While looking through songbooks of traditional Galician music, Spanish saxophonist Xose Miguelez happened upon a recording by the ethnic musicologist Dorothé Schubart of a ballad, sung by his own Great-Aunt Amparo almost 40 years ago in Cerdedelo-Laza, a beautiful village hidden in the Galician hills. All of the compositions on "Ontology" come from a four-note motif at the beginning of that ballad. The idea came from Kansas City saxophonist Matt Otto, a friend and mentor to Xose and the producer of this recording. Though through the sounds of this dynamic, modern jazz quartet it may be difficult to discern the four-note motif, it is the very root and inspiration of this work. Listen to the end to hear Great-Aunt Amparo sing her song.

• 1. Ontology (04:30)
• 2. Chasing Myself (04:17)
• 3. Frozen Roses (03:38)
• 4. Sweet Delia (07:00)
• 5. Missed Call (03:05)
• 6. Esperanza (04:30)
• 7. Autumn Flower (05:25)
• 8. Shelter (05:10)
• 9. Under the Big Tree (04:27)
• 10. Great Aunt Amparo Sings a Song (01:15)