Yesterday’s post on 5 Top Female Latin Jazz Artists was a fantastic start to our celebration of women in Latin Jazz. Let’s face it though – the modern Latin Jazz world is fortunate to have a wealth of female artists gracing it . . . many more than 5! I’m continuing the list today with 12 more outstanding female Latin Jazz artists. There’s a brief introduction of their work and some recommended listening. Take a minute to check out the list and then take a listen to their music. There’s some great stuff below, enjoy!
———- Alexa Weber Morales
A diverse singer and songwriter from the San Francisco Bay Area that brings a strong Latin basis and a smart funky edge to her music. Her artistic vision has informed her own albums and helped infuse a strong personality into recordings from trombone player Wayne Wallace. Required Listening: Jazzmerica
Andrea Brachfeld
A stellar flautist that has been deeply rooted in New York’s thriving Latin Jazz scene for years. She brings that experience and inner knowledge of the music to a number of great recordings that sparkle with first-rate assistance from some of New York’s finest musicians. Required Listening: Back With Sweet Passion
Anna Estrada
Bay Area based vocalist Anna Estrada began her artistic work in theater world, establishing herself as a fixture on the San Francisco scene before moving her focus onto vocals in 2002. We’re lucky she did as she delivers a strong mix of Brazilian and Cuban Jazz on her first release as a leader. Required Listening: Sonando Vuelos
Chiemi Nakai
An outstanding pianist that applies finely tuned technique to a wide array of Latin styles from rumba to timba and beyond and then mixes in a bit of explosive improvisation for good measure. Her strong skill and good taste can be heard on her own debut as a leader and live with trombonist Jimmy Bosch. Required Listening: Bridges
Eliane Elias
Brazilian pianist and vocalist Eliane Elias has been a mainstay in the jazz world for several decades now, from her groundbreaking piano work in the fusion band Steps Ahead to her recent recordings as a bandleader. Elias’ piano work has placed her in the forefront of the modern jazz world and her singing resonates with the beauty and grace of the rich Brazilian vocal tradition. Required Listening: Bossa Nova Stories
Janine Santana
Colorado based conguero Janine Santana brings a masterful mixture of funk, jazz, rock, and powerful Afro-Cuban rhythms into her debut release. The depth of her artistry is consistently confirmed by her long list of collaborators that include some of the best names in the Latin Jazz world. Required Listening: Soft as Granite
Layla Angulo
A fiery saxophonist originally located in Seattle but now residing in New York, Angulo also carries a strong ability to double as a jazz vocalist, providing the makings of a complete and exciting show. Her enthusiastic performance approach and strong composition skills can be heard on her two most recent releases as a leader. Required Listening: Live At The Triple Door
Lucia Pulido
Colombian vocalist Lucia Pulido stands as a fearless voice in contemporary Latin Jazz that pushes the music in several unexpected directions. Not only does she draw upon the little-known folk rhythms of Columbia for her work; she bravely dives into collective improvisation and freethinking for her performances. Required Listening: Waning Moon
Magos Herrera
An awe-inspiring vocalist from Mexico, Herrera has produced a long stream of recordings in her home country that range from folk music to jazz and beyond. In the past few years, we’ve been lucky enough to get exposed Herrera’s work in the U.S., which display a amazingly expressive voice with a firm handle on modern jazz. Required Listening: País Maravilla
Rebbeca Cline
A forward thinking pianist well versed in traditional jazz, fusion, and Afro-Cuban traditions, Cline has brought a powerful voice into her group Enclave which he co-leads with saxophonist Hilary Noble. Her compositions always push the envelope of musical boundaries and her assertive improvisations drive her band to greater heights. Required Listening: Enclave
Sandy Cressman
Bay Area vocalist has spent many years studying the broad world of Brazilian music and the depth of her knowledge shows in her two releases. She displays a distinct comfort as she glides over the rhythms and offers some outstanding arrangements for her talented band to perform. Required Listening: Homenagem Brasileira
Susan Pereira
A pianist with a rich sense of harmony as well as a vocalist with a pure tone and fantastic sense of phrasing deeply rooted in the Brazilian tradition. As the leader of the heavy duty Brazilian Jazz band Sabor Brasil, Pereira brings strong compositions and arrangements to a wide array of Brazilian rhythms. Required Listening: Tudo Azul
———-
Let’s keep the list going! Have I missed your favorite female Latin Jazz artist? Add a comment and let me know - let’s celebrate as many artists as possible!
The jazz blogosphere has recently been buzzing around gender inequalities in the jazz world. The discussion started over at Amanda Ameer’s blog Life’s A Pitch, where she observed the amazing lack of women at a Brad Mehldau concert. A little thought and some further research led Ameer to conclude that the jazz world needed more female audience members. Jazz Beyond Jazz blogger Howard Mandel commented upon Ameer’s statement, claiming that the jazz world hasn’t honestly reached out to women. Michelle Obama’s presentation of jazz at the White House sparked another thought for Mandel, as he perceived her breaking up the perception of jazz as a “boy’s club.” For perspective, Mandel included a rather one-sided diatribe from woodwind player Paul Lindemeyer that focused upon the “brotherhood” of jazz. This started a furious debate on jazz vocalist Kitty Margolis’ Facebook page that for the most part decried Lindemeyer’s perspective and celebrated women in jazz. The debate brings some interesting issues to the table, forcing some thought and self-reflection.
This discussion struck a particularly personal note for me, since I have three very important reasons to be invested in the jazz world’s female presence – the first reason is my oldest daughter, born in 1999, the next reason is my second daughter born in 2002, and the last reason is my youngest daughter born in 2005. When I first became a father, I spent my days with my head firmly placed in a man’s world, aware of gender issues but not honestly considering their implications. Parenthood changes us all though, and over the past nine years, I’ve found myself thinking about the importance of a strong female presence in the music world. My daughters have experienced their share of live jazz – they’ve attended concerts and seen Eddie Palmieri, Arturo Sandoval, John Santos, Pete Escovedo, Pat Metheny, Gary Burton, David Sanchez, Ron Carter, and many more. It’s great fun to share this wonderful music with my kids, but upon reflection I realized that my daughters have seen dangerously few female jazz musician role models. I can’t help but wonder how this affects their psyche around the music and their future support for the jazz world. Could this be reason behind the apparent lack of female jazz listeners that Mandel and Ameer have observed? Honestly, I’m not sure. Regardless, I do understand the importance of strong female role models for young women and I’d like my daughters to become exposed to the jazz world’s many fantastic female artists.
I hate to think of the jazz world as a “boy’s club,” but in reality, my experiences stop me from building an intelligent argument. I can’t pretend to understand a woman’s experience as a jazz musician or a jazz listener; I’ve lived through both experiences as a man and wouldn’t have much expertise outside my gender reference. I have developed a deep appreciation for several female artists though; their music and artistic perspectives have garnered my respect and admiration. I believe that the female presence is an essential piece of the Latin Jazz world, in fact, it’s a side of the music that we can’t do without.
I’ve created a list of 5 essential female performers in the Latin Jazz world. On the one hand, these are musicians that create great music regardless of gender. On the other side of the coin, they are fantastic female role models that hold the potential to break the gender gap in the jazz world. Most importantly, it’s an opportunity to celebrate the female presence in Latin Jazz. Enjoy!
———- Rebeca Mauleon Pianist, composer, and bandleader Rebeca Mauleon’s unbridled enthusiasm for all forms of Cuban music has resulted in a progression of major contributions to the Latin Jazz worlds, including fantastic recordings, thorough educational materials, and interesting books. Starting her musical pursuits as a Flamenco dancer, Mauleón discovered Salsa and Latin music through the San Francisco Bay Area’s lively scene and public radio stations. She started on an amazing journey, simply propelled by her inspiration and love of the music - a bold feat that only truly dedicated individuals attempt. Mauleón practiced her piano skills and examined every Cuban album that she could find; for some this would be a lifetime endeavor, but for Mauleón it was only a start. Not satisfied with the information around her, she traveled to Cuba on several occasions, met some of the most established Cuban musicians, and spent countless hours reading through academic materials on Cuba. Her hard work paid off - as pianist, composer, and arranger for John Santos’ Machete Ensemble, Mauleón established herself as one of the modern Latin Jazz world’s important artistic voices. Always enthusiastic about the music, Mauleón shared her joy through clinics, magazine articles, and eventually a masterpiece in modern Latin music education, The Salsa Guidebook. This text spread knowledge and passion for Cuban music far beyond Mauleón’s San Francisco homebase as schools across the country adopted it as a text for classes around Latin music. Eager to make a personal statement in the Latin Jazz world, Mauleón left the Machete Ensemble and formed her own groups, which have resulted in three outstanding Latin Jazz recordings. Mauleón’s pure love of Cuban music has driven her into an amazingly admirable work ethic that allowed the spread of the artform, ensuring the longevity of Latin Jazz.
Sofia Koutsovitis Vocalist Sofia Koutsovitis elegantly represents the fusion of South American musics and jazz with a fearless creative edge and a sensitive artistry that sets her apart from her peers. Her knowledge of South American musical styles inform the basis of her unique artistic approach; Koutsovitis boldly visits music from her native Argentina, but also dives into Peruvian, Brazilian, Colombian, and Cuban musics. Her incorporation of South American musics reach far beyond the simple process of inserting rhythms underneath a series of familiar chord changes though. Koutsovitis takes pieces from Argentinean, Brazilian, Peruvian, and Cuban composers, poets, and instrumentalists, fusing a wide inspirational palette into her work. She avoids direct copies of the original pieces though; Koutsovitis sees these works through her own artistic lenses that show the distinct influence of modern jazz performance techniques. As a performer, Koutsovitis utilizes an absolutely captivating combination of emotionally charged phrasing, broad dynamic range, and gorgeous tone. She applies all these skills thoughtfully into each piece, taking the opportunity to create a personal and reflectively thoughtful statement every time that she walks towards the microphone. Koutsovitis asserts a commanding presence that makes her a strong bandleader and desired supporting musician - whether fronting her own group or working as a member of Geoffrey Keezer’s Aureá, the Afro-Peruvian Jazz group Alcatraz, or the Colombian group Folklore Urbano, Koutsovitis’ consistently engaging presence always shines. Her respectful integration of culture, refined vocal talents, personal composition and arranging skills, as well as a carefully constructed artistic performance approach make Koutsovitis a major player in the Latin Jazz world that needs to be heard.
Jane Bunnett Canadian saxophonist Jane Bunnett has built a strong reputation as an adventurous musician that never stops exploring new artistic directions. Already a proficient jazz saxophonist with a respected career in Canada, Bunnett and her husband trumpeter Larry Cramer journeyed to Cuba on a whim in search of a great vacation. They found their desired get-away, but along the way, they discovered so much more – a highly developed musical world with an impressive amount of history and performance aesthetics to explore. While in Cuba, Bunnett became addicted to the music and returned countless times over the course of several times, studying the music and collaborating with Cuba’s many strong musicians. The fusion of Cuban music and searching modern jazz became a trademark of her career, defining most of her recordings that followed. Along the way, Bunnett developed a distinctive melodic approach on one of the soprano saxophone, a rich instrument often overlooked in the jazz world. Bunnett’s Latin Jazz interpretations stepped beyond a general adherence to the clave though, she has made a mission of injecting her music with authenticity and constantly exploring new directions. Each recording has included different combinations of musicians from Cuba and the United States, and in many cases, Bunnett let the Cuban musicians serve as mentors on the recording. While Bunnett never lost her voice as a leader, each new project served as a learning experience for her, expanding her mastery of the music. At the same time, Bunnett placed herself and her collaborators in different contexts. From pure Cuban folklore to symphonic sounding layers of strings, Bunnett takes every opportunity to push Latin Jazz in an original direction and wait for a response. Her latest release incorporates Cuban musicians, touches of Haitain song, and rich layers of African vocals that result in an intoxicating musical blend. A true role model for all of us, Bunnett has built her career on the cutting-edge of Latin Jazz and she shows no signs of stopping – a lucky thing for all of us that get to enjoy her artistry.
