Jorge Reyes Dies
Mexican musician Jorge Reyes died of a heart attack on Saturday, February 7, 2009, at his recording studio. Jorge Reyes was 57.
Jorge Reyes combined traditional Mexican instrumentation with new technology. He released over twenty recordings and collaborated with Steve Roach and others.
The above video captures Reyes performing for the Day of the Dead.
via Steve Roach:
On the Passing of Jorge Reyes:
The essence of Jorge’s visionary courage to reach far and deep into the realm of ancestral memories will live on through his amazing work. We met within a landscape of beautiful and extreme conditions during a new music festival on the Spanish island of Lanzarote in the early 90s’, occurring the same week the Gulf War started. Along with Suso Saiz we became fast friends with simpatico spirits. This set the tone for a real adventure that continued across three continents and a series of releases and concerts that are high points in in my life.
The friendship, the music and creative conditions were always filled with passion, laughter and a fire that burned from a place we had no choice but to answer to. In working and hanging with Jorge, there was always a sense of stepping off the edge into a kind alluring and dangerous zone that always was supported by an unspoken trust of some primal state he had direct access to. I learned a great deal from Jorge; it was truly an honor to share the peaks and the relaxed moments. I have many great memories where we would find our way back from the edge after these long recordings or live sessions, hearing the results while sipping a fine Tequila with the sounds of our recent journey playing, then calling us back out once more. “Gone From Here”, the closing track on Vine ~ Bark & Spore was the last track we created together. I need to hear that now.
Steve Roach, 2 – 9 – 09
Suspended Memories Living Room Concert 1992 (YouTube)
From John Dilberto of Echoes:
I was saddened by the news of Jorge Reyes’s passing. He performed live on Echoes with Suspended Memories and solo, and we interviewed him a couple of times. I’ve posted a tribute to Jorge, along with links to the audio of the interview on the Echoes Blog.
Tags: Jorge Reyes, obituary, Steve Roach
Unbelievable news about Jorge. Really amazing musician and person. I met Jorge at the first, I believe, Living Room concert in Tuscon at Steve’s house, with Suso Saiz performing. I can’t remember the year, but I would say around ‘85-86 maybe. I still have a VHS video of that performance! He was with his dancer/partner at the time, who I understand also passed away a few yeaars back. He was a very sweet man on the outside but burning with intense Shamanic passion on the inside. And his music reflected that. I remember his “playing his body” percussive sounds along with his amazing talent on the various clay pots…
My favorite Jorge story though was when about a year after the Living Room experience, I saw him solo with his dancer partner in New York’s Kitchen performance space. His performance that evening was amazing! He got so deep into a trance state that he was literally “out of his mind” and body…I mean it was so intense. Now, normally, New York audiences are pretty unflinching and unaffected, not prone to exhibiting much “emotion.” However, his performance was so entrancing that no one left, not one person moved, let alone got up and left. It was that intensely personal and powerful. He called up some serious entities from deep below the bowels of Gotham.
I went up to Jorge after the show and asked him, “Wow, Jorge, what went on there? I mean, that was some intense energy you were tapped into there.” He responded, “Yes, there ARE some VERY interesting spirit energies here in New York…indeed.” He was still in that trance…and that is where he lived and what he seemed to live for. That transcendental experience of the Shaman…
His recordings with Steve Roach are legendary, I believe and of course, his hard to find, but amazing recordings of his own are also treasures. You will be missed, Jorge. May the Spirit world in which you journeyed be kind to you!
Dwight Loop “Earwaves” Media
Dwight
Thanks for posting your thoughts.
I never had the chance to see Reyes perform, but I’ve enjoyed his work with Steve Roach for years.
That’s damn young to go, in my book.
It’s great, though, that he had the opportunity to record so much of his work, so that others can share his musical experiences far into the future.
