beekman
release date: June 15, 2018
The eclectic Quartet named Beekman is back with their third offering - This time a pristine live recording from Chez Hanny in San Francisco. Hailing from three continents, Saxophonist Kyle Nasser, pianist Yago Vazguez, bassist Pablo Menares, and drummer Rodrigo Recabarren dig into the nether regions between Jazz, Rock, Latin, and Classical, stretching out comfortably and with purpose. These cats have a natural dialogue, as if they were finishing each other's sentences gracefully. Nasser's Sax glides throughout the compositions, never really in front or behind as Yago and Rodrigo speak in rhyme, with Pablo nodding his approval.
Four cats, three continents, three albums. This is Beekman.
release date: october 7, 2016
Kyle Nasser, Rodrigo Recabarren, Pablo Menares, and Yago Vasquez make up the jazz collective that is BEEKMAN. Based in Brooklyn by way of the world, Beekman brings a world class mix of influence and style to the studio for their second album, aptly titled BEEKMAN: Vol. 2. Menares and Recabarren hail from Chile and are highly regarded in their home country, while playing worldwide with many jazz greats. Pianist Yago Vazquez arrived in NY from Spain in 2008, quickly establishing himself as a go-to studio musician and live performer. A graduate of both Harvard and Berklee, Kyle Nasser has been praised by All About Jazz - '“Superlative musicianship as a performer, writer and a bandleader…ardent creativity and his urbane artistic composure.” One must hear to understand, so drop in here for a taste. Step right over here to stay in the loop.
About beekman
Beekman is a Brooklyn-based collective comprising saxophonist Kyle Nasser (U.S), pianist Yago Vazquez (Spain), bassist Pablo Menares (Chile), and drummer Rodrigo Recabarren (Chile). These musicians met in 2012 at the 5th Estate sessions in Brooklyn. Shortly thereafter, Recabarren hatched the idea to form a group. The musicians convened at a home studio on Beekman Place (hence “Beekman”), each wielding a couple compositions, to record their debut album. Though it was the first time they had all played together as a group, the chemistry was immediately apparent, and the tracking was completed in only a few hours.
The group celebrated the release of Vol.1 (on the Chilean label Discos Pendiente) with a 10-day tour of South America in January 2015. Critics have praised this album as “vital new music” (Donald Elfman, New York City Jazz Record) and “a joyful and continued speculation flowing in almost all facets with surprising ease.” (Jazz, ese ruido). It even earned the group a nomination for “Best Jazz/Fusion Artist” in the Chilean Music Awards (Premios Pulsar). Since its release, Beekman been a staple on the NYC jazz scene and toured around New England.
In October 2015, Beekman went into the studio (a real one this time!) to record Vol.2. Scheduled for release in October 2016 on Ropeadope Records, the new album features three compositions by Nasser, two each by Menares and Vazquez, and one by Recabarren. Having had the opportunity to play a great deal since the release of Vol.1, the quartet really sharpens its aesthetic on Vol.2. Beekman couples eclectic original compositions (steeped in jazz, rock, latin, and classical) with dynamic group interplay into a sound that is international while remaining squarely in the realm of modern jazz.