Equilibrio - Gabriel Guerrero & QUΔΠTUM - Review

by Andy Harrison and Warren Buchholz—

Gabriel Guerrero, a Colombian-born and NYC-based pianist, composer and educator has given us eleven charming and silky-smooth tracks to enjoy on his new record Equilibrio--while at times verging on the inoffensive and anodyne, Guerrero and his band QUΔΠTUM provide enough energy to keep listeners engaged with their particular brand of high-end jazz.

While you can hear a bit of hard-bop inflections in their playing, they've created something more daring--Guerrero and company stick to a measured and comfortable approach that embraces his charts with a beauty you don't get to hear often.

Songs like "Belong" and "Nunu (For Nebula)" provide for a comfortable listen (preferably with a cocktail in hand). Even when descending into a controlled chaos, Guerrero's playing calms the nerves and the mind. Equilibrio is 70 minutes of jazz therapy and Guerrero scratches that deep craving for a moment of peace within our loud chaotic world.

He delivers.

AAF Rating: 4/5 trumpets

AAF Top Picks: No Return, Encrucijada, Belong, OzPal, Retrogression