Nirgal Vallis – Y Murio La Tarde (1985, CD, Mexico)

Tracklist:
1 La Espera (Un Ser Llamado Muerte) 5:39
2 Y Murió La Tarde... 9:51
3 Alberich 1:06
4 Hiperdulía Al Fracaso 4:00
5 Memorias De Un Cometa 12:21
6 Persistencia 3:58
7 El Tiempero 5:46
8 Premonición 5:32

Musicians:
Electric Guitar, Acoustic Guitar, Acoustic Guitar [12 String] – Alejandro Schmidt
Electric Piano [Fender Rhodes], Piano, Synthesizer, Jarana, Kalimba, Recorder, Acoustic Guitar [12 String] – José Luis Fernández Ledesma Q
Percussion – Rafael González
Violin, Violin [Electric], Mandolin, Recorder [Tenor] – Ramón Nakash
Vocals – Claudia Martínez De Alba

Bass, Acoustic Guitar, Acoustic Guitar [12 String] – Julio Sandoval

NIRGAL VALLIS was a Mexican group that released one album in the eighties. The line-up of the group was: JOSE LUIS FERNANDEZ LEDESMA (keyboards, jaranas, kalimba, recorders, acoustic twelve string guitar), Ramon Nakash (acoustic and electric violins, mandolin, tenor recorder), Alejandro Schmidt (acoustic and electric twelve string guitars), Rafael Gonzalez (percussion) and Claudia Martinez de Alba (voice). Ledesma, Nakash and Schmidt who were high school friends founded the group.

The only album "Y Murio la Tarde" was released in 1985. The music in this album is very mellow symphonic progressive and it has a strong folk influence. The group reunited for a period of time and recorded some new tracks for the re-release of the album and the 1995 released version by Musea Records includes these new tracks. This is an enjoyable Mexican album that should please fans of folk oriented symphonic.

NIRGAL VALLIS was the first group of Jose Luis Fernandez Ledesma Q. who is one of the most-known Mexican progressive musicians nowadays. He has released many solo albums and also albums in contribution with singer/composer Alquimia. (progarchives)

Saena – Días Eternos (2021, CD, Mexico)

Nirgal Vallis ‎– El Orfebre (1991, Cassette, Mexico)

Lado A
1. Entre Las Cinco y Las Seis
2. Los Llamados
3. Detrás de Un Cristal
4. Buscad Un Puerto
5. Un Tema Para Adán
6. Avalon
7. Crisis
Lado B
8. Parábola
9. Un Hombre Avanza
10. Blues de Esteban
11. Visiones
12. Los Hijos
13. La Ley Inexorable
14. El Orfebre
15. Final

Nirgal:
Jose Luis Fernandez Ledesma: Teclados, Voz, Percusiones
Luis Miguel Lombada: Voz, Bajo
Alejandro Schmidt: Guitarra Eléctrica, Guitarra Acústica, Bajo, Percusiones
Sergio De Régules: Piano, Teclados, Percusiones
Mauricio Romero: Sonido e Iluminación en Concierto

Composición y Arreglos: Nirgal
Programación de la batería Electrónica: J.L. Fernandez Ledesma, A. Schmidt, S. de Regules sobre los Arreglos de L.M Lombana
Grabado en el Estudio de J.L. Fernandez Ledesma entre julio de 1990 y enero de 1991
Grabacion: J.L. Fernandez Ledesma y A. Schmidt
Mezcla: J.L. Fernandez Ledesma, A. Schmidt, S. de Regules
Edicion del Master: S. de Regules


NIRGAL VALLIS was a Mexican group that released one album in the eighties. The line-up of the group was: JOSE LUIS FERNANDEZ LEDESMA (keyboards, jaranas, kalimba, recorders, acoustic twelve string guitar), Ramon Nakash (acoustic and electric violins, mandolin, tenor recorder), Alejandro Schmidt (acoustic and electric twelve string guitars), Rafael Gonzalez (percussion) and Claudia Martinez de Alba (voice). Ledesma, Nakash and Schmidt who were high school friends founded the group.

The only album "Y Murio la Tarde" was released in 1985. The music in this album is very mellow symphonic progressive and it has a strong folk influence. The group reunited for a period of time and recorded some new tracks for the re-release of the album and the 1995 released version by Musea Records includes these new tracks. This is an enjoyable Mexican album that should please fans of folk oriented symphonic.

NIRGAL VALLIS was the first group of Jose Luis Fernandez Ledesma Q. who is one of the most-known Mexican progressive musicians nowadays. He has released many solo albums and also albums in contribution with singer/composer Alquimia. (progarchives)

José Luis Fernández Ledesma ‎– Extractos (1997, CD, Mexico)

Tracklist
1. Invocation (4:55)
2. Alba Lunga (2:55)
3. Los Amorosos (6:25)
4. Irulán (5:24)
5. Las Esquinas Del Tiempo (6:30)
6. Umbrio Por La Pena (1:28)
7. La Cofradia (4:17)
8. La Tarde Del Traje Morado (5:17)
9. La Nave Blanca (5:56)
10. Marzo del 42 (4:19)
11. El Mar (6:01)


Ledesma followed his impressive debut from 1996 with yet another solo album called ''Extractos'', released in 1997 and belonging among the first productions of the emerging Mexican label Luna Negra.Most of the musicians appearing in ''Motivos para perderse'' are present here as well, but the line-up was actually quite expanded with 10 singers and musicians helping out in the 14 displayed compositions.Ex-Nirgal Vallis guitarist Alejandro Schmidt teams up with Ledesma again in one track, playing the electric guitar.

