Marco Granados states in the liner notes of his beautiful serenade to his country Music of Venezuela, that the music of Venezuela is one of the rare treasures of Latin America, it seamlessly combines cultures, musical traditions, rhythms and the spirit of a people in a joyful and innocent voice.
The artist very eloquently said this with deep thought and respect for his heritage. His flute playing embodies that very thought as Marco very precisely and exquisitely takes you on a trip through the land he loves in 15 tracks of fast-paced jazz tinged Latin-World music.
Marco and his Un Mundo Ensemble are Jorge Glenn (cuatro), Roberto Koch (bass), Leonardo Granados (maracas) and Manuel Rangel (maracas). His guest contribute plenty of heart and soul to the mix, particularly the acoustic strumming on Cuatro (a Latin American instrument with four strings), which is all very fast in order to keep up with Marcos’ rapid accession of notes coming from his flute. Three men encompass this very large contribution including Hector Molina, Henry Linarez and Jorge Glem. All three are incredibly good at utilizing the four stringed instruments, so well that you would never know there were two less strings than a standard guitar. I have to admit that their adeptness was equal to the task and rose to challenge of the excellent flute playing of Mr. Granados.
Marco was apparently very determined to find musical partners on equal ground in order to produce the finest representation of his treasured music of Venezuela. As it turns out for the listener, it actually is like finding a lost treasure and once you have it you will never let it go.
This is music to take you away to another world and even though it is face paced it still has a calming spiritual effect upon your senses, as if he were the pied piper of Latin America inviting you to take a vacation while you experience everything that happens visually through his looking glass of music.
Keith “MuzikMan” Hannaleck
December 8, 2008
