Go to → David Virelles

This album was made possible with the generous support from The Shifting Foundation. David Virelles: piano, marímbula Román Díaz: lead vocals and percussion Allison Loggins-Hull: piccolo, flute Rane Moore: clarinet, bass clarinet Adam Cruz: percussion Alex Lipowski: percussion Matthew Gold: percussion Mauricio Herrera: percussion Thomas Morgan: double bass Yunior Lopez: viola Christine Chen: violoncello Samuel DeCaprio: violoncello Melvis Santa, David Virelles, Mauricio Herrera: vocals In this vivid and exciting project, the Santiago-raised and New York-based pianist-composer David Virelles looks towards one melting pot from the vantage point of another. A far-reaching work with deep cultural roots, Gnosis speaks of transculturation and traditions, and of the complex tapestry of Cuba’s music – the sacred, the secular, and the ritualistic – but the work’s shapes and forms could only have been created by a gifted contemporary player thoroughly versed in the art of the improvisers. Strings, woodwinds and percussion all have their roles to play in Gnosis, viewed by Virelles as “several families functioning within one unit: this dynamic symbolizes multicultural interaction.” Virelles’ responsive piano and the vocals and percussion of Román Díaz, a profound figure in the transmission of Afro-Cuban musical history, are at the centre of the action. Gnosis was recorded at New York’s Avatar Studios in May 2016 and produced by Manfred Eicher. Director – Vincent Oshin Director of Photography – Shawn Peters Sound – Joren Reid Editor – Geoff Albores