From the late 1960s into the new millennium, Carlos Del Puerto redefined the role of the bass in Latin Jazz, Salsa, and jazz-fusion. His thoughtful application of the electric bass brought the instrument a new level of stature and musical appreciation. His use of multiple techniques brought new colors into the traditional texture, but never seemed overly technical. Del Puerto displayed instrumental virtuosity, matching the frenetic melodic lines of Chucho Valdes and the endless list of world-class wind players that moved through Irakere. Above all, he utilized his ferocious creative skillsto carve a distinct improvisational voice that served as the foundation for Irakere and many more artists.

Del Puerto’s solo on “Chucho” from the Paquito D’Rivera recording Cubajazz showcases his ability to maintain a strong personal style while playing melodically. The solo cycle moves through a 12 bar minor blues in concert D minor over an up-tempo Son Montuno. Del Puerto plays through 4 choruses, building upon melodic ideas in the higher register of his bass. His solo follows a particularly wild statement from Chucho Valdes, so the band breaks down to a thin texture to provide contrast. Del Puerto makes good use of the space, both defining the harmony and weaving strong improvisational lines against the rhythm.

Some Points of Interest:
*Del Puerto’s fluid combination of Quarter Note Triplets, Eighth Note Triplets, and Standard Eighth Notes
Del Puerto’s extensive musical vocabulary allows him to seamlessly create lines that contain diverse rhythmic ideas. The fact that he utilizes a variety of triplets and standard eighth note figures is not really revolutionary; the inherent fluidity in his approach brings this idea to a higher level. Rather than concentrating on one rhythmic idea for a series of measures, he logically pulls each one together in long musical phrases. Check out the third chorus (starting at measure 25), where you’ll find a string of rhythmic ideas that sit together naturally.

*Del Puerto’s Use of Register Displacement Over An Octave
Del Puerto creates significant rhythmic emphasis by quickly switching between extreme registers. This technique works well for string players - Del Puerto plays in the high register on one string then drops to the open string below it. Alternating between strings rhythmically creates unique accents; especially when backed by the low punch of an open bass string. In measure 23, Del Puerto utilizes a two-octave drop and a major 15th drop. He drops two octaves plus a minor 3rd in measure 30, and then inserts some smaller jumps in the last two measures of the solo.

The transposed versions of “Chucho” can be found below. While most horn players might generally gravitate away from a bass solo, I would recommend taking some time with this transcription. Del Puerto’s musicianship transcends standard bass conventions; this statement stands as a pure musical thought. There’s a lot to learn here - enjoy!

Carlos Del Puerto “Chucho” solo (C), pg. 1
Carlos Del Puerto “Chucho” solo (C), pg. 2
Carlos Del Puerto “Chucho” solo (Bb), pg. 1
Carlos Del Puerto “Chucho” solo (Bb), pg. 2
Carlos Del Puerto “Chucho” solo (Eb), pg. 1
Carlos Del Puerto “Chucho” solo (Eb), pg. 2

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