Kat Parra One of the highly respected traits among jazz artists is the courage and conviction to pursue an individual voice and original performance approach; vocalist Kat Parra nurtured this trait by following her life’s path and building upon her strengths. Originally focusing her energy upon flute studies, Parra found a natural ability in singing and fell in love with the expressive qualities behind jazz vocals. Rather than taking the safe path of her already established classical flute skills, she let her passion guide her musical development and dove into the world of jazz with a strong mentor, Patti Cathcart. Parra knew that a strict adherence to the jazz tradition wouldn’t be enough, so she let her multi-language abilities lead her to the musics of South America and the Caribbean. Driven by her new inspiration, Parra connected with some of the best Latin musicians in the Bay Area, performing with local salsa band Charanga 9, trombonist Wayne Wallace, and more. Each step led Parra to the construction of her own artistic personality, but she never sat comfortably upon her success; like any true artist, Parra kept looking ahead. Further studies in Cuba and beyond as well as the release of her first album as a bandleader led Parra deep into a successful performance career. Along the way, a new direction emerged for Parra that would define the next piece of her career – an investigation of the Sephardic music from the Spanish Jews. Newly aligned with Wayne Wallace’s Patois Records label, Parra included some ingenious arrangements of this music on her second release. Along with piano player Murray Low, Parra created a full repertoire based upon this music and found multiple performance venues for the material. Funded by a grant from the Zellerbach Foundation, Parra solidified a group and recently journeyed into the studio to record a full CD for her new group, The Sephardic Music Experience. The development of a strong musical personality takes years of exploration, experimentation, and hard work – Parra paid her dues and has arrived as an experienced musician with an individual voice. Her experience provides ample inspiration for any aspiring Latin Jazz musician.
Venissa Santí If each of the previous artists on this list represent established female artists in the Latin Jazz world, vocalist Venissa Santí gives us a good indication that the future of the style rests in good hands. A young artist with a strong conception, Santí views the music through both an informed perspective and a highly personal connection. Raised in a Cuban family, Santí’s culture rests firmly in her artistic approach - while in Cuba, her grandfather spent many years working as a composer, infusing his family with a deep love for music. Inspired by her grandfather’s musical passion and her family’s cultural connection, Santí found an inner artistic connection to Cuban music and felt a responsibility to pursue that realization. Santí studied jazz in college and traveled to Cuba on four occasions to broaden her knowledge; she arrived from those experiences with a strong sense of jazz performance and a knowledge of Cuban folkloric forms. These experiences existed on more than a simple academic level though; Santí took time to formulate a personal conception of these influences that can be heard in each performance. Her dedication and cultural connection to the music leaps out of each track on her debut release Beinvenida - from the deeply personal performance of her grandfather’s composition “Lucerito de mi Amor” to aggressive folkloric sound of “Columbia pa’ Miguel Angel” or the swinging interpretation of the Cuban standard “Tu Mi Delirio,” there’s a constant sense that Santí looked deep inside herself to find her approach. At the same time, Santí maintains a modern edge with touches of rocking blues and English language compositions over Cuban rhythms, paying tribute to her current generation. Santí’s work resonates with an authentic connection to the music, a deeply personal dedication, and an informed performance approach that should guarantee high quality Latin Jazz long into the future.
———-
But wait, there’s more! It would be silly to think that the Latin Jazz world only has 6 female artists. Check back tomorrow for a more extensive list of female performers that make the Latin Jazz world move - see you then!
Latin Jazz This Week will bring you a weekly look into news from the Latin Jazz world. You’ll find new releases, recommended performances, web finds, and more. You can check out some current sounds in the Listening Center tab at the top of the page. Performance dates will be kept in the Live Latin Jazz tab at the top of the page.
NEWS
Bay Area music supporter Stephanie Dalton has put together a great resource for Latin Jazz fans in the San Francisco Area. The Urban Music Newsletter delivers concert listings, album releases, and news about the local scene - it’s very informative, professional, and a must-read for Bay Area Latin Jazz fans. To sign-up for The Urban Music Newsletter, simply send e-mail to Stephanie Dalton at urbanmusicpresents@gmail.com
All About Jazz recently posted an interview with Latin Jazz pianist Arturo O’Farrill, conducted by regular AAJ contributor R.J. DeLuke. It’s a lengthy article that dives into O’Farrill’s background and his development as a musician. DeLuke takes the time to talk with O’Farrill about Chico, Wynton Marsalis and Jazz At Lincoln Center, the Afro-Latin Jazz Orchestra, and their move to the Symphony Space. O’Farrill also spends some time talking about his fundamental beliefs on jazz. It’s a great read, check it out HERE.
The Aspen Idea Festival occurs this week, gathering some of the world’s great minds to discuss their thoughts about moving the world in the right direction. On the arts end of the festival, the Aspen Institute has recruited one of the great minds in Latin Jazz, drummer and bandleader Bobby Sanabria. He’ll be talking about Latin music and jazz as well as discussing the premiere of a new PBS documentary, Latin Music USA. Sanabria always has something great to say, so get info about the festival HERE and information about the documentary HERE.
If you’re in CARIBBEAN this week . . . BRIAN LYNCH WHEN: Saturday 7/4/09 WHERE:Casa de Teatro
Calle Arzobispo Meriño 110, Zona Colonial
Santo Domingo
Dominican Republic TIME: 9:00 p.m. TICKETS: $200
If you’re in EUROPE this week . . . COLINA MIRALTA SAMBEAT TRIO
Imaxinasons 2009 WHEN: Thursday 7/2/09 WHERE:Praza do Rei
Vigo, Spain TIME: 9:00 p.m. TICKETS: 3 euros
MICHEL CAMILO
Festival Internacional de Jazz de Getxo WHEN: Friday 7/3/09 WHERE:Plaza Biotz Alai
Getxo, Spain TIME: 9:30 p.m. TICKETS: 20 euros
OMAR SOSA
Festival Internacional de Jazz de Getxo WHEN: Thursday 7/2/09 WHERE:Plaza Biotz Alai
Getxo, Spain TIME: 9:30 p.m. TICKETS: 12 euros
Imaxinasons 2009 WHEN: Saturday 7/4/09 WHERE:Praza do Rei
Vigo, Spain TIME: 11:00 p.m. TICKETS: 3 euros
PAQUITO D’RIVERA
Jazz Festival Ljubljana WHEN: Wednesday 7/1/09 WHERE:Križanke
Ljubljana, Slovenia TIME: 10:30 p.m. TICKETS: 25 euros in advance; 28 euros at door
with Chano Dominguez WHEN: Saturday 7/4/09 WHERE:Plaça Jaume I
Penedes
Barcelona, Spain TIME: 11:00 p.m. TICKETS: 210 euros
Festival Internacional de Jazz de Getxo
with Chano Dominguez WHEN: Sunday 7/5/09 WHERE:Plaza Biotz Alai
Getxo, Spain TIME: 9:30 p.m. TICKETS: 25 euros
If you’re in CANADA this week . . . DAFNIS PRIETO
Drum Clinic WHEN: Saturday 7/4/09 WHERE:Roundhouse
181 Roundhouse Mews
Vancouver, Canada TIME: 1:30 p.m. TICKETS: FREE
JANE BUNNETT
Vancouver Jazz Festival WHEN: Sunday 7/5/09 WHERE:David Lam Park
1300 Pacific Boulevard
Vancouver, BC Canada TIME: 8:00 p.m. TICKETS: FREE
LUIS MARIO OCHOA
Victoria International Jazz Festival
Featuring Hilario Duran WHEN: Monday 7/29/09 WHERE:Hermann’s Jazz Club
753 View Street
Victoria BC Canada TIME: 8:30 p.m. TICKETS: $20
PABLO ZIEGLER WHEN: Thursday 7/2/09 WHERE:Library and Archives Canada
395 Wellington Street
Ottawa, ON Canada TIME: 4:30 p.m. TICKETS: $15
ROBERTO OCCHIPINTI
Edmonton International Jazz Festival WHEN: Wednesday 7/1/09 WHERE:Yardbird Suite
11 Tommy Banks Way
Edmonton, AB, Canada TIME: 9:00 p.m. TICKETS: $20
Vancouver Jazz Festival WHEN: Friday 7/3/09 WHERE:Iron Works
235 Alexander Street
Vancouver, BC Canada TIME: 8:00 p.m. & 11:00 p.m. TICKETS: $12
Victoria International Jazz Festival WHEN: Saturday 7/4/09 WHERE:Hermann’s Jazz Club
753 View Street
Victoria BC Canada TIME: 8:30 p.m. TICKETS: $15
Kelowna Jazz & Blues Festival WHEN: Sunday 7/5/09 WHERE:Island Stage Waterfront Park
Water St
Kelowna, BC Canada TIME: 7:00 p.m. TICKETS: $15
If you’re on the EAST COAST this week . . . ARTURO O’FARRILL
Solo Piano WHEN: Wednesday 7/1/09 WHERE:Puppet’s Jazz Bar
481 5th Avenue Park Slope
Brooklyn, NY TIME: 7:00 p.m. TICKETS: $10
CHEMBO CORNIEL
CD Release Celebration For Things I Want To Do WHEN: Tuesday 6/30/09 - Saturday 7/4/09 WHERE:Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola
Frederick P. Rose Hall, 5th Floor
Home of Jazz at Lincoln Center
Broadway at 60th Street TIME: Tuesday-Thursday: 11:00pm; Friday & Saturday: after last artist set TICKETS: $20 - $35; $10 minimum, table - $5 minimum, bar
WHEN: Thursday 7/2/09 WHERE:Nuyorican Poet’s Cafe
236 East 3rd Street
New York, NY TIME: 9:00 p.m. TICKETS: $10
CHICO O’FARRILL’S AFRO-CUBAN JAZZ ORCHESTRA WHEN: Sunday 7/5/09 WHERE:Birdland
315 W. 44th Street
Manhattan, NY TIME: 9:00 p.m. & 11:00 p.m. TICKETS: $25
EDDIE PALMIERI WHEN: Wednesday 7/1/09 - Sunday 7/5/09 WHERE:Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola
Frederick P. Rose Hall, 5th Floor
Home of Jazz at Lincoln Center
Broadway at 60th Street TIME: Wednesday-Thursday & Sunday: 7:30 & 9:30pm; Friday & Saturday: 7:30, 9:30 & 11:30pm TICKETS: $20 - $35; $10 minimum, table - $5 minimum, bar
FRANK VILLAFAÑE WHEN: Wednesday 7/1/09 WHERE:Mama Mexico
214 E 49th Street
New York, NY TIME: 10:00 p.m. TICKETS: NO COVER
WHEN: Friday 7/3/09 WHERE:Mama Mexico
214 E 49th Street
New York, NY TIME: 10:00 p.m. TICKETS: NO COVER
GABRIEL ALEGRIA AFRO-PERUVIAN JAZZ SEXTET WHEN: Thursday 7/2/09 - Sunday 7/5/09 WHERE:Tutuma Social Club
164 East 56th Street
New York, NY TIME: 10:30 p.m.; Sundays 7:00 p.m. TICKETS: NO COVER
LUCIA PULIDO WHEN: Saturday 7/4/09 WHERE:Barbés
376 9th Street
Park Slope, Brooklyn, NY TIME: 8:00 p.m. TICKETS: $10
NEGRONI’S TRIO WHEN: Tuesday 7/30/09 WHERE:Van Dyke Cafe
846 Lincoln Road
Miami Beach, FL TIME: 9:00 p.m.
