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Pulso By Marcelo Yakko

ByEditor, Raul Amador

Pulso By Marcelo Yakko, a review by Raul Amador

Argentina, I’ve never been there but I hope to visit someday!

Nonetheless, I have some Argentine friends that have shared with me some of the unique gifts that come from their country. Yierba Mate (which I drink daily), Churrazcos, Chimichurri, Alforjas, and but of course…. The Tango. The Argentine Tango is both a dance and a musical genre. Illustrious names like Carlos Gardel, Mariano Mores, Osvaldo Pugilese, and Astor Piazola race to the front of my mind in an instant.

So, imagine how surprised I was when I received “Pulso” and listened to it in it’s entirety and guess what…? Not a Single Tango! Now, this is not a bad thing. This CD presents a departure from the traditional and gives us insight into what I believe is a contemporary Argentine music scene.

We are treated to a great variety of tunes and each one has it’s own special flare. The bass playing is solid and quite respectable. Marcelo demonstrates a mastery of both technique and feel. It doesn’t hurt that there is a guest appearance by his teacher Stu Hamm either.

I can tell that Marcelo had some fun with this CD, as there are added “Sound Bits” from TV shows or movies, a polka and even a few bars of the theme from Indiana Jones. I do get many CD’s from all around the world that embed these spoken “Bits”, many of which are in English. Although these “Bits’ are often entertaining, in this instance, I felt that Marcelo’s’ performance is eloquent enough that they aren’t necessary; I wonder if the intent is to create more of a “World” appeal.

Some of my favorite tracks include:
“Pulso” with its nice Funk groove.
“Multitecnica” displays some serious energy.
“Arpegius love” for a soothing waltz.
“Vampiro Argentino” with it’s edgy Vampire motif!

So, I enjoyed this CD from Marcelo Yakko with its upbeat feel and unexpected sample of the music scene in Argentina today.

Gracias Pibe!

Visit online at:

www.marceloyakko.com.ar/pulso.htm
www.myspace.com/marceloyakkoband

Born in Boulder, CO, Raul began playing guitar at a young age before discovering the cuatro and traditional Spanish music in Puerto Rico. As a member of the Tuna de Cayey for nine years, he recorded more than 11 albums and toured throughout Puerto Rico, New York, and the Dominican Republic. After picking up his first bass in 2001, he never looked back. Today, Raul is Executive Editor of Bass Musician Magazine, connecting with bass players and musicians around the world.

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