Midnight Jazz Affair
Edy Martinez & His Jazz Orchestra
Jogal Music Productions
A great Latin Jazz composer fills their compositions with a dazzling array of colors that shine brilliantly, resonate with contrast, and clearly illustrate the composer’s musical perspective. A varying rhythmic structure provides a baseline structure for the color scheme, relying upon stylistic elements to act as the grounding force. Diversification of the stylistic elements can broaden the initial palette and the careful integration of other styles can create stark contrast. The construction of a deep and rich harmonic progression gives the work its primary hue, the foundation that catches the attention. This layer need to involves motion, depth, logic, and artistry, and in many ways provides the most important element. Melodic material reflects the light and dark aspects of any color, allowing the composer to explore the true nature of their color scheme. This element creates mood, defines dynamic shading, and guides the listener on their journey; a strong melody takes us deep inside the color, letting us view it from every angle. One of the composer’s most valuable tool is texture, the way in which they apply their colors upon their finished product. Regardless of instrumentation, the composer has a variety of options texturally, and the more that they create contrast and definition with texture, the more vivid their final color presentation. The smart and artistic application of these elements brings the colors screaming from a recording, while the haphazard and sloppy control over these devices leaves the listener with a flat and dry musical product. Pianist, composer, and arranger Edy Martinez brings his pieces to life vividly on Midnight Jazz Affair with a colorful control over musical building blocks that combine into an engaging big band Latin Jazz recording.
Bringing Out Bright Hues In Traditional Latin Jazz
Martinez colors his pieces rhythmically, bringing out a series of bright hues with up-tempo salsa influenced compositions. The trombone section glides through an upbeat melody as the saxes and trumpet weave supporting lines into the texture on “Midnight Jazz Affair,” before the band explodes into a series of moving chords over a dark pedal tone. Trombonist Noah Bless aggressively combines rhythmic lines and strong thematic development, building a solid statement over the thick texture of Martinez’s Fender Rhodes. The wind players push Bless to a screaming finale that leads directly into a short but assertive percussive exchange between conguero Samuel Torres and drum kit player Ernesto Simpson. A muted trumpet and flute join together on a cheerful melody that winds through a series of strong band hits on “Mother’s Day,” as the remaining wind players add accents. Martinez takes his time with a Fender Rhodes solo, reveling in the instrument’s rich textures while his lines build into a distinctive statement. A short interlude leads into Lew Soloff’s energetic trumpet solo that stretches long melodic ideas into a roaring climax topped by a screaming high note. Martinez offers a preview of the melody on “Celebration” with a dramatic rubato introduction before restating it enthusiastically over a smartly orchestrated sea of winds. Martinez runs through an energetic piano solo with quick lines that match the song’s inherent momentum with a seemingly unstoppable forward motion. Saxophonist Peter Braining grabs Martinez’s energy and raises the stakes with a no holds barred solo that furiously tears through the changes with a relentless power. These pieces connect Martinez strongly to traditional Latin Jazz but his rich orchestrations and arranging ideas put a distinct stamp on the style.
Shading The Songs With Shots of Jazz and Funk
Martinez engages in some interesting shading on several pieces by balancing his Latin Jazz sound with elements of traditional jazz and funk. Guest soloist Claudio Roditi glides over a relaxed swing feel as the winds provide groove oriented riffs on “Manuela Si” until an exchange between the winds and Martinez pushes the band into a double time Latin feel. Martinez continues to improvise on piano over an evolving texture, which moves from a funky swagger into a driving son montuno and eventually brash band hits for a quick solo from Simpson. Martinez returns with a quick Fender Rhodes solo, adding to the overall momentum until Braining pushes the song into high gear with a screaming alto sax solo. Ruben Rodriguez’s serious slap bass, Simpson’s heavy backbeat, Martinez’s rich organ sound, and sharp syncopated attacks from the horns all define the funky feeling that saturates the underlying cha cha cha on “Hard Drive Blues.” Martinez makes an interesting statement with the thick texture of the organ, pushing blues licks through the powerful groove. After a dramatic melodic line from the winds, guest soloist Dave Valentin enters with a reverb drenched flute sound that balances between percussive licks and the song’s bluesy nature. Dramatic open voicings and mysterious melodies wind over a quick guaguanco feel on “Suite For Piano, Percussion, & Jazz Orchestra,” coming together into a strong brass attack. Martinez focuses his energy upon rhythmic placement and attack with a piano solo over the guaguanco feel, until the rhythm section flies into a swing feel for the driving force of Martinez on Fender Rhodes. An aggressive montuno announces a distinct change into a modern Latin feel, providing the foundation for explosive solos from Torres and Simpson. Martinez integrates traditional jazz sounds wisely on these pieces, creating different shades of his already defined style.
Adding Contrast Through Other Afro-Cuban Styles
Several songs utilize other Afro-Cuban rhythms, adding contrast to the sharply defined style in Martinez’s previous pieces. Long and lush lines stretch over a jazz influenced cha cha cha rhythm on “Guaneña,” building momentum with masterfully orchestrated intertwining trumpets and saxes. Martinez slides into an understated piano solo that matches the subdued feel of the song, eventually pushing forward with some rapid runs and syncopations. A quick interlude segues into Valentin’s clever improvisation that winds through the changes, embellishes the melody, and plays upon rhythmic sounds effects on the flute. The rhythm section roars into a fast and aggressive 6/8 feel on “Children” before the winds soar over the top with rhythmic melodies, interesting textural combinations, and tension filled background lines. Martinez draws upon the inherent percussive qualities of the piano with an elegant solo that brings out the beauty of the harmony while approaching the instrument like a drum. Valentin returns with a contrasting statement that glides through the solo section with long notes, sound effects, and carefully placed accents. The rhythm section enters with a quiet cha cha cha behind Martinez’s piano solo on “Tres Manueles,” working as a quartet until the saxes introduce the main melody followed by the brass entrance. Braining mixes beauty and fire with a bluesy swagger on his attention grabbing improvisation, playing upon serious chops and a soulful jazz sound. Martinez leaps into his solo with an inspired passion, giving the song a necessary push and delivering a solid statement. These songs allow Martinez to stretch across different Afro-Cuban styles and explore varying moods, textures, and sonic variations, which give the album a distinctly different glow.
Sparkling With Deep and Engaging Color
Martinez’s music pops off the recording with a vivid energy on Midnight Jazz Affair, shining with color and personality, a distinct result of his strong artistic foundation. The compositions form the album’s core strength, providing interesting harmonies, attention grabbing melodies, and inspiring structures that serve as a good springboard for improvisation. He varies his approach with each song, drawing upon various combinations of style and contrasting moods, keeping the album fresh and engaging. The big band arranging provides the icing on the cake, with Martinez’s smart control over textural elements cementing the expression of his ideas. Different instrumental combinations, intertwining parts, and rich stretches of chordal pads bring the album to life as Martinez utilizes the big band format to its full extent. He wisely harnesses the dynamic range of the big band as well, letting in sparkle with understated beauty at times and setting it loose to explode with raging power elsewhere. Martinez’s keyboard work serves as a connecting factor throughout the repertoire, as he delivers consistently strong and inspired performances. His use of a variety of keyboard instruments seem like wise choices, as the integration of Fender Rhodes, organ, and piano all logically fit into the context of the songs. His band supports him with enthusiasm and commitment, interpreting his arrangements with precision and professionalism. Braining delivers an especially inspired performance, leaping out of the recording with several outstanding solo spots. Martinez brings together all the right artistic elements on Midnight Jazz Affair, and in the end, his big band Latin Jazz sparkles with coloristic splashes of beauty, passion, and power.
Our current Spotlight Artist Frank Villafañe brings a different approach to the creation of music with the integration of virtual Latin Jazz into his album Punto De Vista (Viewpoint). The construction of a piece of music becomes an incredible process that pulls together a wealth of music knowledge and technological ability. The technology works as a tool and the musical knowledge guides the use of that tool; while the technology allows Villafañe to realize his ideas, his years of musical experience form the foundation of the work. He needs to understand every bit of information about the music from every perspective in order to fuel each song with a realistic and lifelike performance – in a sense, Villafañe becomes all the performers. He shared his process with us here at LJC in an exclusive article that goes through the steps of creating a piece of virtual Latin Jazz – you’ve got to check out Exploring Virtual Latin Jazz With Frank Villafañe. It’s a different process that brings out a different aspect of Latin Jazz and challenges our preconceived notions.
