The jazz world has never given the flute the star status enjoyed by the saxophone or trumpet. There’s a precedent for the instrument’s presence; several musicians have taken the instrument to impressive avenues in traditional jazz. From Count Basie flautist Frank Wess to modern virtuoso Herbie Mann or experimental musicians Yusef Lateef and Eric Dolphy - a wide number of artists have given the instrument a jazz voice. Still, ten times as many jazz musicians have expressed themselves through the alto or tenor saxophone and trumpet. In addition, there has never been a major jazz icon that played the flute as their main instrument. While artists like Mann or Dolphy have reached high levels of popularity in the jazz world, their names simply don’t hold the historical weight or public knowledge of musicians like trumpeter Miles Davis or saxophonist Charlie Parker. Despite the best intentions of a number of artists, the flute remains a supporting instrument among the front line of jazz wind players.

The Latin music world has had a different experience altogether - the flute has long been held as an instrument of major importance. Deeply rooted in Cuban traditional music, the flute will forever be connected with the charanga orchestras that sprang to life in 1940s Havana. As charanga groups moved through danzons and cha cha chas, the flute served as the primary melodic instrument over a sea of strings and a reduced rhythm section. The instrument’s light tone added to the elegance of the music, while it’s cutting high range and percussive possibilities made it an ideal solo instrument. Early danzon flautists such as Antonio Arcaño set a precedent for the instrument’s stylistic norms and pushed it into the forefront of the music. As Cuban based dance music evolved, it drew upon the elements established by the charanga orchestras, while bringing in pieces of the son and rumba as well. The flute remained an important instrument, and new influential voices emerged including Jose Fajardo, Johnny Pacheco, and Dave Valentin. As Latin music merged with jazz, the flute arose as a natural front line instrument.

In the modern jazz world, the flute remains an important solo instrument, and a new generation of influential musicians are keeping the tradition alive. These musicians are drawing upon the lessons of their mentors and creating new avenues for expression as a flautist. They integrate the fundamentals of Cuban dance music and straight-ahead jazz, but there’s more to their music than that. These artistic expressions involve Brazilian styles, classical music, traditional Venezuelan music, funk, gospel, and more. These artists are proudly keeping the flute in the forefront of Latin Jazz and ensuring that it remains an essential voice in the genre.

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Mark Weinstein
Mark Weinstein has explored many avenues of musical expression throughout his career, always maintaining a high level of musicianship and a passion for Latin music and jazz. He studied trombone while in high school and quickly began performing professionally around the New York area. He began doubling on string bass and was introduced into the world of Latin bass playing by bandleader Larry Harlow. Throughout the 1960s, Weinstein played an instrumental role in the New York salsa scene, playing trombone and recording with Eddie Palmieri, La Paz Sextet, the Alegre All-Stars, Cal Tjader, Tito Puente, and more. During this time, he also served as a composer and arranger for many of these artists, injecting a heavy dose of jazz harmonies into the salsa world. Always eager to investigate new musical possibilities, Weinstein began developing compositions that placed Santeria rhythms in a jazz context. After some initial resistance, Weinstein gathered an incredible line-up of musicians that included percussionist Julito Collazo, baritone saxophonist Mario Rivera, pianist Chick Corea, and bassist Bobby Valentin. The resultant album, Cuban Roots was recorded quickly, roughly mixed, and received little support from its record label. Over time, the album became a cult favorite among Latin Jazz fans, but the music world’s initial lack of support shocked Weinstein, who soon left music. He returned to school in the 1970s, earning a PhD in Philosophy, and finding a college teaching job. He spent the next decade practicing flute, which led to the 1996 recording Seasoning and the 1998 follow-up Jazz World Trios. By this time, the Latin Jazz world had recognized the significance of Weinstein’s 1967 album, so he updated the material with a new band on Cuban Roots Revisited. Weinstein continued on a focused path towards new music, recording more jazz with Cuban folklore on Algo Más, Brazilian Jazz on O Nosso Amor, and straight-ahead jazz on Straight No Chaser. In 2007, LJC readers elected Weinstein as Latin Jazz Flautist of the Year for his performance on his album Con Alma, a more traditional Latin Jazz quartet recording. Weinstein released another Brazilian Jazz exploration in 2008, Lua E Sol, a collaboration with guitarist Romero Lubambo and percussionist Cyro Baptista. Weinstein’s creative spirit, continuous drive to find new music, and dedication to musical excellence guarantees a bright future for Latin Jazz flute.

