The Revisiting series features albums from the past that played a significant role in Latin Jazz history. The purpose of this series is to introduce new Latin Jazz listeners to important albums and look back at these albums in historical perspective. Each entry will jump to a different point in Latin Jazz history - this week we jump ahead into the early nineties.

A lifelong dedication to music that explores new ideas and directions requires a completely selfless commitment to the art form. Musical decisions often require artists to step outside the musical flavor of the day and experiment. Sometimes these choices lead to profitable futures, while other times new musical directions take years to be accepted. In the latter case, musicians face lean times that test the extent of their dedication. Artists with real visions remain true to their ideas and leave an impact upon history. Other musicians that perform in the same circles may realize the artist’s contribution, but the greater musical world may remain unaware. In many cases, artists die before the greater musical world recognizes their contributions, and they leave the world without the public acknowledging their importance.

Bandleader Mario Bauzá significantly changed the landscape of jazz and Latin music, and fortunately spent the last years of his life receiving the praise of the music world. A young prodigy on oboe and clarinet, Bauzá recorded with Antonio Romeu’s danzon orchestra in Cuba until he discovered jazz and switched to the saxophone. A move to New York and a change to trumpet led to Bauzá driving several swing bands into history. He worked as Chick Webb’s musical director in the early 1930s and convinced the bandleader to hire a young and inexperienced vocalist, Ella Fitzgerald. When he worked for Cab Calloway, he created a spot in the Calloway band for a young trumpet player struggling for work, Dizzy Gillespie. He formed a new band with his brother-in-law, Frank “Machito” Grillo, which became a leader on the New York mambo scene. During his time as musical director for The Machito Orchestra, he integrated jazz into the band extensively and introduced Gillespie to a friend; conguero Chano Pozo - Gillespie and Pozo joined together and solidified the importance of Cuban music in the jazz world. In 1976, Bauzá left the Machito Orchestra and formed his own band. During his 80th Birthday concert in 1991, Messidor Records offered Bauzá the opportunity to record the band. The three albums that followed brought him a great deal of fame. By the time Bauzá died on July 11, 1993, the music world had been quite outgoing in their recognition of Bauzá’s contributions.

The first of these Messidor albums, the 1992 release Tanga, displayed Bauzá’s high musical standard and deep roots in both Cuban music and jazz. The album centers on a five-movement suite based upon the theme from Bauzá’s famous composition Tanga. Arranger Chico O’Farrell elegantly moves the song through a symphonic setting with opera-esqe singers, an up-tempo mambo, a bembe rhythm, a bolero with lush harmonies, and a driving rumba. Bauzá reaches back into his Palladium days with “Azulito,” a screaming mambo that features energetic solos from Dioris Rivera on Tenor Sax, Conrad Herwig on trombone, and Stanton Davis on trumpet. After a rubato opening, vocalist Rudy Calzado weaves a series of experienced pregóns through “Ganga (Palo En Ganga).” “Mambo Rincon” begins with a melody from lead trumpet player Victor Paz backed by a huge big band sound and then moves into a saxophone feature. Solos from saxes, trombones, and trumpets form the song’s foundation near the end, bringing an undeniable jazz feeling to the Cuban rhythms. Guest artist Paquito D’Rivera provides the composition “Chucho,” a minor blues dedicated to his former employer Chucho Valdes. D’Rivera performs a memorable solo, pushed by the big band into a climax on the upper register of his instrument. Each track strikes a poignant balance between the history that Bauzá helped create and the future that the featured players represent.

Bauzá remained completely dedicated to Latin Jazz throughout his life, and Tanga reflects the depth and passion inherent in his work. The public responded enthusiastically, encouraging Bauzá’s busy musical resurgence over the next two years. The band toured across the country, playing high profile gigs previously unavailable. Several younger musicians, such as Bobby Sanabria, Conrad Herwig, and Michael Philip Mossman spent time with the Bauzá band, learning from a true Latin Jazz mentor and honoring the history that he represented. Bauzá created two more albums for the Messidor label, My Time Is Now and 944 Columbus. Bauzá and his band recorded the later album just two months before Bauzá’s death in 1993; his selfless dedication to Latin Jazz literally lasted until the end of his life. These albums present a raw Latin big band power that speaks volumes about Bauzá’s important role in the development of Latin Jazz - and the first, Tanga, introduced a whole new group of people to his work who then gave Bauzá the credit he more than deserved.

Revisit more classic albums:
Concepts in Unity, Grupo Folklorico y Experimental
Palmas, Eddie Palmieri
Cal Tjader’s Latin Concert

Stumble it!