New Release: VIAJES (Travels)
THE ALBUM
Alex Pertout presents VIAJES (Travels), an intimate and cinematic album that serves as a logbook of his musical life. Six-tracks trace a personal route from the Andes Mountains to the spiritual ‘Fourth World’, passing through the ritual heart of Cuba and the nostalgia of boleros. With deep respect, Pertout weaves unexpected connections: a Chilean folk song collected by Violeta Parra dialogues with jazz; sacred Afro-Cuban (Lucumí) chants expand into contemporary harmonic arrangements; and melodies inspired by Carnatic India blend with atmospheric soundscapes. This is the culmination of decades of exploration, a work that embodies the prophecy of a universal, borderless music.
THE JOURNEY
For this journey, Pertout convened a constellation of international artists, recording between Melbourne, Havana, Santiago, Buenos Aires, Chennai, West Cork, Launceston and New York. The album is a dialogue between tradition and avant-garde, where respect for roots merges with creative freedom.
SPECIAL GUESTS
Sandy Evans, Charulatha Mani, Mike Stern, Magdalena Matthey, Justo Pelladito, Silvia Cabrera, Cesar Lopez, Luke Howard, Mayquel Gonzalez, Miroslav Bukovsky, Alan Plachta, Susannah Coleman-Brown, William Roblejo, Stephen Housden, Pedro Villagra, Leonardo Perez, Steve Wade, Craig Newman, Ben Robertson and Gerry Pantazis.
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AUSTRALIAN MUSICIAN MAGAZINE
MARCH 2026
ALEX PERTOUT 'Musician Of The Month'
In his conversation with Australian Musician editor Greg Phillips, Melbourne-based percussionist and composer Alex Pertout reflects on a life shaped by movement, collaboration and cultural exchange while introducing his new album 'Viajes (Travels)'. The discussion traces how migration, global musical encounters and decades as one of Australia’s most in-demand session players have culminated in a deeply personal recording. With the Viajes album newly released, we also decided that the timing was perfect to bestow the honour of 'Musician Of The Month' upon Alex for March 2026.
"Viajes balances strong percussive foundations with reflective, often nostalgic themes, showcasing both his technical command and emotional range" Greg Phillips | AUSTRALIAN MUSICIAN MAGAZINE
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MORE ABOUT THE INTERVIEW
Pertout recalls leaving Chile as a child, first living in Italy before settling in Australia, a sequence of moves that broadened his cultural outlook early on. Exposure to Latin American music through a shortwave radio program in Italy proved pivotal, sparking a lifelong fascination with rhythm and ultimately steering him toward percussion. By the time he began establishing himself in Australia, word-of-mouth session work quickly followed, leading to contributions on iconic recordings by major local artists such as Daryl Braithwaite, Powderfinger and Hunters & Collectors. These experiences sharpened his studio instincts and reinforced his belief in music as a collaborative craft.
Travel sits at the heart of Viajes. Pertout describes journeys as catalysts for creativity, opening doors to new rhythmic languages and musical philosophies, from the diverse traditions of Latin America to formative experiences touring and studying with the Australian Art Orchestra in India. The album reflects this global perspective, weaving together percussive textures, melodic writing and musicians from multiple countries, often recorded in intimate home-studio settings during his travels.
Compositionally, Pertout works from melody and rhythmic concepts developed in solitude before building layered demos and gradually replacing parts with guest performances. This method allows him to assemble an international cast while maintaining a cohesive sonic vision. Across its six extended pieces, Viajes balances strong percussive foundations with reflective, often nostalgic themes, showcasing both his technical command and emotional range.
Pertout views the album as part of a broader legacy project. After decades enhancing other artists' recordings, he is now focused on expanding his own catalogue and sharing music across borders, with growing interest from audiences in places such as Chile and Cuba. While performing the full album live presents logistical challenges, he hopes to reinterpret selections in new formats and continues to work on further recordings, keeping his creative momentum firmly tied to exploration and travel.
Photo by Jason Rosewarne
FOLK AND HISPANIC ROOTS SHINE IN ALEX PERTOUT'S TRACK "L'OYA / LONGO ITO"
MJ Barreto
February 24, 2026
RoadieMusic Mag (Brazil)
Alex Pertout presents "L'Oya / Longo Ito", a song that moves between Latin folk and the Hispanic universe, translating tradition into music. The track, from the album "Viajes (Travels)", is much more than an interpretation: it is a bridge between generations.
The starting point is the invocation to Oyá, orisha who rules the winds and the thresholds of life. Here, ritual becomes shared music. The voices of Silvia Cabrera and Justo Pelladito maintain the bond with ancestry, leading the choruses and the dialogue with the instruments.
César López, Alan Plachta and Luke Howard, in turn, expand the sonic spectrum. The result is a work that impresses both for its conceptual density and for the richness of talent that built it.
SBS CULTURA | ALEX PERTOUT LANZA "VIAJES", UN ALBUM GRABADO ENTRE CUATRO CONTINENTES
Publicado el 2 de marzo de 2026
Autoria: Carmenza Jimenez
Entrevista con el percusionista, compositor y productor chileno-australiano Alex Pertout, quien presenta su más reciente producción musical Viajes (Travels), un álbum que funciona como bitácora musical y declaración de principios.
