Description
After performing with Brazilian music masters and wandering through Europe, Argentina's finest interpreter self-produced this 1988 masterpiece—a treasure of acoustic jazz and folklore where South American earthiness and Nordic clarity melt together in the lyricism of the water's edge.
Agustin Pereyra Lucena is an Argentine guitarist who achieved success in the 1970s leading the group Candeias and formed deep bonds with luminaries such as Baden Powell, Vinicius de Moraes, and Maria Bethânia. After fleeing political instability in South America to work in Norway and other European countries, he returned to his native Buenos Aires and recorded the 1988 album Puertos De Alternativa, which is now finally being reissued on vinyl.
True to its title, meaning "Alternative Harbours," this album reflects the waterfront landscapes he loved. While inheriting the Brazilian guitar tradition of Heitor Villa-Lobos and Garoto, it combines the glacier-like clarity he encountered on his travels through Scandinavia with sounds reminiscent of the gentle flow of the Río de la Plata. In addition to original compositions such as "Luces de Valeria," it includes works by his close friend Guilhermo Reuter and covers such as Baden Powell's "Pequeño Vals."
The ensemble, enriched by Rubén Izarrualde's flute and Bernardo Baraj's saxophone, masterfully harmonizes the improvisation of jazz with the lyricism of folklore. Mastered by Stuart Hawkes from the original master tapes, this album vividly captures everything from the delicate fingerwork on nylon strings to the echoes of wind instruments resonating in the silence. A treasured recording that was once available only in extremely limited quantities and highly coveted by collectors now returns with a vivid soundscape.
A1. Luces De Valeria
A2. Pequena Valsa
A3. Planicie (El Llano)
A4. Tema Barroco
A5. O Cego Aderaldo (Nordeste)
B1. Tres Que Quedaron
B2. Preparativos Maritimos
B3. Puertos De Alternativa
B4. Casi-Numbe
Far Out Recordings continues its reissue campaign of the late Argentine guitarist Agustin Pereyra Lucena's work with the first-ever vinyl reissue of his singular 1988 private press album, Puertos De Alternativa, now his most sought-after LP. The album features some of Agustin’s most uniquely beautiful compositions, including “Luces de Valeria” and “Preparativos Maritimos,” alongside Baden Powell's “Pequeño Vals” and “O Cego Aderaldo (Nordeste...),” and “Tema Barroco” by his longtime collaborator, Guilhermo Reuter.
By 1988, Agustín had established himself as one of Argentina’s foremost interpreters of Brazilian music. The seventies saw success with his group Candeias, and he gained recognition in Brazil, forming friendships and collaborations with luminaries such as Vinicius de Moraes, Baden Powell, Dorival Caymmi, Toquinho, and Maria Bethania. Following the era of dictatorship in South America, Agustín spent the late seventies and early eighties, living and touring in Norway as part of his European travels with his group Agustín Pereyra Lucena quartet.
Recorded after returning to his native Buenos Aires, Agustin Peyera Lucena’s Puertos de Alternativa emerged from this confluence of diverse experiences and influences, revealing an artist deeply connected to his environment. The album's title, meaning "Alternative Harbours," reflects Agustín's particular affinity for water. He observed that much of his favourite music originated from places with rivers and seas nearby, noting, "There is a flow near water that influences guitar playing for sure."
With a profound connection to both instrument and environment, Agustín’s music is often difficult to place. The album begins rooted deeply in South American soil, drawing clear inspiration from Brazilian guitar masters like Heitor Villa Lobos, Garoto and Baden Powell. But, as it progresses, a sense of journey unfolds, evoking new landscapes and horizons – from the crystalline beauty of glacial Norway to the gentle currents of the Rio de la Plata.
The ensemble on Puertos de Alternativa features notable Argentinian musicians, including drummer Osvaldo Avena, flautist Rubén Izarrualde, and saxophonist Bernardo Baraj.
Mastered by Stuart Hawkes at Metropolis Studios from the original master tapes which had been lovingly kept by Agustin’s nephew José Lucena Perreyra, Puertos de Alternativa will be released on vinyl LP, CD, and digitally on 20th June 2025, by Far Out Recordings.
