PRESS RELEASES
Daniel Pardo | “Ese Momento”
Colombian-Born Flutist Daniel Pardo Makes his Solo Leader Debut with a Gorgeous Collection of
Classic Boleros
Available November 8, 2024, Ese Momento Infuses Boleros with Jazz, Classical and Latin Influences in Collaboration with Pianist/Arranger Sergio Pamies
Originally from Bogota, Colombia, flutist Daniel Pardo has graced recordings and performances by artists from a striking range of styles and genres – jazz, western classical music, rock, and traditions from across the globe. He has toured or recorded with the likes of Jeff Coffin, Jake Shimabukuro, Bob Mintzer, and members of the iconic classic rock band Chicago, and has collaborated with Los Angeles-based producers K.C. Porter (Santana, Ricky Martin) and J.B. Eckl (Santana, En Vogue).
Despite his in-demand status in a variety of roles from studios to stages, Pardo has decided that now is the time to step into the spotlight. With the stunning Ese Momento (That Moment), an ideal title for seizing the day and embarking on a new chapter – the Houston-based Pardo fully reveals his gifts as a virtuoso flutist, a breathtaking conceptualist, and an expressive producer.
In order to fully display his range, melodicism and emotional imagination, Pardo decided on the bolero as the perfect vehicle. Due out November 8, 2024, Ese Momento features gorgeous renditions of 11 classic boleros, along with a blazing version of Cuba piano legend Chucho Valdés’ “Bebo” that allows Pardo and the band to show off their Latin jazz chops. The beloved songs are approached from a kaleidoscopic spectrum of perspectives, from the traditional to the orchestral to the unexpected.
“The bolero style brings together all of my musical worlds,” Pardo says. “It has the melodicism of classical music, the sophistication of jazz harmonies, and the spirit of Latin rhythms. Much of the inspiration for this project came from listening to traditional recordings where powerful melodies flow above intriguing harmonies, lush orchestrations, and all the bells and whistles a production could have.”
Ese Momento is the fruit of Pardo’s friendship and collaboration with the Spanish pianist and arranger Sergio Pamies, which dates back more than a decade. The two met while students at the University of North Texas and soon found themselves working together on projects for other artists – Pardo on the production side, Pamies as an arranger. While the two hailed from separate continents, they bonded over a number of shared experiences and influences – boleros among them.
“I was studying classical music and Sergio was there for jazz; he’s from Spain and I’m from Colombia,” Pardo says. “But we both grew up with our parents listening to this kind of music. Latin America’s greats of the time were artists like Armando Manzanero, José José and Juan Gabriel.”
The musicians that the pair assembled for Ese Momento reunite them with a number of classmates from their UNT days who have gone on to similar successes and now range around the world. In addition to the core recordings at Dallas’ Luminous Sound, contributions to the music were captured in Miami, Granada, Madrid, Gran Canaria and Prague.
The album begins with an example of bolero at its most lush and elegant, a beautifully orchestrated version of “Como Fué,” written by Ernesto Duarte and made famous by the iconic Cuban singer and bandleader Benny Moré. The track is one of four on the album that melds Pardo’s ensemble with the Czech National Symphony Orchestra. The result is entrancing but deceptively simple – while it sounds airy and sweet, the arrangement is intricate and layered. It begins with a flute quartet built up by Pardo playing all the parts: concert flute, two alto flutes and bass flute.
The production gets even denser for the well-known “Bésame Mucho,” which has been recorded by everyone from João Gilberto to Frank Sinatra to The Beatles to Kenny G. For their radical reinterpretation, Pardo and Pamies craft a thick, sultry haze weaving together fourteen flute parts and mesmerizing percussion by Shangó Dely. For José Antonio Méndez’s “Novia Mia,” by contrast, they decided to keep things simple, paring the band down to an intimate Latin jazz quintet with Pardo, Pamies, bassist Young Heo, drummer Lupe Barrera and percussionist Luis Ávila.
Inspired by Spanish singer Estrella Morente’s Flamenco twist on Carlos Gardel’s classic tango “Volver” took an offbeat approach, giving the piece a Brazilian flavor but in 5/4 time rather than the more traditional 4/4. The title tune, “Ese Momento,” one of two contributions by the Mexican romantic composer Armando Manzanero, weaves a tapestry of guitar from Mauricio Silva, Michael Hodge, and Rubén Campos, with Flamenco percussion and palmas by Miguel Fernández “El Cheyenne.”
For Pardo, this breathtaking and diverse recording should make Ese Momento not only that moment, but his moment. “This album allowed me to showcase everything that I do, which goes beyond traditional classical flute playing,” he says. “The title song is about that moment when magic and love occur. For me, this is the moment to finally export my artistry to the world.”
Daniel Pardo · Ese Momento
Release Date: November 8, 2024
For more information on Daniel Pardo, please visit:
www.danielpardo.com | Facebook | Instagram
For media inquiries, please contact:
DL Media · (610) 420-8470
Don Lucoff · don@dlmediamusic.com
Information and press materials (including album covers, promotional photos
and bios) on all DL Media artists can be found at our website: dlmediamusic.com
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