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Razl is the pseudonym of composer and guitar player Raúl Huelves (Madrid, 1973).
In 2001, Razl started working as a columnist in the very prestigious magazine Guitarra Total after having been named “guitarist of the month” in one of the magazine’s issues. He did interviews, wrote news in brief on concerts and full sections on prestigious musicians like Pat Metheny, Mike Stern, David Fiuczynski, Jack Bruce, Steve Howe, Paul Gilbert or Steve Morse, and bands like Red Hot Chili Peppers, Tool or Mastodon.
In 2008, he recorded his debut album Rotonova, with collaborators such as Mike Keneally, Bryan Beller, Dean Brown, Damian Erskine or Charlie Dennard, as well as the exceptional drummer Pepe Acebal. The album had a great welcome in specialized national media (Guitarra Total, Guitarrista) and international (Guitar Player Magazine, Jazz.com). That same year, he contacted blues&Soul organ player Mauri Sanchis, and started being part of Mauri Sanchis’ Super Band performing with them in Festivals like San Javier Jazz Festival or Blues de Cazorla Festival. Together with drummer Blas Fernández, he also participated in the recording of the album by Mauri Sanchis’ Modern Organ Trio What did you expect!, which will be published in 2011.
In mid 2010 Razl started recording his new album Microscopic together with Nashville native bass player Brian Beller and Pepe Acebal, from Asturias. From a casual encounter with New York Guitar Player Will Bernard, (regular drummer in Stanton Moore’s Trio), he is invited to play as a guest in one of the tracks of the album. Rubén Salvador, trumpet player also collaborated in the album, as a he is a regular in Mauri Sanchis’ Super Band as well as an outstanding Jazz musician in the Basque Country scene. In Microscopic, Razl radicalizes his style and focuses on the trio composition, although using orchestration and guitar arrangements as musical background.
“Spanish guitarist Razl is a real find. Almost as entertaining as his music are the album's liner notes and song titles. Razl appears to be a very talented artist who takes music quite seriously but doesn't necessarily take himself that way. He's got the attitude, composing skills, chops and imagination to put together the right players for a very engaging outing.”
Walter Kolosky - www.jazz.com
“Razl is a spanish fusionista with keen chops and an equally keen sense of groove. He still executes quick licks with the requisite clarity and precision when appropriate, but his attack and dynamics are atypically nuanced, and the ability to sound notes simultaneously lends a keyboard-like feel to much of his rhythm work. He also opts for relatively clean solo tones on most of the tunes, which further distinguishes him from the fusion pack.
This is the sort of “fusion” record that you can play at parties or while driving down the coast without it ever becoming overbearing. Great grooves, upbeat melodies, and tasteful solos—everything a smooth jazz album should be, without the smooth jazz!”
Barry Cleveland - Guitar Player Magazine
