ALVARO SEVERINO Trio

Original compositions where South American roots meet contemporary jazz and collective improvisation.

The ALVARO SEVERINO Trio is the central platform for the compositional work of Chilean guitarist and composer Álvaro Severino. With the release of Ngen-Kürüf in 2018, Severino laid the foundation for a musical language that connects South American roots with contemporary jazz and improvisation.

The current line-up marks a new stage in the development of that musical path. Together with US-American double bassist Cliff Schmitt and Chilean-Spanish drummer Jaime Moraga, Severino develops a more open, abstract and contemporary trio sound. The instrumentation of electric guitar, double bass and drums deliberately expands the project’s sonic and dynamic range.

The repertoire consists exclusively of original compositions. Rhythmic, melodic and formal elements from South American music are not treated as folkloric quotations, but as source material for a personal musical language. Modern harmony, open forms and collective improvisation create new contexts in which cultural roots remain audible while taking on a more abstract and contemporary sonic character.

The choice of musicians is an essential part of the artistic concept. Cliff Schmitt brings a direct connection to the American jazz tradition through his many years of work in the New York jazz scene. Jaime Moraga broadens the ensemble’s rhythmic and sonic spectrum through his experience in both jazz and contemporary concert music.

From these different musical backgrounds, the trio develops a shared language in which composition and improvisation are closely intertwined. Each piece is conceived as an open space, allowing the music to evolve through the interaction of the musicians in performance.

The ALVARO SEVERINO Trio approaches South American tradition not as a fixed form, but as living material — a point of departure for contemporary music shaped by origin, memory and the present.