VENISSA SANTÍ WHEN: Saturday 7/4/09 WHERE:Welcome America Festival
Benjamin Franklin Parkway
Philadelphia, PA TIME: 2:45 p.m. TICKETS: FREE
If you’re in the MID-EAST this week . . . LOS GATOS WHEN: Thursday 7/2/09 WHERE:The Firefly Club
637 S. Main
Ann Arbor, MI TIME: 8:00 p.m. TICKETS: $8
TUMBAO BRAVO WHEN: Sunday 7/5/09 WHERE:Sangria - Royal Oak
401 S. Lafayette
Royal Oak, MI TIME: 9:00 p.m.
If you’re on the WEST COAST this week . . . COTO PINCHEIRA WHEN: Wednesday 7/1/09 WHERE:Yoshi’s - Oakland
510 Embarcadero West
Jack London Square
Oakland, CA TIME: 8:00 p.m. & 10:00 p.m. TICKETS: 8:00 p.m. - $16; 10:00 p.m. - $10
FRANCISCO AGUABELLA WHEN: Saturday 7/4/09 WHERE:Steamer’s Cafe
138 W. Commonwealth
Fullerton, CA TIME: 8:30 p.m. TICKETS: $8
KAT PARRA WHEN: Monday 6/29/09 WHERE:Jazz On Main
Main and Broadway
Redwood City, CA TIME: 6:00 p.m. TICKETS: FREE
PONCHO SANCHEZ WHEN: Monday 6/29/09 WHERE:Kuumbwa Jazz Center
510 Embarcadero West
Jack London Square
Oakland, CA TIME: 7:00 p.m. & 10:00 p.m. TICKETS: $30 in advance; $33 at door
WHEN: Sunday 7/5/09 WHERE:Spaghettini’s
3005 Old Ranch Parkway,
Seal Beach, CA TIME: 7:00 p.m. TICKETS: Open Seating - $20; Reserved Seating - $40
———- Click here to have these posts delivered via email. Or, click here to subscribe to the full text RSS feed and never miss another post!
Many things can be said about all musicians’ general personality traits, but something stands heads and shoulders above the rest - musicians are social beings at heart and they deeply understand the importance of community. Musicians spend countless hours in solitude practicing their instrument and developing their technique and individual approach to performance. While musicians master some qualities of performance through their alone time, the true artistry arises when they pool their skills with one or more additional people. Individuals make sound on their own, but they need other people to truly create music - especially when they focus on improvised music. As a result, individuals spend their time with other musicians, eventually building a wide circle of musically minded people that form bands and perform in local venues. Once an artist becomes firmly established as a performer, they also become familiar with audience members, promoters, club owners, publicists, journalists, and more. For better or worse, every person involved in the creation, promotion, and execution of music becomes part of a musician’s community as they become an important piece of their local music scene. Most musicians understand that their community extends beyond the small group of musicians that they perform with on a regular basis so they seek to extend their network. As a musician’s career grows, they travel, and as a result, they meet, admire, and collaborate with additional artists, building a bond of community. They connect with musicians from different areas, they share ideas with musicians from different backgrounds, and they again expand their community. It’s a never-ending process that defines a musician’s career and become a centerpiece of their overall life.
Trumpet player Charlie Sepulveda lives through the greater Latin Jazz community and his experiences have brought him in contact with a wide variety of incredible artists. He dived into trumpet studies in Puerto Rico at a young age, taking classes at La Escuela Libre de Musica. By the time he hit his teen years, Sepulveda expanded his community by playing with some of the island’s best groups, including Batacumbele, Willie Rosario, and Sonora Ponceña. A move to New York dropped Sepulveda deep inside the Latin Jazz world, and he found work with Tito Puente, Dizzy Gillespie, Eddie Palmieri, and more. He gathered a group of like-minded musicians and recorded The New Arrival, the first in a chain of outstanding Latin Jazz recordings as a leader. After years of traveling, Sepulveda has become a major player in the larger Latin Jazz community, in Puerto Rico, New York, and abroad. I’ve collected several pictures of Sepulveda performing in a variety of contexts - at the 2009 Heineken Jazz Festival, the 2009 Greek Theater Latin Jazz Festival, and at a local venue in Puerto Rico, La Repuesta. Enjoy!
Charlie Sepulveda At The 2009 Heineken Jazz Festival
Charlie Sepulveda At The 2009 Greek Theater Latin Jazz Festival
Charlie Sepulveda, Paquito D’Rivera, Ed Zayaz, and Giovanni Hidalgo Backstage At The 2009 Greek Theater Latin Jazz Festival
Charlie Sepulveda Performing With Giovanni Hidalgo At The 2009 Greek Theater Latin Jazz Festival
Charlie Sepulveda At La Repuesta During Imagenes del Sonido
Charlie Sepulveda At La Repuesta During Imagenes del Sonido
Looking for more from Charlie Sepulveda? Check out his most recent albums with his group The Turnaround: Sepulveda Boulevard
———-
Do you have pictures to contribute to the Latin Jazz photo album? I’d love to have everyone in the Latin Jazz community contribute! I’ll be posting five to ten pictures a week - I’m looking for live performance shots, not promo pics. I’d like to keep them centered around one artist per week, but if you’ve got another idea, let’s talk. So come on Latin Jazz photographers, musicians, and fans - let’s put some more memorable pictures in the Latin Jazz Photo Album! Get my contact info HERE
Jazzambia Paoli Mejias
Most Latin Jazz listeners would agree that drums and percussion sit at the heart of the style; yet, different people could offer several reasons why the drums stay so closely connected to the style. On a surface level, drums add a sense of momentum, excitement, and intensity to Latin Jazz that simply can’t be matched - a fiery conga solo or cajon improvisation sends chills down the iciest spine. The percussionists provide the music’s stylistic structure, guiding the patterns from the rest of the rhythm section, the phrasing of the melodic players, and the idea development for the soloists. The percussionists symbolize the elements that separate Latin Jazz from traditional jazz; when most people think about Latin Jazz, the image of a conga usually pop into their heads. On every level, percussion creates cultural connections to different societies through folkloric and popular dance rhythms. Percussionists can simply play a rumba to connect with Cuba, a samba to imply Brazil, a bomba to conjure Puerto Rico, or a festejo rhythm to refer to Peru. It adds another level of interaction to the jazz improvisations, inserting not only an additional voice into the mix, but a completely individual dialect that can inspire a soloist to reach a new level of rhythmic development. Outstanding percussionists take these elements and make them second nature, exploring new ways to inject the essence of Latin Jazz with an inspired curiosity. A percussionist’s ability to navigate these traditional elements while finding new challenges keep the style moving into the future and maintains a place for the drum at the heart of the genre. Percussionist Paoli Mejias demonstrates this unique ability on Jazzambia, guiding an exemplary group of jazz musicians through a set that touch upon culture and tradition while exploring new territory.
Drawing Inspiration From Puerto Rican Music
Mejias draws inspiration from Puerto Rican folkloric music forms on several tracks, fueling the music with a strong connection to his native island. Christian Nieves evokes the spirit of Puerto Rican with a short unaccompanied cuatro solo that serves as an introduction to Néstor Toro’s “Jibarology,” leading directly into a twisting melodic duet with alto saxophonist Miguel Zenón. Building upon the basic melody, Zenón develops this initial idea into a screaming frenzy of notes until Nieves lowers the dynamic with a simmering soulful improvisation. The two musicians leap into a unison interlude that winds towards an angular montuno section, unobtrusively cooking beneath Mejias’ explosive bongó solo. A series of assertive band kicks lead directly into a funky bass line on bassist Hans Glawischnig’s “El Tintero,” until a strong bomba rhythm enters behind saxophonist Jaleel Shaw’s understated melody. Pianist Luis Perdomo develops his rich idea with harmonic color and subdued lyricism, followed by Shaw, who tears through the bomba texture with racing flights of modern jazz melodies. A unison band break fades into a percussion feature, making room for Mejias to trade energetic buleador licks with drummer Antonio Sanchez while a coro praises the relationship between Africa and the Puerto Rican bomba. Glawischnig and Perdomo enter with an askew interlocking line that falls into place over a burning plena rhythm on Ricardo Pons’ “Lo Cierto Que Es Lo Incierto,” which wraps an intricate melody through the main groove, swing, and songo sections. After a dramatic unaccompanied conga solo from Mejias, Pons charges into a fiery solo that interjects an intensive energy into bebop melodies until Perdomo winds long lines through a smart solo filled with chromatic development and bluesy embellishments. Several jagged breaks push Perdomo into a furious montuno, providing the foundation for a virtuosic conga solo from Mejias, filled with a powerful momentum. These pieces keep a strong connection to traditional Puerto Rican music while offering optimal space for jazz expression, making a cultural statement rooted in tradition and linked to Mejias’ present.
Integrating Compositions Based Upon Afro-Cuban Rhythms
Other songs demonstrate a wider range of Mejias’ influences, integrating compositions based upon Afro-Cuban rhythms and more traditional forms of Latin Jazz. Perdomo and Glawischnig establish a catchy vamp over a burning rumba on Robert Rodriguez’s “Fragment,” leading into an understated melody from Zenón that creates a distinct modern jazz contrast. Zenón cuts through the aggressive rhythm with rapid streams of notes and repeated ideas while Perdomo mixes quick scalar runs with bebop-tinged chordal outlines. After briefly revisiting the melody, the rhythm section returns to the original vamp, setting the stage for an explosive conga solo from Mejias that pushes the tempo into a dizzying speed with an impressive showing of skill. Sanchez bursts into a quick 6/8 rhythm while Glawischnig and Perdomo explore polyrhythms, introducing Zenón’s “Diaspora” with a wealth of tension before Zenón enters with a winding dramatic melody. Perdomo takes his time constructing his improvisation through carefully developed lines until the chord disappear behind Zenón, who expressively engages the percussion in an album highlight interplay that grows into a squelching chaos. A slight return to melody segues into an impressive display of percussion mastery from Mejias, who improvises enthusiastically on Djembe over a massive layer of overdubbed percussion instruments. The rhythm section maintains a standard cha cha cha foundation while Glawischnig insert a rhythmically tense bass line on “Sentimental Cha,” leading into a gentle melody and lush harmonies. Perdomo develops a rich statement that logically extends his initial idea into an ear-catching melody, followed by Shaw, who takes a similar approach thoughtfully building upon his improvisatory direction. The group quickly revisits the melody before returning to the original cha cha cha groove, where Mejias draws inspiration from the syncopated bass line and constructs a musically interesting solo. Mejias stays attached to Afro-Cuban forms throughout these pieces, but the consistency of his jazz concept easily connects this group with his overall set.
