound, ein leichtes Brummen liegt hinter der Musik,
die Lautstärke der Instrumente ist unausgewogen, hin und wieder "flattert"
der Klang, es gibt geringe Aussetzer.
Die beiden
folgenden Songs wurden auf der Prog Jazz Show in Barquisimeto, Venezuela
im April 2002 mitgeschnitten. Der Klang ist wieder allerliebst - und die
Musik auch, dank der Bühnenabstinenz der schicken Beatriz.
Track 7 ist während einer TV Show im Mai 2002 im
gleichen Ort in Venezuela aufgezeichnet worden. Ein kurzer, akustischer
Abriß nur, zudem als Duo Gitarre/Flöte gespielt, gewiss für das Fernsehen
auf Normalmaß gestutzt, um die Einschaltquoten nicht zu killen.
Danach spielt Raimundo als Bonus "Bourree" auf der
elektrischen Gitarre solo und plötzlich klingt es, als würde ein
Metal-Gitarrist versuchen, Klassik so dreckig und übel klingen zu lassen,
wie es nur geht. Eine passable Idee mit viel Ironie.
Wenn man das lange "Suenos" weglässt, bleiben noch
knapp 52 Minuten eindrucksvollen Progressive Rocks im viel besseren als
Bootleg-Klang.
Da Raimundo viel von filigraner
Musikarchitektur versteht, wird er die PFM-Gemeinde zu Verzückung bringen.
Und die Artverwandten hinzu.
Ich habe keine
Ahnung, wie lange das Angebot des Bootleg-Download zur Verfügung steht.
Einfach mal testen.
Volkmar Mantei
German-English translation.
Raimundo Rodulfo "To live a
Dream - Official Bootleg" (internet Release)
English - German
After Raimundo Rodulfo published "The Dreams
Concerto" in the last year, there was for him and his band many
possibilities to give concerts or to appear on festivals. The concerts
became with cutting edge.
It was surely planned to
present an official live album but not all the songs succeeded in the
necessary sound. Thus, Raimundo decided to offer "To Live A Dream" as an
official bootleg, which one can download completely (including the
complete and perfectly made layout) from his Internet site, so one paid a
small obolus to get the password.
Exactly 8 pieces
fill the CD. The first 4 TRACKS were cut on the Baja Prog Show in March
2002.
As on the earlier album, it shows up the
lyrical, melodic music of the Venezuelan guitarist. Acoustic and electric
guitar, keyboards, violin and flute draw a romantic and nevertheless
strong progressive outline, which processes influences from the classical
period, Venezuelan folklore and jazz. Only the 28-minute "Suenos" gives
singing to the greatest, the other songs are purely instrumental. Just in
the extended instrumental work, is recognized the parallel to the best
time of Premiata Forneria Marconi.
Besides some
sound imperfections, which are not particularly negatively noticeable
however, is a problem above all the singing of Beatriz Rivas. Voice and
singing lines are attractive, but somewhat monotonous in the long run.
Besides the recurring refrain is nearly hitful, provokes in its voice a
high outgo, which goes nevertheless badly to the nerves. Less carolled
would be better. But the charming lady sings not too much, then after
little patience the singing angel is soon overcome. "Suenos" is the piece
with the worst sound, one light humming lies behind the music, the volume
of the instruments is unbalanced, now and then "flutters" the sound, there
is minor abandon.
The two following Songs were cut
on the Prog jazz Show in Barquisimeto, Venezuela in April 2002. The sound
is all-loved again, and also the music, thanks to the good abstention of
Beatriz.
TRACK 7 was recorded during a TV Show in
May 2002 in the same place in Venezuela. It is a short, only acoustic
outline, in addition played as guitar/flute duo, certainly for the
television on normal measure, in order to don't kill the ratings so
much.
Thereafter Raimundo plays as bonus "Bourree"
on the solo electrical guitar and it suddenly sounds, as if a metal
guitarist would try to let classical period sound as dirty and evil as
possible. An acceptable idea with much irony.
If
you omit the long "Suenos", still remains scarcely 52 minutes of
impressive progressive rock in a much better than bootleg sound.
Since Raimundo understands much about filigree music
architecture, he will bring the PFM community to ecstasy. And the related
ones in addition.
I have no idea of how long the
offer of the bootleg download will be available.
Simply test once.
Volkmar Mantei
Raimundo
Rodulfo "To live a Dream 2 - Official Bootleg" (internet Release)
German - English
Im letzten Jahr hat Raimundo Rodulfo bereits
Live-Aufnahmen veröfffentlicht. Jetzt gibt es weiteres Material. Für einen
geringen Obolus "kauft" man sich ein Passwort, mit dem man die kompletten
Songs + vollständiges Artwork von der Rodulfo-Website herunterladen kann.
Das über eine Stunde lange Official Bootleg 2 beinhaltet Aufnahmen vom
Progjazz Festival 2002 und einen Song vom gleichen Festival ein Jahr
früher. Die Soundqualität der Aufnahmen ist gut, die Abmischung kann sich
bis auf einige, wenige seltsame Sachen wie ins Off gemixte Gitarre, oder
zu laute Keyboards hören lassen. Die Band ist warm gespielt, die
technische Präsentation der Aufnahmen gut, teilweise vielleicht etwas
statisch. Aber das mag an der Komplexität der Songs liegen. Raimundo
Rodulfo komponiert schwer symphonische Songs, die typisch südamerikanisch
klingen. Die Melodieschwere und tiefe Lyrik sind ebenso mit Italo Prog
verwandt. Elektrische Geige, Keyboards, Flöte, Flügelhorn - hier wird
Romantik groß geschrieben. Trotzdem rockt es gelegentlich, Raimundo
Rodulfo reizt die Gitarre auch schon mal schwer heavy aus. Das ist jedoch
gut ausbalanciert und insgesamt überwiegt romantisch-lyrischer
Symphonik-Rock. Hauptwerk wie auf CD1 ist das lange "Suenos". Auf der
ersten CD gab es Ausfälle im Ton, weswegen diese zweite Variante wohl auf
diese CD gekommen ist, wenn nicht die CD überhaupt wegen des Songs
angeboten wird. Fast 30 Minuten lang ist "Suenos", das einzige Stück mit
Gesang. Und das ist der einzige größere Kritikpunkt an Official Bootleg 2.
Die Gesanglinie, die Beatriz Rivas singt, ist, zumindest für europäische
Ohren, etwas anstrengend. Zudem singt sie, trotz langer instrumentaler
Passagen in diesem langen Werk, recht viel. Vor allem der stets
wiederkehrende Refrain ist gewöhnungsbedürftig. Ansonsten können die Songs
nur empfohlen werden. Italo Prog Liebhaber und überhaupt Fans des
romantischen Symphonic Rocks werden ihre Freude an dem Werk haben.
Volkmar Mantei
German-English translation.
Raimundo Rodulfo "To live a
Dream 2 - Official Bootleg" (internet Release)
English - German
In the last year Raimundo Rodulfo already
published live performances. Now there is further material. For a small
price one "buys" a password, with which one can download the complete
songs + complete artwork from the Rodulfo's website. Over one hour long
the Official Bootleg 2 contains performances from the Progjazz Festival
2002 and a song from the same festival one year before. The sound quality
of the performances is good, despite some few strange things as the off
mixed guitar, or to let keyboards listen too loud. The band plays warmly,
the technical presentation of the performances is good, partly perhaps
some static. But that may be because of the complexity of the songs.
Raimundo Rodulfo composes heavy symphonic songs, which sound typically
South American. Melodic weight and deep poetry are just as related to Italian Prog.
Electric violin, keyboard, flute, flugelhorn - here becomes romanticism largely written.
