Evolucion

Though much of Pablo Milanés' catalog would be categorized as jazz, it would be in the "jazz-pop" sense. Evolucion pushes all pop ideas aside, and in their place puts words like "fusion" and "experimentation." Milanés is an artist known for musical excellence, but in a laid-back, non-threatening way that supports his songwriting. His artistry has more often been focused on the poetry of his lyrics. In his collaborations with keyboardist/producer Eduardo Ramos, Milanés' music becomes as edgy and progressive as his political and social ideas. With plenty of synthesizers, non-linear harmonic concepts, odd time signatures, and a hyper-compressed drum set in their tool box, Ramos and Milanés set out to marry their musics together. Though many selections here are stylistically in line with Milanés' previous works, even those are subject to Ramos' melodic creativity and taste for unusual arrangements. Milanés sounds at home in this strange sonic landscape, and Ramos' ideas are given credibility and emotional weight by the lyrical content. Even at the risk of offending Milanés' folky fan base, Evolucion is a collaboration with some real meat, something you can sink your teeth into. ~ Evan C. Gutierrez, Rovi