AD-LIB

Instrumentation:
tenor Saxophone, 2 percussionists, piano, and string quintet,

Duration:
5:30 mins.

Program notes:

The last few years have been complicated, not only because of the pandemic but it has been years marked by natural disasters, my first time living in the U.S; and political tension both in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Throughout these complex years Latin trap has been a constant thread in my life. I’ve been particularly interested in the mix of rhythms and the intersection between the influence of the United States and the Caribbean. Artists like Bad Bunny, have changed the musical panorama of Latin music and have become part of the sprawling zeitgeist of the last decade.

In Ad-Lib, the ensemble not only carries the visceral energy of the genre but musically, it also refers to certain tropes of these songs. Throughout the piece, the ensemble evokes musical aspects of Latin trap, such as the boomy 8o8 kick drums, the unrelentingly fast hi-hats, the constant beat switches inside the same song, and the influence of reggaetón. In a sense, Ad- Lib is not only an exploration genre but a retrospective look at the last couple of years and how this music has been a recurring sound in my life.