When I discover established Latin Jazz artists far into their careers, their current recorded works seem like masterpieces deserving of repeated listenings. I love the process of checking out their compositional techniques and hearing how they integrate different Latin styles into a jazz setting. Each artist has an individual approach, refined over years of experimentation. I enjoy discovering the artist’s improvisational voice and hearing the unique spin that the put on the traditional jazz improv language. They build a voice through years of experimentation, a thorough study of traditional phrases, and conscious musical decisions. Although many established Latin Jazz artists continue to explore new avenues, we usually hear the result of years of hard work and self-discovery - a refined jazz artist.

I always find myself feeling like I missed something though - these artists generally have a slew of previous recordings both under their own names and as sidemen. These recordings constitute much more than additional listening though, they tell the story of the musician’s artistic development. The artist’s search for an improvisational voice becomes apparent, and their influences shine through their playing. Their early compositions provide insight into musical choices that affect their later works. The artist may have previously explored styles that they have since left behind - these different settings generally inspire a forgotten approach in the artist’s performances. That’s why I love re-releases; the prospect of finding older recordings and observing the artist’s development truly gets me excited.

Two album reissues from Bele Bele Jazz Club, Este Camino Largo and The Lost Sessions, offer listeners the opportunity to revisit D’Rivera’s Havana days. These recordings place him in a variety of contexts and find him collaborating with diverse musicians. Avid D’Rivera listeners may have heard some of these tracks on other albums, but many of them have been taken from hard to find recordings. The expected collaborations arise often on these CDs - most notably D’Rivera’s association with Chucho Valdes and Irakere - but the albums also contain some unlikely musical partners, such as a Finnish jazz combo and the Egrem Studios Orchestra. These two albums provide an interesting look at a piece of Latin Jazz history that all too often goes unheard due to the time period’s politics.

The Lost Sessions
The selections on this album derive from a mishmash of sources, each featuring D’Rivera as the centerpiece. The album’s first three tracks emanate from a rare album that D’Rivera recorded on the Cuban label Areito, En Finlandia. Recorded with a Finnish jazz combo, they all explore D’Rivera’s interest in straight-ahead jazz. Other songs find D’Rivera being accompanied by varying combinations of musicians associated with Irakere. A large number of pieces place D’Rivera in the context of the Egrem Studios Orchestra as the main soloist. The group explores a variety of interesting orchestrations, from classic boleros to bright sambas. The album serves as a tribute to the strength of D’Rivera’s musicianship and flexibility, which even at a young age, rivaled the best musicians.

The album’s strength derives from the ability to look at D’Rivera’s early work through a variety of different supporting groups. “Para Ti Llevo Más” places D’Rivera in front of the Irakere rhythm section, driving through an intense feel. He delivers an energetic alto solo, drowned in reverb. The Finnish Jazz Combo provides a bright up-tempo swing feel for D’Rivera’s interpretation of “Stella By Starlight.” He swings furiously through the classic standard, spinning a non-stop stream of ideas. The Egrem Studios Orchestra employs a variety of tonal colors and a steady Brazilian beat behind D’Rivera on “Bossa del Pico Eléctronico.” D’Rivera plays mostly to the arrangement with a strong reading of the melody and a brief solo, both on flute. The string section creates a lush foundation to the bolero “Te Quiero Mas y Te No Estas.” The arrangement seems aimed at a pop audience, but D’Rivera skillfully weaves creative lines on his alto solo. Each track allows D’Rivera to explore different musical directions while bringing his core approach into the spotlight.

Although D’Rivera certainly developed his musicianship and technical ability earlier than the date of these recordings, the many performance contexts reveal a young D’Rivera searching for his voice as a mature musician. D’Rivera’s father trained him on both classical clarinet and saxophone at a young age, and he had toured the world demonstrating his skills. He had performed in Cuba with the Havana Symphony, the Orquesta de Musica Moderna, and more. His jump into jazz and the political issues that the Castro government created around the music’s American nature pushed his musicality into a different realm though. The search for identity remains wonderfully audible - much of the sound that we associate with D’Rivera lies in the recordings, but there’s also a rough edge and youthful vibrance that emanates from the music. The Lost Sessions represents that transitionary period for D’Rivera, where he moved from an incredibly talented young professional into the polished artist that we hear today.