Nevertheless it rocks occasionally, Raimundo Rodulfo already plays the
guitar sometimes in a heavy way. That is however well balanced and
altogether outweighs romantic - lyrical symphonic structure. Present as on
CD1 is the long "Suenos". On the first CD there were losses in the sound,
why this second variant probably came on this CD, if not the CD at all is
offered because of the songs. "Suenos" is nearly 30 minutes long, the only
piece with singing. And that is the only larger point of criticism at
Official Bootleg 2. The singing line, which sings Beatriz Rivas, is, at
least for European ears, something tiring. Besides it, despite long instrumental
passages in this long work, sings quite much. Above all the always
returning lyrics needs habituation. Otherwise the songs can be only
recommended. Italian Prog lovers and all fans of the romantic symphony
genre will enjoy this work.
Volkmar Mantei
Progressive Pages - www.progressivepages.de |
http://progressive-pages.de - Germany
Raimundo Rodulfo "The
Dreams Concerto"
German - English
Manchmal frage ich mich, wo die Leute nur
immer wieder neue Ideen für Musik hernehmen. Im Falle von RAIMUNDO
RODULFO, einem venezuelanischen Gitarristen um so mehr. Diese
Vielseitigkeit auf seinem "The Dream's Concerto" ist schon beeindruckend.
Komponiert ist das Werk für "Guitar, group and chamber orchestra" - und
weniger würde der Musik auch nicht gerecht werden.
Beim Lauschen der Klänge bekommt man nicht selten das
Gefühl, dass eine visuelle Umsetzung unbedingt gemacht werden sollte.
RODULFO's Musik ist komplex und vermittelt ein ganz eigenes Flair, schon
allein durch das südamerikanische Element, welches immer wieder durch die
akustische Gitarre transportiert wird und nicht zuletzt auch durch den -
wenn auch nur im ersten und letzten Stück vorhandenen - spanischen Gesang.
Das Orchester trägt eine barocke Grundstimmung dazu bei. Sehr schön íst,
dass sich RODULFO als Namensgeber, Initiator und Komponist harmonisch in
das Gesamtbild einfügt. Die Gitarre ist aber stets präsent, jedes andere
Instrument kann jedoch seine Vielseitigkeit und Stimmung wunderbar zum
Ausdruck bringen, sei es die Flöte, das Saxophon, die Streicher oder das
Piano, Drums, Bass oder auch die eingesetzte Harfe.
Die Vielseitigkeit der Musik zu beschreiben fällt mir
nicht leicht. Es gibt einfach so viele Facetten, dass sich keine
Vergleiche ziehen lassen. Klar ist, dass viele Stücke klassisch geprägt
sind. Doch es gibt mit dem "Second Movement" auch ein auf die E-Gitarre
ausgelegtes Stück, welches die rockige Seite des Raimundo Rodulfo zeigt.
Begeistern kann mich immer wieder die mit Leidenschaft gespielte spanische
Gitarre. Man sieht den Künstler förmlich vor Augen, man spürt die Welle,
auf der er sich von der Musik tragen lässt. Dieses Bild fordert eigentlich
die Umsetzung des Konzepts auf einer großen Bühne. Das Eintauchen in die
vielen Facetten der Musik würde sicherlich begünstigt werden.
Die wunderbare Aufmachung der CD mit ihrem umfassenden
Booklet rundet das Hörerlebnis vortrefflich ab. Man kann etwas zur
Entstehungsgeschichte einzelner Stücke lesen, bekommt Einblicke in
Zusammenhänge von Mathematik und Musik geliefert und jeder Musiker wird in
einer Kurzbiographie vorgestellt.
Thorsten Guerntke
German
to English translation (Automatic approximate translation by
SYSTRAN)
Raimundo Rodulfo "The Dreams Concerto"
English - German
Sometimes I ask myself, where the people get
again and again new ideas for music. In the case of RAIMUNDO RODULFO,
Venezuela lodges a guitarist like the best. This versatility on his "The
Dream's Concerto" already is impressive. Composed the work for "Guitar
plus group and chamber orchestra" - and less the music also not fair would
become.
When listening the sounds one gets the
feeling not rarely that a visual conversion should be made absolute.
RODULFO's music is complex and mediates a completely own Flair, already
alone by the South American element, which is transported again and again
by the acoustic guitar and not least by - even if only in the first and
last piece of existing - Spanish singing. The orchestra contributes a
baroque basic tendency to it. It is very beautifully how RODULFO inserts
himself harmoniously as name giver, initiator and a composer into the
overall view. Though the guitar is always present, every other instrument
can however marvelously express its versatility and tendency, is it the
flute, the saxophone, the organ or the piano, drums, bass or also the
assigned harp.
The versatility of the music is not
easy to describe for me. There are simply so many facets that no
comparisons can be pulled. It is clear that many pieces are classically
coined/shaped. But there is a piece designed for the electric guitar,
which shows the rockish side of Raimundo Rodulfo with the "Second
Movement" also. To inspire again and again the Spanish guitar is played
with a passion that can do me. One sees the artist formally before eyes,
one feels the wave, on which he can be carried from the music. This
picture actually demands the conversion of the concept on a large stage.
Immersing into the many facets of the music would be surely favoured.
Marvelous opening that CD which its comprehensive
Booklet rounds the hearing experience splendid off. One can read something
for the developing history of individual pieces, gets views of connections
of mathematics and music supplied, and each musician is introduced in a
biography.
Thorsten
Guerntke
Babyblaue -
www.babyblaue-seiten.de - Germany
Raimundo
Rodulfo. The Dreams Concerto.
German - English
Erschienen: 2002
Vergleichbar mit:
Südamerikan. Hackett bzw. Howe mit starkem Hang zur klassischen Musik.
Mit "The Dreams Concerto" liegt das zweite Album des
aus Venezuela stammenden Gitarristen Raimundo Rodulfo vor. Diese
Veröffentlichung aus dem Jahr 2002 trägt den Untertitel "Concerto for
guitar, group and chamber orchestra". Somit ist dies ein erstes Indiz
dafür, dass der musikalische Inhalt des Albums sehr von der klassischen
Musik inspiriert ist.
Schon die ersten Töne der in
drei "Movements" unterteilten CD-Veröffentlichung belegen dies in
eindrucksvoller Manier. Romantisches Geigenspiel und zarte Flötentöne
gehen mit der akustischen Gitarre von Raimundo Rodulfo einher. Hieraus
entwickelt sich sehr anspruchsvoller symphonischer Rock, der mit dem
herkömmlichen Progressive Rock kaum vergleichbar ist, sondern eher im
zeitlosen symphonischen Schönklang beheimatet ist.
Im weiteren Verlauf offenbart der Hauptakteur jedoch
auch seine Fähigkeiten an der elektrischen Gitarre und glänzt mit wohl
dosiertem, symphonischem Spiel. Dabei lässt er die sechs Saiten
leidenschaftlich jubilieren und steht somit in der besten Tradition eine
Steve Hacketts und Steve Howes. Eine sehr präzise agierende
Rhythmussektion spannt den Bogen perfekt von der symphonischen Eleganz zum
anspruchsvollen Progressive Rock.
Der weibliche
spanische Gesang ist sehr ausdrucksstark, lässt aber anhand des doch
expressiven Gesangsstils die südamerikanische Herkunft nicht verleugnen
und mag für mitteleuropäische Ohren doch ein wenig gewöhnungsbedürftig
sein. Stellenweise wird Sängerin Beatriz Rivas von Pedro Castillo
gesanglich unterstützt, der in Insiderkreisen als Mitglied der ebenfalls
aus Venezuela stammenden Band Tempano bekannt sein dürfte.
Der Großteil von "The Dreams Concerto" kommt jedoch
ohne Gesang aus. Dabei wird die immense instrumentale Palette durch die
Hinzunahme von Saxophon, Harfe und Flügelhorn erweitert. Das Keyboardspiel
ordnet sich dabei dezent in den orchestralen Rahmen ein.