PUNTOS DESTACADOS:
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El percusionista chileno-australiano Alex Pertout presenta su nuevo álbum Viajes (Travels).
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El disco reúne seis composiciones que conectan Chile, Cuba, India y el jazz contemporáneo en un mapa sonoro global.
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Grabado entre Melbourne, La Habana, Santiago, Buenos Aires, Chennai y Nueva York, el proyecto incluye destacados músicos internacionales.
Alex Pertout no se toma a la ligera la palabra “Viajes”. Su nuevo álbum, grabado entre Melbourne, La Habana, Santiago, Chennai y Nueva York, es un mapa sonoro que une tradición y vanguardia en seis piezas profundamente personales.
Viajes (Travels) reúne seis temas que funcionan como estaciones de un trayecto personal: desde la Cordillera de los Andes hasta los territorios espirituales de la llamada “Fourth World”, pasando por la raíz ritual de Cuba y la nostalgia del bolero.
Más que una colección de piezas, Viajes se plantea como un mapa sonoro que cruza geografías y tradiciones. La apertura con “La Cordillera / El Palomo” dialoga con la tradición chilena —incluyendo una tonada recopilada por Violeta Parra— y la proyecta hacia el jazz contemporáneo.
En “L’Oyá / Longo Ito”, los cantos sagrados afrocubanos (lucumí) se expanden en arreglos armónicos actuales, mientras que “Ashirvad” recoge influencias de la música carnática del sur de India y las funde con paisajes atmosféricos.
Más que una colección de piezas, Viajes se plantea como un mapa sonoro que cruza geografías y tradiciones. El álbum fue grabado entre Melbourne, La Habana, Santiago, Buenos Aires, Chennai y Nueva York, reforzando su carácter transnacional.
Para este proyecto, Alex Pertout convocó a una amplia red de colaboradores, entre ellos el guitarrista estadounidense Mike Stern, junto a artistas de diversas tradiciones y escenas musicales.
Radicado en Melbourne desde hace décadas, Pertout ha construido una trayectoria marcada por la exploración intercultural. Con Viajes (Travels), esa búsqueda alcanza una nueva síntesis: una música que respeta la raíz, pero no reconoce fronteras.
SBS CULTURE | ALEX PERTOUT RELEASES "VIAJES", AN ALBUM RECORDED ACROSS FOUR CONTINENTS
Published 2 March 2026
By Carmenza Jimenez
Interview with Chilean-Australian percussionist, composer and producer Alex Pertout, who presents his latest musical production Viajes (Travels), an album that serves as a musical logbook and a statement of principles.
HIGHLIGHTS:
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Chilean-Australian percussionist Alex Pertout presents his new album Viajes (Travels).
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The album brings together six compositions that connect Chile, Cuba, India and contemporary jazz in a global sound map.
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Recorded between Melbourne, Havana, Santiago, Buenos Aires, Chennai and New York, the project features renowned international musicians.
Alex Pertout does not take the word "Travels" lightly. His new album, recorded between Melbourne, Havana, Santiago, Chennai and New York, is a sound map that unites tradition and avant-garde in six deeply personal pieces.
Viajes (Travels) brings together six tracks that function as stations on a personal journey: from the Andes Mountains to the spiritual territories of the so-called "Fourth World", passing through the ritual roots of Cuba and the nostalgia of bolero.
More than a collection of pieces, Viajes presents itself as a sound map that crosses geographies and traditions. The opening track, "La Cordillera / El Palomo", dialogues with Chilean tradition — including a tonada collected by Violeta Parra — and projects it towards contemporary jazz.
In "L'Oyá / Longo Ito", sacred Afro-Cuban chants (Lucumí) expand into contemporary harmonic arrangements, while "Ashirvad" draws influences from the Carnatic music of South India and blends them with atmospheric soundscapes.
More than a collection of pieces, Viajes is conceived as a sound map that crosses geographies and traditions. The album was recorded between Melbourne, Havana, Santiago, Buenos Aires, Chennai and New York, reinforcing its transnational character.
For this project, Alex Pertout assembled a wide network of collaborators, including American guitarist Mike Stern, alongside artists from diverse traditions and musical scenes.
Based in Melbourne for decades, Pertout has built a career marked by intercultural exploration. With Viajes (Travels), that search reaches a new synthesis: a music that respects its roots but recognises no borders.
DUNA JAZZ - SANTIAGO (CHILE)
LA NUEVA MUSICA DE ALEX PERTOUT
Santiago Ramírez conversó con Alex Pertout sobre su nueva música.
THE NEW MUSIC OF ALEX PERTOUT
Santiago Ramírez spoke with Alex Pertout about his new music.
DUNA JAZZ - Sábados a las 20.00 horas
Libertad, creación, inspiración. La música es todo eso y más en Duna Jazz. Soy Santiago Ramírez y te doy la bienvenida a un espacio de sonidos que abren nuestras fronteras
DUNA JAZZ - Saturdays at 8:00pm
Freedom, creation, inspiration. Music is all of that and more on Duna Jazz. I'm Santiago Ramírez, and I welcome you to a space of sounds that open our borders.
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