Beledo is a Uruguayan born, NYC based multi-instrumentalist, predominantly guitarist and pianist, who grew up in Montevideo and was a prominent player on the jazz scene in his native Uruguay. He is joined by drummer Kenny Grohowski, who in addition to taking part in several MoonJune recording dates, has worked with John Zorn, John Medeski, Imperial Triumphant, as well as the most recent incarnation of Brand X. Completing the core trio for the record is bassist Tony Levin, whose stellar list of credits includes Paul Simon, John Lennon, Peter Gabriel, David Bowie and King Crimson. The centerpiece of the album is Beledo's arrangement of Eberhard Weber's composition, Seriously Deep. Originally appearing on the ECM album, Silent Feet, the album and that track in particular had a huge impact on Beledo and his friend Jorge Camiruaga when they first heard it upon its release in 1978. Lasting over 14 minutes the track, with its graceful gently unfurling melody, features Beledo on electric guitar and acoustic piano. Beledo's high-end undulating solo is complimented by Levin's ruminative response at the opposite end of the tonal, adding up to a beautifully balanced performance. A different kind of emotion lies at the core of Mama D, a track dedicated to the late South African singer, Dorothy Masuka and performed here by Botswanese vocalist Kearoma Rantao. Rantao's powerful performance glows like a beacon shining at the center of the track's complex, shifting arrangements. On A Temple In The Valley Italian composer and singer Boris Savoldelli adds his athletic wordless singing to a track whose wistful, bitter-sweet melody sounds like a hidden gem from the Canterbury Scene. A gorgeous song-without-words, it's a tune you might find on an album by Hatfield And The North or Caravan. That the album features both written and improvised music is very much the core of Beledo's approach. "I like to make sure that the musicians have all the materials in advance and that the arrangements are already digested by the time we get to the studio. Then the improvisations will flow without stress. The improvisations are an aspect that takes more than a 50% of my compositions and when it comes to my guitar playing it is the aspect that I feel it allows me to express my true self," says the guitarist.