Nach der verträumten Eleganz klingt das erste
"Movement" sehr fröhlich aus, wobei hier die Verbundenheit mit der
traditionellen südamerikanischen Musik verstärkt zum Vorschein kommt. Mit
"Matemática y Arte II" begibt sich Raimundo Rodulfo dann völlig unverhofft
in jazzrockige Gefilde. Dieser stilistische Bruch unterstreicht die
musikalische Vielfältigkeit des hier gebotenen musikalischen Inhaltes um
so mehr. Im sehr opulent gestalteten Booklet der CD-Veröffentlichung
erklärt der Hauptakteur in ausführlicher Art und Weise das inhaltliche
Grundkonzept dieses mittleren Teils der CD-Veröffentlichung. Dabei geht es
ihm in erster Linie um das Verhältnis von Mathematik und den verschieden
Kunstformen. Eine detailliertere Wiedergabe dieses doch sehr theoretischen
Gedankenansatzes würde den Rahmen dieser Rezension jedoch bei weitem
sprengen.
Mit "Third Movement" tendiert der
musikalische Inhalt wieder in die symphonische Richtung. Hierbei wurde das
Hauptaugenmerk auf die virtuose Beherrschung der akustischen Gitarre
gelegt. Dabei wird Raimundo Rodulfo von Geige, Flöte und Cembalo
unterstützt. Trotz der filigranen Saitenbeherrschung ist dieser Part mit
rund 15 Minuten aber doch ein wenig zu lang geraten. Der Rockcharakter
tritt dabei vorerst gänzlich in den Hintergrund und kommt erst im zweiten
Part wieder zum Vorschein.
Auf jeden Fall liegt
mit "The Dreams Concerto" ein überaus ambitioniertes Produkt eines
hervorragenden Künstlers vor. Selten bekommt man solch eine perfekt
durchdachte CD-Veröffentlichung präsentiert, bei dem der musikalische
Inhalt mit dem optischen Inhalt der CD derart perfekt abgestimmt ist. Das
bereits erwähnte üppige Booklet ist mit tollen surrealistisch anmutenden
Bildern des amerikanischen Malers Peter Rodulfo gespickt, der aber
offensichtlich nicht mit Raimundo Rodulfo verwandt ist. Fernab von
irgendwelchen Klischees der Rockmusik ist hier eine interessante Symbiose
aus Elementen der klassischen Musik und der anspruchsvollen Rockmusik
gelungen. Somit liegt hier ein sehr schönes musikalisches Kleinod vor, für
das man sich ein wenig Zeit nehmen muss, damit sich die fein gesponnenen
symphonische Eleganz in ihrer vollsten Schönheit offenbaren kann.
Horst Straske, 1/2003
Note: 11 von 15
Anspieltip: First
Movement
German to English translation (Automatic
approximate translation by SYSTRAN)
Raimundo
Rodulfo. The Dreams Concerto
English - German
Appeared:
2002
Comparable with: Sud American. Hackett and/or
Howe with strong slope to the classical music.
With "The Dreams
Concerto" is presented the second album of Venezuelan guitarist Raimundo
Rodulfo. This publication from year 2002 carries the sub-title "Concerto
for guitar, group and chamber orchestra". Thus this is a first indication
of the fact that musical contents of the album are much inspired by the
classical music. Already the first tones of the CD release divided into
three "Movements" occupy this in impressive manners. Romantic playing by
the violin and tender flute tones accompanied with the acoustic guitar of
Raimundo Rodulfo. From this develops very symphonic fashioned outline,
which is hardly comparable with the conventional progressive genre, but is
resident rather in the timeless symphonic beautiful sound. However, in the
further process the main participant also reveals his abilities at the
electric guitar and shines with probably proportioned, symphonic playing.
It lets the six strings play passionately and stands thus in the best
Steve Hackett's and Steve Howe's tradition. A very precisely acting rhythm
section stretches the elbow perfectly from the symphonic elegance to the
progressive style. The female Spanish singing has a very strong
expression, however it doesn't let on the basis the singing style
expression doesn't deny nevertheless the South American origin and may for
Central European ears nevertheless be a little habituation needy. Singer
Beatriz Rivas is supported by Pedro Castillo in some parts, who is
presented inside the volume as a member of the Venezuelan band Tempano.
However, the majority of "The Dreams Concerto" gets along without singing.
The immense instrumental pallet is extended by the inclusion by saxophone,
harp and flugelhorn. The keyboard plays decent arranges itself thereby in
the orchestral frameworks. After the dreamed elegance, the first
"Movement" ends very merrily, whereby the solidarity with the traditional
South American music shows up strengthened here. With "Matemática y Arte
II" then Raimundo Rodulfo goes completely unexpectedly into jazz-rock
gender. This stylistic break underlines the variety of musical contents
ordered here the more. In the very opulent arranged booklet of the CD
publication the main participant explains in detailed way the contentwise
basic concept of this middle part of the CD publication. It primarily
concerns of the relationship between mathematics and that differently art
forms. However, a more detailed rendition of this nevertheless very
theoretical thought principle would blow up the framework of this review
by far. With "Third Movement", the musical contents tends again in the
symphonic direction. Here the special attention was put on the virtuose
handling of the acoustic guitar. Raimundo Rodulfo is supported by violin,
flute and clavier. Despite the string management this part is however
nevertheless guessed/advised filigreed, with approximately a little too
long 15 minutes. The outline character for the time being completely steps
thereby into the background and shows up only in the second part again. In
any case one is introduced with "The Dreams Concerto" to an extremely
ambitious production of an outstanding artist. One rarely gets such one
perfectly thought out CD release, which musical contents and conceptual
contents are in such a manner perfectly co-ordinated. The sumptuous
booklet already mentioned is filled with mad surrealistic seeming pictures
of the American painter Peter Rodulfo, who is however not obviously
related to Raimundo Rodulfo. Faraway of any plates an interesting
symbiosis from elements of the classical music and the rock genre music
succeeded to the outline music here. Thus here a very beautiful musical
concept is present, for which one must take time oneself. It can reveal
finely symphonic elegance in its fullest beauty.
Horst Straske, 1/2003
Note: 11 of 15
Recommended:
First Movement
Raimundo Rodulfo. The Dreams Concerto. Review by
Thorsten Guerntke (originally in Progressive Pages)
German - English
Raimundo
Rodulfo. Mare et Terra.
German - English
Erscheinungsjahr: 2008
Besonderheiten/Stil: mit Orchester; Konzeptalbum;
Jazzrock / Fusion; RetroProg; sonstiges
Label:
Eigenproduktion/Musea
Durchschnittswertung: 11/15
(1 Rezension)
Rezensionen Von: Dennis Egbers @
Die Feststellung, es gebe keine weißen Flecken mehr
auf der Prog-Landkarte, hat inzwischen einen fast so langen Bart wie die
alte Fußballweisheit, dass es ja „keine Kleinen mehr“ gibt.
Dementsprechend gering fällt die Verwunderung aus, dass Raimundo Rodulfo
mit seinem dritten Album für eine weitere Aufstockung des
südamerikanischen, hier speziell venezuelanischen, Anteils der Babyblauen
Seiten sorgt, obwohl Rodulfo inzwischen in Miami sein Lager aufgeschlagen
hat. Nichtsdestotrotz umweht derartige Veröffentlichungen immer noch der
leichte Hauch des Exotischen, vielleicht auch hervorgerufen durch die
Hoffnung, dass mit landestypischen Einflüssen etwas frischer Wind
aufkäme.
Und ganz falsch liegt man damit nicht: Gerade
Rodulfos Spiel mit der akustischen Gitarre weist immer wieder einen
Latino-Touch auf und auch sonst bringt die aufgefahrene Gastmusiker-Riege
immer wieder Lokalkolorit ins Spiel. Trompeten sorgen für Mariachi-Flair,
perkussives Flamencogeklapper lässt das (bei Proggern natürlich
prinzipiell gar nicht vorhandene) Tanzbein zucken und die restlichen
Blasinstrumente, insbesondere die Flöten, verbreiten immer wieder den Ruch
der Ferne.
All diese nach wie vor ungewöhnlichen Elemente
wären natürlich nichts wert, würden sie nicht zu einem gelungenen Ganzen
zusammengesetzt. Bereits und vor allem der fast das halbe Album bildende
Opener „Náufrago“ weiß entsprechende Bedenken aber zu zerstreuen. Raimundo
Rodulfo ist nicht nur ein technischer beeindruckender Gitarrist, wie er
sowohl an akustischer als auch elektrischer Klampfe eindrücklich unter
Beweis steht, sondern offensichtlich auch in der Lage, mitreißende und
abwechslungsreiche Kompositionen zu schreiben.
