Julian Argüelles

 

From his beginnings in the 1980s with the legendary UK big band Loose Tubes, through his worldwide collaborations, his quartet, to his searching solo projects, Argüelles has always spoken with a unique voice. His recordings, compositions and award-winning arrangements have earned him the highest accolades internationally and wide critical acclaim. He has become a hugely influential figure to a new generation of European jazz musicians and continues to be amongst the most in demand musicians, composers, arrangers and educators.

Argüelles left the UK in 2015 to take up a Professorship at the KUG Jazz Institute in Graz, Austria. He is proud of his Birmingham / UK roots and in 2017 received an Honorary Fellowship from Royal Birmingham Conservatoire in recognition of his contribution to music.   

ABOUT ‘TONADAS’//

Julian Argüelles saxophones
Ivo Neame piano
Sam Lasserson double bass
James Maddren drums

Tonadas (simply meaning Tunes) is the lyrical and vibrant new quartet album from saxophonist Julian Argüelles. Drawing on his Spanish roots Argüelles has produced a gem – a beautifully warm, harmonically rich and melodic album, abundant with an elegant tone and absorbing colour. Tonadas has everything you’d want and expect from a contemporary Jazz album, yet it surprises on another level. With shifting turns of phrase and effortlessly flowing band interplay, Argüelles’ growing status as a master composer, bandleader and creator are clear. This music is profoundly joyful and masterfully produced.

With some of the UK’s most dependable, experienced and exciting musicians pianist, Ivo Neame, bassist Sam Lasserson and drummer James Maddren, the rhythm section are flexible and intelligent enough to deliver the promise in Julian Argüelles’ writing and arrangements. Exploratory in feel yet integrated in one strong and committed sound, the album is elegantly poised as possibly one of the great European contemporary Jazz albums of this year.

For over three decades Julian Argüelles has been at the forefront of European Jazz, working with some of its finest practitioners including musicians of the calibre of Dave Holland, John Taylor, Django Bates, Kenny Wheeler, Phronesis, Mike Gibbs and Carla Bley to name some. With Tonadas, Argüelles has mindfully and boldly crafted a band and composed music that further defines him as a composer and musician for the future and promises to command the attention of fans and critics alike.

 

REVIEWS FOR TONADAS//

“Argüelles is a gifted artist currently in his sophisticated prime” The Guardian

“[Julian Argüelles quartet] possess immense spontaneous fluency, but Argüelles’s atmospheric compositions complete their rich mix of improv and forethought.” **** The Guardian, John Fordham (UK)

“…the tracks, all originals, mirror the composer’s eclectic proclivities. More importantly, the album engages the listener at every level.” **** 1/2 All About Jazz (UK)

“What a mature, compact master in jazz from England and Europe!” NDR (DE)

“In short, a solid and lively album that reveals both the compositional skills, never predictable, of Argüelles… and the perfect integration with young and excellent musicians who contribute to give the project an unusual melodic freshness.” Jazz Convention (IT)

“The delicious opening notes…tell you something good is going to happen…one of Europe’s finest, most in demand, jazz men…this programme of sparkling, original tunes explores that Latin heritage” ***** BBC Music Magazine (UK)

“This is one tight band!” BBC Radio 3, J to Z (UK)

“The beautiful, gorgeous, haunting sound of Julian Arguelles…” BBC Radio Scotland (UK)

“On his new album the 52-year-old plays and composers in vivacious melodic mode, and above all as an elegiac poet…His pieces are harmonious and rhythmically highly complex constructs. All eight “tonadas” (songs) are wonderful to listen to and create a harmonious Euro-Jazz album.” Kulturtipp (CH)

“Tonadas translates simply as tunes…borne out by the sheer joy of melody making in Arguelles’s writing and by the way all four musicians make the music sing tunefully while exercising their collective creative muscle.” The Sunday Herald (SCOTLAND)

“a lyrical tenor and soprano saxophone excursion into his Spanish lineage” The Scotsman (SCOTLAND)

“The balance of emotion and form is just right, as it is on the album throughout.” **** Financial Times (UK)

“There’s an ECM-like sense of space here, too, and touches of the blues. But it’s the melodies, elegant and joyful, that linger. Superb.” **** London Evening Standard (UK)

“…a beautiful collection of lively chamber songs….This album’s music is elegant and warm.” Jazz Music Archives (ONLINE)

“With all the variety in the songs, ‘Tonadas’ exudes a Mediterranean atmosphere from start to finish…An album to enjoy in many ways.” Jazzenzo (NL)

“Tonadas is again a clear proof of the great class of Argüelles”. Written In Music (NL)

See more about Julian on his website at www.julianarguelles.com