From Yucatan to Rio
Gabriel Espinosa Zoho Music
Brazilian music in the United States holds a history ripe with artistic compromises, and as a result, Brazilian Jazz has long struggled with the balance between commercialism and artistry. The mass popularity of Getz/Gilberto propelled Antonio Carlos Jobim’s music into the American spotlight, sticking the combination of rich harmonies and lyrical melodies in our consciousness. The public’s desire to hear these songs and similar bossa nova compositions drove marketers to saturate our musical landscape with them. Elevators rang with the sound of bossa nova muzak and phone lines chimed with choruses of strings piping bossa nova over a hold signal. Numerous jazz vocalists whitewashed the music with jazz interpretations of bossa nova that distinctly ignored the cultural elements of Brazil. While these public uses of Brazilin music moved the genre into the world, it also created a commercial association that pigeon holed the music as light and fluffy. Musical accessibility certainly helped Brazilian Jazz flourish and survive, but the public misconception of the style’s roots creates unnecessary pressures for an artist. In order to appeal to a wide audience, Brazilian Jazz needs to hold some of those commercial pieces, but an honest production of a musician’s artistic vision can’t be a slave to those expectations. Bassist Gabriel Espinosa walks the line between commercialism and artistry on From Yucatan to Rio, presenting a set of artistically composed and arranged Brazilian Jazz that shimmers with pop tinges.
Showcasing Espinosa’s Instrumental Compositions
Several tracks focus upon instrumental pieces that showcase Espinosa’s lushly arranged compositions. Pianist Helio Alves provides a richly understated introduction on “Nuevos Horizontes,” before clarinetist Anat Cohen enters with an expressive melodic reading. The main theme moves through the ensemble until Cohen delivers an intelligently constructed statement that benefits from her personal sense of tone and embellishment. Alves transitions into his improvisation by continuing one of Cohen’s phrases and then leaps into a rapid-fire succession of clever melodic developments. Alves establishes a funky swaggering samba groove that eases into a calm support as the full rhythm section enters behind the melody on “Azul Y Negro.” Saxophonist George Robert and trumpet player Claudio Roditi share melodic duties here, infusing the long melody with a sense of dynamics and shape through strong performances. Alves takes a simple spacious theme and builds it into an engaging succession of quick passages and rhythmic syncopations that all meld into a distinctly coherent theme. The rhythm section energetically supports Alves in an enthusiastic introduction to “Huracan” that powers forward directly into a catchy melody. The wind duo presents a sharp and precise articulation throughout the melody, adding to the song’s addictive rhythmic drive. Alves displays a keen ability to phrase with the virtuosic range of a bebop pianist while integrating a defined percussive nature that distinguishes his approach. Alves trickles through falling phrases over an airy background on “LP 07” before the rhythm section settles into a relaxed bossa nova feel behind the breezy melody. Roditi cuts through the song’s calm feel with a short statement that uses a bit of hard bop fire to push the rhythm section into a higher dynamic. Robert contrasts Roditi’s edge with long tones, a thick vibrato, and basic embellishments upon the original theme. Espinosa displays a thoughtful, detailed, and controlled compositional approach here, playing upon texture and tone to build showcases for his musicians.
An Accessible Sound That Features Vocalists
Espinosa features vocalists on several pieces, creating an accessible sound that bridges ideas of jazz and popular music. Solo piano chords lead into a swaying bossa nova groove anchored by guitarist Romero Lubambo’s rhythmic comping on vocalist Allison Wedding’s “We’ve Come Undone.” Wedding slides through the English lyric with a strong grace, playing upon the melody with her gorgeous tone and attractive phrasing. Alves follows Wedding’s lead with a restrained improvisation that weaves lyrical lines through the colorful chord changes. A thick chorus of voices creates a strong forward motion with a rhythmic scat on Antonio Carlos Jobim’s classic “Agua De Beber” before the group jumps into a cleverly harmonized version of the melody. Roditi exposes an intimate familiarity with the tune, winding bluesy lines over a rich sea of voices with a dynamic confidence. An interesting interlude once more wraps around the vocalists leading back to the melody in an album highlight arrangement that draws upon influences from Manhattan Transfer and Take Six. The rhythm section provides an upbeat samba foundation behind Wedding’s driving melody on “Remain” that provides an usual contrast to the lyrics’ somewhat sentimental mood. Roditi finds a balance between the melodic content and the song’s inherent propulsion with a strong improvisation that builds into an exciting climax. Lubambo captures Roditi’s energy with a brief but potent solo that develops an interesting and attention grabbing melody. Espinosa brings together artistic and commercial elements on these tracks, connecting improvisation, English lyrics, and accessible harmonies into a delicate tapestry.