Zwischen akustischen Passagen, die immer wieder das
beschriebene Latino-Flair hervorbringen, symphonischen Momenten, in denen
v.a. E-Gitarre, aber auch die nur an diesen Stellen über Klangteppiche
hinwegkommenden Keyboards dominieren, jazzrockigen Einflüssen und
klassischer Attitüde chargierend ist „Náufrago“ trotz ab und an leicht
ruppiger Übergänge ein überaus überzeugender Longtrack. Obgleich im Grunde
genommen ständig in schönklingenden Gefilden verbleibend, kommt dank der
ausgefeilten Komposition und allerlei vor allem durch Rodulfo
beigesteuerten instrumentalen Schmankerln nie Langeweile auf.
Sicher gibt es auch gewisse Schwächen, wie die
teilweise durchaus als quietschig zu bezeichnenden, aber kaum nervenden
Keyboards, aber dies sind nur Marginalien. Ebenfalls zu überzeugen
versteht der – nicht gerade übermäßig häufige - in Landessprache gehaltene
Gesang, wobei v.a. Sänger Cristo Aguado ein richtig starkes Bild
abliefert, während Minerva Borjas Owen „nur“ gut ist. Ein besonderes Lob
gebührt dabei der Tatsache, dass Rodulfo trotz alleiniger Urheberschaft
der Versuchung widersteht, sich in den Vordergrund zu drängeln, und
stattdessen zwar die Musik zusammenhält und den größten Anteil stellt,
dabei aber allen anderen Instrumenten ebenfalls gebührenden Raum
zugesteht.
Nach diesem beeindruckenden Beginn stellt sich
natürlich die Frage, ob die weiteren Stücke das immense Niveau und den
großen Abwechslungsreichtum weiter fortführen können. An dieser Stelle ist
nun ein erster Wermutstropfen zu verzeichnen, kommen doch alle weiteren
Stücke deutlich nicht mehr an „Náufrago“ heran. Weder das immer noch
richtig gute, aber an Überraschungen ärmere „Libertad“,das aber immerhin
einige fast tanzbare Passagen aufweist, im Prog eine Seltenheit erster
Güte, noch das fusioneske „Blue“, dem es teilweise am nötigen Pep mangelt,
und erst recht nicht das abschließende Doppelpack „Thoughts“ vermögen
diesem Monolithen das Wasser zu reichen. Gerade „Thoughts“ fällt mit
seinem eher schwächeren, da mit allzu deutlichem Akzent versehenem Gesang
und garstigen Keyboardeinlagen bisweilen gar richtig negativ auf, auch
wenn insgesamt immer noch ein durchschnittlicher Gesamteindruck
herausspringt.
Raimundo Rodulfo festigt somit mit seinem Drittwerk
seinen Ruf als südamerikanischer Hackett – der aber nur im Prinzip der
Verbindung akustischer und elektrischer Saitenklänge ein passender
Vergleich ist, zumindest deutlich stärker als in Klangbild und
Kompositionen – und kann nahtlos an die Qualität des Vorgängers „The Dreams Concerto“ anknüpfen. Jedem Anhänger
phantasievoller und inspirierter, zwar durch die Gitarre dominierter aber
nicht von ihr erschlagener Musik sei ein Rendezvous mit „Mare et Terra“
jedenfalls wärmstens empfohlen. Es lohnt sich!
Anspieltipp(s): Bei Eile "Libertad", am besten aber
einmal quer durch
Vergleichbar mit: Steve Hackett,
Steve Howe, Anthony Phillips - mit südamerikanischer Attitüde
Rock Hecho en Venezuela
- www.geocities.com/leon9702002 - Venezuela
Raimundo
Rodulfo - To Live a Dream, The
Official Bootleg (2003).
Raimundo Rodulfo
se ha convertido en uno de los músicos que en los últimos años ha ofrecido
obras de gran calidad que, con la edición de sus dos primeros álbumes, le
han hecho ganar prestigio nacional e internacional. Su tercera producción
discográfica es este álbum en vivo donde recoge temas grabados en el
prestigioso festival Baja Prog que se realiza anualmente en México y
algunas presentaciones en Barquisimeto. Una obra por demás interesante
porque ofrece versiones de temas de sus discos anteriores pero con nuevas
variantes, evitando hacer un calco de las versiones en estudio. Con una
banda de lujo en donde destaca el baterista Andrés Briceño quien es
considerado como uno de los bateristas mas prestigiosos a nivel nacional e
internacional, pero cuyo prestigio se había enmarcado sólo al jazz, pero
aquí demuestra que se adapta a la perfección al estilo
progresivo-clasicista desarrollado por Rodulfo; además le da papel
protagónico a instrumentos pocos usuales en bandas de rock que han crecido
en Venezuela, tales como es el caso del violín y la flauta. Aunado a esto,
ofrece una alternativa diferente para la difusión de su obra al ser
editada sólo de manera de ser obtenida através de su página web. Un disco
que con el tiempo se convertirá en un clásico.
Williams León
ProgVisions - www.progvisions.net - Spain / The
Netherlands
Raimundo
Rodulfo's The Dreams Concerto - 2002.
“.. composing from a strict mathematical point of
view ..”
(Concerto for guitar, group and chamber
orchestra)
This is my second review of this month about
musicians from Venezuela. The composer is Raimundo Rodulfo and after his
debut album “Dreams” out of the year 2000, this second effort from 2002
has the title “The dreams concerto”. The CD consists out of three long
movements (28:11 + 16:43 + 33:03). The album has a fantastic package with
beautiful artwork of Peter Rodulfo.
Musicians:
Raimundo Rodulfo – classic, acoustic and electric
guitar; mandolin, bass, slide, talking guitar, acoustic and electronic
percussion, backing vocals, Mathematic modeling, DSP design, programming,
composition, orchestration and production.
(this long listing is a new record in progVisions
history!)
Andrés Briceño – Acoustic and electronic drums,
flugelhorn; Linda Briceño – flugelhorn; Pablo Gil Rudolfo – saxophones;
Pedro Castillo – vocals; César Romano – first and second violins, viola,
electric violin; Lermit Martinez – keyboard, piano, organ, clavier;
Alejandro Socorro – acoustic and electronic percussion; Manuel Rojas –
flute; Carlos Orozco – harp; Carlos Rodriguez – acoustic bass; Euro
Olivero – maracas; Beatriz Rivas – vocals; Ricardo Furiati – bass, backing
vocals; César Hernández – backing vocals.
The “First movement” (28:17) has two parts;
“Sueños” (Dreams - 24:14) and the coda “Esperanza” (Hope - 4:03). The
first is a modern symphony based on the suite “Baroque” from the “Dreams”
album. That work was inspired on and a homage to Rodulfo’s favorite music
period. The music has mainly a classical atmosphere with lots of acoustic
instruments but you can also hear drums and electric guitar solos. As you
can read in the booklet Rodulfo found that the final impression of the
composition could be one of sadness. So he wrote the second part in which
the melodic line of the main theme has an atmosphere of happiness which
would provide an optimistic finale. He used Venezuelan acoustic
instruments like folk harp and maracas to provide a Venezuelan flavor. The
music has a lot of variation and some great moments but I can’t stay
concentrated during the full length of the piece. But the electric guitar
solo in the end is great and is played with a lot of passion.
The “Second movement” (16:43) is the most
experimental track of this album. The booklet is full of mathematical
statements and formulas to explain the rigid rhythmic patterns and free
improvisations. Rodulfo developed a mathematical model of timing for this
project. Well I will ignore these dry details, and concentrate on the
music. The up-tempo parts sound difficult and complex. This is the most
prestigious movement. It’s all very cleverly done but it is not my cup of
tea.
The “Third movement” (33:03) is my favorite track.