The essence of Jorge’s visionary courage to reach far and deep into the realm of ancestral memories will live on through his amazing work. We met within a landscape of beautiful and extreme conditions during a new music festival on the Spanish island of Lanzarote in the early 90s’, occurring the same week the Gulf War started. Along with Suso Saiz we became fast friends with simpatico spirits. This set the tone for a real adventure that continued across three continents and a series of releases and concerts that are high points in in my life.
The friendship, the music and creative conditions were always filled with passion, laughter and a fire that burned from a place we had no choice but to answer to. In working and hanging with Jorge, there was always a sense of stepping off the edge into a kind alluring and dangerous zone that always was supported by an unspoken trust of some primal state he had direct access to. I learned a great deal from Jorge; it was truly an honor to share the peaks and the relaxed moments. I have many great memories where we would find our way back from the edge after these long recordings or live sessions, hearing the results while sipping a fine Tequila with the sounds of our recent journey playing, then calling us back out once more. “Gone From Here”, the closing track on Vine ~ Bark & Spore was the last track we created together. I need to hear that now.
Steve Roach, 2 – 9 – 09
Steve
Thank you for sharing, so eloquently, your memories of Jorge and his music.
México ha perdido a un artista único, la obra de Reyes dio vida a tantos instrumentos prehispánicos de México que se encontraban prácticamente mudos hasta que un grupo de músicos de la década de los 70 comenzaron a fusionarlos con el rock y el new age. Afortunadamente Jorge Reyes nunca descansó de poner en la cinta magnética toda la imaginación y creatividad que le inspiraban todos estos instrumentos heredados de nuestras culturas autóctonas y nos dejo un buen numero de grabaciones que darán testimonio sonoro de una cultura totalmente distinta de la que la música comercial pretende mostrar como de la identidad Mexicana. En paz descanse el señor de los Huehuetls y las Ocarinas y que la luz de nuestros ancestros le acompañe hasta el Mictlan.
Jorge Reyes gone? Sad news. Jorge was a magician, a shaman of sound. And a great guy.
(BTW Dwight, that was more like 91 or so)
This is extremely terrible and sad news, can’t believe what happened to this great person and musician… My deep sympathy, respect and condolences to the family and friends. I am writing these lines with tears in my eyes and same like Steve listening to their magics “Gone From Here” in honor to Jorge. Thank you for the wonderful music and friendship, Jorge. We will miss you and you will always live in your innovative music. Rest in peace. Saludos y abraxas, amigo.
I was talking to Jorge three weeks ago, he was busy with new projects and ideas, he was planning to go to Europe to Berlin this April and May to work with Peter Avar, recording & mixing enginner of Radio Berlin-Brandenburg, who was Jorge’s collaborator on various soundscape CDs like “Michoacan: un paisaje sonoro” or “Ciudad de Mexico Y Chiapas: dos paisajes sonoros”. Jorge was also thinking about the idea of doing some live performances while in Europe.
Richard Gurtler
Slovak Republic (Europe)
Very sad news.
Thank you for the friendship, nice memories, the music and the concerts in Belgium.
My house was your house when you came to Belgium,
your house was my house when I was in Mexico.
I hope your new home will be one of peace and harmony.
Condolences to the family and all the friends in Mexico.
Patrick Lemin
Antwerp
Belgium
Jorge Reyes is an inspiration to all who were blessed to have heard his music. The mastery & magic which radiated from his instruments is unmatched. He will be joyously celebrated and deeply, deeply missed. Journey well Maestro…..
Rob Thomas
Inlakesh
why the link to the video has been cancelled?
Sorry – but it looks like a record company has forced a take down of the original video I embedded. It's too bad, because it offered a look at Reyes playing live in an electroacoustic session.
I updated the link with a different embed.
GRACIAS , GRACIAS ! MAESTRO !!
SEGURAMENTE ESTAS TOCANDO EN MITLAN A XOLOTL, SIEMPRE TENDRE EN MI ALMA EL ENORME CONCIERTO DURANTE EL GRAN ECLIPSE DE SOL EN MEXICO .
A.