Aiming Towards A More Commercial Sound
Espinosa aims more precisely towards an accessible sound with several songs that integrate pop elements. Robert and Alves travel through a smooth arpeggiated line, intertwining with a lush vocal scat on “Klavier Latino” until Roditi and Robert play a catchy commercial melody. Roditi tears through the song’s pop sheen with a skillfully executed improvisation that smartly makes a poignant statement in a short space. In an unexpected turn of events, drummer Antonio Sanchez takes an understated solo that emphasizes color and texture, before moving into an impassioned improvisation from Robert. The group creates an undefined and airy atmosphere as Alves improvises on “Morning Breeze,” until Robert enters into the melody with a thick vibrato while synthesizers and bird sounds fill the background. Both Roditi and Robert spend the track traveling through repetitions of the melody, staying close to the assigned parts with an accessible and defined narrowness. Roditi provides a rhythmic edge to an interesting melody over a samba groove on “Maria” as Robert and a chorus of voices wrap counter lines into the mix. Robert enthusiastically leaps into an energetic improvisation that starts with rhythmic ideas and explodes into a flurry of rapid note streams. Lubambo displays his immense talent for melodic construction on a smart statement that moves through the chords with integrity and strength. There are several pieces of lush scat, synthesized textures, and simplified melodies throughout these pieces, as Espinosa searches for a commercial sound while striving to retain his compositional approach.
An Appealing Piece Of Brazilian Jazz
The equilibrium of artistry and commercialism shifts throughout From Yucatan to Rio, as Espinosa dips into both sides of the equation. The album definitely includes extensive commercial elements that may provoke diverse reactions among the jazz community. More experienced listeners may find the strictly composed and clearly defined forms too smooth and confined. Other listeners may discover a good introduction to Brazilian Jazz that will both appeal to their ear and challenge their senses. In any case, Espinosa’s compositions include colorful collections of harmonies and long flowing melodies, all intelligently packaged long song forms. The pieces provide a good amount of meat that propels the guest musicians into strong performances. Roditi plays with finesse and fire, nailing the composed pieces while exploding into excellent examples of high-level musicianship on his solo. Robert falls into pop traps at times on his melodic interpretations, but his enthusiastic improvisations beg for more attention. Wedding presents a refined technique and a gorgeous tone, while her pop edge should sit well with the Diana Krall and Norah Jones fans. Alves consistently leaps out of the album as a distinct stylist that approaches jazz from a Brazilian point of view, injecting his improvisations with the insights of a cultural insider. These support people bring clarity to Espinosa’s vision, injecting his ideas with creative energy. The mixture of all these elements brings an appealing depth into From Yucatan to Rio, providing a firm artistic foundation to an accessible piece of Brazilian Jazz.
Composer, arranger, and theorist George Russell died this past Monday night July 27, 2009, leaving behind a lifetime of important work that altered the course of the jazz world. Russell began playing music as a drummer during his youth in Cincinnati, moving towards a professional career through college. During an extended hospital stay, Russell studied harmony and began writing, soon selling an arrangement to Benny Carter. He later started performing again, but composing and arranging quickly became a primary focus. As he became closer to many jazz musicians, discussions about theory prompted him to think about harmony in a new way. He developed his Lydian Chromatic concept, which challenged traditional thoughts about harmonic organization. Musicians such as Miles Davis, Bill Evans, and John Coltrane embraced Russell’s concepts and applied them to their own musical endeavors, giving us masterpieces like Davis’ Kind of Blue and Coltrane’s My Favorite Things. Russell solidified his concept in two books, and practiced it through performance with his own groups, creating classic albums such as Jazz Workshop and Ezz-Thetics. A younger generation digested Russell’s concept as he moved into education, teaching courses on Lydian Chromatic theory at the New England Conservatory. Russell was awarded the MacArthur Foundation Fellowship, the National Endowment for the Arts American Jazz Master Award, two Guggenheim Fellowships, and many other honors. Russell moved jazz forward significantly; he heard jazz in a new light, opening the door to a new and modern perspective upon improvisation.
