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Ricardo Arias // Violeta García -
AÑAGAZAS, ESTRATAGEMAS, JUGARRETAS Y TRETAS
C42
Side A:
I. Argucias – Allegro
II. Artimañas - Allegro ma non tanto
Side B:
III. Ardides - Molto adagio – Andante
IV. Patrañas - Alla marcia, assai vivace
V. Subterfugios - Allegro appassionato
bandcamp
Violeta García, cello
Ricardo Arias, bass balloon kit
Recorded by Benjamin Calais at *matik-matik*, Bogotá, Colombia, March 10, 2020
Mixed and mastered by Ricardo Arias at BÖH, Bogotá, Colombia, October 2023
Art by Simone de Haan
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Reviews:
(Disaster Amnesiac) Are you looking for documents of Improvised Music that have emerged from the South American region? If so, you will want to seek out the new release from Ricardo Arias and Violeta Garcia, Anagazas, Estratagemas, Jugarretas y Tretas on eh? Records. This cassette comes with a cover that features some kind of jellied specimens, or at least that's how it looks to Disaster Amnesiac. As for its sounds, the listener is provided with a five-part piece of music produced by the cello sounds of Garcia blending with the bass balloon kit of Arias. If one wonders what that latter instrument is, one would be correct in concluding that it is indeed comprised of elastic membranes (balloons) that are rubbed. Ricardo mentions "much more" methods of preparation for the bass balloon kit, although whatever that entails is not summarily described. Suffice it to say, as will be further elucidated, that "much more" can clearly be heard throughout Anagazas. Side A has two parts, the longer Argucias-Allegro and Artimanas-Allegro ma non tanto. Tons of stuff happens within the former. Disaster Amnesiac has heard tenor saxophone, drummed parts, grunting feral animals, fingers sliding across membranes, sub-bass tonalities, creaking doors in conversation with other creaking doors, lasers, undulating sphincters, fighter jets in flight, and flutes. I've also heard the occulted melodies always inherent within musical dynamics that utilize extended techniques. Leave your reactive mind out of the experience, and you'll hear them too. As for the latter, there's a very "Spanish" feel that arises for this listener as its thick, band-like interactions brings up visions of galloping horses from the cello bowing. And, please tell us how a set of balloons can be made to sound like piles of collapsing firewood in Arcata? This, plus a really lovely droning retard section to close out the side. On the flip side, Ardides-Molto adagio-Andante comes out with a bit more of a traditionally melodic statement from plucked cello strings. It's quite active within its spaciousness. Multi-phonics divide into discrete elements and percussive, fireworks-like sounds burst out. Patranas-Alla marcia, assai vivace brings more creaking and tape hiss sound (not from the tape, the release is mastered really well by Ricardo). Metallic pipes are heard to resonate as they are dragged across paths which eventually lead to big caverns. A shaman shakes his rattle and then address the listener. How to respond? Anagazas concludes with Subterfugios-Allegro appassionato wherein quickened phrases are played and the balloons sound like a drum kit being caressed by delicate brushes. This one's short and sweet, so make sure and pay attention as Ricardo Arias and Violeta Garcia wrap this hastily arranged session, produced right before "it all collapsed" in March, 2020, up. Anyone that's survived said collapse, and is seeking contemporary sounds from within the rich, international field of Improvised Music, will do well to find and hear Anagazas, Estratagemas, Jugarretas y Tretas. It's wonderful, and it makes Disaster Amnesiac ponder what other delightful oddness of sound production is going down at the Bogota matik-matik venue and in Violeta's native Argentina. - Mark Pino
(Vital Weekly) The last one is a duo from Colombia, perhaps not the country springing to mind for improvised music. Violeta García plays the cello, and Ricardo Arias takes the credit for the bass balloon kit; that certainly had my interest, as I don't know many balloon players; Judy Dunaway springs to mind. The five pieces were recorded in a single day last year, and it's an exciting collaboration. How does the balloon hold up as an instrument, part of improvised music? Surprisingly well. Arias rubs it with his fingers, giving a similar sound to some of the cello. Both use the dynamics of their respective instruments very well, going from very low to very high, from elegant, prolonged sounds to the nervous hecticness, which many people associate with free improvisation music. This is a bit of a strange release. The opening, 'Argucias – Allegro', is everything I expected this to be: the hectic, nervous sounds, the interaction, the high-pitched sounds. 'Artiman?as - Allegro ma non-tanto' and 'Ardides - Molto adagio – Andante' (all pieces use these classical terms to indicate if pieces are lively, introspective or whatever) are extensions of the opening piece, but the final two pieces 'Patran?as - Alla marcia, assai vivace' and 'Subterfugios - Allegro appassionato' are tranquil and nothing much seems to happen. I don't know what to make of this. An attractive diversification of what they have done so far? Maybe I heard enough 'quiet' music and don't need more? Perhaps I also think the cello and the bass balloon concept is somewhat limited. The first side was indeed nice enough and also quantitatively enough. - Frans De Waard
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