Este Camino Largo
This album’s tracks show a more focused side of D’Rivera’s work during his days in Cuba. Several songs stem from his time with the seminal Cuban fusion band, Irakere; these tracks show his influence upon the band as both a soloist and overall stylist. More pieces from Irakere document their performance with the legendary guitarist Leo Brouwer. Some of these recordings were originally released on the album Great Moments, while others appear here for the first time. These songs demonstrate D’Rivera’s ability to bridge distinct styles, from ragtime to classical and Afro-Cuban rhythms. Two tracks once again place D’Rivera as a soloist with a Finnish jazz combo, providing the complete album that was originally recorded in 1978. These are the only songs that step outside the realm of Irakere, so they offer a distinctly different view of his playing. Overall, it’s a good view of D’Rivera’s work during his later years in Cuba.

There are several spots on the album that peek into D’Rivera’s brilliance as a young musician. Irakere’s collaboration with Brouwer displays a true bridge between styles on the extended version of Joaquin Rodrigo’s “Concierto de Aranjuez.” After a long dip into classical guitar by Brouwer, Irakere joins with a Flamenco inspired solo accompaniment that sets the stage for a playful soprano sax improvisation from D’Rivera. A gentle rubato piano introduction by Chucho Valdes leads into an inspired duet on “Este Camino Largo.” The understanding support and interplay between the two musicians reveals a strong comaderie and an intimate artistic familiarity. “Chekere-Son” finds all of Irakere performing in their standard blend of traditional jazz, aggressive funk, Afro-Cuban roots, and innovative compositions. D’Rivera joins the melody with his strong bari sax sound and then proceeds to weave a masterful statement from bebop phrases, Cuban rhythmic ideas, and a funky tone. The consummate expression of D’Rivera as a young musician emerges on Irakere’s gospel-tinged version of Mozart’s “Adagio del Concierto en La Mayor.” His training as a classical clarinetist left him intimately familiar with this piece, and D’Rivera brilliantly combines the original composition with bluesy jazz phrases. The album treats the listener to several perspective of D’Rivera within Irakere, where his personality consistently shines.

Most of the album provides a great shot of Irakere during the mid-1970s with spots of brilliance from D’Rivera. Every track contains a fabulous solo or in some cases a feature from the saxophonist, but in most cases, it’s the appeal of the whole group that drives the album. It’s the total package that made Irakere special during the 1970s - Valdes’ mind-boggling compositions, the superb virtuosity of the wind players, the combination of electronic instruments and Latin Jazz aesthetics - every piece formed an unstoppable inertia that redefined history. The album certainly makes the case for D’Rivera’s integral role in Irakere - the group undoubtedly survived without him, but it was never quite the same after he left. He provided a musical perspective that spanned stylistic boundaries and a unique voice that stood as a symbol for the band. Este Camino Largo highlights this era nicely and isolates classic pieces of D’Rivera; considering this, in combination with the fact that early Irakere tracks can be difficult to find, this album serves as a wonderful record of this era.

———-
Together, the two albums reveal a slice of D’Rivera’s early work, before his transition into American life. Although separated between albums, the album En Finlandia can be found here, a rare treat that places him in a mostly straight-ahead setting. Many of the Irakere tracks are hard to find; when placed together with more readily available sources, such as The Best of Irakere, modern listeners can get a good feel for his work with the legendary group. D’Rivera’s forays into orchestrated works and classicism harkens back to his life as a young virtuoso, playing with orchestras. Hopefully we’ll be able to hear some of that work someday! In many ways, these two albums complete the picture of D’Rivera for an American audience that may have missed this piece of his career.

D’Rivera’s memoirs, My Sax Life, act as a good companion to these recordings. The book covers his Cuba days in detail, tells stories behind some of these recordings, and provides insight into his early New York years. D’Rivera transfers all the wit and humor apparent in his music into his writing as well - it’s a fun book due to his good-natured look at life. At the same time, it honestly outlines the harsh realities of artistic life in Cuba under the Castro regime and discusses the difficult transition into life away from the island. This book provides a fuller picture of the man behind the music - it’s a must-read for any serious D’Rivera fan!

———-
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!

Stumble it!