One of the songs on Musica Para Un Dragon Dormido by pianist and composer Emilio Teubal is The Constant Reinventor.
After listening to this new disc three times through, I wonder if that isn’t an autobiographical title. Each pass at this collection of original compositions by Teubal reveals a new mixture of notes, dynamics, shifting musical colors and emotions. Now based in New York City, Teubal is an Argentinean native. The music of his heritage weaves loosely in and out of the tunes, but this is not strictly tango jazz. Motifs from 20th century classical minimalistic styles butt up against rondo-like dance figures building to passionate climaxes. The textures of cello, piano and clarinet intertwine with six-string acoustic bass and percussion creating a music that breathes and moves with delicate yet deliberate resolve. This may not swing in the classic jazz sense, but is worthy of repeated listening and will appear again on the 89.1 Jazz playlist. It was pure pleasure to premiere Musica Para Un Dragon Dormido by Emilio Teubal this morning on WEMU.