Exploring Interesting Compositional Techniques
Mejias demonstrates excellent range, applying his percussion skills and overall musicianship to several pieces that explore interesting compositional techniques by bending the rhythmic ideas. Zenón starts a vamp that travels through a nine-beat cycle on Toro’s “Logos” before moving into a melody tinged with middle eastern colored embellishments while the rhythm section mixes traditional grooves with udu drums and dumbeks. After a dramatic band break, the rhythm section returns with light percussion while Zenón takes his time building his statement, exploring the melodic subtleties of Middle Eastern music before exploding into a furious attack of notes. Perdomo pushes the composition into a Latin direction with a steady montuno as Mejias leaps into an interesting conga solo that balances between the traditional world of Latin Jazz and the song’s ethnic feel. A wave of psychedelic synthesized sounds washes into a freely interpreted rhythmic basis for soprano saxophonist Chris Cheek’s melody on “Seres,” which gains momentum as the rhythm section joins into a unified groove behind the melody’s repetition. Bursts of dissonance transition into Cheek’s improvisation, where he develops a beautifully logical improvisation that reveals a Wayne Shorter influence and heavy dose of musicianship. A sparse groove provides the foundation for Sanchez, who improvises with a colorful freedom that resonates with expression and personality until Mejias turns up the heat with an assertive buleador solo. Perdomo and Mejias freely accent the structure as Glawischnig and Sanchez outline an eleven beat structure on Perdomo’s “Links,” which Shaw delicately navigates with a winding melody. Shaw works a complex lines through a series of band hits before entering a cleverly constructed improvisation that pushes the band into a driving forward motion for Perdomo’s harmonically interesting statement. After a return to the melody, Perdomo magically wraps a disjointed montuno around the clave, inspiring Mejias into a frenzied improvisation filled with smart plays upon the unique setting. Even as he steps outside traditional Latin Jazz settings, Mejias and his group continue to expertly build strong statements upon new and challenging material that explores unusual contexts.
Looking Beyond Standard Expectations
Mejias demonstrates all the necessary artistic contributions of an outstanding percussionist on Jazzambia, but Mejias looks beyond standard expectations and pushes his ensembles in different musical directions. As a leader, Mejias fully accepts the responsibility of inspiring his band mates with a mix of original vision and traditional foundations while allowing them ample space to exert their personal artistic voices. Mejias selects outstanding and challenging compositions that blend traditional Latin Jazz aesthetics with a modern jazz sensibility, allowing the rhythmic basis to define the music while leaving plenty of improvisatory freedom. Many members of the group contribute original compositions, broadening the influx of new ideas and forcing each artist to examine the music in new ways. While Mejias works well as a leader, his performance as a percussionist solidifies the music’s cultural context, drives the ensemble with a powerful momentum, and delivers musical virtuosity through his improvisations. He cleverly inserts layers of percussion without imposing upon the modern jazz setting in each composition; instead he infuses the music with meaningful connections to Puerto Rico, Cuba, and beyond. He surrounds himself with outstanding musicians that feel comfortable pushing back and exploring the outer edges of the music with Mejias. Perdomo and Glawischnig serve as perfect collaborators who use their fluent knowledge of modern jazz and wide range of Latin rhythms to walk the boundaries of tradition and exploration with Mejias. Zenón delivers some particularly expressive improvisations that stand out in the album while Sanchez’s flexible sense of modernity swings hard alongside Mejias’ powerful percussion. There’s an essential set of music on Jazzambia that allows Mejia to deliver an essential message about the power of percussion and its importance in the development of the style.
Our current Spotlight Artists Susan Pereira and Sabor Brasil look beyond the standard conventions of Brazilian music generally found in the jazz world; they deliver a potent blend of diverse Brazilian rhythms and meaningful jazz improvisation on their recording Tudo Azul. Pereira holds a broad viewpoint on the genre that respects the history of both Brazilian music and jazz, as well as the instrumental and vocal applications in the stylistic performance techniques. Culturally Pereira moves past the standard jazz usages of bossa nova and samba, utilizing a wider array of Brazilian genres. Her use of this wide palette gives the recording an authentic Brazilian edge, exposing an extensive study from Pereira and her band. Pereira and her group prioritize jazz improvisation, indulging in rich chord changes and focused statements that reveal a solid background in the modern jazz world. Pereira’s vocals bring out the romantically lyrical side of Brazilian music while maintaining an exciting edge by focusing upon the music’s inherent rhythmic propulsion. Tudo Azul incorporates all these elements, delivering an interpretation of Brazilian Jazz that resonates with life and integrity.
The group contributes some potent Brazilian Jazz onto the music scene, so take the opportunity to find out more about them - there’s plenty of places to look online. Bandleader Susan Pereira has a fantastic site that includes a bio, gig listings, pictures, streaming music, and more - check it out HERE. Drummer Vanderlei Pereira leads a Brazilian Jazz band called Blindfold Test - you can read about his group & more on his great site HERE. Woodwind player Laura Dreyer contributes several colors to the album - saxophones and flutes; you can check out information about Dreyer and her own projects at her website. There’s a great articles about Susan Pereira and Tudo Azul on the Música Brasileira website - check it out HERE. If you’d like to listen to some of the tracks from Tudo Azul, you can visit the band’s CDBaby page and stream 30-second samples - visit the site HERE.
The band offers some fantastic Brazilian Jazz - Tudo Azul is really worth checking out. For those of you that want to dig a little deeper, I’ve gathered some information about Susan Pereira and her work with Sabor Brasil. The information below comes from her website, and it provides an insight into the background on this fantastic artist. Start here and then go onto check out the music - you’ll be glad that you did. Enjoy!
———- Vocalist, pianist, percussionist, composer and arranger Susan Pereira, a New York native, has been one of the most versatile musicians on that city’s Brazilian music scene since 1983. While deeply rooted in traditional Brazilian styles, her broad background in jazz and world music has enabled her to develop a distinct musical personality. Fluent in Portuguese, she is a singer who blends a silky, rich tone with superior vocal technique and is a particularly skilled lyric interpreter and scat singer. Susan’s percussive piano style is enhanced by her mastery of complex Brazilian rhythms and her original Brazilian jazz compositions are a popular part of her performances.
Formed in 1991 by Susan and Brazilian drummer Vanderlei Pereira, Sabor Brasil has established itself as one of the most popular Brazilian ensembles in the New York area by fusing traditional Brazilian styles with contemporary jazz. Susan Pereira and Sabor Brasil regularly thrill audiences with their dynamic performances that draw upon influences ranging from hot samba to cool bossa nova, from the elegance of chorinho to the exotic rhythms of Bahia and modern Brazilian jazz. Their début recording Tudo Azul (Riony Records) was completed in September 2006 and features the core band joined by special guests Claudio Roditi on trumpet, Hendrik Meurkens on harmonica, Romero Lubambo on guitar and Luis Bonilla on trombone. Produced by Susan, the CD includes five of her songs and one each by Antonio Carlos Jobim and Milton Nascimento, among other selections.
Sabor Brasil has appeared at many of New York’s leading clubs, including Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola (Jazz at Lincoln Center), Iridium, B.B. King’s, Birdland, Smoke, Zinc Bar, 55 Bar and Enzo’s, among others. The band has also appeared at a variety of festivals and special events including the Savannah Jazz Festival; the Hartford Jazz Festival; New Jersey Performing Arts Center’s “Sounds of the City” Festival; the Wall St. Festival in Kingston, NY; the “Jazz and Roses” Festival at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden; the Mayfair Festival; the Wooster Jazz Society concert series; Riverside Park’s “Sunset Concerts” series; the Hudson River Museum’s festival “Summer Sounds Goes Global;” and the Central Park Music Festival.
Apart from Sabor Brasil, Susan has performed at the Kennedy Center, Sweet Rhythm and the Syracuse Jazzfest with Laura Dreyer and Mysterious Encounter and with with Ben Sher and Tudo Bem at the Blue Note in New York. In Rio de Janeiro she was the special invited guest of the Prosper Bank Jazz series at Armazém Digital Leblon. She has sung with Brazilian guitarist Nelson Faria and appeared often with Brazilian pianist Dom Salvador in New York at The River Café and The Water Club. An original member of the percussion ensembles Grupo Batucada and Samba Novo – playing surdo in both and singing lead vocals in Samba Novo – she performed with Grupo Batucada and Jaco Pastorius at the Blue Note and Seventh Avenue South. Other engagements include opening for Ruben Blades and the Dirty Dozen Brass Band at the Lone Star Café and the Bright Moments Jazz Festival; and at Lincoln Center, SOB’s, Nell’s and Roseland, among many other New York venues and special events.
As a percussionist, Susan was invited to play at New York’s Village Gate with Airto Moreira and Flora Purim in an all-star band that included Tito Puente and Giovanni Hidalgo, and in Rio de Janeiro with the São Clemente Samba School in the final Carnaval competitions of 1987 and 1988. She is an official endorser of LP Percussion.
As a studio musician Susan has composed, arranged and recorded for OMNI Music and written arrangements and played percussion on the vocal group String of Pearls’ CDs S.O.P. New York – Brazil, Vols. 1 & 2 (Alfa Records). She sang, played and also co-arranged the percussion on saxophonist/composer Laura Dreyer’s CD Mysterious Encounter (Lavasphere Records). Other recordings include Sarah Pillow’s Remixes (Buckyball Music); Ruben Rada’s Montevideo, (Big World Music); Miguel Kertsman’s Gravity Tunnel (Proxima Records); Tom Briggs’s Moonlight (SaturnDisc); Sue Maskaleris’s Unbreakable Heart (Jazilian Records) and Cryptic Soup’s Salty Pretzel Dog Logic (Dental Records). Susan is a voting member of NARAS.
Susan studied voice with Jeannie Goffi, Ann Ruckert and Charles Walker; piano with Kenny Barron, Jill McManus, Michael Abbott, Joseph Kahn and Milton Kraus; arranging and composition with Don Sebesky and Bill Barron; and percussion with Cyro Baptista, Manoel Monteiro, Abraham Adzenyah, Robert Levin, David Locke and Michelle Kisliuk. She is a cum laude graduate of Wesleyan University in Middletown, CT, where she earned a B.A. in Music and English with High Honors in Music.
When a Latin Jazz artist creates a collection of music, there’s a bounty of interesting stories and ideas inherent in both the resultant product and the creative process. In most cases, the product - whether it’s a CD or MP3 download - becomes the thing most familiar to us. We listen to the tracks repeatedly, we analyze the improvisations, we enjoy the compositions, and it becomes part of our life. For most of us, the product is the only thing about the musical output that we can comprehend; it’s the only thing that the artist reveals about their musical concept. While liner notes, web site information, and interviews give us a peek into the musician’s mind, its all second hand information coming to us after the fact. The creative process contains the conceptual development, the spontaneous inspirations, and the hours of labor-intensive performance that shape the product. In many ways, the developmental process provides a more revealing look into the artist’s personality and gives us much more insight about the musical output. The more that we can learn about the process, the more that we can understand the intention behind the recording and the inspirations that drive the artist to create the music that becomes such an important piece of our lives. Strangely enough, the process is the piece of the music that as an audience we often miss
As both a creative process and a tangible product, Off & On, The Music of Moacir Santos from Mark Levine & The Latin Tinge, radiates with creativity, in-depth story telling, and an intriguing history. The story of Santos’ musical career provides a good starting point for both product and process; for many of us, Santos’ musical legacy represents an unfamiliar piece of the Brazilian musical world. In Brazil, Santos built a well-respected career as a songwriter, musician, and bandleader, while his foray into the music world of the United States resulted in marginal commercial success. The hippest stateside musicians became familiar with Santos and his work, resulting in some artistically interesting collaborations and the occasional cover of Santos’ many compositions, including the popular piece “Nanã.” Fortunately, one of the musicians that investigated Santos’ work was pianist Mark Levine. In addition to an in-depth study of Santos’ music, Levine performed with Santos in the 1960s and recorded with him on the Blue Note release Saudade. Decades later, Levine gathered a group of Santos compositions and arranged them into a serious Latin Jazz set for his group The Latin Tinge, a collective of some of the Bay Area’s best Latin Jazz musicians. The resultant recording sparkles with enthusiastic creativity, shines with professional performances, and remembers Santos with a fond respect.
