Argentinian bassist, composer, and arranger Hernán Cassibba returns with Nuevos Aires, a richly layered and ambitious follow-up to his 2018 debut Homenaje, further exploring the intersection of contemporary jazz, chamber music, improvisation, and rhythmic experimentation. Released on April 21, 2023, the album showcases Cassibba’s evolving vision through an expansive sextet format enhanced by strings, voice, and intricate orchestration.
Led by Cassibba on bass and compositions, the core ensemble features Lucas Goicoechea on alto sax, Gonzalo Rodriguez Vicente on tenor sax, Nahuel Bracchitta on guitar, Leo Duck on piano, and Matias Crouzeilles on drums. Guest musicians contribute additional textures on selected tracks, including vocalist Juana Sallies and a string quintet that deepens the album’s cinematic and emotional reach.
At the heart of Nuevos Aires lies Cassibba’s fascination with balancing simplicity and complexity. While melody remains central and immediately accessible, the compositions unfold through sophisticated harmonic development, contrapuntal writing, rhythmic displacement, and orchestral contrast. Drawing from years of research into polyrhythms, extended techniques, modal harmony, and improvisational structures outside traditional jazz forms, Cassibba creates music that feels intellectually adventurous while remaining emotionally grounded.
The album’s title track, “Nuevos Aires,” stands as one of its boldest statements. Built around a constant five-over-four rhythmic illusion, the composition challenges the listener’s perception of pulse while maintaining a deceptively simple melodic framework. The rhythmic language intensifies during the piano solo as subdivisions shift into 5/8, while the closing section employs Guillermo Klein-inspired “filters,” layering binary and ternary interpretations of the same phrase to create a sensation of expanding and collapsing time. Similar rhythmic experimentation appears throughout “Isolation Dance,” which incorporates an 11/4 introduction and a funk-driven groove in 9/4.
Elsewhere, Cassibba allows improvisation to occupy a more prominent role than on his previous work. Tracks such as “Resistencia” embrace freer improvisational spaces while preserving the album’s cohesive harmonic and rhythmic identity. The conversational interplay between instruments — melodies exchanged fluidly between saxophones, guitar, piano, and strings — gives the music a sense of constant movement and freshness.
The album also reveals a more intimate side. “Chin” and “Loyola” slow the momentum to focus on subtle melodic and harmonic detail, highlighting expressive performances from Lucas Goicoechea and guitarist Nahuel Bracchitta. Meanwhile, “Lili” and “Perro Blanco” integrate the string ensemble beautifully, expanding the chamber-jazz aesthetic while preserving the emotional clarity of the melodies.
Cassibba’s broader musical background also shapes the record in compelling ways. Having spent years performing rock, funk, and fusion across Argentina, those influences emerge strongly in “Anti-Alérgico” and “P-Mc,” the latter written in tribute to Paul McCartney, whom Cassibba cites as his favorite musician. Distorted guitar textures, driving rhythms, and simplified harmonic structures provide a contrast to the album’s more orchestral passages while opening space for expansive improvisation.
A graduate of EMC Berklee and the Manuel de Falla Superior Conservatory of Music, Cassibba has established himself as one of the Argentine jazz scene’s most respected bassists and arrangers. Beyond leading his own ensembles, he has collaborated with legendary artists including Charly García, Luis Alberto Spinetta, Guillermo Klein, Tim Berne, and many others. His work has earned numerous scholarships and awards, including recognition as Best Bassist twice at the Pepsi Music Festival and a National Fund for the Arts creation scholarship that helped fund Nuevos Aires.
Recorded, mixed, and mastered by Pablo Lopez Ruiz at Estudio Doctor F in Buenos Aires, Nuevos Aires feels both meticulously crafted and vibrantly alive. Cassibba’s ability to merge intricate rhythmic design, chamber textures, jazz improvisation, and melodic warmth results in an album that constantly rewards repeated listening while remaining emotionally resonant from beginning to end.
Tracklist:
“Anti-Alérgico”
“P-Mc.”
“Chin”
“Lili (Strings)”
“Resistencia”
“Loyola”
“Nuevos Aires”
“Perro Blanco”
“Isolation Dance”
“Lili (Ensamble)”
“Resistencia (Alt. Take)”
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