ABQ guitarist-singer releasing ‘soul-jazz’ album
Tonight’s concert at the Outpost Performance Space is a big deal for Albuquerque guitarist-singer Claudio Tolousse. The concert signals the release of his first album, “The Story of, Part 1.”
No wonder the excitement is running high for Tolousse.
He composed four of the seven songs and collaborated with Josef Scott on the other three.
“It’s something I call soul-jazz,” Tolousse said. “I have to say it’s a soul record but with complex jazz harmonies.”
The songs are about love, selfdiscovery, liberation and life’s struggles.
“A lot of people who have heard the songs bring up John Mayer’s name. I’m not mad if the songs fall into the category of pop. It doesn’t mean it’s a sell-out or cheap or not good. It means it’s popular,” Tolousse said.
The album was recorded in New Orleans, where Tolousse studied four years ago and made good connections with other musicians.
One of those musicians is guitarist-friend John Maestas, a former Albuquerque resident who co-produced the CD with Tolousse.
Maestas is one of the players who will be in the band at tonight’s CD release party. Others are bass player Wilbur Thompson and saxophonist Jeronne
Ansari, both of New Orleans, and trumpeter Ryan Montaño, drummer Paul Palmer III and keyboardist Robert Muller, all of Albuquerque.
The album is more than about the music. An important part of the CD is the connection between the songs and visual art.
“Each song has a coinciding art piece. The art was either inspired by the song or the art inspired the song,” Tolousse said. “I created the art that inspired one of my own songs.”
Others who inspired the songs were his father, four New Mexico artists and one artist from New Orleans.