"Ultimo Mate" by Guillermo Bordarampé (X100-006D)

"…his songs sound like colored hand drawings of our mestizo America, which were inspired in the wet earth, in drops of rain that dance and fall onto the river and almost describe the fruit." VISTA USA, by Humberto Vinasco

"As a socio-cultural document, …a wonderful musical fusion throughout this album of eleven songs, mainly instrumental and of a great international approach." AL BORDE, by Moises Baqueiro

"Ultimo Mate" is his first solo excursion and also the debut of his own indie label, Pachamama Music. The album includes echoes of his musical past, but revisited with resources and present styles…the album covers a vast range of styles…in several songs there are instruments that play in a way that belongs to other styles…like…the electric guitar playing in the Andean motif "Rumbo al Mercado" or the saxophones playing the melody of the "piazzolesque" bandoneon in "Taxi Nocturno…" PULSE! LATINO, part of an interview by Rene Peñaloza

"Ultimo Mate is the title of the CD in which Mr. Bordarampé has put forth a lot of imagination…Ultimo Mate has musical textures in which the modern sounds of rock, jazz, world music and new age are happily combined with the melancholic and stimulating sinuosity of tango, milonga, candombe and other South American folk rhythms…" LA OPINION, by Juan Rodriguez Flores, editor

"First solo work of the Argentine guitarist, who along with Gustavo Santaolalla and others founded the pioneer rock band Arco Iris in the seventies…this fusion of ethnic and progressive sounds shows a definite will to make music outside of the established patterns, with a proposal, that uses rustic zampoñas (ethnic woodwinds from the Andes), as well as the traditional bandoneon, always under the spell of Bordarampé's guitars…the album possesses a musical richness and creativity well worth listening to, …" LA OPINION, by Ricardo Camarena

(Bordarampé) "fuses his knowledge and feel for cultures and music of different styles…encompassing the mysticism of Andean music, the depth of New Age, the sweetness of jazz, the power of Rock and the melancholy of Tango." BOOM Magazine and Boomonline.com, by Kike Posada

Espectáculos * La Opinión

Monday December 13th, 1999

Ultimo Mate

Guillermo Bordarampé

PACHAMAMA MUSIC

First solo work of the Argentine guitarist, who along with Gustavo Santaolalla and others founded the pioneer rock band Arco Iris in the seventies.

This fusion of ethnic and progressive sounds shows a definite will to make music outside of the established patterns, with a proposal, that uses rustic Zampoñas (ethnic woodwinds from the Andes) , as well as the traditional Bandoneon, always under the spell of Bordarampé's guitars.

This is the case with Ultimo Mate (desde lo más profundo) #1 and its 5:16 minutes of symphonic and criollo sounds. This song, which is the title of the album, with its haunting melody, contrasts with the enthusiastic rhythm of Rumbo al Mercado.

Several cuts ahead, Ultimo Mate (desde lo más profundo) #2 is full of delightful ethereal as well as ethnic sounds, with ocarinas sounding like crickets and Toyos (deep sounding Andean panpipes) with their Andean flair over the guitar lines.

Interisleña and Mates a la Sombra are pleasant and groovy soft songs, while Bailongo has a Cumbia feel to it, mixed with Rock and South American folklore in happy communion. La curva del mate has very delicate Andean and Son flairs, with the enticing tenor sax of Jim Cowger.

Continuing with the festive mood of these instrumental compositions, Chincha is a musical palette of Black rhythms from Peru, guided by the Cajon (Afro-Peruvian drum) and the entertaining sax melodies.

The only song with vocals, in English, is Solo para Tí (Sweet Waterfall) sung by Samantha Sidley.

The album possesses a musical richness and creativity well worth listening to, especially in these difficult times of standardized and sampled sounds.