Villafañe definitely thought through all the pieces of Punto De Vista (Viewpoint), including some incredible album artwork. The front and back cover of the recording features artwork from Swiss painter Doris Flück, an artist with a unique perspective and distinctive style. The front cover features a silk painting entitled Deep In Space, a rich tapestry to blues, purples, and interesting imagery. The back cover focuses upon a silk painting entitled Flute, another captivating piece with a similar color scheme. The artwork is inspiring and fits the mood of the music perfectly. Take a second to check out more of Flück’s work at her online gallery HERE.
If you want to find out more about Mr. Villafañe, there’s plenty of places to look online. His website offers news, song samples, photos, gig information, and more. You can hear Villafañe’s music and make a friendship connection on his MySpace. Villafañe’s first album, South Beach offers more of the same great virtual Latin Jazz – you can check it out on his CDBaby page. There’s lots of possibilities!
I’ve included some biographical information on Villafañe, taken from his website. Take a minute to learn more about this fantastic artist, check out his music, and support his work! Enjoy!
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Frank Villafane is a Latin-Jazz pianist, composer and arranger. He plays piano “con clave” in the styles of Eddie Palmieri, Peruchin and Sergio Mendes. Born in Bremerhaven, Germany, son of Mike and Elfriede Villafane, Frank grew up all over the United States and Europe, and experienced multi-culturalism first-hand. Musically, as in life, Frank’s upbringing was fairly eclectic, being exposed to Latin, Jazz, Calypso, Folk, and the Classics early on. He began piano lessons in earnest at the tender age of 8. This interest in music was sustained throughout the moves over two continents during his formative years.
At twelve, Frank moved to Puerto Rico, and was quickly exposed to that infectious music known as “Salsa”. But it was Frank’s 7th grade music teacher which provided the impetus fueling his musical direction; he heard an original copy of Scott Joplin’s “Maple Leaf Rag” played by Scott Joplin himself, and was forever changed. Moving back to the States, at Whiteman AFB, Missouri, Frank quickly acquired and studied the musical form, Ragtime, and earned his first paying “gig” as a professional musician at the age of 14, when he performed many Ragtime favorites by Scott Joplin and other Ragtime greats, for the WAFB Officers Club at a Roaring 20′s theme party. Meanwhile, Frank’s father continued his influence by encouraging him to listen and emulate several great Latin pianists, notably Sergio Mendes (of Brasil 66 fame) and the Cuban legend Pedro Justiz “Peruchin”.
In college, at Rutgers University, Frank began playing piano for a number of Jazz & Latin “conjunto” style bands and orchestras, while studying piano with no less than the great Kenny Barron. He was immersed in theory and keyboard harmony classes at Rutgers and studied at the feet of Walter Bishop Jr, Ted Dunbar, Frank Foster, and Larry Ridley.
Later, Frank formed Jazz Y Clave, an 8 piece conjunto. Performing his own arrangements of many Jazz standards, Jazz Y Clave soon became a staple at New Brunswick’s number one hot-spot, Nova Terra. This continued for five years, during which time Jazz Y Clave performed at many venues throughout New York and New Jersey, including appearing at the prestigious Red Bank Riverfest Jazz Festival in 2001 (and again in 2005), and opening for no less than Eddie Palmieri at the Expo Theater at Fort Monmouth (and again at Red Bank in 2005).
Frank is currently performing with a number of Salsa and Latin-Jazz ensembles, and in between gigs finds time to compose and arrange on his software studio at home.
Latin Jazz This Week will bring you a weekly look into news from the Latin Jazz world. You’ll find new releases, recommended performances, web finds, and more. You can check out some current sounds in the Listening Center tab at the top of the page. Performance dates will be kept in the Live Latin Jazz tab at the top of the page.
NEWS
The Independent Music Awards recently announced the winners of their 8th annual awards and The Latin Giants of Jazz won the honor of topping the Best Latin Song category for their track “Cuero Na’Ma.” It’s great to see this fantastic band winning the recognition that they deserve, showing up among the top independent artists of the year. For more info and The Latin Giants and the award, go HERE.
Jazz.com recently published an interview with Cuban drummer Francisco Mela, conducted by Tomas Peña. The interview goes deep into Mela’s ideas about music, his background in a variety of arts, and his current career in the States. There’s a good deal of discussion about Mela’s latest album Cirio as well. It’s a great insight into an impressive young drummer – worth the read! Check it out HERE.
As we announced last week, there’s a new free MP3 download in the LJC Listening Center. Recent Spotlight Artist Craig Enright was kind enough to offer the track “Codigo Latino” from his album La Belleza . . . It’s a great introduction to a wonderful artist – take a minute to head over to the Listening Center and check it out!
If you’re in EUROPE this week . . . OMAR SOSA
Saturday 1/31/09 WHERE:Les Arcades
Faches Thumesnil
(Lille), France TIME: 8:30 p.m. TICKETS: 12,50 euros
If you’re in the MIDDLE EAST this week . . . PAQUITO D’RIVERA
Thursday 1/29/09 WHERE:Sanat Istanbul Hall
Issant Kultur Merkez Iskultur
Istanbul, Turkey TIME: 8:30 p.m TICKETS: 40 YTL
If you’re in the CARIBBEAN this week . . . PONCHO SANCHEZ
Wednesday 1/28/09 – Friday 1/30/09 WHERE:Playboy Jazz Cruise
Cruise Starts in Miami, Sails Through The Caribbean TICKETS: SOLD Out
If you’re in SOUTH AMERICA this week . . . MANANTE
Monday 1/26/09 WHERE:La Vida Misma
Av. La Paz cuadra 6,
pasaje El Suche
Miraflores, Peru TIME: 10:30 p.m. TICKETS: 20 soles
If you’re on the EAST COAST this week . . . CHRIS WASHBURNE & S.Y.O.T.O.S.
Regular Sunday Gig: 2/1/09; 2/8/09; 2/15/09; 2/22/09 WHERE:Smoke
2751 Broadway
New York, NY TIME: 8:00 p.m., 10:00 p.m. & 11:30 p.m. TICKETS: $20 minimum
CLIFF KORMAN
Tuesday 1/27/08 WHERE:Cachaca
35 W. 8th Street
New York, NY TIME: 7:30 p.m. & 9:00 p.m. TICKETS: $10; $5 minimum
DAFNIS PRIETO
Thursday 1/29/08 WHERE:Spaulding Auditorium
6041 Lower Level Wilson Hall
Dartmouth College
Hanover, NH TIME: 7:00 p.m. TICKETS: $26
ENCLAVE
Wednesday 1/28/09 WHERE:Ryles
212 Hampshire Street
Cambridge, MA TIME: 9:00 p.m. TICKETS: $10
ERIC KURIMSKI
Thursday 1/29/09 WHERE:Terraza Cafe
40-19 Gleane Street
Elmhurst, NY TIME: 8:00 p.m. TICKETS: FREE
FRANCISCO MELA
Tuesday 1/27/09 – Sunday 2/1/09 WHERE:Village Vanguard
178 7th Avenue South
New York, NY TIME: 9:00 p.m. & 11:00 p.m. TICKETS: Tuesday – Thursday: $30; Friday – Sunday: $35
GABRIEL ALEGRIA
Saturday 1/24/09 WHERE:Vermont Jazz Center
72 Cotton Mill Hill, Studio 222
Brattleboro, VT TIME: 8:00 p.m. TICKETS: $20
Friday 1/30/09 WHERE:Clarion Riverside
120 E. Main St.
Rochester, NY TIME: 8:00 p.m. & 10:00 p.m. TICKETS: $20 – $48
Saturday 1/31/09 WHERE:Slater Center
2 Fisher Court
White Plains, NY TIME: 8:00 p.m. TICKETS: $20
HOT HOUSE
Thursday 1/29/09 WHERE:Fonda Boricua Lounge
172 E 106 Street
New York, NY TIME: 9:00 p.m. TICKETS: NO COVER
KIKI SANCHEZ
Wednesday 1/28/09 WHERE:Van Dyke
846 Lincoln Road
Miami, FL TIME: 9:00 p.m. TICKETS: NO COVER
PEDRO GIRAUDO
Tuesday 1/27/09 WHERE:Joe’s Pub
425 Lafayette Street
New York, NY TIME: 9:30 p.m TICKETS: $15 in advance; $18 at door
SAMMY FIGUEROA
Friday 1/30/09 WHERE:Van Dyke
846 Lincoln Road
Miami, FL TIME: 5:00 p.m. TICKETS: NO COVER
SAMUEL TORRES
Tuesday 1/27/09 – Wednesday 1/28/09 WHERE:Zinc Bar
82 West 3rd Street
New York, NY TIME: 9:30 p.m., 11:00 p.m., & 12:30 a.m.
