| 6/15/23: The space in betweenThe title translates roughly as «His stoke and the silence.» This album was conceived as a tribute to Nicolás Ojeda’s father, the late visual artist Julio Ojeda. Ojeda’s bass and Germán Lema’s piano comprise two parts of the, and silence represents the part played by Ojeda’s father.  Germán Lema and Nicolás Ojeda Su Trazo y el Silencio (ears&eyes) I suppose that sounds maudlin or perhaps just a bit much, but these elegant and probing pieces make the most of the bass piano interplay–and the silence. These are, by and large, very quiet and unhurried works, and so the notion of silence as a third partner works well. I believe these pieces were composed with the idea of being complete as a trio, just leaving out one part.At times, what’s unsaid is clear. At times it’s not. In that way, this feels like a wonderful meditation on and expression of grief. At times I have felt the presence of someone who is no longer. Not a ghost or anything tangible. Just a feeling that completes whatever setting I’m in. And yet the absence is also apparent.Totally unspectacular and completely wonderful. The quiet moments on this album sometimes feel louder than a waterfall. Perhaps I’m wrong about the unspectacular part. This album is not showy in any way, but it speaks to a wisdom that accumulates as life goes on. We take a piece of everyone we know along with us. This silence overpowers. |
| Jon Worley |