La Tortuga Alada (The winged turtle) is an imaginary animal whose particular anatomy draws us to an ambiguous being that scurries restlessly and, at the same time, achieves weightlessness. In these two antipodes is the musical project created in 2017 by the Colombian saxophonist and clarinetist María Valencia and the Argentine cellist Violeta García, who exceed the rigorousness of jazz and contemporary chamber music, placing their explorations at the limit of improvised music and instant composition. In that place of free forms, risky soundscapes and real-time dialogues, was born Cuadernos de Viaje Nº 1, a recording made in Bogotá, Colombia, on January 26, 2018, and released by Discos Chichigua.
Between 2018 and 2020, the duet traveled from one place to another and performed, among others, in two emblematic spaces of the Latin American experimental scene: Roseti (Buenos Aires) and Matik-Matik (Bogota). In those same cities and before the obligatory hibernation of the pandemia, they recorded Cuadernos de viaje Nº 2, their second album, which continues the exploration of spontaneous music that gravitates between melancholic atmospheres, frenetic conversations and sound vignettes that could well be the soundtrack of expressionist short films.
In addition to the visual support -by the Brazilian illustrator and double bass player Manu Maltez the album also includes "Sinalefa hacia el Sur", a telematic improvisation piece featuring the participation of four restless improvisers: the Colombians musicians Ana Ruiz Valencia and Juliana Gaona -who play the violin and oboe, respectively-, the Argentine saxophonist Camila Nebbia and the Brazilian accordionist Lívia Mattos.
Thanks to the crossings, ties and friendships through music, María and Violeta have met Ingebrigt Håker Flaten (director of the Sonic Transmissions label), and Clément Dupuis director of Dur et Doux), and thought of the idea of creating alliances that would strengthen these ties. Thus arose the idea of releasing this album collectively with these two labels, an act that transcends the idea of an economic alliance and strengthens, instead, the bonds of friendship.
credits
released March 30, 2023
Tortuga Alada is
Violeta Garcia: Cello
Maria "Mange Valencia: bass clarinet and alto sax
Guest on "Sinalefa hacia el sur"
Camila Nebbia: tenor sax
Livia Mattos: Acordeon
Juliana Gaona: Oboe
Ana Ruiz Valencia: Violin
Guest on "Túnel del inicio"
Camila Nebbia: tenor sax
Juliana Gaana: English Horn
Recorded on 21st of September 2018 at Ideo Music in Buenos Aires by Carlos Quebrada and on 19th of March 2020 at "matik-matik" in Bogotá by Benjamin Calais.
Sinalefa hacia el sur was recorded in February 2022 between Buenos Aires, Bogotá, Medellin, Sao Paulo, El Paso and Lyon.
Mix by Benjamin Calais
Master digital: Benjamin Calais
Master vinyl: R3myBoy
Artwork: Manu Maltez
Layout and design: Catalina Orjuela Laverde & Judith Saurel
Winning project of the 2021 call of the Program for the
Program for the Promotion of Ibero-American Music IBERMUSICAS.
Coproduction: Sonic Transmissions Records & Dur et Doux
When two longtime improv jazz collaborators meet these powerful peers from another city, the result is alchemical magic. Bandcamp Album of the Day Feb 23, 2017
Trumpeter Russ Johnson & some of Chicago's top improvisers slink from contemplative to funky, difficult to swingin'. Bandcamp New & Notable May 6, 2014