Jerry Gonzalez’s improvisational voice takes on many facets throughout his work with The Fort Apache Band. As a melodic player, he can approach a ballad with the sensitivity of Miles Davis and then take an up-tempo tune with the fire of Wayne Shorter’s spirit. His rhythmic sensibility runs the gamut from angular bebop rhythms ala Thelonious Monk to the quinto playing of a true rumbero. Insightful and informed, passionate and exposed, interactive and driving - these are all words that describe the highly personal playing that runs throughout Jerry Gonzalez’s work.

This solo on the Cuban standard “Obsesion” from the Fort Apache Band album Moliendo Café presents many typical aspects of Gonzalez’s improvisation style. Typically played as a ballad, the group turns this song into an intensive up-tempo rumba. They maintain the traditional integrity by placing the rhythm section in a double time “feel” so the chords still pass at a fairly slow tempo. Gonzalez plays over one chorus, which lasts for 64 bars - the song form is 32 bars, but the double time “feel” presents the sensation of 8 beats (2 bars) for each measure. He plays a two-measure pick-up bar as well between the melody and his solo. With the double time feel, this moves at a pretty fast tempo; it will take repeated listens!

Some Points of Interest:
* Gonzalez’s Use of Fluid Rhythmic Ideas
Many Latin Jazz soloists will break their melodic ideas to emphasize syncopated rhythmic figures. Gonzalez has the advantage of dual instrumental mastery between trumpet and congas. He knows how to build a solo rhythmically on the congas, so he can easily integrate interesting rhythmic figures into his phrasing. Look at the stop break in the first two measures and notice the mixture of triplets, sixteenth notes, and eighth notes moving as part of the ascending line.

* Gonzalez’s Use of Triplets to Imply Swing Phrasing
Gonzalez obviously sees relationships between different musical styles; he walks the line between jazz and Afro-Cuban music recklessly. At several points, he implies swing eighth notes through the use of a quarter note and eighth note in a triplet grouping. You can find this throughout measures 15 - 16, measure 22, and measure 34. This technique serves to “stretch” the time and lets the soloist “float” over the rhythm section.

Gonzalez brings a unique improvisational style to the music - another great study! I’ve included links to transposed versions of the solo below for alternate instrumentalists, enjoy!

Jerry Gonzalez Trumpet Solo on “Obsesion” (Bb), pg. 1
Jerry Gonzalez Trumpet Solo on “Obsesion” (Bb), pg. 2
Jerry Gonzalez Trumpet Solo on “Obsesion” (Eb), pg. 1
Jerry Gonzalez Trumpet Solo on “Obsesion” (Eb), pg. 2
Jerry Gonzalez Trumpet Solo on “Obsesion” (Bass Clef), pg. 1
Jerry Gonzalez Trumpet Solo on “Obsesion” (Bass Clef), pg. 2

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