Silvano Monasterios : The River Review

By Steven Miller

In The River, pianist and composer Silvano Monasterios offers a suite of textured Latin jazz. His ensemble writing and musical storytelling are framed by the metaphor of a river. The seven-part work unfolds as a dialogue between the written and improvised contemporary Latin jazz language. It is a flowing, textural narrative brought to life by a Venezuelan Nonet of exceptional caliber. Rather than spotlighting one or two star voices, the album thrives on a collective approach where every instrumentalist adds to the music’s feeling and precision as it becomes musical poetry.

From its tranquil beginnings to its vibrant crescendos, The River functions as an extended composition, when listening to the album in its entirety, each of the seven tracks have a common current that is modular, integrated, and narratively rich. Commissioned by Chamber Music America with support from the Doris Duke Foundation, Monasterios’ suite draws on Venezuelan folk roots, Afro-Caribbean rhythm, and modern Latin jazz harmony.

“The River (Opening)” features Jeff Lederer introducing a melodic thread that unfurls with building colors from the ensemble. Troy Roberts enters next, his tenor saxophone voice is warm and round. Monasterios’ piano lays intervalic harmonic ripples beneath them, with bassist Ricky Rodriguez subtly shifting between melodic anchoring and harmonic depth. Jimmy MacBride and Luisito Quintero, on drums and percussion respectively, anchor the Latin-inflected syncopations throughout, establishing a rhythmic current that carries the groove movement forward.

“Dance on the Wire” is an example of Monasterios’ compelling soloing language. He crafts a lyrical narrative during his improvisation, building with ensemble hits and responses. Rodriguez’s bass lines dance beneath, often engaging in counterpoint with the vibraphone of Juan Diego Villalobos. Meanwhile, Néstor Torres’ flute and Alex Norris’ flügelhorn lines are layered across shifting horn voicings and clarinet bursts. The movement of rhythmic accents adds energy, but never loses its balance of the inviting Latin jazz pulse.

“Against the Current” emphasizes harmonic dissonance and resolution. Norris delivers a fiery trumpet solo that bursts through the ensemble texture. Lederer’s bass clarinet weaves through Roberts’ tenor voice, the woodwinds providing tension and momentum. The rhythm section, locked in with a nimble groove, breathes with the improvisers. Here, Monasterios shows his deft hand at allowing friction within the ensemble colors to deepen the emotional narrative.

“Carmen Elena” is a lyrical Afro-Cuban texture enriched by the timbral resonance of Villalobos’ vibraphone and the shimmering upper lines of Torres’ flute. Quintero’s percussion brings a rhythmic lilt that underpins the ensemble’s dance-like turns. Monasterios shares melodic duty with Lederer, creating a floating conversation between piano and woodwinds. MacBride’s tasteful drumming and metric shifts elevate the drama without disturbing the serenity.

“Ambar” is a performance displaying Monasterios’ elegance in a solo piano setting that channels his Venezuelan classical heritage. It marks a personal moment in the suite with Monasterios shaping each voicing and silence for a deliberate and flowing performance. This piece flows beautifully into the next.

“Ambar’s Courage” reignites with renewed strength. The growing layers of the introduction throughout the theme. Roberts’ tenor solo is emotive with its climbing through Monasterios’ lush chords and Quintero’s percussive textures. As Roberts builds his solo energy, the ensemble gradually builds, brass and woodwinds layering in to reinforce the message of resilience. The shimmering lines swell toward a powerful climax of voicings that releases the emotion with discipline as Monasterios returns to the opening piano theme for a moment. This is an example of his strong compositional skills and orchestral textures.

“The River Between Us” concludes the suite with a hopeful confluence of contemporary Latin jazz. Torres’ flute offers a soaring melodic statement, echoed and enriched by Roberts and Lederer. The ensemble becomes a singular voice here. MacBride and Rodriguez guide the pulse gently, while Monasterios ties thematic threads together with harmonic grace and counterpoint. Monasterios’ solo has a rich harmonic palette and rhythmic flow. His sprinkling of the blues gives his sound a sixties post-bop flair. The composition functions as a resolution without closure, suggesting the journey continues beyond the final performance.

Each musician in the nonet contributes technical excellence and a distinct emotional voice. Norris brings lyrical fire; Roberts, soloing gravitas. Lederer’s reeds are coloristic and textural; Torres’ flute elevates the ensemble with breath-like phrasing. Villalobos’ vibraphone is a connective thread between melody and rhythm, while Rodriguez’s bass playing is grounded yet melodically inventive. MacBride and Quintero together create a multi-layered rhythmic vocabulary that is forward-driving.

Crucially, Monasterios’ touch on the piano is deliberate and expressive, always serving the emotional contour of each piece. His writing showcases a profound understanding of orchestration: layering horns, winds, and rhythm into constantly evolving textures that mirror the peaks and valleys of lived experience.

The River is an album with a flow of a living, breathing suite of stories, voices, and cultural echoes. It invites us to listen to the interwoven identities and histories flowing through its currents. Silvano Monasterios has composed and led a contemporary Latin jazz project that speaks to tradition and the urgent present with a gorgeous seven-song suite.