Osmar in the Land of Chick
Max R.
-
“Osmar in the Land of Chick” is an homage to Mexican pianist Osmar Aquino, whom I first heard playing at a rooftop restaurant in San Miguel de Allende. After Osmar’s show, which centered around Chick Corea’s music, I connected with him and we struck up a teacher-student relationship. After our first lesson, my head was swimming with all the rhythmic ideas he had demonstrated. Inspired by Chucho Valdez, Chick Corea and Osmar, I composed the song, which begins with a propulsive Cuban-style montuno, moves into an A-section with Latin-style harmonies, then segués into a B-section with more bebop-style harmonies. When the song was workshopped, I adapted it to showcase the skills of two bandmates—the tenor saxophonist, who took an electric solo, and the drummer, who “traded twos” against a restatement of the montuno. The song is my attempt to bring together, in the Bay, Mexico, Cuba, and bebop.
-
I’m often inspired by musicians who have a unique signature to their playing and their compositions, as well as by the particulars of my own life. When I play the piano and compose music, I feel like I’m channeling and filtering my favorite musicians while heeding my own inner ear.