WILLIE MARTINEZ
Thursday 1/29/09 WHERE:Nuyorican Poet’s Cafe
236 East 3rd St
New York, NY TIME: 9:30 p.m. TICKETS: $7.00
If you’re in the MID-EAST this week . . . LOS GATOS
Regular Thursday Gig: 1/15/09; 1/22/09; 1/29/09 WHERE:The Firefly Club
637 S. Main
Ann Arbor, MI TIME: 8:00 p.m. TICKETS: $8
TUMBAO BRAVO
Regular Sunday Gig: 2/1/09; 2/8/09; 2/15/09; 2/22/09 WHERE:Sangria – Royal Oak
401 S. Lafayette
Royal Oak, MI TIME: 9:00 p.m.
If you’re on the WEST COAST this week . . . AFRO-CUBAN LATIN JAZZ PROJECT
Tuesday 1/27/09 WHERE:Catalina Bar & Grill
6725 Sunset Boulevard
Hollywood CA TIME: 8:00 p.m. TICKETS: $15
ANNA ESTRADA Friday 1/30/09 WHERE:Joe’s of Lafeyette
3707 Mt. Diablo Blvd.
Lafayette, CA TIME: 7:30 p.m.
ESTRADA BROTHERS
Saturday 1/31/09 WHERE:Steamers
138 W Commonwealth Avenue
Fullerton, CA TIME: 7:30 p.m. & 9:30 p.m.
FRANCISCO AGUABELLA
Saturday 1/31/09 WHERE:Westside JCC
5870 W. Olympic Blvd
Los Angeles, CA TIME: 9:30 p.m. TICKETS: $12
GRUPO FALSO BAIANO
Friday 1/30/09 WHERE:Anna’s Jazz Island
2120 Allston Way
Berkeley, CA TIME: 8:00 p.m TICKETS: $12
PABLO “MEZCLA” MENENDEZ
Wednesday 1/28/09 WHERE:Yoshi’s – Oakland
510 Embarcadero West
Oakland, CA TIME: 8:00 p.m. & 10:00 p.m. TICKETS: $16 – 8:00; $10 – 10:00
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Samba to Go! Hendrik Meurkens Zoho Music
A long performance career with a steady stream of recordings affords an experienced musician the luxury of both reflecting upon their past and looking ahead into their future. This dual perspective serves as an essential growth tool for musicians with long careers, allowing them to explore their future while retracing the steps that have led to the present. Musicians change directions over the course of long career, often incorporating different genres or improvisational techniques – after decades of performance, these elements are almost never the same for any one artist. Yet the strength of an artist’s ideas remain consistent through their career, and while they may build upon their concepts later, their early compositions retain their quality foundation. An artist can easily revisit these strong early ideas and apply their years of experience and wisdom, often resulting in an interesting juxtaposition. The youthful energy of those early ideas can be invigorating, pushing the musician into a newfound enthusiasm; the experience can also serve as a full circle experience for the artist, as their artistic maturity allows them to express those early ideas in a more complete fashion. As long as the artist avoids the stale regurgitation of their age old work and infuses it with their new perspective, the balance of old and new repertoire can be a rewarding experience for both musician and listener. Vibraphonist and harmonica player Hendrik Meurkens leads his band through a set of his Brazilian Jazz compositions from the past and present, sprinkled with a few creative arrangements, on Samba to Go!, viewing all the pieces through his experienced and enthusiastic eyes.
Reflecting His Current Musicality With New Compositions
Meurkens delivers several new compositions, giving us a reflection of his current musical state. Meurkens’ harmonica joins with pianist Misha Tsiganov on a busy melodic introduction over a quick samba on “Samba To Go!,” leading into a long and winding melody. A series of band kicks lead into Meurkens’ improvisation that reflects upon the curve of the melody while integrating Meurkens’ powerful energy. A quick interlude transitions into a short but potent statement from Tsiganov, filled with fast and catchy melodic lines. Saxophonist Rodrigo Ursaia presents a dramatic series of long notes supported by big rhythm section kicks on “Bossa Sketch,” until the group lowers their dynamic for an understated presentation of the melody from Meurkens on vibraphone and Ursaia. Meurkens balances the percussive nature of his instrument with its gentle beauty through carefully placed bits of sustain, creating a lyrical solo filled with grace. Ursaia jumps into his improvisation with smooth lines that resonate with a rich soprano sax tone, filled with vibrato. Meurkens displays his thorough understanding of the Brazilian choro with a complex yet lyrically compelling melody on “Choro No. 14,” playfully interpreted by the composer on harmonica and Ursaia on soprano sax. Tsiganov enthusiastically follows the melody with a brief improvisation that plays off the main theme with slight variations. The group comes alive on this track as they wind through several repetitions of the melody, always infusing it with a unique harmonic variation or rhythmic embellishment. Meurkens shows the signs of an experienced composer with a broad knowledge of Brazilian styles on these tracks and stands out as a wise bandleader, leading his group with a contagious energy.
Reflecting Upon Older Pieces With Fresh Arrangements
Meurkens takes the opportunity to reflect upon some older compositions with his group, delivering fresh arrangements. Drummer Adriano Santos fills into a rhythmic melody based on a repeated figure over a funk influenced rhythm on “Spaceburger” before the group jumps into a traditional samba for a contrasting melodic line. Ursaia plays off the band’s high energy groove with a spirited flute solo, followed by an enthusiastic improvisation from Meurkens on vibes, filled with rapid streams of notes and catchy ideas. Tsiganov eases into his solo with short rhythmic ideas, bursting into strong bluesy lines that carry the band back to the main melody. The shimmering tone of Tsiganov’s Fender Rhodes opens “Mountain Drive” with a mysterious beauty, gently broken by a melodic duet between Meurkens’ harmonica and Ursaia. Meurkens leans towards long notes and lyrical phrases on his statement, interspersing his characteristic flight of quick notes. Tisganov creates a subdued solo with careful lines anchored by the mellow sound of his instrument until Ursaia jumps into the mix with a more assertive tenor sax solo. The rhythm section creates a decidedly funky Brazilian groove to introduce “Joe’s Donut,” alternating between a traditional samba feel and strong band breaks behind the melody. Meurkens grabs the band’s attention with a repeated rhythmic figure at the top of his improvisation, and continues into an upbeat and engaging statement. Tsiganov catches Meurkens’ energy with sharp rhythms that flow into long jazz infused lines, pushed forward by the incessant support of his left hand comping patterns. Meurkens’ look back into his older repertoire provides an interesting contrast to his newer work, while his band’s energy and creativity keep the ideas sounding fresh.
Applying Creative Energy Towards Arrangements
Meurkens and his band apply their creative energy and knowledge of Brazilian music to several arrangements of pieces from various composers. Tsiganov develops a steady forward motion with a syncopated comping pattern on Fender Rhodes, introducing the classically lyrical melody to Antonio Carlos Jobim’s “Só Tinha De Ser Com Vocé.” After an insightful reading of the melody by Meurkens on vibes, Tsiganov develops his solo over the course of the form, building from long and calm lines into rapid flurries of notes. Meurkens takes a short yet engaging solo over a vamp, and after the melody, the two soloists push the band into a driving groove with an energetic exchange of ideas. Meurkens boldly holds a long note while Ursaia plays around short rhythmic figures on pianist Luiz Simas’ “A Choro For You,” leading into a long melody with interesting and intertwining parts from Meurkens and Ursaia. Simas begins his improvisation with a playful take on the melody, building into a strong momentum that gains its energy from the strength of the composition. Meurkens dramatically contrasts Simas with an expressive long note that leads into a witty use of rhythmic ideas, followed by an upbeat improvisation from Ursaia on flute. Meurkens tenderly glides into a thoughtful interpretation of Young and Washington’s “My Foolish Heart” only accompanied by Tsiganov, gradually building into medium tempo samba with the rhythm section’s help. As the established samba groove pushes him forward, Meurkens utilizes strong thematic development to carve an engaging statement that thrives on the combination of his jazz tinged lines and his instrument’s slurred bends. Tsiganov follows with a carefully executed solo that emphasizes the beautiful simplicity of the song’s melody while staying firmly connected to the song’s rhythmic drive. These rich arrangements reveal Meurkens’ musicality in a different light as his group builds interesting takes upon several compositions while retaining their characteristic approach.
