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Review:
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Raimundo Rodulfo was born in Venezuela (1970), he pursued
musical studies since 1977 until 1978 at the Escuela Sinfónica
Infantil, where he started studying violin and also began
autodidactic studies of classic guitar at the age of 12
and electric guitar at the age of 14. Between 1986 and 1992
Raimundo joined several groups in which he started to compose
music blending classic and contemporary elements. He performed
at several festivals and shows in his country and in some
professional recordings. Since 1992 Raimundo has been dedicated
to his musical projects as a soloist, composing music for
guitar and group. In 2000 he produced his first album Dreams
and in 2001 his second album The Dreams Concerto (a Concerto
for guitar, group and chamber orchestra in 3 movements,
featuring 15 guest artists).
This last release was played live for the first time
at the 6th issue of BajaProg Festival in Baja California
Mexico. In 2003 Raimundo released To Live A Dream - Official
Bootleg and To Live A Dream 2 - Official Bootleg, two live
full downloadable virtual albums, available from his website
www.raimundorodulfo.com and featuring music from several
live performances as BajaProg, ProgJazz and concert opening
for The Flower Kings. Parallel to his musical career, Raimundo
Rodulfo is an Electronics Engineer, specialized in Digital
Systems and Telecommunications and he has dedicated several
years to Research and Development both in the academical
and industrial fields. - In 2000 I wrote a review for Dutch
progrock paper Background Magazine about his first album
Dreams in which I nicknamed him “The Latin-American Steve
Howe” and hailed his outstanding guitarwork. Well, listening
to this new (third solo) album entitled Mare Et Terra (2008),
again I am impressed by his virtuosity on all guitars and
again I notice strong hints of Steve Howe (and Yes). The
CD starts with the epic, very alternating and melodic composition
Naufrago (almost 37 minutes!): the intro delivers an excellent
piece of solo classical guitar that alternates between classical,
Spanish and flamenco, what a jawdropping technique but it
also sounds very pleasant, not clinical or as ‘scale-acrobatics’.
When the music blends with flute, Dutch progfolk Flairck
comes to my mind. Then we can enjoy cascades of shifting
moods and breaks, from a slow rhythm with sensitive electric
guitar and piano, a string-section, a blend of classical
and Howe-inspired electric guitar with Grand piano to a
swinging rhythm with saxophone, a compelling part with electric
guitar and choir-Mellotron and a Seventies Yes oriented
bombastic grand finale with jawdropping classical guitar
runs, accompanied by castagnettes and lush choir-Mellotron,
great!
The other four tracks also showcase Raimundo his guitar
skills and his pleasant and varied way of composing, I am
delighted about the violin-Mellotron and warm clasical guitar
in Libertad, the Santana-inspired atmosphere (guitar sound
and conga’s) with trumpet, flute and synthesizers in Blue,
the Minimoog flights in Thoughts Part One and variety in
the final track Thoughts Part Two, from a swinging rhythm
with conga’s and flute to bombastic Hammond and Minimoog
with delicate steel-guitar work (evoking Yes) and the final
part with tender classical guitar and violin, beautiful.
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If you are up to a varied, very tastefully arranged
guitar driven album with a nice 'vintage keyboard flavor',
this one is yours!
www.progwalhalla.com
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