Guillermo Klein

Coolidge Auditorium
Library of Congress
Washington, DC

2008-02-29

Guillermo Klein, piano/voice/composer
Bill McHenry, saxophones
Ben Monder, guitar
Richard Nant, trumpet/percussion/piano
Matias Mendez (?), bass
Jorge Rossy, drums

01. On Repose {piano duo} (11:13)
02. Solar Return {piano, guitar, bass} (4:30)
03. "A Lo Que Tan" (?) (8:13)
04. Luz de Liz (Filtros) (11:23)
05. Venga (9:12)
06. "Death Is Suite" with Amor Profundo (and likely other themes) {piano solo} (8:47)
07. Miula (12:35)
08. "Impression de Mieta" (?) (5:38)
09. untitled "I Don't Know" (?) (3:27)

TT : approx. 75:00

Sony ECM-MS907 mic > Sony WM-D6 tape deck (center 12th-ish row, a bit in front of halfway back) >
master cassette > Sony TC-K650ES cassette deck > Tascam CD-RW900SL CD writer > CDR >
EAC > WAV > Audition 3 (edit, adjust levels, retrack) > TLH > FLAC (level 8)

This was the show that got me out of a few years of taping retirement (and headed toward
all sorts of new music, as well as modern recording gear...). Somehow I happened to see
a note in a free paper on the train the night before describing this show as something not
to be missed (thanks MJW!). That assessment was spot on and this is only time I've been
fortunate enough to see Guillermo. Some of these songs don't seem to be released and some
definitely didn't see these configurations or arrangements in the recordings that were
released (nor in the few other recordings of his work that are around). I've used what
I could make of what he says about the titles where I don't have other evidence for them.

This is really an intensely concentrated overview of the man's work, ranging from the
modern minimalism of solo/duo piano through his utterly individual rhythmic approach
(straight off the pampas) on the full band pieces (which is so idiosyncratic that even a
selected band of quite familiar and supremely talented players seems to be dancing on the
edge of their vast abilities at a few points of some pieces). This is a true original
displaying so many facets of his creativity in an all too brief set that nevertheless is
packed with enough unique ideas and creativity to expand over many entire concept albums
or several series of performances in fuller contexts. There is a nice video from the
national library in Argentina where he does a full show from the minimalist bent and
there's an MP3 archive of a Village Vanguard set with the full Los Guachos band (which is
usually 10 to 12 piece).

I was reminded again of this night in talking with a guitarist friend a few days ago who
had actually played in one of Guillermo's bands. A day later the CD appeared in front of
me so I take that as the sign it was to send this one out.

This was run on whatever I could find that worked at the time, which was my then near 25
year old D6 cassette deck and the cheap mic I had sometimes briefly used for video maybe
20 years before. This was an amzing sounding show (best I've ever heard that room and
somehow the tape is about as good as anything I've made there since). It's quite nice.
The D6 seems it had developed a slightly dirty rheostat so there's a momenary scratch
on the right channel at the start of a song or two where the levels needed a substantial
change. I only had one tape so cut some applause (live) to make sure it didn't run out
(had I ever known of or been to this series before this I might have known they seem to
impose an 80 minute limit so I should have been OK without those on the fly edits).

This is an old transfer, probably not the absolute best it might be but the home cassette
player doesn't work right anymore (that D6 is still basically bulletproof though). I still
have the tape around somewhere but no means to do another one that would be any better.
Fortunately I am a much better editor than I was so it may have been best to wait so it was
fully edited rather than posted directly from the CDR years ago.

I seem to remember this as being a big band but he only introduces the players noted above.
It's not his usual configuration exactly though many of the usual players in his working
band Los Guachos, who were probably booked for the usual week at the Vanguard at about this
point that year. I thought there were more people here but maybe not. As always he has
who he needs to make something indescribably unique and entirely specific to him. There is
really nothing else like his musical conception. My guitarist friend said the music and
feel was very challenging to get completely on top of. There is a produced video on YT from
a Berklee student band with a few of his usual collaborators and he that illustrates that
challenge since they really didn't seem to capture the essential flavor that night, though
of course there's nothing like the true Guachos... And there's a reason these players play
his music so enthusiastically.

Hope you'll enjoy. It was something special... and something else.