It includes fantastic work on classical guitar and it reminds me somehow
of the classical album Anthony Phillips made together with Enrique Berro
Gracia. But at the same time the high speed guitar playing reminds me of
one of my guitar heroes; Al diMeola. This movement radiates more warmth
and beauty than the previous one. This first part of the movement is
called “Baroque” (15:01) and it is a suite for classic guitar and chamber
orchestra. The second part “La gran epopeya de la Música y las Ciencias”
(17:52) is a suite for guitar, group and chamber orchestra. Next to the
warm sounds of the classical guitar we can hear also some freaky electric
guitar solos.
I have mixed feelings with this album. There are
beautiful parts with acoustic instruments like classical guitar, violins,
flutes and harp. Also you can find some beautiful melodic guitar solos.
But on the other hand there are brilliant parts which in my opinion miss
the warmth that the other pieces have. The more complex pieces are more
compositions for musicians than for the general music lover. It is a good
album, but I would like to advise you to listen to some samples first. You
can find all the information you need on
http://www.RaimundoRodulfo.com
Douwe Fledderus - October 2003
Progressive-Newsletter -
www.progressive-newsletter.de - Germany
-Issue #42
Raimundo Rodulfo's The
Dreams Concerto
Same as Ragazzi's review
-Issue #46
Raimundo
Rodulfo. To LIVE a Dream 2 - Official Bootleg
Same as Ragazzi's review
-Issue #66
Raimundo
Rodulfo. Mare et Terra
Originating from Venezuela, Raimundo Rodulfo
is one of the well-guarded insider tips in the Prog-scene. His work from
2007 "Mare et Terra" will probably wake him up soon from a dormant period,
however that has nothing to do with his compositional and performance
qualities, but rather on the somewhat light-footed way of playing, the
folkloric impact and not just symphony / retro prog in the 8/15 scheme.
Skillfully, he joins together with many guest
musicians in the far-ranging pieces (the opening "Náufrago" brings it
right on time on its 36 minutes), South American or Spanish folk
influences and others (again perfectly interwoven Flamenco quotes) with
orchestral, symphonic sometimes and slightly dramatic elements, as well as
some classic and very moderate jazz-rock touch in a very pleasant way. His
highly melodic playing, mostly on the acoustic guitar, but sometimes just
changing to the electric version, is virtuosic, very fluently and by no
means created limited to showmanship, even if there is to hear some very
expressive solos. Furthermore, mood and tempo changes make for a
significant degree of variety and playful vitality.
Despite the very spacious structure of pieces you do
not get bored, because in addition to folk music and symphonic works are
also plenty of rocking and progressive moments in South American flair,
that come along very loose and lively. "Mare et Terra" is an album full of
vitality, with a lot of harmonic moments. Give therefore a chance to this
pleasant artist from South America, and listen to representative audio
clips on its website for a proper impression of this very attractive
album.
Kristian Selm
Melo's ProgBazaar -
www.melosprogbazaar.com - UK
Raimundo
Rodulfo "To Live a Dream 2 - Official Bootleg"
Review of "Hard Times" from the Melo's
ProgCast
Great
venezuelan musician... a tune with typical latin flavour... a clear
influence from Steve Howe in some moments... very pleasant listening!
The band that plays with him is really good!
Paul Nery
Of Sound Mind -
www.osmind.com - USA
Raimundo Rodulfo "The Dreams
Concerto"
Beautiful stuff. Killer guitar plus sax,
flute, harp, violin, plus lots more.
Chris
Mellotron Magazine -
www.mellotronweb.com.ar - Argentina
-Issue #30
RAIMUNDO RODULFO - Dreams /Sueños
Formidable disco del
guitarrista venezolano.
La producción
discográfica en Latinoamérica nos sigue sorprendiendo, lo mismo que al
resto del mundo progresivo. En esta oportunidad el encargado de causarnos
esa agradable sensación es el guitarrista Raimundo Rodulfo, quien produjo
un disco intimista, personal y a todas luces cautivante. Partiendo de
ciertas melodías de estilo clásico, Rodulfo las fusiona con elementos del
folklore latino y del rock progresivo, en estrecha relación con el cuento
de ciencia ficción incluido en la sección de CD-Rom que se agrega al CD.
Este disco conceptual instrumental se apoya sobre todo en diversos sonidos
acústicos, ya que a las diferentes guitarras interpretadas por Rodulfo se
le agregan flautas, violín, viola, saxos y una sutil participación de la
percusión, al margen de los trabajos del teclado y el bajo. El resultado
es un paseo por un mundo mágico, de gran belleza, como en "Tiempos
Difíciles", o "Nuevos Horizontes" aunque con momentos más intensos
cercanos a la fusión y rock como en "Tormenta de Ideas", "Matemática y
Arte" o gran parte de la suite de más de veintiún minutos "Códigos
Universales", una ambiciosa y dinámica pieza conformada por siete diversas
secciones. La presentación es realmente hermosa, con una caja conteniendo
al álbum propiamente dicho y agradables trabajos plásticos de Peter
Rodulfo.
Andrés
Valle
-Issue #32
RAIMUNDO RODULFO - The Dreams
Concerto
Venezuela, Independent
Few musicians there are today in the universe of
progressive rock that are so ambitious and qualified like Raimundo
Rodulfo. This Venezuelan guitarist and composer already had published an
elaborate work with his debut work Dreams in the year 2000. And with this,
his second studio album, he reached a notable degree of sophistication.
As Rodulfo affirms in the luxurious book that contains
the disk -40 pages with innumerable and rich data and graphics- the work
is inspired by ‘the unswerving spirit of the human being in his endeavors
to fulfill his dreams and discern his surrounding universe’.
The Dreams Concerto is formed by three different
movements, totaling more than 78 minutes of sublime music. It is because
Rodulfo strolls for all the styles, beyond defining the disk as a ‘concert
for guitar, group and chamber orchestra’. The first movement initiates
with the 24 minutes theme ‘Dreams’, where he fuses brilliantly the
classical music with folk and rock, incorporating instruments as harp,
flute, violins, violas, flugelhorn and saxes, next to a classical guitar
interpreted in brilliant form by Rodulfo. The seven subsections of the
theme create a melancholy tone, alternating intense rock moments with
other passages of great lyricism, closing with a coda called ‘Hope’, in
which he incorporates elements of Venezuelan folk to give a more
optimistic closing to the composition.
The second
movement has more typical characteristics of electric rock, formed by two
parts: ‘Mathematics y Art II’ and ‘Random Sampling’. The names are not
coincidental, as they are experiments of Rodulfo while facing the artistic
and mathematical sides of the musical creation. The book includes graphics
that show the scientific essence of this idea, being a tremendous
challenge few times found in the field of rock. The second part is a suite
for electric guitar, group and DSP (Digital Signal Processing), proposing
a theme with predominance of electronic, experimental and fusion
elements.
The third movement is formed by
‘Baroque’, a suite for classical guitar and chamber orchestra, and ‘The
Great Epic of Music and Sciences’, suite for guitar, group and chamber
orchestra. In the first one Rodulfo exhibits all his talent in the
subtleties of the guitar creating a work reminding of Steve Hackett’s A
Midsummer’s Night Dream, while the second fuses in a total the electric
sides with the classical melodies.
The Dreams
Concerto is surely one of the most intelligent works of the contemporary
movement of progressive rock, taking to the limit the capacity of an
artist. Wasn’t that exactly the purpose of progressive rock?
Andrés Valle
Viajero
Inmovil - www.viajeroinmovil.com - Argentina
Raimundo
Rodulfo - Dreams
Primer álbum de este virtuoso guitarrista
Venezolano con una gran escuela de la Música Clásica volcada al Rock
Sinfónico. Acompañado por numerosos músicos invitados su estilo nos
recuerda en ciertos aspectos a Steve Hackett.
Felipe Surkan
Newspaper Letras -
www.letrasenlinea.com.ve - Venezuela
Noticiero Digital - www.noticierodigital.com - Venezuela
Raimundo Rodulfo "The
Dreams Concerto"
The Dreams Concerto es un álbum recomendable en toda
su extensión.
