Tristeza

All Music Guide:

Known as much for their consistent touring as their prolific output, San Diego's instrumental rock quintet Tristeza formed in 1997. Guitarists Jimmy LaValle and Christopher Sprague, keyboardist Stephen Swesey, bassist Luis Hermosillo, and drummer Jimmy Lehner came together after playing in bands like the Locust, Crimson Curse, Swing Kids, and Gogogo Airheart, among others, and recorded their debut 7", Foreshadow/Smoke Through Glass, soon after. In promotion of the single, Tristeza toured three times, making the 7" a best-seller and proving that they could pull off their intricate, involved instrumental sound on-stage as well as in the studio.

Tristeza's first full-length, 1999's Spine and Sensory, added subtle jazz elements to their style; just before hitting the road again, they released their volume of the Insound Tour Support series, a series of CD EPs intended to help promote touring indie bands. Another tour and another single -- the Macrame 7" -- confirmed the band's swift musical development and electronic leanings. Tristeza stopped touring just long enough to record Dream Signals in Full Circles in Chicago with the Pulsars' Dave Trumfio; the album was released in the fall of 2000 by Tigerstyle Records.

The group returned in 2002 with Mixed Signals, a collection of Dream Signals remixes. But Swesey departed the same year, and LaValle the next, so Tristeza went on hiatus while they reassembled their lineup. By 2004 Sean Ogilve and Alison Ables had joined on keyboards and guitar, respectively, and Tristeza recorded a double album called A Colores that was issued in November 2005 on Better Looking Records.

Wikipedia:

Tristeza (Spanish and Portuguese for 'sadness') is a primarily instrumental band. The band is based in California, with most members currently living in Oakland. Although the group formed in San Diego during 1997, no current members reside there. The band has performed in 19 countries.

The original line up included Christopher Sprague, Luis Hermosillo, James LaValle, James Lehner, and Stephen Swesey. This line-up recorded all material that was released through 2003, including the albums "Spine and Sensory (1999)" and "Dream Signals in Full Circles (2000)"

In January 2003, Tristeza played its last concert with Jimmy Lavalle as a main member, although he has joined the band occasionally since then to fill in on guitar and additional keys.

During 2004, Tristeza enlisted guitarist Alison Ables and keyboardist Sean Ogilvie to begin writing songs for "A Colores (2005)". This line-up recorded all material that was released during 2005-2006.

At the start of 2007, the core of Tristeza (Sprague, Lehner, and Hermosillo) with the assistance of Ogilvie, began collaborating with various musicians around the Bay Area, including Camaron Stephens on guitar, and released the scarce/disjointed/lo-fi "Fate Unfolds (2009)" mini album.

In 2010, Tristeza recorded their latest album "Paisajes (2010)" with Tim Green, who recorded the band's first album. "Paisajes" features the band's current line-up of Christopher Sprague (guitar), Luis Hermosillo (bass), James Lehner (drums), Camaron Stephens (guitar), and Chris Hash (keys).

Critical reception

CMJ New Music Monthly described Tristeza's style in a review of their album, Dream Signals in Full Circles, "A typical Tristeza track involves a down-shifted take on emo's rhythmic lopsidedness, beds of washy, behind-the-beat keyboards, and Christopher Sprague's arpeggiated, effect-drenched guitar melodies. It's all adeptly played, but the point is less individual virtuosity than collective compositional panache."

Piero Scaruffi wrote, "San Diego's Tristeza seemed to wed new-age music and instrumental post-rock with the slow, gentle pieces of Spine and Sensory (1999)."