A Dual Perspective Fueled With Broad Experience
Meurkens and his group fuel Samba to Go! with their broad experience in Brazilian Jazz while maintaining a duel perspective upon different eras of Meurkens’ repertoire. The contrast between Meurkens’ older repertoire and his current compositions remains striking; the ideas are always strong, but the stylistic approaches set the two groups of repertoire apart. His older pieces bubble with a funky edge while his newer songs lean towards a more traditional combination of Brazilian rhythms and jazz. The established foundation of Meurkens’ group understands his current musical perspective though, and works through the different pieces with an amazing amount of consistency and style. Santos and bassist Gustavo Amarante stay firmly rooted in samba with a powerful groove; they imply funk rhythms in the context of Meurkens’ compositions, but their foundation never gets lost. Tsiganov stands out as a strong soloist, exerting his massive chops and keen musicality at every turn. He works as a supportive player as well, helping shape each song’s presentation with an array of piano and keyboard sounds. Meurkens shines with the finesse that years of experience produce in a musician. His vibraphone playing adds a percussive edge to his naturally lyrical presence while his harmonica playing resonates with technical prowess and expressive qualities. There’s a sense of understanding that encompasses the big picture of Meurkens’ career on Samba to Go!, confirming that the strong musicality that built his career has blossomed into the experience that guides him into the future.
Has the economic slump slowed your music purchases? Are you hesitant to buy anything new without checking out the artist first? Feel like you’re only buying albums from established artists and leaving the next generation of Latin Jazz artists in the background? Well, it’s time to head over to the LJC Listening Center and check out some new music then . . . for free!
Recent Spotlight Artist Craig Enright has provided a free MP3 download of “Codigo Latino” from his album La Belleza . . . for you to check out. This track includes all the elements that make this recording a must-hear release. Enright’s songwriting provides an open environment for his group to create some hard-hitting Latin Jazz that conveys both the rhythmic intensity of Cuban music and the improvisatory spontaneity of small group jazz. His musicians perform with intensity and passion, finding an engaging balance between tradition and self-expression. With fantastic solos from Enright, pianist Enrique Haneine, conguero Aryam Vazquez, and drum kit player Ludwig Afonso, this track has a lot to offer. Take the time to check this one out, and you’ll have a good idea of what you can expect to find on La Belleza . . .
So head on over to the LJC Listening Center and download “Codigo Latino” today. If you like what you hear make sure to support Enright by picking up a copy of La Belleza . . . – you’ll be glad that you did!
Enjoy!
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The Spotlight Series highlights upcoming Latin Jazz musicians that have yet to reach national recognition. Many of these musicians thrive in local scenes and some tour in support of releases. All these musicians contribute greatly to the overall Latin Jazz scene, and they deserve our “spotlighted” attention.
Punto De Vista (Viewpoint) Frank Villafañe
When creating a piece of musical art, the musician can focus their energy upon the process or the product; the importance of each of these pieces has been the foundation of an age-old argument in the artistic community. The supporters of process believe that there are standard methods for creating a great piece of music. If the artist focuses upon their process, adheres to the correct procedures, and applies appropriate techniques, they are bound to create an outstanding piece of art. This doesn’t discount innovation; it just requires new directions to build upon established foundations. In this case, the process defines the product and the bulk of the musician’s time should be focused upon refining their process of delivery. Artists that believe in the power of the product have a defining concept for their finished piece of art and aren’t concerned with their mode of creation. The steps towards their vision may take a traditional path or they may require the musician to apply outlandish and unfamiliar techniques. As long as they reach their finished product, the process doesn’t take their attention; in fact these musicians may find an overly careful attention to process distracting. Their vision may change as a result of the process, but it will never be defined by it. Many artists choose a side and let their creative juices flow around either process or product, while other musicians find a more equal balance. Pianist, composer, and arranger Frank Villafañe applies an unusual process by constructing his music with virtual instruments on Punto De Vista (Viewpoint), but his firm musicality drives the project, resulting in a strong Latin Jazz product.
Strong Compositions Based Upon Afro-Cuban and Puerto Rican Rhythms
Villafañe constructs several solid Latin Jazz compositions based upon Afro-Cuban and Puerto Rican rhythms. An active montuno serves as a foundation for an introductory vibes improvisation on “Realization (Realizacion),” before the vibes and piano play a melody through jazz harmonies and several rhythmic changes. After a repetition of the melody, the vibes jump back into another solo, developing a longer and more fluid statement. Villafañe enters into a piano solo over a bomba foundation, playing thick chord clusters in a syncopated rhythm pattern. Villafañe places offset chords over a cha cha cha rhythm on “Esperando (Waiting),” until he breaks into a subdued melody with a defined rhythmic pulse. The texture thins into a melodic bass solo that combines individual ideas and pieces of the form until the group explodes into strong momentum for an energetic conga solo. Villafañe builds a solid piano improvisation with tipico phrasing, polyrhythmic ideas, and melodic variations that combine into an engaging statement. A rubato piano solo morphs into a rich chordal introduction on “My Teacher (Maestro),” flowing directly into an upbeat melody that combines rhythmic phrasing with pieces of a montuno. Villafañe rides off the momentum of the song with a joyful improvisation that takes the best pieces of the melody and pushes them into a new and exciting direction. Villafañe disappears as the bass develops an idea over the percussion that relies more on rhythmic prowess than melody, integrating double stops and offbeat ideas. Each of these pieces bring together solid Afro-Cuban and Puerto Rican rhythmic structures into interesting ideas that serve as fantastic foundations for improvisation.
Interesting Arrangements Of Unique Covers
Villafañe displays strong arranging skills with several cover pieces that come from interesting sources. Villafañe establishes an interesting series of piano chords over a cha cha cha groove before presenting a unique variation upon Pedro Flores’ classic melody “Obsesion.” After a muted trumpet and saxophone loosely revisit the melody, a thinly accompanied bass solo changes the mood dramatically before establishing a distinctly different series of chords. A flute enthusiastically charges into the new foundation, playing off the instrument’s rhythmic possibilities until Villafañe spins a rich series of long improvised lines. An addictive montuno groove leads into a powerfully understated melody on “Brisas Del Caribe (Caribbean Breezes),” Villafañe’s interpretation of a Chopin waltz through an Afro-Cuban perspective. Villafañe bursts into a brief yet melodically engaging piano improvisation until the vibraphone takes the piano’s original idea and twists it a bit further. Villafañe provides a staggered montuno for a conga solo that draws upon technically complex phrases and then returns with a dramatic solo that grows into a storm. A flute and muted trumpet immediately leap into a joyous melody on Chano Pozo’s “Porque Tu Sufres (Why Do You Suffer),” engaging in a playful call and response with the piano. The groove jumps into high gear with a driving montuno and intertwined violin guajeo, setting the stage for a catchy flute solo. A sharp band break leads into Villafañe’s piano improvisation, an upbeat statement that plays around the song’s rhythmic momentum with class and style. Villafañe shows a connection to various important sources here with his song choices, while his strong arrangements signal an original voice.
Integrating A Brazilian Influence
Villafañe delivers several tracks that mix the presence of Brazilian rhythms into his established Latin Jazz sound. Villafañe jumps right into an urgent melody over a bossa nova groove on “Never Enough Time (Nunca Hay Tiempo),” complimenting the song’s feeling with active left hand comping. The feel of the song moves into an Afro-Cuban direction as the bass takes a long solo that reaches across the instrument’s range with captivating melodies. The bossa nova feel returns for a short piano solo from Villafañe that morphs into a mixture of thick synthesizer patches and string sounds. A fretless electric bass gently performs a tender melody on “Poignancy (Nostalgia),” before a samba groove pushes the song forward. Villafañe’s piano enters with a short melodic statement before the vibes enter to compliment an atmospheric groove that follows the song towards a fade. The thick sound of an unaccompanied Fender Rhodes transitions into a steady bossa nova groove on “Misunderstanding (Malentendido),” followed by a dramatically developed piano melody. After a unison band break, a fretless electric bass weaves its rich tone through a thin texture, developing a basic idea into a short but engaging melodic statement. Villafañe carefully builds upon his initial idea with a piano solo over a bomba foundation that grows into a wall of electronic sounds and rhythmic phrases. These pieces add another dimension to Villafañe’s compositions, showing an artist that can draw upon a broad range of knowledge.