El Concierto de los
Sueños es la segunda producción musical del guitarrista Raimundo Rodulfo,
considerado ya por algunos críticos musicales como uno de los músicos más
prometedores dentro del género del rock sinfónico, corriente musical que
en Venezuela ha encontrado a una nueva generación que incluye bandas como:
KRE y Pig Farm on the Moon, y ahora a este virtuoso del instrumento que
han inmortalizado Alirio Díaz, Antonio Lauro y Luís Zea, por mencionar
algunos.
Este trabajo está estructurado en 3
movimientos y fue concebido para guitarra, grupo y orquesta de cámara,
llenando de hermosísimas texturas sonoras un sueño musical de unos 78
minutos. La variada instrumentación y el exigente nivel de ejecución
requerido por su compositor, Raimundo Rodulfo, ha demandado también la
participación de algunos de los músicos más notables de la actualidad
venezolana. Figuran entre ellos: Andrés Briceño, baterista excepcional
cuyo recorrido por la historia musical venezolana ya es historia, Pablo
Gil Rodulfo, saxofonista de gran trayectoria dentro del Jazz, Manuel Rojas
y Carlos Orozco, prometedores flautista y arpista respectivamente, y la
hermosa voz de la nóvel cantante Beatriz Rivas.
Este álbum, elogiado en casi todo el mundo, es la
secuela del primer esfuerzo musical de Raimundo, "Sueños", quien ha
empleado una vez más sus conocimientos de ingeniería a modo de generar un
modelo matemático para el segmento intermedio del tema "Matemática y Arte
II", segundo movimiento de este onírico concierto. Se ha valido, además,
de utilizar los talentos vocales de una de las figuras más resaltantes de
los últimos años, Pedro Castillo, quien junto a la revitalizada banda
Témpano, en otros tiempos Aditus, y su propia banda, ha logrado
consolidarse como un músico de excepcional calidad cuyo lugar en la
historia musical de nuestro convulsionado país es relevante...
Leonardo Bigott
Journalist of Newspaper Letras and Conductor of radio
program Más a Jazz, 97.7 FM of Caracas, saturday at 6:00 pm
Rock Total Magazine -
www.rocktotal.8k.com - Venezuela
Raimundo Rodulfo "The
Dreams Concerto"
"The Dreams Concerto" es un álbum complejo,
pero directo y cautivante, rico en texturas que evocan diferentes
sensaciones, lleno de melodías positivas que se unen a un planteamiento
rico que llama a la reflexión, en él abundan los detalles de arreglos, es
uno de esos álbumes que mientras más lo escuchas, más te gusta y más
encuentras nuevos arreglos. Es también innovador y diverso en estilos que
te lleva a hacer un viaje por diferentes géneros musicales como el jazz
fusión, la electrónica, el rock sinfónico, el blues, la música folklórica
y contemporánea de Venezuela, los ritmos afrocaribeños, la música clásica
y barroca, todo muy bien integrado por un magistral trabajo de composición
por parte de Raimundo Rodulfo e interpretado por varios de los mejores
músicos venezolanos. Este álbum es un Concierto para Guitarra, Grupo y
Orquesta de Cámara en tres movimientos, con una riqueza instrumental que
requiere que el álbum sea escuchado varias veces para poder captar la
totalidad del concepto de orquesta formado por guitarra eléctrica y
acústica, batería, flauta, flugelhorn, saxofón, violín, arpa venezolana,
cuatro, percusión latina y electrónica, maracas y teclados. Raimundo
describe su concierto como "...una obra de naturaleza libre, donde he
abordado a mi manera algunos elementos clásicos. Esta libertad no ha sido
intencional, sino causada por mi forma extra-académica de hacer música,
principalmente de oído y corazón". Durante todo el álbum podemos
deleitarnos con el extraordinario trabajo de guitarra de Raimundo, quien
se pasea con mucha comodidad, elegancia y personalidad por diferentes
técnicas y estilos para tocar tanto guitarra eléctrica como acústica.
También sobresale la excepcional labor del baterista Andrés Briceño, quien
durante todo el álbum dicta una cátedra de adaptación de ritmos
afrocaribeños al rock progresivo de una manera muy elegante y con un
sonido bastante cálido y natural, creando ritmos que capturan al oyente y
lo mantienen cautivo hasta el final. Altamente recomendado para personas
de diferentes gustos, sobre todo para los amantes de las fusiones y de las
obras completas y bien elaboradas.
Roberto Palmitesta.
Progwereld -
www.progwereld.org - The Netherlands
Raimundo Rodulfo - The
Dreams Concerto
Ze zijn er nog: muzikanten met een ongeremde
ambitie om een eenheid tussen klassieke muziek en rock te ontwikkelen. De
Venezolaan Raimundo Rodulfo is zo iemand en na het lezen van het dikke
boekwerkje wat bij deze cd zit, ontkom je er niet aan dat de verwachtingen
omtrent de muziek hooggespannen worden.
Verwachtingen die het meest worden ingelost in het
eerste deel van "The Dreams Concerto" bestaande uit Sueños (Dreams) en het
korte Esperanza. Sueños is een 24 minuten durende eindeloze stroom aan
schitterende muzikale ideeën, waarbij we heen en weer geslingerd worden
tussen klassieke gedeelten waarin zowel de klassieke akoestische gitaar,
fluit en strijkers de boventoon voeren als ook gedeelten waarin Rodulfo
zijn elektrische gitaar op Hackettiaanse / Oldfieldesque manier laat
huilen en meer dan puik begeleid word door een uitgebreide rockbezetting.
Minpuntje is misschien de niet echt trefzekere stem van zangeres Beatriz
Rivas, wat misschien nog wel meer te wijten is aan de ontzettende
platgedrukte (lees: gespeend van alle dynamiek) opname.
Zoals Rodulfo terecht opmerkt in zijn uitgebreide
toelichting in het cd-boekje heeft de muziek tegen het einde van dit lange
gedeelte een licht melancholisch ondertoontje. Als contragewicht is het
korte Esperanza de ware afsluiter van het eerste deel die door het
dominante gebruik van allerlei akoestische instrumenten (gitaren, fluit,
harp, violen, drums, percussie) een behoorlijk folky tintje heeft, dat mij
bij vlagen wel iets doet denken aan Flairck, maar dan met een duidelijk
Zuid-Amerikaans tintje. Als geheel is het eerste deel een sterke eenheid
en een must voor al diegene die een zwak hebben voor de mengeling
klassieke muziek (lichtbarok met name) met symfonische rock.
Deel twee is behoorlijk andere koek, want hier worden
de klassieke invloeden voorlopig achter ons gelaten en is het complexe,
King Crimson-achtige (jaren ‘80) prog wat de klok slaat. Matemática Y Arte
II (de eerste stond op Rodulfo’s debuut album "Dreams") valt met name op
door de verrassende solo’s voor elektrische viool en saxofoon die er voor
zorgen dat het geheel niet te kil overkomt. In Muestreo Al Azar meent
Rodulfo nog een stapje verder te gaan en begint hij te experimenteren met
allerlei elektronische geluidsbewerkingen. Het resultaat is nog steeds dat
we In King Crimson-achtige sferen zitten maar als luisteraar ga je naar
mate je verder blijft luisteren je mateloos aan die elektronica ergeren.
Ook het overmatige gebruik van kille, elektronische drums maakt het geheel
absoluut geen genot om naar te luisteren. En als de muziek dan nog
interessant was, dan zou je daar misschien nog door heen kunnen luisteren
maar mij is dat niet echt gelukt.