The album will be released soon - you’ll be hearing about it here at LJC - but luckily for us, Levine had the good foresight to create a video that takes us into the creative process behind Off & On, The Music of Moacir Santos. You’ll get the inside scoop behind Levine’s experience with Santos and his connection to the body of Santos’ artistic output. You’ll hear from the Latin Tinge, and get their insights on the group as well as their perspectives about Santos. You’ll see the group live in the studio creating the tracks that eventually made it onto the album. You’ll get a preview of the music that you’ll hear on the album, so keep your ears open. It’s a must-see video that takes us into Mark Levine & The Latin Tinge’s creative process as well as lets us hear the music from their upcoming product. Enjoy!
The Making of Off and On, The Music Of Moacir Santos
Off and On, The Music Of Moacir Santos will be available soon. If you’d like to check out some more recordings featuring Mark Levine, here’s some starters: Isla, Mark Levine & The Latin Tinge
———-
Bay Area folks, you have the opportunity this week to check out Mark Levine & The Latin Tinge performing the music of Moacir Santos with special guest flautist Ali Ryerson. It’s a wonderful opportunity to experience Santos’ music and check out this fantastic group. Here’s the details:
MARK LEVINE & THE LATIN TINGE WITH SPECIAL GUEST ALI RYERSON
Mostly Moacir WHEN: Saturday 6/27/09 WHERE:The Jazz School
2087 Addison St
Berkeley, CA TIME: 8:00 p.m. TICKETS: $18
———-
Do you have a video to contribute to satisfy our weekly Latin Jazz video fix? If so, send it in - it’s time to feed our addiction. I’m looking for live performances, from any context. I’ll most likely be posting one video per week, but if you’ve got another idea, let’s talk. So come on Latin Jazz videographers, musicians, and fans - let’s share some of our memorable videos! Get my contact info HERE
Latin Jazz This Week will bring you a weekly look into news from the Latin Jazz world. You’ll find new releases, recommended performances, web finds, and more. You can check out some current sounds in the Listening Center tab at the top of the page. Performance dates will be kept in the Live Latin Jazz tab at the top of the page.
NEWS
This past Tuesday June 16th, the Jazz Journalists Association held their annual awards ceremony to recognize the best that the jazz world offered during the past year. Held at the Jazz Standard in New York, the ceremony featured a variety of live performances, including a showing from Latin Jazz saxophonist Jane Bunnett, and recognized musicians for instrumental excellence. Congratulations to pianist Arturo O’Farrill and The Afro-Latin Jazz Orchestra, who won the award for Latin Jazz Album of the Year for their recent release Song For Chico. You can check out a full list of award winners and get the overall scoop on the event through a PDF download report on David Adler’s Leterland.
This past Monday, first lady Michelle Obama recently introduced the White House Jazz Studio as part of her efforts to support the arts. The event brought 150 school children into the White House to hear performances and partake in several clinics during the course of the day. Jazz musicians were on hand to facilitate the event - students got some serious one on one time with trumpet player Wynton Marsalis and Latin Jazz saxophonist Paquito D’Rivera. You can check out a video of the first lady introducing the event (with snippets of the musicians spliced in) at Paquito D’Rivera’s website HERE.
If you’re in EUROPE this week . . . EDWARD PEREZ TRIO WHEN: Thursday 6/25/09 WHERE:La Bilbaina Jazz Club
Navarra Street
Bilbao, Spain TIME: 10:30 p.m.
OMAR SOSA WHEN: Thursday 6/25/09 WHERE:Teatro San Giorgio
Udine, Italy TIME: 10:00 p.m. TICKETS: 17 euros
If you’re in CANADA this week . . . JANE BUNNETT
Ottawa Jazz Festival WHEN: Friday 6/26/09 WHERE:Confederation Park
40 Elgin St
Ottawa, ON TIME: 6:00 p.m. TICKETS: $40
Sasktel Jazz Festival WHEN: Saturday 6/27/09 WHERE:Broadway Theatre
715 Broadway Avenue
Saskatoon, SK TIME: 7:30 p.m. TICKETS: $25 in advance; $25 on the day of the show
Winnipeg Jazz Festival WHEN: Sunday 6/28/09 WHERE:McPhillips Street Station
484 McPhillips Street
Winnipeg, MB TIME: 8:00 p.m. TICKETS: $32.50
If you’re on the EAST COAST this week . . . ARTURO O’FARRILL
Solo Piano WHEN: Wednesday 6/24/09 WHERE:Puppet’s Jazz Bar
481 5th Avenue Park Slope
Brooklyn, NY TIME: 7:00 p.m. TICKETS: $10
WHEN: Thursday 6/25/09 WHERE:14th Street Y
344 East 14th Street
New York, NY TIME: 7:30 p.m. TICKETS: $20
CHICO O’FARRILL’S AFRO-CUBAN JAZZ ORCHESTRA WHEN: Sunday 6/28/09 WHERE:Birdland
315 W. 44th Street
Manhattan, NY TIME: 9:00 p.m. & 11:00 p.m. TICKETS: $25
CHRIS WASHBURNE & S.Y.O.T.O.S. WHEN: Sunday 6/28/09 WHERE:Smoke
2751 Broadway
New York, NY TIME: 8:00 p.m., 10:00 p.m. & 11:30 p.m. TICKETS: $20 minimum
DAFNIS PRIETO
Drum Clinic With Pedro Martinez WHEN: Wednesday 6/24/09 WHERE:Berklee Performance Center
136 Massachusetts Avenue
Boston, MA TIME: 4:00 p.m.
Quartet WHEN: Wednesday 6/24/09 WHERE:Berklee Performance Center
136 Massachusetts Avenue
Boston, MA TIME: 8:00 p.m. TICKETS: $10
WHEN: Sunday 6/28/09 WHERE:Campbell Recital Hall
541 Lasuen Mall
Stanford, CA TIME: 7:30 p.m. TICKETS: $36
ENCLAVE WHEN: Thursday 6/25/09 WHERE:The Fireplace
1634 Beacon Street
Brookline, MA TIME: 9:30 p.m. TICKETS: NO COVER
GABRIEL ALEGRIA AFRO-PERUVIAN JAZZ SEXTET WHEN: Thursday 6/25/09 - Sunday 6/28/09 WHERE:Tutuma Social Club
164 East 56th Street
New York, NY TIME: 10:30 p.m. TICKETS: NO COVER
LAYLA ANGULO WHEN: Sunday 6/28/09 WHERE:Jules Bistro
65 St. Marks
New York, NY TIME: 8:30 p.m.
SAMUEL TORRES GROUP WHEN: Thursday 6/25/09 WHERE:Zinc Bar
82 West 3rd Street
New York, NY TIME: 9:30 p.m., 11:00 p.m., & 12:30 a.m.
WILLIE MARTINEZ WHEN: Thursday 6/25/09 WHERE:Nuyorican Poet’s Cafe
236 East 3rd Street
New York, NY TIME: 9:00 p.m. TICKETS: $10
Redhook Jazz Festival WHEN: Sunday 6/28/09 WHERE:The Urban Meadow
President Street and Van Brunt Street
Brooklyn, NY TIME: 2:00 p.m. TICKETS: FREE
YURI JUAREZ WHEN: Tuesday 6/23/09 - Sunday 6/28/09 WHERE:Tutuma Social Club
164 East 56th Street
New York, NY TIME: 8:00 p.m. TICKETS: NO COVER
If you’re in the MID-EAST this week . . . CRAIG RUSSO LATIN JAZZ PROJECT WHEN: Wednesday 6/24/09 WHERE:Turnberry Ridge Park
Cobblefield Road & Balmoral Drive
Champaign, IL TIME: 6:30 p.m. TICKETS: FREE
LOS GATOS WHEN: Thursday 6/25/09 WHERE:The Firefly Club
637 S. Main
Ann Arbor, MI TIME: 8:00 p.m. TICKETS: $8
PABLO ZIEGLER WHEN: Friday 6/26/09 WHERE:Detroit Institute of Arts
5200 Woodward Avenue
Detroit, MI TIME: 7:00 p.m. & 8:30 p.m.
TUMBAO BRAVO WHEN: Thursday 6/25/09 WHERE:Goodnite Gracie’s
301 W. Huron
Ann Arbor, MI TIME: 9:45 p.m.
WHEN: Sunday 6/28/09 WHERE:Sangria - Royal Oak
401 S. Lafayette
Royal Oak, MI TIME: 9:00 p.m.
If you’re in the MID-WEST this week . . . JEFF JONES
Mosaic Trio WHEN: Friday 6/26/09 - Saturday 6/27/09 WHERE:Biltmore Resort
2400 East Missouri Avenue
Phoenx, AZ TIME: 8:00 p.m.
If you’re on the WEST COAST this week . . . ANNA ESTRADA WHEN: Friday 6/26/09 WHERE:Cliff House
1090 Point Lobos
San Francisco, CA TIME: 7:00 p.m.
ESTRADA BROTHERS WHEN: Saturday 6/27/09 WHERE:Steamer’s Cafe
138 W. Commonwealth
Fullerton, CA TIME: 8:30 p.m. TICKETS: $8
MARK LEVINE & THE LATIN TINGE
Mostly Moacir with special guest Ali Ryerson WHEN: Saturday 6/27/09 WHERE:The Jazz School
2087 Addison St
Berkeley, CA TIME: 8:00 p.m. TICKETS: $18
PETE ESCOVEDO WHEN: Thursday 6/25/09 WHERE:Plaza de Cesar Chavez
San Fernando and San Carlos streets
San Jose, CA TIME: 5:30 p.m. TICKETS: FREE
Very few jazz artists have led as diverse and influential careers as the iconic trumpet player Miles Davis. Emerging during the bebop period, he cut his teeth on the harmonic and melodic language of the day, eventually earning a spot alongside the legendary sax player Charlie Parker. Davis struggled in the context of Parker’s blazingly fast music, so he developed a distinct approach to phrasing that set him apart from his peers. He found a soul mate in the Canadian arranger Gil Evans, who joined together with Davis in 1948 to record a nonet project - Birth of the Cool, a famous record that spawned the “cool jazz” movement. People started to notice Davis, allowing him to work as a bandleader utilizing a rotating cast of musicians. During the 1950s, Davis gathered the musicians for his first classic quintet - saxophonist John Coltrane, pianist Red Garland, bassist Paul Chambers, and drummer Philly Joe Jones. The core group recorded several influential albums, but over the years members rotated, allowing for the entrance of pianists Bill Evans and Wynton Kelly, drummer Jimmy Cobb, and saxophonist Julian “Cannonball” Adderley. Davis and Bill Evans organized the music for one of the jazz world’s most influential recordings, Kind of Blue, which involved the Davis sextet investigating modal improvisation. At the same time, Davis continued to collaborate with Gil Evans on a number of lushly orchestrated jazz recordings that placed Davis’ warm tone and entrancing phrasing in an almost symphonic setting, including Porgy and Bess as well as Sketches of Spain. By the early 1960s, most of the members of Davis’ quintet had dispersed, and the trumpet player recruited bassist Ron Carter, pianist Herbie Hancock, drummer Tony Williams, and sax player George Coleman. The group recorded a few albums, but Coleman’s traditional approach clashed with the younger musicians, so Davis replaced him with Wayne Shorter, completing his second great quintet. This group started pushing Davis towards a more free and contemporary approach, rooted in Shorter’s cutting edge compositions. Near the end of the 1960s, Davis recognized the growing prominence of electronic instruments and rock rhythms, which he combined with free improvisation on albums such as In a Silent Way, Bitches Brew, and On the Corner. His growing sound and rock star attitude introduced fusion into the world, inspiring a new generation of musicians to investigate jazz improvisation. Despite an unstoppable popularity, Davis took a five-year break from music, returning in 1981 for a series of pop tinged albums that pushing him into a critical mass of worldwide fame, including The Man with the Horn, You’re Under Arrest, Tutu, and Amandla. After 10 more years of touring and recording, Davis died in 1991, leaving an enormous amount of musical information for the world to digest.