During his early years as a composer and arranger, Dizzy Gillespie hired Russell, who composed and arranged for the legendary 1947 Carnegie Hall concert, creating the milestone composition “Cubano Be, Cubano Bop.” This piece served as a major part of the concert, since it showcased Chano Pozo playing unrestrained and authentic Cuban rhythms, along with traditional chants. The band played to a full audience at a prestigious hall, setting a new level of exposure and recognition for Afro-Cuban rhythms. The sound of Pozo’s performance resonated in the ears of musicians around New York and soon they began their own experimentations with Afro-Cuban rhythms. Following the Carnegie Hall concert, Russell moved onto other projects, leaving “Cubano Be, Cubano Bop” as his single gift to the Latin Jazz world. Russell’s contribution to this one point in Latin Jazz history certainly made an impact, but it sits as a minor piece of his career and a tiny but memorable part of the Latin Jazz canon.
Still, mass media has painted a different story around Russell’s part in the Latin Jazz world. In a piece reporting Russell’s death, the Associate Press includes this statement:
“Russell was born in Cincinnati in 1923 and attended Wilberforce University. He played drums in Benny Carter’s band and later wrote ”Cubano Be/Cubano Bop” for Dizzy Gillespie’s orchestra. It premiered at Carnegie Hall in 1947 and was the first fusion of Afro-Cuban rhythms with jazz.”
According to the Associated Press, Russell single-handedly created the first fusion of Afro-Cuban rhythms with jazz.
Looking At “Cubano Be, Cubano Bop” In More Detail Music evolves through cultural trends and experimentation – one person can’t simply put all the pieces of a genre together with a single attempt; there are numerous instances that built up to the composition of “Cubano Be, Cubano Bop.” Gillespie met Cuban musician Mario Bauzá years before the Carnegie Hall concert, and they often discussed the possibilities of a marriage between jazz and Afro-Cuban rhythms. Gillespie experimented with the concept, composing “Pickin’ the Cabbage” in 1939 for Cab Calloway’s band, a diluted attempt at integrating the two genres. Bauzá played upon his background to create more authentic blends of jazz and Afro-Cuban music as musical director for Machito and His Afro-Cubans. Most Latin Jazz historians would agree that the Bauzá captured the first authentic mixture of the two worlds when he composed “Tanga” in 1943. Further arrangements from Machito pianist Rene Hernandez integrated bebop soloists and solidified the idea. The Machito band didn’t stop with “Tanga” though; jazz became an increasing piece of their arrangements. Stan Kenton admired Machito during this time and requested a musical dedication from composer Pete Rugolo. The resultant piece, “Machito” was composed in 1946 and then recorded in March of 1947, six months before Gillespie’s Carnegie Hall concert. In simply a few isolated examples, it becomes very clear that Russell had several model to build upon; “Cubano Be, Cubano Bop” was far from the first fusion of Afro-Cuban rhythms with jazz.
At the same time, it’s important to investigate the actual musical importance of “Cubano Be, Cubano Bop” and its impact upon the tradition. The arrangement rides over an Afro rhythm, allowing Russell to write on a foundation with little syncopation. The resultant arrangement displays a beautiful sense of harmony and engaging melodies, but these prime jazz elements sit somewhat detached from the rhythmic basis. Russell and Gillespie understood limited information about Cuban music at this point, and a language barrier with Pozo complicated matters. It’s possible that Russell wrote the material without a complete concept of clave and simply asked Pozo to play something that fit. What made this song legendary was Pozo’s performance following Russell’s arrangement, an intensive and unaccompanied percussion feature that displayed Pozo’s massive chops and his knowledge of traditional song. Without Pozo, this piece would have lost the excitement and momentum that made it legendary. The rhythmic figures and tense harmonies found in the second half of the piece show keen compositional insight and massive potential. If Russell took more time refining his writing over Afro-Cuban rhythms, he may have built a strong voice in the style. Still, little Afro-Cuban music emerged in Russell’s later compositions.
The importance of “Cubano Be, Cubano Bop” was all about the moment and context of the performance, and its lasting impact remains isolated to history. By 1947, Gillespie had defined himself as a major voice in jazz and a stylistic innovator that had helped usher the world into the bebop era. The performance of “Cubano Be, Cubano Bop” signaled an influential leader of the jazz community publicly embracing Afro-Cuban rhythms in a relevant and artistic way. His performance sent a statement to the jazz community that Afro-Cuban rhythms held more potential than basic dance arrangements, they included the possibility for high art. At the same time, Gillespie premiered the work at a highly respected concert hall that served as a stage to the world. At that moment, Afro-Cuban music moved beyond the barrio and found a home in the serious concert hall. The power of Pozo’s performance captured the world’s attention and helped bolster the reputation of Afro-Cuban music. The power of these two elements form the cultural impact of “Cubano Be, Cubano Bop” much more than the musical content of a piece that has rarely been recorded or performed over the past 62 years since its premier.