Choosing Product Over Process
Villafañe strikes a unique balance between process and product on Punto De Vista (Viewpoint), applying his clearly defined concept of virtual Latin Jazz to his richly informed compositions and arrangements. He has taken great care to create believable and entertaining virtual environments that never distract from the composition; instead they support it with impeccable detail. Villafañe considers both the sound of the virtual instrument and the actions of the virtual player, charting every step from the perspective of individual instrumentalists. When the vibes take a solo, they phrase like a vibraphonist or when the bass improvises, it creates bass friendly lines – Villafañe integrated all of these varying viewpoints, giving the music a lifelike quality. He displays a broad command of stylistic elements, developing authentic rhythm section parts that not only play the correct grooves, but also embellish them with percussive precision. All these details allow Villafañe’s compositions and arrangements to shine with the rich glow that they deserve. His creative melodies, rich jazz harmonies, and tightly defined arrangements are both interesting and accessible, leaving a lasting impression of musical depth and refined artistry. While Villafañe’s process may define the character of his work on Punto De Vista (Viewpoint), the product definitely takes priority as his musical instincts and stylistic knowledge support a solid collection of memorable Latin Jazz originals.
Today marks a major moment in U.S. history, as we welcome our 44th president, Barack Obama into office. For the first time in United States history, an African American citizen will hold the highest office in the nation and serve as our country’s face around the world. The cultural ramifications signal a major change in United States society that is long, long overdue. Our country faces one of the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression, a fact that has impacted the lives of our country’s rich and poor. As people loose jobs, make lifestyle changes, and face unrealistic mortgages, most of us look ahead towards an uncertain future with a dismal forecast. We remain locked in a never ending war that has taken the lives of far too many people and cost our country billions of dollars. Every exit strategy seems unrealistic, and each day the bloodshed multiples beyond the most horrific expectation. Our environment faces the consequences of decades of irresponsible lifestyles and corrupt business practices. Unless changes occur soon, we’ll be passing a barely inhabitable planet to our children with irreversible problems beyond their control. For eight years, we’ve simply watched the state of nation rapidly worsen, with little control over our path; today we’re hoping that path can change.
Obama ran his campaign on a promise of hope and change, exerting a contagious energy that swept the country off its feet and revived a long forgotten optimism. As we look into the next four years, the majority of the country believes that we can beat the problems that stand in our country’s path. We’re all looking at the big issues and small problems that face our country and we’re finding faith in our ability to control our own destiny. In the arts, we’re seeing a release on the creative opportunities that have been stifled for so many years now, and anticipating a new type of support for our individual art forms. Mr. Obama has a wealth of issues to tackle in the next four years, probably an unrealistic list of problems to overturn. Ecomony, war, environment, education, and more – these will most likely be the first items on his agenda, justifiably so. Yet those of us in the artistic community, in specifically the Latin Jazz community, can’t just sit and underplay the importance of our interests. While Mr. Obama’s attention does need to go towards these issues, he also needs to hear our pleas and help strengthen our community. With that in mind, I’ve covered a few important areas of interest for the Latin Jazz community that Mr. Obama should address over his next four years in office.
———- Open Artistic Exchange Between Cuban and United States Musicians Despite the fact that the United States has held an economic embargo against Cuba for decades, the policy surrounding artistic exchange between Cubans and Stateside musicians has changed between administrations. During the Clinton administration, I had the privilege to see Irakere, Los Van Van, NG La Banda, Chucho Valdes’ combo, and more Cuban Jazz superstars live in concert. Travel programs were established that allowed for musicians from the United States to study in Cuba with some of their best musicians. Recordings were made that featured combinations of the best musicians from the United States and Cuba. Cuban artists traveled to the United States and participated in educational programs such as the Stanford Jazz Workshop and clinics at the Berklee School of Music. The United States public reached an unparalleled level of interest in Cuban music, musicians from Cuba brought new musical ideas back to the island, and there was an inspiring sense of collaboration in the Latin music community. These opportunities disappeared in 2001 when George W. Bush took office and rode a hard line stance on any type of exchange with Cuba.
Although Obama’s official stance on Cuba supports the economic embargo on the island, the administration’s position on artistic exchange remains fairly vague. I would hope that Obama considers the immense possibility of an open and flowing artistic exchange between Cuba and the United States that allowed musicians, visual artists, playwrights, and more to share their talents. A new generation of Cuban musicians has come to age during the Bush administration, with new performance techniques and collaborative configurations; in most cases we haven’t even heard these musicians in the States. The Stateside Latin Jazz world has exploded in the past eight years, with young musicians bringing the genre to a whole new level of artistry. Put these two worlds together and the inevitable sparks would be amazing; it’s an event that I know I want to see and hear. The artistic and cultural benefits of this type of exchange would be memorable and push the jazz world into a new direction that would create a positive association with both countries. The goodwill built between Cuba and the United States during this type of exchange would be a positive step towards bridging the political divide and move our world in the right direction. I’m keeping my fingers crossed for artistic exchange during the Obama administration.
More Support For Arts Education Education in general was hit pretty hard during the Bush administration, and “No Child Left Behind” definitely left arts education far behind in the country’s priority scheme. The “core” subjects were emphasized, and arts often took a backseat when instructional planning and funding were discussed. This was not true everywhere in the country; the arts thrived in some areas where it floundered in other places. Some fortunate students may get to perform in classical, jazz, Latin, and popular settings by the time they graduate from high school; some of the less fortunate students were lucky to receive any instrumental or vocal instruction. That divide needs to unified, with all students taking part in a broad music education that builds performance skills and lifelong appreciations for a broad collection of musical styles. Young people are certainly exposed to music – from iTunes to YouTube or even Limewire, our youth has more access to more music than every before in the history of the United States. Still, they have to look for the music on the internet, it doesn’t magically appear; while they may stumble upon some jazz or Latin music, they will most likely miss the most important artists unless they are guided towards it. We need our schools to provide young people with a broad musical perspective or we will be breeding a generation of Rock Band junkies that see artistry through one set of musical eyes.
Our music scene is a direct result of the education that our musicians receive at a young age, and the Latin Jazz world needs them to be exposed to a wide variety of music and genres. The same way that a young musician’s education cannot be complete without a healthy dose of Bach, Beethoven, Ellington, and Basie, they need to take the time to learn about Puente, Palmieri, Pascoal, Piazzolla, and Valdes. Our government needs to provide ample funding for a complete music department in every school that connects students with all styles of music. Every school should involve hundreds of students in their music department and each one should have a chance to perform in symphony orchestras, choirs, jazz big bands, and full Latin Jazz ensembles. The government also needs to provide incentives for musicians to take the leap into teaching and focus their energy upon strong pedagogy. Teaching music to any age of student is never easy, and unless it looks like a bright future, not too many people will be committing their life to it as a career. The government should make a valid attempt to connect schools with the greater musical community, bringing artists into schools on a regular basis. Imagine the impact that young people would feel if they had regular contact with artists like Justo Almario or David Sanchez; they would be practicing their instruments with a passion! They would leave those experiences with a greater appreciation for the art form in general, and they would be more likely to support music in their adult lives. The Obama administration needs to recognize the importance of imparting music onto a new generation of young people.
Government Funding For Artistic Projects As Obama strives to recharge the economy, let’s hope that he looks beyond the traditional idea of “business.” Artistic output circles through our system actively – from live performance to recorded works, it’s a natural human instinct to consume artistic work, and most people are willing to pay for it. Once the Obama administration recognizes the arts as an important piece of our economy, they need to look beyond the “big business” of the arts world. Large music companies, massive movie production houses, and corporate television stations are feeling the economic slump, but they still have resources to create products. It’s the independent artists that are often dealing with less commercially accessible art forms that need a financial boost from the government; and that’s a place where you’ll generally find the cutting edge Latin Jazz artists. Musicians that are exploring the connections between culture, society, and artistic expression need to be supported in their pursuits. We need the government to recognize those artists as important contributors to society, fund their substantial projects, and then help spread their products across a broad population. Our general public would gain a broader taste of the artistic world, artists could live a comfortable life, and the government would have reached beyond the basic necessities to give back to our society.