Davis’ influence stands tall over the traditional jazz and fusion worlds with some aspect of his musical personality arising in many performances; while he presence is not as omnipotent in the Latin Jazz world, we certainly feel it. Improvisers display his influences at every turn, from his effective use of space to his uncanny sense of melodic development or his beautiful phrasing. Many trumpet players obviously display a strong study of Davis - his tone, licks, phrasing, and development strategies all arise in modern Latin Jazz trumpet playing. Most jazz musicians remember Davis for his innovative musical approaches and his distinct improvisational voice, but he composed a number of original pieces that have become standards over the years. These tunes are mainstays in the traditional jazz world, and they’ve also found a home in the Latin Jazz world. A number of musicians have re-arranged Davis’ work and fit it into the context of Afro-Cuban, Brazilian, and Argentinean rhythms - the results have been interesting and often inspiring. Davis changed the face of jazz extensively and the Latin Jazz world finds many opportunities to respect that influence in creative ways.
I’ve gathered ten Latin Jazz versions of Davis compositions that demonstrate his influence in the Latin Jazz world. While I’ve focused on the unique arrangements that these musicians applied to the Davis repertoire, take a listen to the ten tunes and search for more. There’s a massive influence on the improvisational approach, which you’ll hear reflected in these recordings. There’s also just a serious performance aesthetic that always came through Davis’ work that you’ll find here. Overall, the collection of ten tunes serves as a great listen, so check them out. Enjoy!
———- 1. Freddie Freeloader - Another Kind of Blue: The Latin Side of Miles Davis, Conrad Herwig
More than any other Davis album, the classic recording Kind of Blue stands as the untouchable masterpiece - one of the most respected and best selling albums in Davis’ catalog, not to mention overall jazz history. Trombone player Conrad Herwig tackled the overwhelming task of recreating this album in a Latin Jazz context - a near impossible task considering the album’s massive popularity and the overbearing presence of jazz history. Herwig works wonders though, bringing together an all-star group of New York Latin Jazz musicians to record an impressive collection of arrangements on Another Kind of Blue: The Latin Side of Miles Davis. Each member of the band gets an opportunity to shine on “Freddie Freeloader,” originally a mid-tempo blues that has involved into a son montuno. After the main melody the wind players take a unison ride through Davis’ influential solo from the original recording, arranged in clave. Flautist Dave Valentin follows the classic statement with a bluesy solo of his own that builds from short licks into an energetic journey through several choruses. Two of the strongest wind players in the genre, trumpet player Brian Lynch and Herwig trade phrases, lighting up the group with a powerfully intensity as they intertwine lines. The band disappears, leaving bassist John Benitez and saxophonist Paquito D’Rivera improvising through an album highlight performance filled with humor, jazz authenticity, and blues-drenched flavor. Benitez gets the opportunity to build his own solo, displaying his mastery of the instrument’s rhythmic language and his gift for melodic invention. Drummer Robbie Ameen explodes into a flurry of coloristic fills and syncopated ideas over a static montuno, driving the band back to the melody with an assertive creative push. Filled with authentic and informed references to Davis as well as an inspired set of performances, Another Kind of Blue: The Latin Side of Miles Davis may exist as the definitive look at Davis’ work through Latin Jazz lenses . . . with the exception of Herwig’s follow-up recording, another Latin Jazz Miles Davis tribute Sketches of Spain y Mas: The Latin Side of Miles Davis.
2. Tune Up - Brazilliance X4, Claudio Roditi Davis’ up-tempo bebop romp “Tune Up” originally challenged many musicians into new ideas - it inspired Coltrane to compose “Giant Steps” - but trumpet player Claudio Roditi takes this tune in a slightly different direction. Roditi gently winds the familiar melody around a mid-tempo bossa nova groove, smoothing out the edgy tune with the lush tone of his flugelhorn. As Roditi moves into his improvisation, he takes a cue from Davis, introspectively building phrases around space and note choice, pulling the most lyrical pieces of the harmony to the forefront. A bit of hard bop wisdom starts to inform Roditi’s melodies as he stretches over several choruses, using syncopated ideas to connect with the churning Brazilian rhythm in the background. Alves cleverly combines rhythmically offset ideas with bits of the main melody, immediately basing his improvisation around both the bossa nova rhythm and the classic harmony of the Davis tune. While the rhythm section pushes the momentum with a quiet intensity, Alves display an uncanny gift for thematic development, twisting ideas into an endless stream of witty variations. At the same time, the pianist demonstrates a studied connection to Davis’ work with running hard bop lines, tastefully embellished with rhythmic accents directly from the language of Brazilian music. Roditi guides the group to a quiet conclusion, revisiting the melody with a subtle motion and subtle dynamic shape. While Roditi takes a distinctly different approach to the tune than Davis, he develops a strong version filled with his own artistic voice and a respectful tribute to the legendary jazz trumpet player.
3. Solar - New Conceptions, Chucho Valdes Musical icons like Davis leave a trail of history and innovation; for most musicians this represents a lifetime of study, but when equally iconic musicians like pianist Chucho Valdes tackle this legacy, the results are breathtaking. After a brief unaccompanied statement, Valdes bursts directly into a smoldering vamp that sets an unbelievably quick tempo for the rhythm section. Saxophonist Irving Luichel Acao Tierra blazes through the melody with style and ease before flying into a strong improvisation anchored by his bold tenor tone. While the blistering tempo could intimidate some soloists, Tierra weaves through the changes comfortably, inserting rhythmic accents and short melodic phrases into open spaces. Once he lets loose, Tierra takes no prisoners though, tearing through long streams of bebop fueled ideas with a ferocious intensity that reveals a Coltrane influence. As Tierra closes his statement, Valdes doesn’t drop a beat with an awe-inspiring display of chops that shows constant lines of fast notes in his right hand while he embellishes the sound with complicated rhythmic comping from his left hand. The band disappears leaving only Valdes, who displays his true genius as he cleverly mutates the song into another Davis classic, “Four.” He takes the opportunity to play upon this song’s changes with a bluesy fire before an incomprehensible showing of independence between hands and inhuman technical ability leads the pianist back towards “Solar.” After Valdes takes us on an intriguing ride through solo piano mastery, the band explodes back into the changes, giving Valdes the opportunity to trade phrases with drummer Ramses Rodriguez Baralt and conguero Yaroldi Breu Robles. The musicians exchange thoughts before the group hands the spotlight to Robles who demonstrates lessons learned form the master with a stunning display of virtuosity and musicianship. He also takes a turn improvising unaccompanied, and his statement sings with the tonal possibilities of the conga and the instrument’s rich cultural connection. Valdes guides the group back to the melody before giving Robles one more opportunity to make a statement before taking the song into a rousing finish. The depth of Davis’ vision cannot be fathomed on a quick listen through his work, but hearing a masterful musician like Valdes take a thorough knowledge of Davis and combine it with his own unique voice provides a new insight into the work.
4. All Blues - Goza Mi Timbal, Tito Puente Davis showed a penchant throughout his career for creating unforgettable grooves and placing them at the heart of his songs – a feat that he accomplished with the catchy bass line behind “All Blues.” While this groove seems firmly attached to the smoldering 3/4 swing of the original recording, Marty Sheller’s arranging genius finds a way to coherently translate this tune into the burning Afro-Cuban 6/8 rhythm of Tito Puente’s band. Bassist Bobby Rodriguez establishes a variation upon the original line before the band bursts into the 6/8 rhythm and Sheller’s version of the main melody. Trumpet player David Rodriguez follows the melody with a slowly developed series of notes before inserting bits of rhythmic accents around the 6/8 structure. As he reaches his second chorus, Rodriguez shoots into the high register of his instrument, setting his solo on fire with a cutting intensity. Sheller inserts a rhythmic interlude after Rodriguez’s solo, providing pianist Sonny Bravo with a chance to insert some choice phrases. Saxophonist Mitch Frohman enters the mix with a bluesy intensity, cutting through the band with his instrument’s deep and growling tone. Frohman combines a solid knowledge of the style with a deeply rooted jazz sound, building his improvisation into an ear-catching climax. Sheller continues to work his arranging magic with a clever interlude that opens the sound of the harmony with smart harmonies and extended notes. After a quick return to the main melody, Sheller ends the piece with a dramatic lick and rhythmic phrase. The track shows that even with pieces so rooted in swing, like Davis’ “All Blues,” a smart Latin Jazz arranger like Sheller can take the essence of the tune and find the connection with Latin rhythms.
5. Blue In Green - Diego Urcola, Soundances Early in his career, Davis displayed a strong affinity for ballad performance, and throughout his career, he demonstrated an unmatched ability to turn a classic ballad into a work of art. This famous piece from the Kind of Blue album reveals the influence of pianist Bill Evans, whose coloristic sense of harmony created a lush foundation for the rich melody. In traditional performance, this piece resonates with space and flowing colors - a quality not easily translated effectively into the rhythmic world of Latin music. Yet trumpet player Diego Urcola finds the perfect connection for this piece as he translates Davis’ beautiful ballad into a stirring and passionate tango. Bandoneon player Juan Dargenton introduces the piece with a sensitive and introspective unaccompanied solo, expressing himself with one of the only instruments capable of capturing the color and beauty of Evans’ playing on the original recording. Urcola pays tribute to Davis, altering his instrument with a Harmon mute and thoughtfully moving through the melody with an expressive rhythmic freedom. Dargenton stays connected to Evans with carefully constructed chords behind Urcola, but he also maintains strong sense of tango with the bandoneon’s rhythmic propulsion. Bending the line between improvisation and melodic interpretation, Urcola stretches the original phrases into long runs of bluesy resolutions and chromatic explorations. The two musicians work around each other with a telepathic connection that allows them to revisit the original recording’s deeply personal emotional content while making a modern statement. The resultant recording delivers a rich crossroads between authentic tango and Davis legacy - a solidly satisfying musical experience that would have pleased Davis himself.
6. Four & Como Fue - Trombone Man, Juan Pablo Torres Davis built a career upon looking ahead at new musical trends and finding the connections between musical styles – from modal harmony to free improvisation and rock rhythms, Davis always saw the similarities as opposed to differences. Trombonist Juan Pablo Torres shows the same ability on his album Trombone Man; while he may not be looking at new trends, he certainly find the connection between Davis and standard Cuban repertoire by bringing together the Davis composition “Four” and the Ernesto Duarte piece “Como Fue.” The wind players play through a cleverly arranged introduction that firmly establishes a medium tempo son montuno before Torres jumps into a vocal version of “Como Fue.” As Torres visits the Cuban classic, the rhythm section plays the changes to “Four” and Paquito D’Rivera inserts the melody on clarinet. D’Rivera demonstrates a similar cross-stylistic vision on his improvisation, playing solidly with the “Four” changes while subtly implying pieces of “Como Fue” Although he never plays it verbatim, D’Rivera’s sense of melodic construction keeps the melody clearly apparent. After a brief instrumental interlude, pianist Edward Simon leaps into his improvisation, staying firmly in the Davis camp with a lyrically intriguing statement. The group falls into another instrumental interlude, opening the door for a scat solo from Torres. Relishing the opportunity to vocalize, Torres rips through the changes with a playful intensity, using rapid-fire syllables to build his idea. The group never resolves the song into one song, moving out of Torres’ scat with a unison line that abruptly ends the track. Much of Davis’ success could be attributed to his ability to see past stylistic boundaries and build bridge, and Torres taps into that factor here with a distinctly original combination.
