Fragments Of Light
Spanish instrumental project KOTEBEL aims at developing elaborate music with complex harmonic, as well as quite pleasant melodic and rhythmic structures. These elements are created by using resources which come from the worlds of Progressive rock and classical music. As the title of its first album ""Structures"" implies, the group lays down its framework for future masterpieces. Seven independent pieces explore different styles within the Progressive rock genre, based on the extensive use of keyboards and flute. It can be placed amongst PREMIATA FORNERIA MARCONI, Tony BANKS, THE ENID or early GENESIS, while keeping a sense of freshness and originality that places the band at the forefront of the actual scene. ""Mysticae Visiones"" (2001) is a concept album based on the musical representation of a series of metaphysical concepts, including birth and death. The first eponymous piece (35 minutes) is a suite that integrates different Progressive rock styles with elements from classical music (Impressionist period) and other genres. The second piece, ""The River"" (15 minutes), based on a fragment from the ""Siddhartha"" (Hermann HESSE), blends oriental resources with symphonic rock. With its female vocals, its jazz-rock parts and its flute ala Airto MOREIRA, many sequences of this opus could have been played by Chick COREA in the Seventies. Blessed by a huge musical knowledge, keyboards player Carlos PLAZA keep on creating unusual melodies and harmonies. His ambitious and majestic symphonic rock expands the boundaries of contemporary music, with a strong and obvious spiritual inspiration. After an excellent ""Fragments Of Light"" (2003), the new album ""Omphalos"" (2006) includes a 30 minute-suite, based on neo-classic soprano vocals, bombastic keyboards, airy flute parts, and eclectic guitar playing, in a vein somewhere between Steve HOWE, Allan HOLDSWORTH and Steve HACKETT. Classical music, jazz and Progressive rock are incredibly melt in this modern symphony. Undoubtely one of the best albums to be heard in 2006 ! ""Ouroboros"" (Musea, 2009) offers six instrumental tracks (Plus the ""Mysticae Visiones"" suite as a live bonus-track), well balanced between keyboards and guitars, with syncopated and complex rhythms sometimes recalling GENTLE GIANT. Not unlike other Musea bands in the past (HECENIA, PRIAM, TIEMKO...), KOTEBEL succeeds in being melodious, ambitious, symphonic and experimental at the same time. Perfectly produced (What a sound !), ""Ouroboros"" is a masterpiece, which is all but a surprise coming from a band collectioning them ! Besides containing nothing else than splendid music, the new opus ""Concerto For Piano And Electric Ensemble"" (Musea, 2012) offers as a bonus the making-of this piece of art on a DVD-video. Here's the best way to fully get the quintessence of KOTEBEL !