Afrocuban & Live
Marlon Simon & Black Chantilly
Most music developed from some type of cultural exchange; a meeting of two cultures that serves as a starting point for future explorations. As a style, Latin Jazz exists as the result of a cultural exchange and its dual heritage remains a defining factor for the music today. Yet, music is an organic process that needs to breath and expand over time, so the original exchanges that defined Latin Jazz can’t be it’s end story. The rich heritage of Latin Jazz is simply a starting point and artists must build upon it through collaborations with other musicians. This sounds easy, but they can’t contradict music’s natural process; otherwise their product will sound forced and lack authenticity. They musicians need to develop an understanding of cultural norms and open honest lines of communication. Musicians from multiple cultures may play the same style, but interpret it with slightly different ideas or approaches. Once the group has taken the time to digest these diverse interpretations, the details of their interaction will push the style into a natural evolution. It’s an extensive process that requires patience and insight as the musicians find common artistic ground, but the results can be breathtaking. New lines of communication emerge, alternate performance techniques inspire the musicians, experimentation becomes the norm, and new music filled with conviction and commitment arises. Drummer Marlon Simon went through this process, exchanging ideas with Black Chantilly, a group of musicians from France, and the resultant album, Afrocuban & Live explodes with the power and excitement of their exploration.

Finding A Meeting Point In Simon’s Bluesy Compositions
Simon and Black Chantilly enthusiastically find a meeting point through two of Simon’s blues influenced compositions. The group attacks “Blues pa Changuito” with big bold hits before moving into a long winding blues melody, shaped cleverly with dynamic shadings. Pianist Frédéric Breton and bassist Frédéric Bidou play offbeat accents over the drummers as saxophonist Laurent Audinos builds his statement around a rhythmic idea, immediately creating an energetic boost. After a couple of choruses, Simon, Breton, and Bidou disappear while Audinos continues improvising; Audinos smartly plays off this drastic contrast, using it to build his solo. The rhythm section enthusiastically reappears, sending Audinos into a dramatic climax, until Breton brings the dynamic down to a whisper. Breton invokes response from the drummers with long lines and rhythmic tension, before the horn players jump into a twisting shout section. Breton and Bidou return to their original accents while Simon utilizes colorful shading to build his statement, and then the group moves into a traditional montuno as conguero Marc Glomeau explodes into an exciting improvisation. Bidou firmly establishes a funky bass line over a cha cha cha rhythm on “Para Pucho” until the wind players enter with a catchy blues inflected melody. The group softens as Bidou takes an aggressive solo on electric bass that mixes blues licks with chromatic lines, quick runs, and interesting phrases. Audinos and trumpet player Dominique Rieux engage in an explosive conversation that builds into a show stopping exchange of chops, squeals, and great ideas, all delivered with passionate commitment. Breton falls into a funky montuno, setting the stage for a powerful solo from Glomeau, who connects a series of traditional licks into a fluid statement. These tracks find the group working together effectively and authentically on more bluesy compositions, capturing the music’s essence with an addictive enthusiasm.

Stepping Into Adventurous Territory
The group collaboratively explores new territory with several compositions that integrate a variety of genres. Audinos and Rieux play a dramatic rubato melody to introduce Simon’s “Erika,” restating it with the whole band over a 6/8 bembe groove. Breton enters with an insightful phrase, taking his time to build a thoughtful solo that both reflects the song’s beautiful harmony and Breton’s strikingly personal playing. The wind players drastically play the melody while Breton continues to solo until the band disintegrates into a chaotic and dissonant free improvisation. Simon emerges from the group with a double time 6/8 rhythm, which serves as the basis for a carefully constructed drum solo that wisely emphasizes phrasing over flash. A long background line from the wind players pushes the group into a double time rumba, setting the stage for passionate improvisations from both Rieux and Audinos. The group puts an interesting twist on a classic Latin Jazz standard by performing Pedro Flores’ “Obsesion” as a slow swing tune with a rumba bridge. Simon and Bidou jump into a double time swing feel behind Rieux’s solo, who rises to the occasion with long streams of quick notes and a bebop fueled intensity. Simon disappears as Audinos begins his solo, giving him reign to pull the time back into a medium swing. Audinos digs into the feel with a soulful swing, building upon his ideas until Simon and Bidou burst into a double time feel, driving the solo into a ferocious roar. The rhythm section drops away behind Breton, who obscures the time altogether, only locking into a pulse as the drummers enter with the rumba bridge. The band returns to the swing feel for the melody, but they explode into an intense rumba for an album highlight solo from Glomeau. Breton & Bidou hold chords over a 6/8 rhythm to introduce Simon’s “Roots Medley,” following by introspective melodic readings from Audinos on soprano sax and Rieux on muted trumpet. Breton takes an extended solo that explores a variety of harmonic colors and paints a vivid statement with lush melodic lines. The group follows Breton through the dramatic journey, until Audinos and Rieux bring the song back to a quiet dynamic with the rich melody. The rhythm section falls into an open groove while Audinos and Rieux take turns weaving lines through the texture, with a quiet respect for the music. These tracks showcase a more adventurous side to the group’s collaboration, revealing their ability to play off each other’s strengths.

Exposing A World Of Possibilities
Simon and the members of Black Chantilly expose the potential of an organic cultural exchange, presenting an outstanding Latin Jazz performance on Afrocuban & Live, filled with fire and conviction. Simon’s compositions serve as the backbone of the set, and fortunately, they contain rich harmonic and rhythmic foundations that serve as solid starting points. The songs evolve into vehicles for expression, changing their shape and sound to fit the improvisational personalities of each band member. The arrangements simultaneously push the group and provide enough space for them to experiment, adding to the overall excitement of the performance. There’s a general sense that the musicians have reached a high level of trust and understanding in their artistic agreements; there’s never a hint of hesitation or overly careful playing. The musicians freely take risks and then indulge in the results. They leave each other exposed at times and enthusiastically interact in other moments, always confident that the support they need will arrive. The members of Black Chantilly perform with personality and style, obviously top-notch musicians in their own right. They find inspiration in their collaboration with Simon though, and their musicianship just shines as a result. Simon gets a mutual boost from Black Chantilly, playing with a finesse and pride that makes his already defined voice much stronger. Simon and Black Chantilly remind us that there’s a world of possibilities in cultural exchange, and when done correctly, inspiring results like Afrocuban & Live can help the style rise onto a higher plane.

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Check Out These Related Posts:
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Best Latin Jazz of 2007 Award Winners: Album of the Year and Next Generation Artist
Album of the Week: The Latin Side of Wayne Shorter, Conrad Herwig

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