''Extractos'' sounds a step closer to atmospheric Prog Folk, having a more peaceful, gentle and relaxed side compared to Ledesma's debut, always driven by the Mexican's beautiful keyboard and piano passages and exhibiting an array of traditional instruments, the final result coming close to the mellow sound of Italian's HOSTSONATEN. The basic lines of the album are built around the work of Ledesma on acoustic strings and a nice combination of synthesizers, electric and acoustic piano, producing rural soundscapes with a slightly atonal mood and an overall ambiental approach. The music becomes occasionally richer with the addition of percussion, violin and wind instruments and obtains a dreamy feeling via the presence of the guest female vocalists. The MIKE OLFDIELD principles become also apparent during these tracks, some of them feature a discreet touch on electric guitars. Ethereal folky orchestrations with a genuine identity, which could have a been a little more energetic. But Ledesma never forgets about his previous days with NIRGAL VALLIS and certain pieces in here, especially the longer ones, still retain a symphonic atmosphere with more pronounced electric guitars and keyboards. The music of course remains very delicate and polished with some dark parts at times, led by Ledesma's tricky synth, organ and piano plays, which result to some fine instrumental Progressive Rock with a challenging sound.
I can't say that I am that impressed by this album after Ledesma's fantastic debut. It is less balanced and more towards ambiental Prog with folky colors, but the arrangements are always of high class with good use of acoustic instruments over a palette of keyboard flashing. Recommended. (apps79)

Margarita Botello, José Luis Fernández Ledesma ‎– La Paciencia De Job (2006, CD, Mexico)

Songs:
1. Leyenda (8:03)
2. Naufragio (8:17)
3. Jardin de los Senderos (8:48)
4. Palabras Como Astros (7:04)
5. No te Pude Contestar (3:47)
6. Los Jueces del Mundo (11:04)
7. Vidas Atras / Noche (11:43)
8. Donde Nadie (1:25)
9. Paciencia Infinita (9:28)

Musicians:
José Luis Fernández Ledesma / acoustic, 12-string & electric guitars, lute, Fender Rhodes & Yamaha P100 e-pianos, Oberheim Matrix, Crumar Spirit & Korg MS20 synths, piano, synth bass, flute, harmonium, melodica, ocarina, darbuka, vihuela, autoharp, djembe, xylophone, percussion, electronics, loops, vocals
Margarita Botello / vocals, piano, santoor, bells, harmonium, ocarina, percussion, kalimba, maracas, claves, marimba, synth bass
With:
Juan Carlos Ruiz / bassoon
Gustavo Albarrán / French horn
Hugo Santos / bass
Carlos Bonequi / drums
Alejandro Sanchez / violin
Eduardo Melendez / baritone sax
Vitali Roumanov / cello
David Ball / bassoon
Ramón Nakash / violin

La Paciencia de Job is another of Ledesma’s more experimental works, though here ‘experimental’ does not imply dissonance or improvisation, as the music is highly-structured and classically beautiful. The album again features Botello’s beautiful voice and a number of other musicians. The music is subtle and complex, combining classical, ambient, and ethnic music with progressive.

Alquimia & Jose Luis Fernandez Ledesma ‎– Dead Tongues (Lenguas Muertas) (1996, CD, Mexico)

Atmospheric, evolving, intricate and layered; a suite of fine compositions and carefully crafted sounds. Consistent creation of another place, another time.

Dead Tongues is Mexico-born singer Alquimia's third album and her first to have been widely available. A collaboration with keyboardist Jose Luis Fernandez Ledesma, it also includes appearances by Arturo Romo (percussion), Julio Sandoval (bass), Blu (saxophones), and Ramon Nakash (violin). The match between Ledesma and Alquimia is perfect: both play many instruments and conceive their music as accumulated layers. It results in dense pieces filled with keyboard parts, flutes, multi-tracked vocals, and samples related to folk music or traditional everyday activities. The album is bookended by "Foundations" and the two-part title track, both highly evocative pieces featuring recitation by both musicians. Ledesma's texts conjure up dead civilizations. Added to Alquimia's often-dreamy vocal constructions (a Mexican version of Enya?), they provide a slight new age aura that is not completely brushed off by the daring arrangements. In between these two songs there is the suite "Road to Santiago" -- a series of impressionistic snapshots -- and three more instrumental pieces, very soft and somewhat immaterial. They lack focus and leave the listener wondering what they should have been about. Dead Tongues stands among the most accessible (as in "marketable") albums ReR Megacorp has released. Followers of the label may find it lacks challenge, but fans of haunting female vocals and those looking for a touch of exoticism will appreciate.