Het laatste deel
(onderverdeeld in weer twee subdelen) keert met Baroque weer helemaal
terug in de klassieke sferen en dit eerste subdeel is dan ook een suite
voor klassieke gitaar en kamerorkest. Knap gitaarspel door Rodulfo dat
onherroepelijk soms doet denken aan Steve Howe (denk aan Mood For A Day)
en natuurlijk ook Steve Hackett. Waar het een beetje aan ontbreekt is
muzikale spanning maar na de kille prog van het voorafgaande Muestreo Al
Azar komt dit als een ware muzikale oase. Met het afsluitende La Gran
Epopeya De La Música Y Las Ciencias keren we weer terug naar die fusie van
prog en klassiek zoals we dat ook in het eerste deel zo mooi te horen
kregen. Jammer is dan wel dat dit deel niet naar een mooie afrondende
finale leidt en als zodanig blijf je een klein beetje met een kater
achter.
Dat katergevoel word ook deels een beetje
opgeroepen door het feit dat Rodulfo’s muzikale ambities zich niet
helemaal op hetzelfde niveau bevinden als zijn kwaliteiten als
opnametechnicus. Zoals ik al eerder schreef heeft het album als geheel een
platgedrukte klank waardoor het op den duur als eenvormig en saai
overkomt. En dat terwijl de muziek dat helemaal niet is.
Ook kwam ik na een paar luisterbeurten tot de
conclusie dat Rodulfo misschien zijn kruit iets te vroeg verschoten heeft
op dit album en het geheel misschien gebaat was geweest bij een andere
volgorde. Dus: Deel 1: La Gran Epopeya De La Música Y Las Ciencias, Deel 2
: Matemática Y Arte II gevolgd door Baroque (om dat zelfde effect van een
muzikale oase te behouden) om vervolgens af te sluiten met Deel 3 in de
vorm van Sueños en Esperanza. Wat dat betreft mogen we de
audioapparatuurfabrikanten danken voor het feit dat er op een cd-speler de
mogelijkheid tot het programmeren van de afspeelvolgorde zit, zodat we nog
lang kunnen genieten van dit bijzondere schijfje.
Christian
Bekhuis
El Vigia de los Cielos
- www.watcher.cl/reviews/cds8.html - Chile
"Sueños" - Raimundo
Rodulfo
Es el primer trabajo de Raimundo Rodulfo,
quien con una fuerte temática basada en leyendas de origen azteca, nos
atrapa en una vorágine de ritmos y experiencias sonoras mezcladas con
elementos naturales y electrónicos todas ellas soportadas en las cuerdas
de Raimundo. Su estilo es marcadamente "Howeiano", y grandes pasajes
recuerdan a Yes en el "Tales...". Los temas que más disfruté fueron
"Tormenta de Ideas" y "Códigos Universales"... en el recuento final creo
personalmente que es un interesante trabajo y del que estaremos pendientes
de su secuela. El artwork es realmente eso, Arte, con muchos elementos
étnicos y gran colorido, Peter Rodulfo interpreta magistralmente la linea
del disco, paseándonos por los intrincados paisajes sonoros de Raimundo.
Marco
Guerrero
República Progresiva -
www.freeforum101.com/forum/index.php?mforum=progland - Mexico
He estado escuchando con
cierta frecuencia el disco de este estupendo compositor guitarrista de
Venezuela. Su música esta basada en rock progresivo sinfonico. Se trata de
su segundo disco. Por lo complejo y las influencias clasicas, debe tener
formación de conservatorio.
The Dreams Concerto,
es una pieza con una estructura de un concierto de música clasica con una
orquesta de camara que incluye instrumentos de rock progresivo, guitarra
electrica, sintetizadores, bateria, bajo, etc. Incluye una cantante mujer,
con un estilo de soprano aunque no predominan las voces en esta obra.
Se los recomiendo ampliamente. Sí lo ven no duden en
adquirirlo.
Roberto
Serrano
Tijuana, Mexico
Efectivamente, este
segundo album de Raimundo es muy bueno, y con algo que ha despertado mucha
curiosidad, que es que las estructuras musicales que ha utilizado en este
trabajo han tenido su origen a raiz de la utilizacion de complejas
formulas matematicas (no musicales) y a traves de un programa utilizado
por él mismo a la hora de componer.
Este Dreams
Concerto es un album aun mas academico que el primero, titulado Dreams, el
cual por supuesto, es el precursor del sonido de este excelente
guitarrista actualmente radicado en EEUU.
The Visitor
Caracas,
Venezuela
Spanish Progressive
Rock Page - www.dlsi.ua.es/~inesta/Prog/ - Spain
La
Caja de Música - www.dlsi.ua.es/~inesta/LCDM/ - Spain
-CD
REVIEW (DREAMS) -
altea.dlsi.ua.es/~inesta/LCDM/Discos/suenyos.txt
"SUEÑOS" de Raimundo Rodulfo es sin duda un
descubrimiento muy interesante, de hecho este disco forma parte de la
seleccion del mes de enero del sello MUSEA. Raimundo Rodulfo es un gran
guitarrista venezolano y aparte un buen compositor, el estilo de este
musico lo podemos catalogar como progresivo-folklorico. La frescura y la
soltura de sus composiciones son dos buenas atribuciones en este album...
Laberinto, pieza que abre este album es una pieza llena de energia y
viveza que esta construida con armoniosos pasajes de guitarra y flauta ,
con exquisito acompañamiento de teclados; la guitarra juega un papel
protagonico dentro de todos los temas. El estilo de este guitarrista
amalgama estilos clasico, folk y rock, en ocaciones recuerda a Steve Howe.
La última pieza, CODIGOS UNIVERSALES , es una suite de 21 min dividida en
7 movimientos: I Nova II El Mono Desnudo III Guerreros Incanzables IV Los
ultimos Elefantes V Tigres Ancestrales VI Gigantes Atomicos VII La Aldea
Global. Estos temas crean atmosferas que evocan a la naturaleza como lo
hace el grupo brasileño SAGRADO, los temas hablan por si solos pues sus
armonias y sonidos recrean bellas historias.
Rene Osnaya
-CD
REVIEW (DREAMS) -
www.dlsi.ua.es/~inesta/LCDM/Archivo/lcdm0387.txt
Raimundo Rodulfo "Sueños". 2000
Me ha costado tenerlo pero por fin he podido
adquirir un disco muy esperado para mi como es "Sueños" del guitarrista
venezolano Raimundo Rodulfo. El y su banda provienen de Barquisimeto, en
el Estado de Lara. Su pagina web me parecio muy atractiva visualmente asi
como la explicacion de como habia compuesto las canciones de este su debut
discografico.
Cuando cayo en mis manos me quede
admirado de los dibujos creados por su primo Peter Rodulfo llenos de
fantasias, con una pintura de un exotismo lujurioso. Es increible lo bien
que ha captado el artista grafico la musica que se escucha en el CD.
En cuanto al contenido musical no es nada facil de
asimilar. La primera impresion es como si te cayera una cascada de
sonidos. Arpeguios, punteos y melodias que se entrelazan laberinticamente.
Demasiado cumulo de ideas para un virtuoso influenciado por una mezcla
entre John Mclaughlin con toques a lo Steve Howe. A veces parece que se
desborda y tienes la sensacion de que de una manera mas sencilla habria
resuelto mejor el tema.
De todas formas esa selva
de melodias y tonalidades forma parte de la personalidad de "Sueños" y le
da cierto encanto. Podiamos definir la musica de Raimundo Rodulfo como
barroca con una ambientacion de romanticismo exotico.
Si tuviera que destacar algun tema - todos son de
calidad - nombraria la suite "Códigos Universales" de 21´54´´ en donde
Raimundo Rodulfo se explaya lleno de imaginacion apoyado por la flauta de
Frank Alburjas otro gran virtuoso. En general junto con el violinista
Cesar Romano crean bellas atmosferas liricas.
En
mi opinion lo mas flojo es la grabacion y la produccion. Esta realizada en
el estudio propiedad del autor y cuando los sonidos son
acusticos suena bastante bien pero cuando interviene
el bateria - a pesar que es un excelente musico - el sonido se
embarulla.
Todo el disco suena muy sincero, fresco,
hecho con una enorme ilusion y esto le concede un brillo muy especial que
te obliga a escuchar con cariño.
Todas las notas, a
veces excesivas, estan muy cuidadas ya que Raimundo Rodulfo es un
autentico artesano como musico y compositor.
