Razl
Razl is the pseudonym of composer and guitarist Raúl Huelves. He began his guitar journey in the early nineties, playing in local bands that primarily focused on rock and progressive rock. One of these bands, Tatto Tucum, which he co-founded, garnered interest from several independent record companies at the time.
After a few years, Razl gravitated toward the Jazz-Funk scene, joining bands like Guateque All Stars. With them, he participated in several recordings, including their last album, Technicolor, and numerous live concerts. He also collaborated with many artists in the hip-hop arena, such as Frank T and the Danny Panullo Dancetheatre dance company.
In 2008, he recorded his debut album Rotonova, featuring collaborators such as Mike Keneally, Bryan Beller, Dean Brown, Damian Erskine, Charlie Dennard, and the exceptional drummer Pepe Acebal. The album received enthusiastic acclaim in both national (Guitarra Total, Guitarrista) and international media (Guitar Player Magazine, Jazz.com). That same year, he connected with blues and soul organist Mauri Sanchis and began performing with the Mauri Sanchis Super Band at festivals like San Javier Jazz Festival and Blues de Cazorla Festival. Alongside drummer Blas Fernández, he also contributed to the recording of the album by Mauri Sanchis’ Modern Organ Trio, What Did You Expect!, released in 2011.
In mid-2010, Razl started recording his new album, Microscopic, with Nashville-native bassist Bryan Beller and Pepe Acebal. After a chance encounter with New York guitarist Will Bernard (a regular drummer in Stanton Moore’s Trio), Bernard invited Razl to guest on one of the album tracks. Trumpet player Rubén Salvador, a regular in the Mauri Sanchis Super Band and a prominent jazz musician in the Basque Country scene, also collaborated on the album. In Microscopic, Razl refines his style, focusing on trio compositions while incorporating orchestration and guitar arrangements as a musical backdrop.
Razl is heavily influenced by the progressive rock of seventies bands like Frank Zappa & The Mothers, Gentle Giant, and King Crimson. Like them, he employs elaborate raw sounds with complex structures that often defy conventional order. Razl also draws inspiration from New Orleans funk bands like Galactic, which shape the groove and simplicity of his melodic lines.
Listen Now!
«Spanish guitarist Raúl Huelves (a.k.a. Razl) leads a power trio featuring bassist extraordinaire Bryan Beller. Coaxing super-seductive tones from both electric and acoustic guitars sans pick, Razl struts and grooves hard throughout, as compelling riffs, clever rhythmic twists, atypical harmonic touches, and an imaginative use of effects further flavor this savory sonic gumbo.»
★ Barry Cleveland-Guitar Player Magazine ★
«This is Fusion with a capital F, proving that there’s no shame in revisiting the past when the results are this good.«
★ Mark Saleski-Jazz.com ★
«I just had the pleasure of listening to Razl´s latest album, «Microscopic». I cannot think of a better use of your time than to listen to this guitarist play some of the most infectious grooves being heard on this planet.»
★ Walter Kolosky (music journalist, author of Follow your heart-John McLaughlin song by song) ★
«Microscopic continues the trend set on Rotonova with nine slightly off-the-wall funk-inspired instrumentals with titles such as The Amazing Story of Al the Aardvark and Zombie Brew. What ́s not to like?«
★ David Mead-Guitar Techniques Magazine ★
«Razl’s second album, Microscopic, is a real step forward from his impressive debut, Rotonova. His style hasn’t changed radically (although this time out it’s a «highly addictive guitar-and-beyond ridden groove-a-thon»), but Microscopic is not only stripped down instrumentally (basically a power trio album), but Razl’s tunes are both tighter and more focused and he seems to be developing a stronger individual voice as a composer.»
★ Sean Westergaard-All music guide ★
«Razl truly plays the blues, bops with feeling, has a great sense of taste in the interludes, is self-demanding, and expresses himself with precise and fluid phrasing. Without a doubt, Rotonova deserves to be in a good catalog of quality guitar material.«
★ Total Guitar Magazine ★
