LAS MANOS

El Trio (as the name in Spanish tells us) is a Prog/Jazz Rock trio from a place that probably many of you have never heard of: Dominican Republic.

A little bit of geography now: Dominican Republic is located in Central America next to Haiti and Puerto Rico.

El Trio is formed by Jonatan Pi'a Duluc (vocals, guitars and saxophones), Kilrin Pe'a (bass) and Johandy Ure'a (drums). But on Las Manos (2013), their third album, they also had many other musicians helping them to shape their sophisticated sound with percussions, acoustic guitars, flute and backing vocals.

First of all, Las Manos (2013) has a delicious Latin approach, and the lyrics in Spanish just made the album better and different than the everyday English Prog bands. Second, the album is almost completely Jazz Rock with Latin Jazz influences.

Right on track one 'Desconectar' (one of my favorites) you can feel their unique blend of styles. Latin Rock united with Jazz Rock and everything packed with astonishing musicianship. On Las Manos (2013) Jonatan wrote with many different styles without sounding too force, thanks to the band's clever arrangements. 'Tanto Amor', 'Buenas Noches' and 'Ojo Artificial' just confirm what I have just said. All different comoared to each other but with the band's sound on them. On top of everything, Jonatan's voice is absolutely great! But, for me, it's no surprise to see such an 'unknown' band with that high quality. They've been playing together for over 10 years. This only tells me that you can never get anything for granted just because you were born in England, USA or whatever else. You just have to be REALLY good!

And when you think you had heard everything the band could offer they bring on 'Canci'n Sin Nombre'. A weird and wonderful mix of Latin unconventional beats with Fusion. Can you imagine that? 'Canterbule Pt. III' reminds me a bit of Caravan and Soft Machine and I think that was exactly the intention here.

'Reir Pa No Llorar' is another Latin influenced song but with a twist, heavy riffs and a catchy melody. 'No Somo Indio' (We're Not Indians) sounds like a statement to me. Very often the world tends to see South American and Spanish speaking countries in the wrong way. Being a Brazilian myself I completely understand that. El Trio is trying to let the world know the truth with a very heavy track.

Closing the album we follow with the heavy track (but mixed with some Jazz) 'Uanabi' and the ballad 'Fuentes'. This last one would do great in any Rock Radio in the world (at least the ones that were not bought by record labels).

Las Manos (2013) is a great surprise to my ears! El Trio was able to record a great album with excellent musicianship, great production and astonishing and inspired compositions. And what's best, with a great and wide variety of influences and yet having unity. Open your mind (and ears) to the great sounds, doesn't matter from where they come from!

Highly recommended!

(Originally posted on progshine.net)

The Dominician Republic isn't the spot in the world you'd first start thinking about when pondering upon rock music, but this is the certified home of EL TRIO. For just over 10 years the band has performed and recorded their particular brand of rock music there, and over the years three full length albums have been released by this fine threesome. "Las Manos" from 2013 is the most recent of these, and was self released by the band in the summer of 2013.

El Trio's third studio production "Las Manos" comes across as a compelling affair, their Latin flavored blend of hard psychedelic-tinged rock, jazz rock and fusion one performed with an ease and elegance that documents a very capable band unit. As the touch of jazz rock and fusion runs like a thematic thread throughout, potential buyers need to have a taste for music of that variety, and those amongst them who also enjoy their fair share of harder edged riffs with psychedelic touches should find this album to be on that merits a closer inspection.

This 2013 release saw the same line-up as the last one, but an even more extended list of guest musicians as the band continued to expand their musical styles. This is easily the most powerful album of the three, as the band mix jazz with hard rock, fusion, progressive styles, blues and Caribbean stylings to create something that really works. To my ears, it is also the first time where Jonatan's vocals play a positive role as he seems to have a far better idea of what will work best with the instrumentation, moving between a rough hard-edged gruff style and falsetto where it is the right place to do it.

There is a palpable confidence on the album, perhaps due in some part to reaching their tenth anniversary as a band and for making it through to their third album. I know very little (okay, nothing) about the music scene in the Dominican Republic, but I would guess that by the time of this release El Trio were very well known indeed. The album was still recorded in their home country but was mixed in the States, and the sound quality is spot on. If you are intrigued to understand what El Trio are doing, then this is the album to start with, as it is well worth it.