En
difinitiva, con una produccion mas equilibrada y una sintisis de las
mejores ideas estariamos ante uno de los mas destacables instrumentistas
y
autores de la escena progresiva. Esperemos que
con el tiempo lo sea.
Puntuacion 7 sobre 10.
Roge Blasco
-CD
REVIEW (DREAMS) -
www.dlsi.ua.es/~inesta/LCDM/Archivo/lcdm0266.txt
Hola a todos: Escribo solo para correr la voz
de una noticia que me agrada doblemente como venezolano y como cajero. El
primer disco, Suenos, editado a finales del 2000, del larense Raimundo
Rodulfo, quien forma parte de esta Caja y de quien algunos recordaran
varias contribuciones en el pasado reciente, ha sido seleccionado por el
sello Musea como uno de los mejores 3 discos del mes de enero. Por aca
quienes hemos tenido el gusto de conocer su sencillez y la estudiosa
devocion que profesa por su instrumento (Raimundo es un autentico erudito
cuando de hablar de guitarras y guitarristas se trata), estamos la mar de
contentos. Aprovecho el foro de La Caja para "publicar" mis
felicitaciones, y para que los cajeros se regodeen en el exito de RR. Para
los que no lo recuerdan, Raimundo Rodulfo fue la contraparte de Flower
Kings en el concierto de Caracas del pasado diciembre.
MUSEA Selection of the Month
January GERARD " The Ruins of A Glassfortress" - SOLAR
PROJECT "5" RAIMUNDO RODULFO "Suenos Dreams"
Daniel Mendez
EscenaRock -
www.escenarock.com - Venezuela
-CD REVIEW
(DREAMS) -
www.escenarock.com/reviews/verreview.asp
Raimundo
Rodulfo - ´Sueños´
Sin duda alguna que
una de las grandes sorpresas del 2000 en el universo Venezolano del Rock
Sinfónico - Progresivo es el álbum "Dreams" con el que debuta la banda
proveniente de Barquisimeto - Estado Lara, "Raimundo Rodulfo". ¿Por qué?
Un gran nivel musical, y toda una explosión de creatividad que auguran un
rotundo éxito tanto en Venezuela como en el exterior. La música presente
en "Dreams" es una excelente combinación de varios estilos donde
predominan las influencias de dos leyendas de la guitarra: Steve Howe
(Guitarrista de YES) y John McLaughin (uno de los mejores de todos los
tiempos dentro del genero jazz - jazz fusión). Además, las influencias de
la buena música Venezolana (de corte académico) se hacen presentes, así
como influencias del rock sinfónico italiano con elementos épicos y
clásicos.
Pero la creatividad del artista no solo
llega hasta la música, inteligentemente logra la unión de imágenes,
contenido lírico y sonidos, ya que "Dreams" es un álbum conceptual que
narra una interesante historia (escrita por el propio Raimundo) que vendrá
anexa como sección multimedia en el disco, que incluye también una serie
de exquisitas pinturas elaboradas por Peter Rodulfo, reconocido pintor
ingles y familiar de Raimundo.
Obviamente que
durante todo el disco resalta el trabajo de Raimundo con las guitarras,
pero el trabajo de los otros músicos de no se queda muy atrás, toda la
banda es de alto nivel, sobre todo el excelente trabajo de flauta por
parte de Frank Alburjas (de quien en un futuro sería interesante que
realizará algún proyecto en solitario) y del violinista Cesar Romano quien
es todo un virtuoso.
Todas las canciones del disco
son excelentes, no hay ningún desperdicio, cada minuto de grabación fue
muy bien aprovechado, mis favoritas son "Amistad" muy llena de energía
positiva y guitarras muy a lo Steve Howe, "Nuevos Horizontes" es
exquisita, son casi 11 minutos prácticamente de guitarra acústica y donde
la flauta juega un rol principal y "Tiempos difíciles" llena de elementos
de Jazz - fusión.
Raimundo Rodulfo se perfila como
una de las mejores bandas venezolanas dentro de la escena progresiva, no
hay dudas de que pronto cautivarán tanto al público local como al
internacional. Seguiremos de cerca su carrera.
Roberto
Palmitesta.
Diario El Impulso -
www.elimpulso.com - Venezuela
-Barquisimeto,
May 7 2002
Los Sueños de Raimundo
Rodulfo
Bautizó su segunda producción discográfica The Dreams
Concerto, con la cual buscará consolidar su propuesta musical cargada de
fusiones.
Bajo el título The Dreams
Concerto (El Concierto de los Sueños), el músico Raimundo Rodulfo lanzó al
mercado nacional e internacional su segunda producción discográfica.
Nuevamente Rodulfo presenta el álbum cargado de
composiciones en las cuales fusiona los elementos clásicos con los
contemporáneos.
Su experiencia como ingeniero
electrónico le permitió entrar en el campo de la investigación con la
finalidad de hacer una combinación entre la música, la ingeniería y la
matemática.
El resultado de la propuesta de Rodulfo
es novedosa, su finalidad es consolidar su trabajo musical, el cual inició
con su primer álbum titulado Dreams (Sueños) el cual le valió el
reconocimiento de la crítica especializada de diversos países como
Francia, España, Holanda, Estados unidos, Canadá, Japón, México, Argentina
y Venezuela.
El álbum fue bautizado en un emotivo
encuentro en el cual participaron destacados músicos jazzísticos quienes
brindaron el apoyo incondicional a Raimundo Rodulfo.
A la ceremonia asistieron los artistas Andrés Briceño,
el compositor y saxofonista Ppablo Gil y el arpista Carlos Orozco, entre
otros.
Francy Montoya
Gámez
The Giant Progweed -
www.progweed.net - USA
Raimundo Rodulfo "The
Dreams Concerto"
Raimundo Rodulfo's latest project, entitled
The Dreams Concerto, was clearly a massive undertaking. Featuring a legion
of guest musicians, a 30 some page booklet, and clocking in at nearly 80
minutes, the entire thing can be a little difficult to swallow at first.
With some distance however, The Dreams Concerto is a fairly solid recent
entry into the realm of South American progressive rock. Hailing from
Venezuela, Rodulfo's music is of the incredibly lush, overtly symphonic
variety. The leagues of guest musicians contribute a wide array of
instruments to create an musical backdrop that is, while not necessarily
inventive, quite diverse, at the least... The musicianship is fantastic
and eminently enjoyable for the most part. Rodulfo's guitar playing
betrays hints of Hackett and Howe, along with a difficult to place "folk"
influence that I an only attribute to the local musical culture. The best
moments are the most typically "proggy", wherein flute and organ come in
to complement a core bass, drum, guitar ensemble with fantastic melodies
and great energy to boot. Though scattered throughout the album, I
wouldn't hesitate to say that a 45 minute or so recording of this kind of
stuff would totally kick my ass. The "classical" portions are more yawn
inducing, though never overtly bad. The 15 minute classical guitar piece
("Baroque") is one of those things that's probably a lot of fun for the
artist, but unfortunately something of a drag for the listener...
"Primo Movimiento" features a heavy emphasis on the
"main theme", first brought to us by our aforementioned lithe female
vocalist, which may unfortunately have soured my taste for it at first...
Overall, the piece is more than saved by the excellent playing and
melodies in between. "Segundo Movimiento" is something of a departure. The
first portion, entitled "Matematica Y Arte", is more angular and guitar
driven. The playing, particularly the guitar, is impressive throughout,
with a clear nod in Fripp's general direction. By this time I was ready to
go and take a nap, but no, another 33 minute movement to go yet! The 15
minute classical guitar piece that kicks things off was a bore,
particularly under the circumstances, but the closing 18 minute piece was
on the whole excellent, returning to the instrumentation and approach of
the album opener... While I found the album tedious at points, there is
much to like about The Dreams Concerto. Fans of modern symphonic rock or
contemporary sounding South American prog who don't mind a rather
bombastic, self-conscious classical angle will want to sit up and take
notice of this recording...
Greg Northrup [September 2002]
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