I have always liked musical duets, perhaps because they are like a conversation in which everyone can express themselves, listen and be heard. This exchange, close to the spirit of jazz but nourished by Argentine folklore, new tango and river plate music, has been a constant axis in my path. I have worked on this aesthetic for many years: with Dino Saluzzi from a more folkloristic perspective, with Pablo Ziegler from New Tango and with Raíces from Candombe. Added to this journey was the Alfombra Mágica Trío, together with Matías González and Horacio López, a project based on folk, river plate and Latin American rhythms that promotes new sound searches with complex arrangements and improvisations. With the cellist Astrid Motura – with whom I also have a deep friendship – we continue to explore this universe, and we feel that there is still a lot to discover and develop in this cello and guitar format.
At the beginning of 2025 we recorded The magic -Quique Sinesi & Astrid Motura- together.
This album is the result of a lot of time, music, experiences and shared paths. I met Astrid Motura about ten years ago when we met by chance in the dressing room at a concert. Shortly after, I invited her to attend the presentation of one of my albums in Buenos Aires. Months later we started playing as a duo and that’s how the desire to record together arose. The pandemic slowed down the process, but we never stopped working. Although the compositions on the CD are my own, Astrid has selected the works that touched her most and adapted them for the cello, creating her own arrangements and improvisations. All music was developed and produced together. Magic consists of seven themes.
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The river. It was taken during a trip to Europe in a hotel with a view of the Danube. The melody was reminiscent of the Paraná River and adopted a coastal rhythm, and the fact that Astrid is from Paraná (Entre Ríos) brought her even closer to this work.
Aerial Melody 5. Inspired by Letters to a Young Poet by RM Rilke. Ten pieces for guitar were created from the ten letters, and this version for cello experienced new sonic heights.
Suburb. It offers a more aggressive and contemporary sound with tango roots, reflecting the urban energy and characteristic chaos.
The magic is within you. Old composition for solo guitar that we reworked for a duo. His spirit invites an inner search in the midst of current confusion. Astrid led them to a coastal color. This version was selected for a CD released in Japan dedicated to the cello universe.
Melody of forgetting. Dedicated to a Spanish violinist who recorded the work in Buenos Aires while I was working on another album. Here we present an arrangement for cello, with careful and very personal arrangements by Astrid.
Blue milonga. Maybe the simplest song on the album and one of the first we recorded together.
Berlin tangoisms. Composed in Berlin as part of four works inspired by the city and its sounds, combining them with tango and jazz. It was originally written for a recording with the great saxophonist Charlie Mariano. It was an enriching experience to interpret it with Astrid and to integrate effects and expressive means on the cello.
It was a great pleasure to do this work with my friend and outstanding musician and cellist Astrid Motura. Playing together is always a joy. The presentation on the 18th at the Bebop Jazz Club in Buenos Aires will be a very special date: in addition to the release of our CD La Magia, we will pay tribute to three musicians we deeply admire: Hermeto Pascoal, Cuchi Leguizamón and Astor Piazzolla.
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