Kotebel
biography
Due
to the peculiar characteristics and influences, Spanish Prog bands are hard to
describe inside the parameters of one Progressive Rock sub-genre, well get
ready because KOTEBEL is even harder, at the first listen of any of their
albums you notice that the main structure is basically Classical (In a broad
sense) and Symphonic but you find many other different atmospheres one over the
other as a collage, but specially a Prog Fusion touch provided by the piano and
Synthesized violin.
KOTEBEL
was formed in Madrid (1999) by the Venezuelan pianist and composer Carlos Plaza
using a different approach than most Symphonic bands that start in Rock and add
Classical influences, Plaza started with Classical music and added a great
variety of different sounds, influences, atmospheres and flavors, creating a
spectacular ensemble that sounds better with every release.
Being
that he's a classically trained musician that loves the late Romantic/Modern
Classical it0's easy to find influences tat start with Rachmaninoff and end
with Ravel or Debussy and in the Prog universe Carlos Acosta is a confessed fan
of Tony Banks, but in the music of KOTEBEL you can find much more.
Almost
immediately after the foundation of this project, KOTEBEL self release the
album "Structures" a wonderful and imaginative voyage that starts in
Classical Music and reaches Symphonic Rock but every time I listen it I can
feel an evident JEAN-LUC PONTY influence from the era of Aurora and a hint of
STEVE HACKETT..
After
releasing "Structures" it was obvious for Carlos Acosta that the
project was out of his hands, it had grown so much that it deserved to take the
form of a stable band more than an album based project with specific musicians
to complement him and a label to work with them so in the year 2000 KOTEBEL
signs with Musea Records.
In
December 2001 KOTEBEL releases their second CD called "Mysticae
Visiones" which sounds closer To soft Symphonic in the vein of CAMEL but
with a strong ENID and Fusion influence plus a touch of Minimalism.
KOTEBEL'S
third release "Fragments of Light" was released in September 2003 and
now we're in great trouble, describing it is almost an epic adventure because
the music gets richer with every release, to the usual, CAMEL, THE ENID; HACETT
and GENESIS influences we must add the usual Fusion and a very complex blend of
Spanish Flamenco and Moorish sounds creating something that exceeds every
possible description, surely is one of the most elaborate forms of Symphonic
and Prog in general.
We
had to wait three more years for their third release "Omphalos" which
I haven't heard yet but is one of the first things in my list for the next
weeks.
Couldn't
end this short bio without mentioning that KOTEBEL is not only Carlos Plaza but
a combined effort of excellent musicians like Carlos Acosta (Flute, EW5,
Cuatro); Carolina Prieto (Vocals), Adriana Perez (Keyboards), Cesar García
Forero (Guitar); Jaime Pascual (Bass) and Carlos Franco (Drums &
Percussion).
If
you have the chance to get any of their albums, don't doubt it, the musical
experience is extremely rewarding. - Iván
Melgar Morey - Perú
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