7. Milestones - Agua de Cuba, Francisco Aguabella The long stretches of chords and rhythmic emphasis found in Davis’ modal playing often forms a strong connection with salsa and the open descaragas in the Latin Jazz tradition, a fact demonstrated powerfully in percussionist Francisco Aguabella’s interpretation of “Milestones.” Pianist Charlie Otwell introduces the tune with a leisurely unaccompanied stroll through the song’s basic vamp, stretching the time and coloring the harmony with the sustain pedal and quick flights of bluesy notes. Out of nowhere, the rhythm section flies into an up-tempo son montuno while saxophonist Charles Owens and trumpet player Ramon Flores attack the melody with a sharp rhythmic intensity. Aguabella displays a firm understanding of form, melody, and rhythmic context as he opens the standard tumbao into a stream of interactive phrases that compliment the melody and push it into an unstoppable momentum. Otwell rides this inertia into his own statement, letting the band race behind him as he places solidly constructed melodies and short rhythmic phrases over the chord structure. He pushes his idea into the midst of the momentum, building tension with pieces of montunos and rhythmic syncopation until the wind players transition him forward with background lines. Owens disregards any sense of subtly as he charges into his improvisation with a fiery intensity that rips forward with virtuosic lines of rapid notes, rhythmic repetitions, and an underlying sense of urgency. This change of pace awakens Aguabella who flies into an interactive frenzy throughout Owens’ solo, finishing phrases, repeating rhythmic ideas, and commenting with quick licks. Intense but never overbearing, Aguabella helps Owens drive his solo to a powerful climax before the group returns to the original melody with a newfound purpose. Aguabella’s group finds a definite connection to this tune throughout their performance, demonstrating the inherent strength of Davis’ modal concept.
8. So What/Impressions - Chango’s Dance, Bobby Matos Afro-Cuban Ensemble The collaboration between Miles Davis and John Coltrane stands as one of the most compelling relationships in modern jazz; the two musicians pushed and inspired each other during their time together, a fact that Matos recognizes with a dual arrangement of compositions from each musician. Both Davis’ “So What” and Coltrane’s “Impressions” utilize a 32-bar structure, filled with the same long stretches of single chord harmony, a reflection of their investigation into modal improvisation. The only real difference between the two songs lies within the opposing melodies, so Matos takes the opportunity to highlight this fact. Bassist Manny Silvera jumps right into the legendary low range melody of the Davis tune, accented by the sharp horn attacks from the original recording as a blistering son montuno charges through the background. The group shifts gears, led by pianist Ibrahim Parreno’s powerful montuno, into a driving rendition of Coltrane’s “Impressions,” led by the nimble sound of saxophonist Mike Turre and the dual charge of trombonists Dan Weinstein and Steve Baxter. Turre leaps directly into a fiery improvisation, tearing through the modal foundation with a strong musical idea and the inbreed intensity of his cutting tone. He utilizes the best quality of the modal changes on this tune, using the long stretches of chords to build coherent phrases and strongly rooted ideas. By the time the trombones enter with the traditional punches, Turre reaches a fire pitch that drives his improvisation into a stream of squelching notes and fast runs. Conguero Robertito Melendez takes a turn improvising over the changes with a mix of traditional licks and virtuosic rolls as Parreno establishes a blistering montuno. Melendez creates a unique relationship to the changes structuring his ideas and development around the few chord changes, making his improvisation potent and ear catching. Matos demonstrates knowledge of the Davis legacy by playing upon these two tunes, referencing the important collaboration between two of the jazz world’s most important voices.
9. Seven Steps To Heaven - Worldwide, Giovanni Hidalgo
Davis remained distinctly conscious of the power of the personalities found in each of his ensembles throughout his career, and during the 1960s, he often featured young drum wizard Tony Williams on the rhythmic piece “Seven Steps To Heaven.” As Davis’ work became a standard part of jazz cannon, this piece became a natural selection to feature talented percussionists - a perfect spot for one of the Latin Jazz world’s most virtuosic drummers, Giovanni Hidalgo. The song’s percussive emphasis becomes established immediately as Hidalgo opens the track with a chop busting unaccompanied conga solo. After an unbelievable onslaught of rapid-fire rolls and intriguing syncopations, Hidalgo starts a steady groove that leads the group into a manic introductory vamp. The band tears through the melody which leaves plenty of space for sort but intense percussive statements from Hidalgo. Flautist Dave Valentin flies into an energetic solo that nimbly moves through the changes with a steady series of arpeggios and rhythmic accents, all held together with a fluid phrasing technique and a piercing tone. Saxophonist Craig Handy infuses his improvisation with a bluesy edge, taking a short but intense ride through the solo form with bebop intensity and a ferocious forward motion. There’s an engaging inertia in the band as trumpet player Lew Soloff squeaks out an intensity high note to introduce his improvisation before tearing through a quick display of hard bop fire. The group really opens behind Hidalgo, who takes a breath-taking solo over the changes, constructing a solid statement that combines melody and form into a coherent percussive statement. After a strong return to the melody, the rhythm section explodes into a frenzied rumba, blasting wild improvisatory ideas behind a horn vamp. This song serves as a perfect feature for Hidalgo and stays perfectly in line with Davis’ original intentions for the tune - a great mix of personality and tradition.
10. Tutu - Latin Tribute to Miles Davis, Humberto Ramirez The jazz world cherishes Davis’ early work with the 1950s classic quintet with a furious sense of pride while his later fusion period often gets viewed with a curious disdain and careless disregard. While Davis did embrace the influence of popular music, integrating distorted guitars, rock rhythms, and thick synthesizer sounds, he never lost sight of jazz improvisation and his intense creative drive. Still, his early compositions have found their way onto numerous Latin Jazz recordings, while the later fusion material rarely leaves the comfort of the original Davis recordings. Davis did deeply infuse these pieces with a strong connection to the backbeat and funky bass lines, making it difficult to arrange them around clave . . . but not impossible as trumpet player Humberto Ramirez proves on his recording of “Tutu.” Bassist John Benitez maintains the heart of the song with a funky slap bass line as conguero Richie Flores keeps a guaguanco behind Horacio Hernandez’s broken funk backbeat. Ramirez plays the melody with authority and confidence, recalling Davis’ bold approach to fusion rhythms and the tight arrangement of the original album. Pianist Edward Simon winds through the tune with a mysterious vibe, adding color to the one chord vamp with implied harmonies and slightly outside melodies. Ramirez plays upon Davis’ understated phrasing before bursting into a more aggressive improvisatory style that driving the band into a driving funk momentum. Continuing this intensity, Ramirez works the rhythm section into a frenzy with distinctly outside note choices before they lower their dynamic once again for Benitez’s improvisation. The bassist displays ample funk chops on electric bass, spinning bluesy lines that simultaneously stay within the context of the song while referencing the underlying rumba. The group sets up a short vamp, allowing Hernandez to leap into a short improvisation before Ramirez returns with the main melody. Ramirez makes a bold statement on this track, looking at Davis’ full repertoire and validating the possibilities behind his later fusion pieces.
There are multiple elements that drive Latin Jazz musicians to produce outstanding improvisations within the course of an evening, album, or even over a whole career. The foundation of any artist’s improvisational voices lies in their background study and artistic development; artists with extensive mastery of musical languages have more tools to build cohesive statements. Musicians with limited backgrounds often finely tune a few aspects of their musicianship and express themselves within variations upon those elements. The artist’s collaborators inspire great flights of creativity through their interactive presence and the type of support they give the improviser. Sometimes the comfortable presence of familiar musicians eases an artist into a higher plane or other times the spontaneous excitement of a new group of musicians can inspire unexpected results. Context also effects an artist’s performance, and it certainly plays a major part in an improviser’s creative output. The cultural context shapes the harmonic and rhythmic content of a piece of music - an artist’s familiarity with that cultural context defines their improvisational freedom. The actual performance space is another contextual element that drives a musician; from an informal jam session to a high profile concert, each context contains a different set of pressures and liberties. Once all these elements come together into that one magical moment, the artist delivers a deeply effective statement that burns itself deeply into our memories.
Our recent look at some of the Latin Jazz world’s great bass soloists, 7 Unforgettable Latin Jazz Bass Solos, featured an improvisation from Edward Perez on his composition “Yo No Como Camote” from the Eric Kurimski album Réplica - a perfect example of all these elements coming together. Perez brings a strong musical background into his work as a professional improviser - his knowledge base encompasses a broad understanding of jazz, Afro-Peruvian, Afro-Cuban, Brazilian, and Columbian music, as a starting point. This deep level of understanding provides Perez with a perceptive viewpoint upon the music and allows him to offer a thoughtfully constructed approach. His collaborators on the track consisted of many musicians that regular perform with Perez - guitarists Kurimski and Sergio Valdeos as well as percussionist Juan Medrano Cotito have all shared the stage with Perez. The familiarity and confident support opened Perez’s improvisational options. The relationship that Perez built into his solo with the context - Afro-Peruvian Jazz - really made this a groundbreaking solo. While Perez intelligently spoke the melodic language of jazz with his note choices, he conversed through the Afro-Peruvian festejo with his rhythmic performance. There’s depth and beauty powerfully inserted into this improvisation, making it a solo that bass players interested in Afro-Peruvian Jazz need to hear.
When an artist performs the same song with a different set of musical elements, the resultant improvisation often contains interesting musical results - we’ve got an example of that today with this video of Perez performing “Yo No Como Camote.” The strong musicianship that forms the core of Perez’s style never disappears; he exerts a defined artistic presence throughout the performance. While the cultural context remains the same - the jazz harmony and melody still rides over an Afro-Peruvian festejo rhythm - the performance space is definitely different. Rather than a studio recording, this is a live performance from the tribute to Felix Pasache in the callejón del buque, La Victoria district in Lima, Perú. Only one musician from the Réplica session appears here - Cotito. The rest of the musicians include Rafael “Fusa” Miranda on saxophone, Ernesto Hermoza on guitar, and Hugo Alcazar on drums. There’s a different statement here, but one that displays the consistent vision behind Perez’s improvisational voice. Enjoy!
Edward Perez Performing “Yo No Como Camote”
For more outstanding bass playing from Edward Perez, check out: The Year Of Two Summers, Edward Perez
———-
Do you have a video to contribute to satisfy our weekly Latin Jazz video fix? If so, send it in - it’s time to feed our addiction. I’m looking for live performances, from any context. I’ll most likely be posting one video per week, but if you’ve got another idea, let’s talk. So come on Latin Jazz videographers, musicians, and fans - let’s share some of our memorable videos! Get my contact info HERE
Stumble it!
Pianist, composer, and bandleader Rebeca Mauleon’s unbridled enthusiasm for all forms of Cuban music has resulted in a progression of major contributions to the Latin Jazz worlds, including fantastic recordings, thorough educational materials, and interesting books. Starting her musical pursuits as a Flamenco dancer, Mauleón discovered Salsa and Latin music through the San Francisco Bay Area’s lively scene and public radio stations. She started on an amazing journey, simply propelled by her inspiration and love of the music - a bold feat that only truly dedicated individuals attempt. Mauleón practiced her piano skills and examined every Cuban album that she could find; for some this would be a lifetime endeavor, but for Mauleón it was only a start. Not satisfied with the information around her, she traveled to Cuba on several occasions, met some of the most established Cuban musicians, and spent countless hours reading through academic materials on Cuba. Her hard work paid off - as pianist, composer, and arranger for John Santos’ Machete Ensemble, Mauleón established herself as one of the modern Latin Jazz world’s important artistic voices. Always enthusiastic about the music, Mauleón shared her joy through clinics, magazine articles, and eventually a masterpiece in modern Latin music education, The Salsa Guidebook. This text spread knowledge and passion for Cuban music far beyond Mauleón’s San Francisco homebase as schools across the country adopted it as a text for classes around Latin music. Eager to make a personal statement in the Latin Jazz world, Mauleón left the Machete Ensemble and formed her own groups, which have resulted in three outstanding Latin Jazz recordings. Mauleón’s pure love of Cuban music has driven her into an amazingly admirable work ethic that allowed the spread of the artform, ensuring the longevity of Latin Jazz.
