With the release of El Viaje, Argentine composer, arranger and bassist Pedro Giraudo further solidifies his reputation as one of New York City’s most creative and daring bandleaders. The session, his fourth as a leader, finds his 12-piece jazz orchestra in dazzling form, roaring with laser-focused precision through a set of original works that defy conventional big band thinking and strike out on a stylistic path of its own. It’s not surprising that Giraudo has already made a big impression on some of the country’s most seasoned music critics. Peter Watrous, for one, writing in Descarga, raves about Giraudo’s exceptionally talented ensemble and his writing and arranging skills, terming the band’s riveting performances “modern jazz and Latin music at its best." The use of a journey, real or imagined, as a metaphor has long served writers, poets, composers and filmmakers. In Giraudo’s case, un viaje could serve as an effective reference in a num...