New music: ‘Urgencia’ and ‘Salida’ by Miramar on Daptone Records
02 April, 2019Miramar, the bolero side project from members of Richmond, Virginia, -based salseros Bio Ritmo, is not so much a side thing anymore–at least not in our view.
Since the debut of their LP Dedication to Sylvia Rexach (Barbes Records) in 2016, the group has been featured on NPR’s Tiny Desk and at various concert halls and festivals across the USA including Lincoln Center’s Out of Doors, Brooklyn’s BRIC’s JazzFest, NYC’s globalFEST, the Cleveland Museum of Art, and The Kennedy Center’s Millennium Stage.
Now, the sextet (sometimes joined by a string quartet), who actually spend half of their time in Brooklyn, NY, are going to take Miramar’s act to France, as they’ll play Lyon’s Les Nuits de Fourviere Festival in July.
And, with that, a new 45 on the legendary Daptone Records.
But, first, a little bit on how they chose their band name:
A “miramar” is a place from which you can see the ocean. The bolero group, Miramar, chose this word as their name to evoke a place of peace, reflection and solace for a broken heart. Even the bolero, a romantic music born in Cuba in the 1800’s, might have been conceived by the seaside. In the 50’s and 60’s it became the quintessential musical expression of romance in Latin America. It is this era of the music from which Miramar draws their inspiration.
About the two new tunes:
“Urgencia,” which translates to urgency, is a quick-paced number the band played during their NPR Tiny Desk Concert. The band tells us the song’s lyrics tell of “the desperation a heart feels when it is swept away by romance, but risks all for fear of not having another chance at love.”
The flip side of the new record, “Salida” means “a way out.”
“It is a song about the surrender that comes after trying to break free from the darkest of places, of endless frustration and sadness. The lyrics allude, but never tell.”
Both songs are produced by Victor Axelrod and Giancarlo Luiggi. The band is comprised of male-female singing duo of Rei Alvarez (Bio Ritmo) and Laura Ann Singh (Quatro Na Bossa). They are backed by bandleader Marlysse Simmons (Bio Ritmo) who alternates between vintage organs and acoustic piano, guitarist Bryan Vargas (Falu, Fela! The Musical) and a rotating cast of percussionists including Hector “Coco” Barez (Calle 13, Bio Ritmo) and Giustino Riccio (Bio Ritmo) and bassists Rusty Farmer (Quatro Na Bossa) and Cameron Ralston (Spacebomb Records).
Listen below and stay tuned for forthcoming dates on the band’s Facebook page.
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