There are many steps that the Obama administration could take to support the arts across the general public. The establishment and support of local arts organizations from performing ensembles to community interest groups would certainly inspire interest. Imagine a Latin Jazz big band featuring the best local players from your scene that regularly performed the works of O’Farrill, Machito, Puente, and more – every town should have one! The government needs to provide a major budget to funding organizations like the NEA and perhaps create more organizations like this that could serve specific artistic needs. Every year, cutting-edge musicians like Dafnis Prieto, Elio Villafranca, Arturo O’Farrill and more could find funding for new and innovative projects that pushed the limits of the genre. The government should recognize important artists, both old and new, from every genre with national broadcasts and presidential endorsements. Every United States citizen should be exposed to the work of John Santos, Mongo Santamaria, and Cal Tjader. Most importantly, Obama needs to create a position in his administration that deals specifically with artistic relations – a person in charge of finding artists and connecting them with the government. Many governments around the world already have a secretary of the arts of minister of the arts position, sadly enough, the United States has nothing even remotely like this. A petition exists online to support a suggestion from Quincy Jones that supports this position – you can sign it HERE. Let’s hope that Obama listens and acts on government support for Individual Artists.
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As we inaugurate Barack Obama, take a minute to dream – what issues do you think the Latin Jazz community needs to bring towards the attention of our new president? It’s a moment to get lost in our hope and feel the optimism. So with that in mind, leave a comment and let us know how you think the new administration can help the Latin Jazz community!
Latin Jazz This Week will bring you a weekly look into news from the Latin Jazz world. You’ll find new releases, recommended performances, web finds, and more. You can check out some current sounds in the Listening Center tab at the top of the page. Performance dates will be kept in the Live Latin Jazz tab at the top of the page.
NEWS
Trumpet player Gabriel Alegria and his Afro-Peruvian Jazz Sextet will be giving a free clinic at Davidson College in North Carolina this Thursday January 22nd. The group will be discussing their unique mixture of Afro-Peruvian music and jazz, as well as introducing the audience to the basics of Afro-Peruvian rhythms. The clinic takes place at 4:00 p.m. in Tyler-Tallman Hall at the Sloan Music Building – don’t miss this chance to get to know Afro-Peruvian Jazz with one of the masters. Get more info HERE
There’s a lot of excitement here in the States about Tuesday, January 20th, the day when we usher in a new era with the inauguration of our president, Barack Obama. There’s plenty of celebrations happening around the country, but if you’re in the New York area, you might want to hang out at La Fonda Boricua, where they’ll be have a Rumba Pa’ Obama. The event starts at 6:00 p.m. and features great musicians like percussionist Anthony Carrillo and saxophonist Ivan Renta – celebrate our president in style! Get more info HERE.
All About Jazz recently released their list of the Top 20 AAJ interviews of 2008, and right in the middle of the list you can find my interview with percussionist Steve Kroon. If you haven’t checked it out, go HERE and start reading. Kroon goes into depth about his background and career leading up to his recent release El Mas Alla (Beyond). While you’re there, check out my recent interview with Cuban pianist Elio Villafranca as well – you can find it HERE. Happy reading!
If you’re in SOUTH AMERICA this week . . . MANANTE WHEN: Thursday 1/22/09 WHERE:Jazz Zone
Av. La Paz
646 pasaje El Suche Miraflores
Lima, Peru TIME: 8:00 p.m. TICKETS: 20 soles
If you’re on the EAST COAST this week . . . ARTURO SANDOVAL WHEN: Saturday 1/24/09 WHERE:Jefferson Center
541 Luck SW
Roanoke, VA TIME: 8:00 p.m. TICKETS: $28 – $34
WHEN: Sunday 1/25/09 WHERE:Birchmere Music Hall
3701 Mt. Vernon Ave
Alexandria, VA TIME: 7:30 p.m. TICKETS: $49.50
BRIAN LYNCH WHEN: Saturday 1/20/09 WHERE:Cachaca
35 West 8th Street
Greenwich Village, NY TIME: 7:30 p.m. & 9:00 p.m. TICKETS: $10; $5 minimum
BRONX LATIN JAZZ ALL-STARS WHEN: Friday 1/23/09 WHERE:Fonda Boricua
172 E 106 St.
New York NY TIME: 9:00 p.m. TICKETS: NO COVER
CHICO O’FARRILL’S AFRO-CUBAN JAZZ ORCHESTRA WHEN: Sunday 1/25/09 WHERE:Birdland
315 W. 44th Street
Manhattan, NY TIME: 9:00 p.m. & 11:00 p.m. TICKETS: $25
CHRIS WASHBURNE & S.Y.O.T.O.S. WHEN: Sunday 1/25/09 WHERE:Smoke
2751 Broadway
New York, NY TIME: 8:00 p.m., 10:00 p.m. & 11:30 p.m. TICKETS: $20 minimum
EDWARD PEREZ WHEN: Wednesday 1/21/09 WHERE:Terraza Cafe
40-19 Gleane Street
Elmhurst, NY TIME: 8:30 p.m. TICKETS: FREE
ELIO VILLAFRANCA WHEN: Saturday 1/24/09 WHERE:Parlour Jazz
119 Vanderbilt Avenue
Brooklyn, NY TIME: 9:00 p.m. & 10:30 p.m. TICKETS: $20
WHEN: Friday 1/23/09 WHERE:Duke Family Performance Hall
207 Faculty Drive
Davidson, NC TIME: 7:30 p.m. TICKETS: $20
WHEN: Saturday 1/24/09 WHERE:Vermont Jazz Center
72 Cotton Mill Hill, Studio 222
Brattleboro, VT TIME: 8:00 p.m. TICKETS: $20
HECTOR MARTIGNON WHEN: Thursday 1/22/09 WHERE:Nuyorican Poet’s Cafe
236 East 3rd Street
New York, NY TIME: 9:00 p.m. TICKETS: $7
INSIGHT WHEN: Friday 1/23/09 – Saturday 1/24/09 WHERE:AN Die Musik Live
409 North Charles Street
Second Floor
Baltimore, MD TIME: 8:00 p.m. & 9:30 p.m. TICKETS: $20
NEGRONI’S TRIO WHEN: Saturday 1/24/09 WHERE:Small’s
183 West 10th street
New York, NY TIME: 7:30 p.m. & 9:00 p.m. TICKETS: $20
PAQUITO D’RIVERA WHEN: Monday 1/19/09 WHERE:Eisenhower Theater, Kennedy Center
2700 F Street, NW
Washington, DC TIME: 7:00 p.m TICKETS: SOLD OUT
If you’re in the MID-EAST this week . . . LOS GATOS WHEN: Thursday 1/22/09 WHERE:The Firefly Club
637 S. Main
Ann Arbor, MI TIME: 8:00 p.m. TICKETS: $8
TUMBAO BRAVO WHEN: Sunday 1/25/09 WHERE:Sangria – Royal Oak
401 S. Lafayette
Royal Oak, MI TIME: 9:00 p.m.
If you’re on the WEST COAST this week . . . GRUPO FALSO BAIANO WHEN: Friday 1/23/09 WHERE:Marin Jewish Community Center
200 N. San Pedro Rd.
San Rafael, CA TIME: 1:00 p.m TICKETS: FREE
JOHN SANTOS SEXTET WHEN: Friday 1/23/09 WHERE:La Peña Cultural Center
3105 Shattuck Avenue
Berkeley, CA TIME: 8:30 p.m. TICKETS: $12 in advance, $14 at the door
JOVINO SANTOS NETO
Tribute to Jobim with vocalist Sandy Cressman WHEN: Saturday 1/24/09 WHERE:Bake’s Place
4135 Providence Point Dr. SE,
Issaquah, WA TIME: 8:00 p.m. TICKETS: $27
KAT PARRA WHEN: Sunday 1/25/09 WHERE:Anna’s Jazz Island
2120 Allston Way
Berkeley, CA TIME: 8:00 p.m.
