Cortes, Juan: Wameru

Wameru is the first solo effort from guitarist Juan Cortes, and shows he is well versed in the Holdsworth school of legato. The album is bookended with two atmospheric pieces, and in between you get plenty of great music and blazing guitar.

Cortes unleashes his speedy legato licks on us during "Unknown", and his chops are impressive. "Cyborg King" features more of Cortes, but sharing in the spotlight is keyboardist Alvaro Torres who contributes a nice solo spot. The title track has an electronica feel backing Cortes' stunning soloing which is often accentuated with a harmonizer. As great as the soloing is, the track comes off a bit light. "Kadikoy" is a personal favorite, and contains my favorite playing from Cortes on the album. In addition, the band really turns up the heat on this one. Keyboardist Torres again shows his solo skills during the laid back "El Oso Jorge", and Cortes does the same, wow! Bassist Andres Pellican also finds his way into the mix during "New Sequence" which is his true shining moment. Torres and Cortes also kill on this one as the band burns behind them. The album is a short 37 minutes and change, but the material is strong and satisfying, Cortes is a guitarist to keep your eye on.

Track List:

1. Initium
2. Unknown
3. Cyborg King
4. Wameru
5. Kadikoy
6. El Oso Jorge
7. New Sequence
8. 16/10

Added: September 28th 2022
Reviewer: Eric Porter
Score:
Related Link: Artists @ Bandcamp
Hits: 361
Language: english

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