Jesus Alemañy & Carlos Alvarez Solos on Descarga De Hoy

Cuban trumpet player Jesus Alemañy lit the world on fire in 1996 when he unexpectedly burst onto the international music scene with his debut release, Cubanismo. Alemañy had refined his trumpet chops since a young age, with a conservatory training and street credibility among the carnival comparsas. He deepened his understanding of Cuban music and built upon his inherent musicality through years of touring and recording with the son band Sierra Maestra. In the mid-1990s, Alemañy’s training had equipped him with a firm understanding of the past and his activity among Cuba’s current music scene helped him maintain a pulse on the present; he was armed with a solid concept and ready to work as a bandleader. He joined forces with legendary Cuban pianist Alfredo Rodriguez and gathered an enviable cast of Cuba’s best musicians including percussionists Tata Güines and Miguel “Anga” Diaz, bassist Carlos Puerto Jr., flautist Orlando “Maraca” Valle, and saxophonist Yosvany Terry, among others. Led by Alemañy, the group recorded a collection of addictive descargas that captured the high energy and enthusiasm of the musicians.

The album’s undeniable anthem was the octane charged “Descarga De Hoy,” a fiery jam session that verified the group’s massive presence. Valle penned the tune, based upon a basic i-V-i chord progression and filled with a memorable and a group of catchy melodies. The melodies provided a loose structure, leaving plenty of room for improvisation. Alemañy and trombone player Carlos Alvarez trade 16 bar phrases between the initial melody, leading into a funky moña. Rodriguez follows with an aggressive solo, building tension with layers of polyrhythmic syncopation. After Rodriguez revisits the original montuno, the group explodes into a dynamic mambo while Alemañy again displays his impressive trumpet chops. Percussionist Julien Oviedo delivers a memorable bongó solo before the group brings the song to a dramatic close. It’s an incredible track that leaves listeners singing the melodies, dancing to the montuno, and respecting the overwhelming musicianship.

The following transcription covers the initial solos from Jesus Alemañy and Carlos Alvarez; they both take two 16 measures sections, separated by a 16 measure melody. There’s a wealth of both traditional and virtuosic licks in all the solo phrases, it’s worth the study. Make sure that you check out the original recording, there’s a lot to be said for the groove that these musicians put into their work. Enjoy!

Some Points Of Interest
*Alemañy Use Of Pick-Ups And Rhythmic Emphasis
Alemañy establishes his connection to the clave immediately with a pick-up that leads directly into beat one of his first measure. From there, his choice of rhythms in the first measure places an undeniable emphasis upon beats one and three. The rhythm section catches Alemañy’s awareness of the clave, and they push the groove even harder. At that point, Alemañy can stretch the rhythm in any way he chooses - the rhythm section is firmly locked into his playing.

*Alvarez’s Off-Beat Phrasing
Alvarez creates tension immediately when he enters in bar 49 with a series of offbeat note placements. He weaves through the rhythm with the grace and style of the best motunero, once again locking into the rhythm section. His choice of notes seals the deal here - he cleverly moves through three notes, keeping the phrases melodically simple and based purely upon rhythm. He finds release from his phrase in measure 52, resolving his idea on the and of 2 - right in line with the 3 side of clave.

*Alemañy’s Use of Chromatic Notes
The i-V-i chord progression provides a limited group of basic note choices for improvisation, but an expert improviser like Alemañy just sees this as an opportunity to apply his creativity. When he enters with his second phrases in measure 81, he plays a long string of notes that move through his instrument’s whole mid-range over the course of three measures. He doesn’t simply climb the basic scale though; he winds through it with a repeated pattern. This pattern uses chromatic notes to emphasize certain notes of the scale and create unique colors.

*Alvarez’s Emphasize Of A Few Notes
Alvarez uses the difference between simplicity and rapid scalar runs to create contrast and tension when he returns for his second round. In measures 113 - 120, he emphasizes only a few notes, moving between them in different combinations. He even begins his idea with fairly basic rhythmic choices, staying with half notes and quarter notes in the first four bars. The rhythms start to fall on the offbeats in measure 117, slowing building tension. Once Alvarez explodes into a steady stream of eighth notes in measure 121, his idea has grown into a screaming momentum.