LATIN JAZZ ALL-STARS (BAY AREA) WHEN: Sunday 1/25/09 WHERE:San Jose Improv
62 S. Second Street
San Jose, CA TIME: 2:00 p.m. TICKETS: $30
PONCHO SANCHEZ WHEN: Monday 1/19/09 WHERE:Sheraton City Center
150 West 500 South
Salt Lake City, UT TIME: 7:30 p.m. TICKETS: $25
WHEN: Friday 1/23/09 WHERE:Vitello’s
4349 Tujunga Avenue
Studio City, CA TIME: 7:30 p.m. & 9:30 p.m. TICKETS: $20; 2 drink minimum
Enclave Diaspora
Rebecca Cline and Hilary Noble
Enclave Jazz
The concepts of a “Diaspora” and an “enclave” are certainly opposing ideas, but both essential processes in the pursuit of a defined creative voice. An enclave exists as an enclosed area, a safe zone that may serve as home base for its inhabitants. For most artists, it’s the starting point of their creative life, and the defined traits of their enclaves form the boundaries of their comfort zone. A Diaspora is a group of people that have left their safety zone and found culture and tradition in other parts of the world. For many reasons, they’ve found new homes and experienced new lifestyles, changing the core of their beliefs. The creative artist needs to visit both of these points, starting in their enclave. Here they build the foundation of their musicianship and establish a firm understanding of music and style. Once they reach a proficient level and feel comfortable, they need to completely abandon their safety zone and leave, in search of something new. Their journey needs to challenge their established artistic direction and force them to experience new musical approaches. They need to embrace the unknown and dive headfirst into uncharted waters, where the artistic outcome is sink or swim. They’ll eventually return to their enclave, where they can digest their experiences and construct a new artistic identity, which they can share with their peers. Pianist Rebecca Cline and saxophonist Hilary Noble display the results of this process on Enclave Diaspora, an exciting recording that explodes with a brilliantly intertwined group of musical cultures.
Several Songs Dedicated To Yemayá
Several tracks serve as dedications to Yemayá, the Santeria Orisha who watches over the ocean and seas. Cline thoughtfully embellishes a traditional song for Yemayá with colorful harmonies through an unaccompanied introduction on “Improvisaciones sobre Yemayá,” before Noble revisits the melody on flute. As Noble plays the song with a gentle serenity, Cline improvises actively and the rhythm section provides coloristic textures. The dramatic contrast between the melody and support seems perfectly logical amid the song’s natural beauty, with the melody serving as the calm among the storm. Noble enthusiastically jumps into a joyful melody over a samba rhythm on “Chorinho pra Iemãnjá,” joined by Cline on the repeat. After the melody, bassist Fernando Huergo catches the spirit of the song perfectly with an improvisation that combines long lines, precise rhythmic articulations, and a serious forward motion. Noble and Cline quickly revisit the melody, bringing the song to a close. Huergo establishes a muted funky vamp that is soon doubled by Noble on “Ocean Mother” with Cline providing a rhythmic counterpoint line. Noble wanders through the funky groove with a bluesy improvisation, leaving plenty of space between phrases to emphasize the groove. Layers of overdubbed saxophones enter with a catchy line that pushes the song into a pan-Caribbean direction while members of the group take turns improvising. Noble boldly presents a traditional Afro-Cuban chant over a free-flowing background on “Iyá Modupué,” which Cline divides with a lush bridge section. As Noble begins his solo, he play around short melodic phrases with plenty of space, indulging in the open beauty of the song’s foundation. As he builds momentum, Noble’s improvisation grows into a series of furious runs and screaming notes that recall Pharaoh Sanders and late John Coltrane while the rest of the band reacts with an assertive collective improvisation. The group’s connection to Yemayá resonates strongly in these pieces, inspiring them into a flurry of beautiful music.
Complex Stylistic Mixtures
The group engages in a complex stylistic mixture on other pieces, employing compositional devices from a variety of sources. Cline introduces a complex groove with a funky clavinet sound on “A-Frayed,” which gains a fusion-influenced foundation, full of switching meters and double time transitions. The groove continues to modulate with the band integrating spontaneously improvisational embellishments, until Cline jumps into a long twisting montuno pattern. The montuno leads into Cline’s solo, where she bravely winds through the feel changes with confidence, building an engaging statement. The group implies a timba influence with Cline’s funky montuno on “Mars Bars,” until they deftly switch into a relaxed swing feel, creating a powerful contrast. Cline shows many sides of her improvisational skills here, swinging with a passion, creating tension fueled polyrhythms, and connecting extended variations into a fluent idea. Noble exerts a strong personality throughout the challenging form, spinning quick bebop lines and funky rhythmic ideas around his urgent tone. The group establishes a definitive 6/8 pattern behind a catchy melody on “Moab,” sliding into an elegant melody over an Afro rhythm on the bridge. Huergo moves through the full range of his bass with flowing melodies that both draw upon the melody and explore further pieces of the harmony. Cline enters with carefully placed notes over the Afro feel, building into a long, busy line over the 6/8 section. The group shows an academically informed voice on these pieces that breathes naturally with life, mixing complexity with fluent musicianship.
Bringing The Group’s Distinct Personalities To The Forefront
A series of pieces stay focused upon single styles, bringing the group’s distinct personalities to the forefront of the music. A series of polyrhythmic hits introduce “Crossroads” before the group falls into a steady groove, which consistently gets broken by the metric contrast of the original hits. Cline storms into a powerful improvisation that builds upon the song’s inherent rhythmic tension, boldly adding to the already complex syncopation. Noble screams through an inspired tenor sax solo before the group transitions into 6/8 for a display of his impressive conga chops. The band maintains a ballad behind Noble on “Nameless” as he tenderly shapes the melody with dynamic contrast, careful phrasing, and tonal variations. Cline reveals a different side of her musicianship here, with a gradually developed solo that draws upon space as much as it emphasizes harmonic color. The steady ballad feel disappears behind Huergo as he weaves steady melody lines over sparse colors, leading back into Noble’s sensitive reading of the melody. As drummer Steve Langone holds a steady 6/8 feel on “Blue Cross,” Cline and Huergo play contrasting lines that become even more vital as Noble enters with a rhythmically opposing melody. A transition into a fast son montuno feel sets the stage for Noble, who playfully creates ideas off the rhythmic foundation, inspiring active response from his band mates. The band moves back to 6/8 for Cline’s improvisation, who fuels her statement with bluesy inflections, pushing the group back into son montuno for a rousing finish. These pieces show the group playing full force, and letting the personalities drive the work freely.
An Exciting Journey
Cline and Noble display the power of experiencing both the comfortable and new on Enclave Diaspora, with a powerful set of music that boldly combines each of their influences into a seamless mixture. They find inspiration in the melodies of Cuban Santeria, jazz harmonies, and odd meter groupings, yet they never feel bound to the established past. Cline, Noble, and their group find every possible connection point between these worlds, and they move between them at a dizzying rate. Their compositions are academically complex, but they remain loose and natural. There’s a sense that these musicians have taken the time to completely digest the scope of their compositional tools and apply them liberally. Their performance approach is distinctly modern, finding a coherent blend between rumba, rock solid funk grooves, and free jazz improvisation. Cline displays a wide mastery of harmonic devices, and her improvisations radiate with the rhythmic power of Cuban music and the lyrical grace of jazz. Noble’s performance voice screams with personality at every turn, as he boldly twists between funky riffing and screeching freedom, an adventurous and engaging player. Huergo and Langone appear as perfect band mates, acting as a sensitive and interactive rhythm section; Huergo steps out as a captivating soloist at several points. With every track, Cline and Noble share the path of their development on Enclave Diaspora, an inspiring journey that would be well-worth the time spent following them.
The Exploring series allows you to travel with me as I explore various sides of Latin Jazz that are still fairly new to me. I’ve studied and performed Cuban-based Latin Jazz quite a bit, and to a lesser degree, I’ve been involved with Brazilian influenced Latin Jazz. Today’s modern Latin Jazz world encompasses much more than the music of Cuba and Brazil though, and I feel a bit behind the times. I encourage you to join me as I broaden my horizons and learn more about a variety of Latin Jazz styles.
When I first started exploring Afro-Peruvian Jazz in this post, I detailed the artists that used Afro-Peruvian rhythms in jazz – at least, artists that I had encountered at that point. Over the past year, Afro-Peruvian Jazz has become a regular part of my listening routine and a major piece of the Latin Jazz world. I’ve become familiar with rhythms such as lando, festejo, and valse, and I’m starting to notice these styles appear in a wide spectrum of albums. Artists such as trumpet player Gabriel Alegria have become inspirational figures for me, as I search for You Tube videos and check out their MySpace pages. When guitarist Eric Kurimski won the LJC 2008 Album of the Year Award for his recording Réplica this past December, I realized that Afro-Peruvian Jazz had arrived to the forefront of the Latin Jazz scene. With the music becoming increasingly important, I’m glad that I’ve spent the past year building my knowledge about Afro-Peruvian styles . . . but I still feel like I’ve got a good deal to learn.
