USA: Pablo Ablanedo "Winter Variations"(2019)

Pablo Ablanedo "Winter Variations" Featuring: Chris Cheek Jerome Sabbagh Ben Monder Fernando Huergo Franco Pinna Exclusively available on vinyl as part of the Newvelle Season Five subscription. Pre-order today at Newvelle-Records.com.


Almost twenty years ago, Pablo Ablanedo led an octet of New York musicians that is absolutely remarkable in retrospect. It’s almost inconceivable. Every musician in this band would go on to stellar international careers: Anat Cohen, Jenny Scheinman, Chris Cheek, Jerome Sabbagh, Ben Monder, Fernando Huergo, and Franco Pinna, with Diego Urcola arriving on trumpet. Pablo told me a story of playing at the NYC institution Knitting Factory on a Thursday night. The whole band arrived to play some new works of Pablo’s, but the audience did not.

Not a single paying member arrived to the concert. Such was the dedication of the group—and their respect for Pablo’s music—that, without any consultation, they played the entire set to an empty room. I was in NYC during this time and it pains me to have missed this show, not just because each of the murderers' row of musicians playing that little room, but because Pablo is a world-class composer who should be heard by everyone.

 Now, twenty years later, this same band has re-united to play through new works of Pablo's once again. I didn’t think it would be possible to assemble these musicians all in the same place—some members have moved thousands of miles away and everyone has a very busy touring schedules. It speaks to the strength of the band's belief in Pablo’s sound that this record came together at all. Pablo has never stopped creating or evolving his sound, and I believe there is true greatness in this record. I can’t wait to share this music with the Newvelle community.

 -- Elan Mehler, Newvelle Artistic Director and Co-Founder