RECYCLE is the second EP from Homero Alvarez Sep7ett. After letting out three up-tempo tunes with Brazilian rhythms in the first EP there was, what Alvarez terms, “a need to present our other face.”
The new work comes from his experience as a composer for different TV, radio and theater productions. “Making music that never really had the chance to bloom out in its legitimate context. There were some old favorite tunes that needed to be recovered or recycled in a better environment.”
This was the start of the second EP.
Four tracks that are in part effervescent (“Eternity”) and bouncy, an off-kilter waltz (“Ride in Space”).
Talk about how you wrote some of this music.
One song, “Eternity,” was written in 1990 (!) together with my student friend Roine Gabrielsson, and we are still best friends. Originally it was some kind of a pop song. “Ride in Space” was made in 1994 for a theater play based on Max Velthuijs’ “Frog and the Stranger.” There was a scene where the Frog and his friends are sitting up all night telling stories under the stars.
“Migration Roads” was a tune I wrote two years ago inspired by a book by author Martin Widmark called “The Long Hike” and he shared his thoughts about migration, where people all over the world longed for a better life.
I love these special tunes I made through the years and rearranged them for the septet.
What was production like for this new EP?
It was in my studio in Stockholm. Corona was on fire and Sweden was one of the countries with the most deaths per capita.
We rehearsed in a small room pretending there was enough distance between us. We recorded as a quartet first: drums, bass, keyboard and guitars in one take. A month later I added the horns when the percussion parts were sent to me from musician Andreas who made it in his own studio.
Plans for this year, if things let up…?
We had dates booked for concerts and the release was supposed to be held during the Stockholm Jazz Festival. Hopefully we are at the end of the tunnel now and can soon start to play live.
For more information, visit https://homeroalvarez.com.
Photos courtesy of and with permission of the artist.
(c) 2021 Debbie Burke
Debbie Burke - jazz author 
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