Compared to my background in Afro-Cuban Jazz, my knowledge of Afro-Peruvian Jazz is still very thin – so the research continues. I’ve discovered that Peru has an active jazz scene in Lima and beyond, with a wealth of great musicians fueling the creative process. There’s jazz clubs that provide the setting for creative activity, such as Jazz Zone, a club that books live jazz most nights of the week. Other performance spots provide live jazz on a semi-regular basis such as La Vida Misma, La Noche, and the Hotel Marriott. There seems to be an active intermingling of stylistic ideals from jazz, Afro-Peruvian folk music, and Brazilian styles to pop, rock, and fusion. There seems to be quite a bit of interesting music happening around Lima. I have not visited Peru yet, so I can’t say all this from first hand experience, only internet research. So I could be mistaken in my impression, but I’m encountering a good deal of interesting music.
I thought that I’d jump right into this scene by introducing two Latin Jazz artists currently performing in Peru. Each artist incorporates traditional Afro-Peruvian styles extensively, combining the use of the cajon with bass, piano, guitar, and drum kit. They simultaneously draw upon traditional jazz; incorporating standards, swing rhythms, and jazz melodic phrasing. It’s a fluid combination that both exciting and interesting – take a minute to check out these artists, you’ll be glad that you did.
Cecilia Alessandra Vocalist Cecilia Alessandra found her passion for music at a young age, jumping into training during her middle school years. She soon committed herself fully to music, with vocal lessons, and a broad exposure to musical styles. Her pursuit of a music career soon took her to Rio de Janeiro, where she found work singing in local venues. This experience brought Alessandra deeper into Brazilian styles, adding it to her repertoire of traditional Peruvian songs as she returned to her home country. When she began performing in Peru, she added jazz and blues to her repertoire and gained a following, which led to tours in Chile, Argentina, Ecuador, Bolivia, Mexico, and Colombia. She relocated to the United States for a short time in 2005, working in Las Vegas. Alessandra currently performs throughout Peru.
Alessandra’s 2007 release Caudalosa highlights her talents in a broad array of styles, languages, and musical approaches. Traditional Afro-Peruvian styles form the basis of Alessandra’s repertoire, but she certainly doesn’t stop with that musical foundation. There’s an extensive presence of swing styles, providing Alessandra the opportunity to display traditional phrasing and strong scatting skills. Alessandra’s experimental spirit takes her a bit further though, including bits of rock, funk, techno, and flamenco. It’s a diverse ride through the wide possibilities afforded by Afro-Peruvian rhythms and Alessandra stands at the center of the sound with her powerful vocal guiding the music.
Manante This group of contemporary Peruvian musicians takes the all the best ideals of the jazz trio and pushes it to the next level with the combination of Afro-Peruvian rhythms. Bassist Noel Marambio holds the trio together with his solid performance on both acoustic and electric basses. A musician that has studied extensively in Peru with musicians such as Jorge Madueño and Andres Prado and then in the United States with Matthew Garrison and Victor Wooten, Marambio brings a wealth of experience and musical knowledge into the group. Drummer Leonardo “Gigio” Parodi grounds the trio in traditional Afro-Peruvian music while concurrently allowing them to jump into jazz swing. His ability to simultaneously integrate cajon and drum kit into music has found him work with such influential artists as Eva Allyon, Perú Negro, and Alex Acuña. Pianist Pepe Céspedes provides a strong voice at the front of the trio with strong melodic interpretations and harmonic development. Céspedes has been a regular on the Peruvian music scene, working as musical director for Alessandra, and joining together with other local musicians such as Yuri Juarez to perform. It’s a strong trio that brings a new Peruvian ideal to the traditional jazz format.
Manante’s 2008 recording Para Los Engreidos shows the trio in action, exploding with potential and strongly solidified artistic ideals. Some tracks take the listener on a journey through traditional Afro-Peruvian music, with Céspedes providing a gentle touch on the piano while Parodi ensure an appropriate foundation on the cajon. Other songs move the group further into fusion territory with Marambio storming through melodic and virtuosic electric bass solos and the overall group taking a much more aggressive approach. At other times, the trio simply swings with an implication of a gliding swing moving over the cajon while Marambio leans between stylistic boundaries. At the core of the group, there’s a firm sense of interaction, creativity, and teamwork that places the group in the vital listening category. As Afro-Peruvian Jazz gains a further footing in the Latin Jazz world, Manante will be a group that will need to be heard.
Today marks a major moment in U.S. history, as we welcome our 44th president, Barack Obama into office. For the first time in United States history, an African American citizen will hold the highest office in the nation and serve as our country’s face around the world. The cultural ramifications signal a major change in United States society that is long, long overdue. Our country faces one of the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression, a fact that has impacted the lives of our country’s rich and poor. As people loose jobs, make lifestyle changes, and face unrealistic mortgages, most of us look ahead towards an uncertain future with a dismal forecast. We remain locked in a never ending war that has taken the lives of far too many people and cost our country billions of dollars. Every exit strategy seems unrealistic, and each day the bloodshed multiples beyond the most horrific expectation. Our environment faces the consequences of decades of irresponsible lifestyles and corrupt business practices. Unless changes occur soon, we’ll be passing a barely inhabitable planet to our children with irreversible problems beyond their control. For eight years, we’ve simply watched the state of nation rapidly worsen, with little control over our path; today we’re hoping that path can change.
Despite the fact that the United States has held an economic embargo against Cuba for decades, the policy surrounding artistic exchange between Cubans and Stateside musicians has changed between administrations. During the Clinton administration, I had the privilege to see Irakere, Los Van Van, NG La Banda, Chucho Valdes’ combo, and more Cuban Jazz superstars live in concert. Travel programs were established that allowed for musicians from the United States to study in Cuba with some of their best musicians. Recordings were made that featured combinations of the best musicians from the United States and Cuba. Cuban artists traveled to the United States and participated in educational programs such as the Stanford Jazz Workshop and clinics at the Berklee School of Music. The United States public reached an unparalleled level of interest in Cuban music, musicians from Cuba brought new musical ideas back to the island, and there was an inspiring sense of collaboration in the Latin music community. These opportunities disappeared in 2001 when George W. Bush took office and rode a hard line stance on any type of exchange with Cuba.
Education in general was hit pretty hard during the Bush administration, and “No Child Left Behind” definitely left arts education far behind in the country’s priority scheme. The “core” subjects were emphasized, and arts often took a backseat when instructional planning and funding were discussed. This was not true everywhere in the country; the arts thrived in some areas where it floundered in other places. Some fortunate students may get to perform in classical, jazz, Latin, and popular settings by the time they graduate from high school; some of the less fortunate students were lucky to receive any instrumental or vocal instruction. That divide needs to unified, with all students taking part in a broad music education that builds performance skills and lifelong appreciations for a broad collection of musical styles. Young people are certainly exposed to music – from iTunes to YouTube or even Limewire, our youth has more access to more music than every before in the history of the United States. Still, they have to look for the music on the internet, it doesn’t magically appear; while they may stumble upon some jazz or Latin music, they will most likely miss the most important artists unless they are guided towards it. We need our schools to provide young people with a broad musical perspective or we will be breeding a generation of Rock Band junkies that see artistry through one set of musical eyes.
As Obama strives to recharge the economy, let’s hope that he looks beyond the traditional idea of “business.” Artistic output circles through our system actively – from live performance to recorded works, it’s a natural human instinct to consume artistic work, and most people are willing to pay for it. Once the Obama administration recognizes the arts as an important piece of our economy, they need to look beyond the “big business” of the arts world. Large music companies, massive movie production houses, and corporate television stations are feeling the economic slump, but they still have resources to create products. It’s the independent artists that are often dealing with less commercially accessible art forms that need a financial boost from the government; and that’s a place where you’ll generally find the cutting edge Latin Jazz artists. Musicians that are exploring the connections between culture, society, and artistic expression need to be supported in their pursuits. We need the government to recognize those artists as important contributors to society, fund their substantial projects, and then help spread their products across a broad population. Our general public would gain a broader taste of the artistic world, artists could live a comfortable life, and the government would have reached beyond the basic necessities to give back to our society.