Vocalist Sofia Koutsovitis elegantly represents the fusion of South American musics and jazz with a fearless creative edge and a sensitive artistry that sets her apart from her peers. Her knowledge of South American musical styles inform the basis of her unique artistic approach; Koutsovitis boldly visits music from her native Argentina, but also dives into Peruvian, Brazilian, Colombian, and Cuban musics. Her incorporation of South American musics reach far beyond the simple process of inserting rhythms underneath a series of familiar chord changes though. Koutsovitis takes pieces from Argentinean, Brazilian, Peruvian, and Cuban composers, poets, and instrumentalists, fusing a wide inspirational palette into her work. She avoids direct copies of the original pieces though; Koutsovitis sees these works through her own artistic lenses that show the distinct influence of modern jazz performance techniques. As a performer, Koutsovitis utilizes an absolutely captivating combination of emotionally charged phrasing, broad dynamic range, and gorgeous tone. She applies all these skills thoughtfully into each piece, taking the opportunity to create a personal and reflectively thoughtful statement every time that she walks towards the microphone. Koutsovitis asserts a commanding presence that makes her a strong bandleader and desired supporting musician - whether fronting her own group or working as a member of Geoffrey Keezer’s Aureá, the Afro-Peruvian Jazz group Alcatraz, or the Colombian group Folklore Urbano, Koutsovitis’ consistently engaging presence always shines. Her respectful integration of culture, refined vocal talents, personal composition and arranging skills, as well as a carefully constructed artistic performance approach make Koutsovitis a major player in the Latin Jazz world that needs to be heard.
Canadian saxophonist Jane Bunnett has built a strong reputation as an adventurous musician that never stops exploring new artistic directions. Already a proficient jazz saxophonist with a respected career in Canada, Bunnett and her husband trumpeter Larry Cramer journeyed to Cuba on a whim in search of a great vacation. They found their desired get-away, but along the way, they discovered so much more – a highly developed musical world with an impressive amount of history and performance aesthetics to explore. While in Cuba, Bunnett became addicted to the music and returned countless times over the course of several times, studying the music and collaborating with Cuba’s many strong musicians. The fusion of Cuban music and searching modern jazz became a trademark of her career, defining most of her recordings that followed. Along the way, Bunnett developed a distinctive melodic approach on one of the soprano saxophone, a rich instrument often overlooked in the jazz world. Bunnett’s Latin Jazz interpretations stepped beyond a general adherence to the clave though, she has made a mission of injecting her music with authenticity and constantly exploring new directions. Each recording has included different combinations of musicians from Cuba and the United States, and in many cases, Bunnett let the Cuban musicians serve as mentors on the recording. While Bunnett never lost her voice as a leader, each new project served as a learning experience for her, expanding her mastery of the music. At the same time, Bunnett placed herself and her collaborators in different contexts. From pure Cuban folklore to symphonic sounding layers of strings, Bunnett takes every opportunity to push Latin Jazz in an original direction and wait for a response. Her latest release incorporates Cuban musicians, touches of Haitain song, and rich layers of African vocals that result in an intoxicating musical blend. A true role model for all of us, Bunnett has built her career on the cutting-edge of Latin Jazz and she shows no signs of stopping – a lucky thing for all of us that get to enjoy her artistry.
One of the highly respected traits among jazz artists is the courage and conviction to pursue an individual voice and original performance approach; vocalist Kat Parra nurtured this trait by following her life’s path and building upon her strengths. Originally focusing her energy upon flute studies, Parra found a natural ability in singing and fell in love with the expressive qualities behind jazz vocals. Rather than taking the safe path of her already established classical flute skills, she let her passion guide her musical development and dove into the world of jazz with a strong mentor, Patti Cathcart. Parra knew that a strict adherence to the jazz tradition wouldn’t be enough, so she let her multi-language abilities lead her to the musics of South America and the Caribbean. Driven by her new inspiration, Parra connected with some of the best Latin musicians in the Bay Area, performing with local salsa band Charanga 9, trombonist Wayne Wallace, and more. Each step led Parra to the construction of her own artistic personality, but she never sat comfortably upon her success; like any true artist, Parra kept looking ahead. Further studies in Cuba and beyond as well as the release of her first album as a bandleader led Parra deep into a successful performance career. Along the way, a new direction emerged for Parra that would define the next piece of her career – an investigation of the Sephardic music from the Spanish Jews. Newly aligned with Wayne Wallace’s Patois Records label, Parra included some ingenious arrangements of this music on her second release. Along with piano player Murray Low, Parra created a full repertoire based upon this music and found multiple performance venues for the material. Funded by a grant from the Zellerbach Foundation, Parra solidified a group and recently journeyed into the studio to record a full CD for her new group, The Sephardic Music Experience. The development of a strong musical personality takes years of exploration, experimentation, and hard work – Parra paid her dues and has arrived as an experienced musician with an individual voice. Her experience provides ample inspiration for any aspiring Latin Jazz musician.
If each of the previous artists on this list represent established female artists in the Latin Jazz world, vocalist Venissa Santí gives us a good indication that the future of the style rests in good hands. A young artist with a strong conception, Santí views the music through both an informed perspective and a highly personal connection. Raised in a Cuban family, Santí’s culture rests firmly in her artistic approach - while in Cuba, her grandfather spent many years working as a composer, infusing his family with a deep love for music. Inspired by her grandfather’s musical passion and her family’s cultural connection, Santí found an inner artistic connection to Cuban music and felt a responsibility to pursue that realization. Santí studied jazz in college and traveled to Cuba on four occasions to broaden her knowledge; she arrived from those experiences with a strong sense of jazz performance and a knowledge of Cuban folkloric forms. These experiences existed on more than a simple academic level though; Santí took time to formulate a personal conception of these influences that can be heard in each performance. Her dedication and cultural connection to the music leaps out of each track on her debut release Beinvenida - from the deeply personal performance of her grandfather’s composition “Lucerito de mi Amor” to aggressive folkloric sound of “Columbia pa’ Miguel Angel” or the swinging interpretation of the Cuban standard “Tu Mi Delirio,” there’s a constant sense that Santí looked deep inside herself to find her approach. At the same time, Santí maintains a modern edge with touches of rocking blues and English language compositions over Cuban rhythms, paying tribute to her current generation. Santí’s work resonates with an authentic connection to the music, a deeply personal dedication, and an informed performance approach that should guarantee high quality Latin Jazz long into the future.
, the first in a chain of outstanding Latin Jazz recordings as a leader. After years of traveling, Sepulveda has become a major player in the larger Latin Jazz community, in Puerto Rico, New York, and abroad. I’ve collected several pictures of Sepulveda performing in a variety of contexts - at the 2009 Heineken Jazz Festival, the 2009 Greek Theater Latin Jazz Festival, and at a local venue in Puerto Rico, La Repuesta. Enjoy!
Vocalist, pianist, percussionist, composer and arranger Susan Pereira, a New York native, has been one of the most versatile musicians on that city’s Brazilian music scene since 1983. While deeply rooted in traditional Brazilian styles, her broad background in jazz and world music has enabled her to develop a distinct musical personality. Fluent in Portuguese, she is a singer who blends a silky, rich tone with superior vocal technique and is a particularly skilled lyric interpreter and scat singer. Susan’s percussive piano style is enhanced by her mastery of complex Brazilian rhythms and her original Brazilian jazz compositions are a popular part of her performances.
. Decades later, Levine gathered a group of Santos compositions and arranged them into a serious Latin Jazz set for his group The Latin Tinge, a collective of some of the Bay Area’s best Latin Jazz musicians. The resultant recording sparkles with enthusiastic creativity, shines with professional performances, and remembers Santos with a fond respect.
Very few jazz artists have led as diverse and influential careers as the iconic trumpet player Miles Davis. Emerging during the bebop period, he cut his teeth on the harmonic and melodic language of the day, eventually earning a spot alongside the legendary sax player Charlie Parker. Davis struggled in the context of Parker’s blazingly fast music, so he developed a distinct approach to phrasing that set him apart from his peers. He found a soul mate in the Canadian arranger Gil Evans, who joined together with Davis in 1948 to record a nonet project - 
, a famous record that spawned the “cool jazz” movement. People started to notice Davis, allowing him to work as a bandleader utilizing a rotating cast of musicians. During the 1950s, Davis gathered the musicians for his first classic quintet - saxophonist John Coltrane, pianist Red Garland, bassist Paul Chambers, and drummer Philly Joe Jones. The core group recorded several influential albums, but over the years members rotated, allowing for the entrance of pianists Bill Evans and Wynton Kelly, drummer Jimmy Cobb, and saxophonist Julian “Cannonball” Adderley. Davis and Bill Evans organized the music for one of the jazz world’s most influential recordings, 
, which involved the Davis sextet investigating modal improvisation. At the same time, Davis continued to collaborate with Gil Evans on a number of lushly orchestrated jazz recordings that placed Davis’ warm tone and entrancing phrasing in an almost symphonic setting, including 
as well as 
. By the early 1960s, most of the members of Davis’ quintet had dispersed, and the trumpet player recruited bassist Ron Carter, pianist Herbie Hancock, drummer Tony Williams, and sax player George Coleman. The group recorded a few albums, but Coleman’s traditional approach clashed with the younger musicians, so Davis replaced him with Wayne Shorter, completing his second great quintet. This group started pushing Davis towards a more free and contemporary approach, rooted in Shorter’s cutting edge compositions. Near the end of the 1960s, Davis recognized the growing prominence of electronic instruments and rock rhythms, which he combined with free improvisation on albums such as 
, 
, and 
. His growing sound and rock star attitude introduced fusion into the world, inspiring a new generation of musicians to investigate jazz improvisation. Despite an unstoppable popularity, Davis took a five-year break from music, returning in 1981 for a series of pop tinged albums that pushing him into a critical mass of worldwide fame, including 
, 
, 
, and 
. After 10 more years of touring and recording, Davis died in 1991, leaving an enormous amount of musical information for the world to digest.
, Conrad Herwig
.
, Claudio Roditi
, Chucho Valdes
, Tito Puente
, Juan Pablo Torres
, Francisco Aguabella
, Bobby Matos Afro-Cuban Ensemble
, Giovanni Hidalgo
, Humberto Ramirez
There are multiple elements that drive Latin Jazz musicians to produce outstanding improvisations within the course of an evening, album, or even over a whole career. The foundation of any artist’s improvisational voices lies in their background study and artistic development; artists with extensive mastery of musical languages have more tools to build cohesive statements. Musicians with limited backgrounds often finely tune a few aspects of their musicianship and express themselves within variations upon those elements. The artist’s collaborators inspire great flights of creativity through their interactive presence and the type of support they give the improviser. Sometimes the comfortable presence of familiar musicians eases an artist into a higher plane or other times the spontaneous excitement of a new group of musicians can inspire unexpected results. Context also effects an artist’s performance, and it certainly plays a major part in an improviser’s creative output. The cultural context shapes the harmonic and rhythmic content of a piece of music - an artist’s familiarity with that cultural context defines their improvisational freedom. The actual performance space is another contextual element that drives a musician; from an informal jam session to a high profile concert, each context contains a different set of pressures and liberties. Once all these elements come together into that one magical moment, the artist delivers a deeply effective statement that burns itself deeply into our memories. 
Join The LJC Community in a Feed Reader
Saxophone Player Mitch Frohman