Marta Gómez & Andrés Rotmistrovsky – Bajo & Voz (Marta Gómez, 2023)
Colombian singer-songwriter Marta Gómez presents her exquisite new album in duo format with Argentine bassist Andrés Rotmistrovsky. On Bajo & Voz (bass and vocals) Gómez and Rotmistrovsky deliver a delightful set of songs characterized by Marta Gómez’s poetic vocals rooted in South American folk music. Meanwhile, Andrés Rotmistrovsky plays creative bass lines grounded in folk and jazz as well.
The material on Bajo & Voz consists of mostly songs written by Marta, with subtle arrangements by Andrés. In addition, the duo performs songs that have marked their lives, such as “El día que me quieras” by Gardel and Lepera, “Plegaria para un niño dormido” by Luis Alberto Spinetta and others by composers such as Jorge Drexler and Piero.
“Marta says: “It’s a joy to do it with Andrés, but it’s crazy to go from a philharmonic record to a minimalist record with just bass and voice. I have known Andrés for a long time, and it would never have occurred to me to make a record with only bass and voice, because the bass is an easy instrument. But Andrés has been experimenting with this format for many years, and it is his passion. And he likes to accompany singers. We did a concert in Switzerland as a test, and it was a gift to me. And on this tour we wanted to repeat this intimate format, which we recorded on the album.”
“I loved this format, but it has been a discovery, because I had been with a full band for so many years that doing it alone is a complete experience. Because I can improvise more, I can be freer, I’m not aware of other instruments. The beautiful thing is that there is the possibility of everything, but I am very much in love with this duo format, with the possibility of improvising, of communicating more with the public. Andrés gives me a lot of freedom in that sense.”
When the two musicians began to think about what other topics they could do, things in common appeared that excited them even more. Andrés threw out Spinetta’s name and his “Prayer for a Sleeping Child” and Marta loved it. Then “The day you love me” appeared,” by Gardel-Le Pera, which Marta used to sing; “I am bread, I am peace, I am more” by Piero; and “The Museum of Broken Distances”, a little-known gem by Jorge Drexler. “We did four covers even when I never sing songs by others, but in this project it was like something so natural that I am happy with the result, I love this project, I love traveling with this project and I would sing forever.”
Marta Gómez is a Colombian singer-songwriter, winner of two Latin Grammys and composer of the song and international campaign “Para la guerra nada”. A graduate of the prestigious Berklee College of Music (USA), Marta was included in the Putumayo World Music label’s compilation of Latin American female singers in 2004, along with artists such as Susana Baca, Totó la Momposina and Tania Libertad. With 21 own record productions and more than 200 composed songs, in 2014 Marta received the Latin Grammy Award for Best Music Album for Children with Coloreando, and was also nominated for her albums Este Instante (2015), Canciones de Sol (2016), La Alegria y el canto (2018) and Filarmómico 20 años (2022).
Andrés Rotmistrovsky is an Argentine bassist, composer, producer, and arranger. Graduated with honors from the Berklee College of Music, he has played on some of the most renowned stages in the world, sharing stages and recordings with artists such as Rubén Blades, Joan Baez, Eva Ayllón, León Gieco, Teresa Parodi and La Mala. Rodriguez. His arrangements for solo electric bass have positively caught the attention of many music lovers and the music media.
Buy Bajo & Voz.
Author: Angel Romero
Angel Romero y Ruiz has dedicated his life to musical exploration. His efforts included the creation of two online portals, worldmusiccentral.org and musicasdelmundo.com. In addition, Angel is the co-founder of the Transglobal World Music Chart, a panel of world music DJs and writers that celebrates global sounds. Furthermore, he delved into the record business, producing world music studio albums and compilations. His works have appeared on Alula Records, Ellipsis Arts, Indígena Records and Music of the World.