Marcelo Yakko Group, Loop Life

Marcelo Yakko Group, Loop Life…

It has been a few years since I reviewed a CD by Marcello Yakko (See Pulso) and was, excited to hear what he had in store for us with the Marcelo Yakko Group’s latest CD titled “Loop Life”.

One of the most significant characteristics of “Pulso” was the fact that it was a representation of a more contemporary Argentinian Music scene versus the more traditional Tangos. “Loop Life” follows “Pulso’s” suit with a nice variety of styles influenced by Jazz, Fusion, Progressive Metal and contemporary Argentine musical manifestations, with a bit of the traditional rhythms mixed in here and there. All of the tracks are Marcelo’s original compositions.

Another similarity is that there is an evident happiness in Marcelo’s music. You can feel the joy that he is sharing and the sheer fun that he had bringing his creative ideas to life.

Marcelo has recruited the support of excellent musicians to complete the picture that surrounds the solid bass scaffolding that he provides. There are some tracks where Marcelo played other instruments (Sometime all of them) as well as the bass. There is a wide variety of sounds and instruments that enhance the musical concepts that are set before us. Needless to say, the bass work is solid and displays the wide range of Marcelo’s  talent.

I was fortunate to find a video menu of samples of all the tracks with the contributing musicians:

Lets have a closer look at a few of my favorite tracks.

“Un dia en Buenos Aires” (A day In Buenos Aires) brings the hectic bustle of a large city to life. Rapid tempo bass and wailing guitars with background sirens produce a sheer feeling of agitation and excitement. This tune could be a soundtrack that could apply to any of the large cities of the world, but this one is inspired by Buenos Aires in particular. I was thrilled to find this video that adds some classic images to the music. Traffic jams, fires, protests, angry people, and newscasts are so familiar to me and are a universal reality of our times.

“Circulo de Vida” (Circle of life or loop life) is a tune that is depicted by the cover art of the CD. There is the image of a child, a man (Marcelo) and an older gentleman that would suggest the different stages that we go thorough as time progresses. You can hear children (or something very small… hard to tell) laughing in parts, and there is a positive feel of progression as the tune evolves.

“Tierra Adentro” (Inland) is a taste of what I imagine the “Pampa Argentina” to be like. This more traditional track has the tambor marking the beat and acoustic guitar playing out the melody with the help of a piano. The flute solo makes me envision wide open sky and immense spaces. This tempo reminds me of an aire de chacarera and carries the cadence of a horse galloping across the plains. This track speaks to me on so many levels. Unfortunately I could not find a  full length sample to share.

“Cafe de la Melancolia” (Cafe of the melancholy) is a sweet rainy day kind of sad samba. The combination of the the different layers of bass work blend into a harmonious flow. There is the bass holding down the essential bass line but there is also the bass playing melody and harmonic accents. Simple percussion and  guitar work further adorn this piece of bass variety.

Well, by now I am sure you get the general idea of what a good CD “Loop Life” is, and another excellent production from Marcelo Yakko and his very talented musical associates.

Check this one out, I am sure you will enjoy it as much as I have. Look for it when it becomes available!

Gracias Marcelo!

For information about Marcelo Yakko at marceloyakko.com.ar