Vertical
Sandro Albert

According to most dictionaries, the definition of vertical goes something like this: at right angles to the plane of the horizon or a base line. Straight up and down, in other words. But to guitarist Sandro Albert, the word has a more musical meaning. "It's all about counterpoint," he says. "Counterpoint involves the lower voices as equally as the top voices. The way they play off each other and weave from top to bottom creates a unique line that feels very vertical in nature." The 13 tracks on Vertical perfectly elucidate Albert's point. In collaboration with flutist Rodrigo Ursaia, bassist Michael O'Brien and drummer Richie Barshay, Albert's rich, flawlessly structured melodies often take flight in multiple directions, shooting up and down - vertically - to unexpected places, the notion of counterpoint paramount throughout. "When I wrote Vertical," Albert says, "it was originally intended to be a solo guitar record. Then, as I listened, I heard that I could put a different instrument on top, like flute. Then we started experimenting with short improvisations that compliment the counterpoint style. We don't get caught up in the blowing. It's more about the melody and counterpoint."

Sandro Albert
Rodrigo Ursaia
Michael O'Brien
Richie Barshay