Between spaces

His beginnings
As a kid he started playing classical music at "La Escala" Musical Academy, only to later join The “Universidad Javeriana de Bogotá”. In 1999 he travelled to Barcelona where he studied classic piano and harmony for three and a half years at “El Taller de Musics” a Music School. In 2004 he returned to his birth country and graduated with honors for his piano interpretations. He played in places such as: “Jorge Eliécer Gaitan”, “Museo Nacional”, “Delia Zapata” Theatres, among others. By winning a scholarship he was able to study with the recognized teacher Ernesto Jodos in The Contemporary Music School of Buenos Aires, from which he graduated in 2007. In 2006 he created his own jazz trio, together with Julián Montauti in the Double-bass and Alejandro Lopez in the Drums. They recorded "Between Spaces", (Entre Espacios) his first CD and the only one recorded so far.
Occasionally he plays jazz for free together with Luís Natch, Jorge Torrecillas's quartet and The High Cross Jazz Big Band. He also works with Kirt, a German Indie Rock singer, with whom he has played in several Argentine cities.

You have been living in Buenos Aires for three years now, How has the experience been so far?
Well, it looks a lot like Bogota, but here there´s more like a cultural ambience, more spaces to play, more styles emerging all the time in comparison with Colombia, where there´s a narrower musical atmosphere.

How was the recording of "Between Spaces"?
I produced it by myself. It was difficult at the beginning because it´s the first I release and I didn´t have any experience. We recorded it in two days and I spoke with some record labels, but the business wasn´t very good at the time and I decided to do it independently. Today, what do you think of the final product?
I wouldn´t remove or add anything because in a record like this one, in which everything is very much an improvisation, many things are reflected in it. People has welcomed it really well. To be my first record, I am very pleased.

In “Between spaces” you can find samples and sounds that accompany the music. How did it occur to you to include them?
I thought of finding elements that were not common in music and to use them while composing, such as the alarm clock that appears in " Already it´s Time " or " There´s Coffee, Coffee ", and idea that came up to me while hearing it next to the Immigration’s Department, where a guy would shout it all the time while selling coffee to people waiting in line. In "Horse", I took inspiration from the chess piece movements. I did a parallel job between the piano keys and the black and white squares, and relate it to how the horse moves in order to attack.

So we can say that what surrounds you inspires you…
Yes, I have been trying to use symbolic elements or obtain elements from everyday life, such as “café, café”, which is related to the Colombian coffee as well, however the fundamental idea was inspired by the seller I saw at that line.

What projects await you this year?
To be able to play in some Jazz festival, here or wherever. Besides, I have several projects: a jazz sextet to record a suite around the particularities of the chess game and a solo album with vocals, acoustics and all this mixed with some Latin-American folklore.

How would you define the jazz?
Composition in real time. One of the elements that make Jazz interesting is improvisation. And when you´re improvising you´re composing in a non- determined or organized way, only in a spontaneous way.

Album info:
Nicolás Ospina Trío CD: "Between Spaces ", recorded in Mandarin Records Studios.
Musicians:
• Nicolás Ospina - Piano
• Julián Montauti - Double-bass
• Alejandro Lopez - Drums
All songs written and arranged by Nicolás Ospina
Graphic Design: Silvia Ospina
Photography: Oliver Perez
Recording and mixing: Luís Bacqué
Mastering: Paul Lopez Ruíz. Assistant: Diego Calviño
Produced by: Nicolás Ospina
Publisher (Editor): Fernando Lerman

Lyrics:
1. Hay Café Café
2. Niebla
3. Sanguche de Mila
4. Caballo
5. Bicuma
6. Aural
7. Entre espacios
8. Ya es Hora
9. 3 para 40