John Calloway
John Calloway’s undying dedication to Latin music, his deep involvement in education across a variety of spectrums, and creative compositional technique have made him a key figure in the strength of the San Francisco Latin Jazz scene. Calloway grew up in San Francisco’s Excelsior District, cutting his musical teeth among his peers at Balboa High School. In the early 1980s, he traveled to the East Coast for five years to study music at City College of New York, immersing himself in the city’s rich jazz and Latin scenes. Calloway built the foundation of his concept here, connecting with Jerry Gonzalez, Andy Gonzalez, and Oscar Hernandez, as well as performing with Libre and Charanga 76. Upon his return to the Bay Area, Calloway joined together with conguero John Santos, percussionist Michael Spiro, pianist Rebeca Mauleon, and more to form Orquesta Batachanga, which released Mañana Para Los Niños in 1985. The group eventually fell apart, but Calloway and many of the founding members continued their musical path with Santos and his Machete Ensemble. Calloway composed, performed, and arranged on all of the group’s quality recordings, including Tribute to the Masters, Machetazo!: 10 Years on the Edge, and the Grammy nominated S.F. Bay. During this time, Calloway actively worked as an educator, teaching in several San Francisco elementary schools, serving on the staff of the Stanford Jazz Workshop, and leading the Latin Jazz Youth Ensemble of San Francisco. He released his first album as a leader in 2003, Diaspora, which featured his compositions prominently. He continued his work with Santos in the percussionist’s current project, The John Santos Quintet, recording on the 2007 release Papa Mambo and the 2008 album Perspectiva Fragmentada. Calloway’s second album, The Code, arrived in 2007, bringing a refined compositional approach that combined Cuban folklore, jazz, and contemporary styles. As Calloway continues to lead the way in outstanding performance, composition, and education, the Bay Area Latin Jazz scene is guaranteed a solid future.

Andrea Brachfeld
Andrea Brachfeld has been a notable presence on the New York music scene over the past several years, bringing her strong flute work to the forefront of several Latin Jazz and charanga groups. Brachfeld began her musical studies early, picking up the piano at 6 and moving onto the flute at age 10. She found a passion in the flute that led her to New York’s High School of Music and Art and eventually the Manhattan School of Music. During this time, Brachfeld found a voice in the jazz world, studying with Jimmy Heath, Billy Taylor, Yusef Lateef, and Barry Harris through the Jazzmobile and Jazz Interactions workshops. After sitting in with friends in a Latin band, Brachfeld was invited to join a charanga band, which led to work with Charanga ‘76, Tipica New York, Orquesta Broadway, and Charanga America. Following a 2-year stay in Venezuela performing music, Brachfeld minimized her musical activities, focusing her energies upon her family. Seventeen years later, she returned to music full time, releasing the album Remembered Dreams in 2000. She followed with the 2003 album Back With Sweet Passion, which brought an incredible supporting cast that included pianist Oscar Hernandez and violinist Alfredo de le Fe. The album called upon Brachfeld’s charanga roots, mixing the style with a strong dose of jazz improvisation. Brachfeld joined with percussionist Chembo Corniel to look at jazz standards through a Latin perspective on the 2006 album Beyond Standards. The recording featured trombonist Steve Turre, percussionist Pedrito Martínez, and served as one of the last recordings from pianist Hilton Ruiz before his untimely death. In 2008, Brachfeld released a collection of original compositions on Into The World: A Musical Offering, an album that once again blended jazz, Afro-Cuban rhythms, and a New York edge. Brachfeld’s deep roots in New York’s jazz and Latin scenes, mixed with her potent sense of musicality bring her flute voice to the front of today’s Latin Jazz scene.

Marco Granados
Marco Granados has spent a lifetime devoted to the performance of high quality music that ranges from classical music to his native Venezuelan folk music. Granados began his musical career during his time in Venezuela with early studies on the flute. As his skills progressed, Granados moved to the United States to pursue a higher education. He started his formal music training at the Julliard School of Music, eventually earning a bachelor’s degree from the Mannes College of Music. In addition, he had the privilege of private study with world-class flautists James Galway and Jean-Pierre Rampal. As Granados established himself further in New York, he continued his education at the Manhattan School of Music. Granados’ technical virtuosity and impeccable musicality quickly gained the attention of the classical music world. Granados premiered major works by South American composers with the Maracaibo Symphony Orchestra, the Venezuelan Symphony Orchestra, and the Symphony Orchestra of Lima. In the States, Granados has appeared as a soloist with the New York City Symphony, the Philharmonia Virtuosi of New York, and the Julliard Chamber Orchestra. At the same time, Granados maintained a career focused upon Latin music, appearing with the Quintet of the Americas, the Amerigo Ensemble, and the Camerata Latinoamericana. Granados made his first recorded statement as a bandleader in 1999 with Sunflute, a mix of jazz, Venezuelan music, and other Latin influences. He formed a band, Un Mundo, to support his work and proceeded to tour regularly. He added his musicality to vocalist Denyce Graves’ 2003 album The Lost Days and pianist Roger Davidson’s 2006 recording Pensando en Ti. Granados released his second album in 2008, Music of Venezuela, displaying the tight virtuosity of his band and their far-reaching knowledge of jazz and Venezuelan music. Granados’ classical virtuosity and rich presentation of Venezuelan styles make his music stand apart in the Latin Jazz world, giving him a voice that can’t be missed.

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Check Out These Related Posts:
4 Latin Jazz Vocalists Forging Their Own Identity
5 Latin Jazz Guitarists Making A Contribution To The Scene
5 Latin Jazz Bass Players Driving Today’s Scene
10 Latin Jazz Perspectives on Horace Silver

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