Setting The Record Straight on Russell’s Contributions To Latin Jazz
It’s important to look at Russell’s contributions to Latin Jazz in an honest light, and considering these thoughts about “Cubano Be, Cubano Bop,” it’s hard to agree with the original statement from the Associated Press. Several sources changed this sentence slightly to create the sentence “It premiered at Carnegie Hall in 1947 and was one of the first fusions of Afro-Cuban rhythms with jazz.” Although this still skews the story a bit, at least these sources made an attempt to bend the story towards the truth. Maybe a more accurate state would be to say that (“Cubano Be, Cubano Bop”) was one of the first early fusions of Afro-Cuban rhythms with jazz to reach a wide audience and gain the attention of the greater bebop community. Journalists work within confines of word limits and such, but a slight revision like this would provide a more accurate portrayal of the situation and show greater respect to both Russell and the Latin Jazz world.
With all this in mind, one vital question remains – why is a correction like this even important? We’re discussing one sentence in a greater press release that for the most part kept its emphasis upon Russell’s creation of a theoretical concept. An important and experienced musician like Russell most likely would have pointed out the error; in reality, we’re probably looking at the mistake of a misinformed journalist that doesn’t understand Latin Jazz history. Besides, sensationalistic statements sell news, and the public always loves an artist that turns everything they touch to gold. So can’t we just write an error like this off to ignorance and scoff about the lack of respect for Latin Jazz in American culture?
Well, no we can’t. Doing so just allows mistakes like this to continue, and there are greater issues at hand.
Changing The Perception Of Latin Jazz The attribution of “the first fusion of Afro-Cuban rhythms with jazz” to Russell completely co-opts the cultural background of Latin Jazz. With that one statement, the work that musicians from Cuba and Puerto Rico such as Bauzá, Machito, and Tito Puente did to build the style disappears. Based upon the press release, one man had the vision to combine Afro-Cuban rhythms with jazz, sparking the creation of a whole style. Gillespie and Pozo become footnotes in the overall story, simply the performers that followed the brilliance of the compositions. Well, actually, Gillespie becomes a footnote in the story, while Pozo, who wasn’t even mentioned in the article, becomes invisible. In one simple sentence, the Associated Press shifts the credit for a creation made by multiple African-American, Caribbean, & South American musicians to single man. This exists as one more example of Latino musicians and their contributions being buried, an unacceptable trend.
For years, the press, jazz historians, and musicians have understated, ignored, and altered the contribution of Latino musicians to the jazz world. Yet the recognized influence of Latin music dates back to the creation of jazz when Jelly Roll Morton discussed the essential “Spanish Tinge” in jazz. Latin musicians contributed actively to swing and bebop before the birth of “Latin Jazz,” displaying a high level of musicianship, comparable to their peers. As an example, trombonist Juan Tizol long served as a member of the Duke Ellington band, adding a distinct personality, improvisational skills, and strong compositions to the group. Musicians like Pozo, Bauzá, Machito, and Puente pioneered the integration of Afro-Cuban rhythms into a jazz context, expanding the artistic possibilities of the genre. Their compositions, recordings, and concerts not only resulted in inspiring music, but they also made powerful statements about cultural identity in the jazz world. It’s about time that more people from the jazz community and the worldwide audience make this association.
Where To Go From Here
We need to walk away with two ideas here –
1. We need to be unwavering in our awareness about Latin Jazz in our community and take every opportunity to defend it
2. George Russell was amazing musician that helped move the jazz world into the modern age; he just didn’t do it through the composition of “Cubano Be, Cubano Bop.”
Despite this press error following Russell’s death, it’s important to recognize the importance of his contributions to the jazz world. His Lydian Chromatic concept altered the perceptions of many jazz musicians and opened up the possibility of a completely new sound. The development of Miles’ modal concept may have traveled in a different direction without Russell – I’d hate to think of a world without Kind of Blue. Coltrane, Bill Evans, and Ornette Coleman all ingested Russell’s ideas and changed the world with some amazing music. Take the time to investigate Russell’s music and respect his contributions to the jazz world, he deserves it. Let’s just keep our eyes and ears open and continue to defend the cultural background of our music – I’m sure that Russell would have appreciated that.
Find Out More About George Russell And “Cubano Be, Cubano Bop”
There’s a variety of great tributes to Russell around the blogosphere focusing upon his major contributions, take a minute to check them out and learn more about him: Rifftides NPR’s A Blog Supreme Nate Chinen’s The Gig Jacob’s Jazz Blog
Our current Spotlight Artist Samuel Quinto brings an enormous amount of musicality, technical virtuosity, and applied creativity into his performance on the trio recording Salsa’ N Jazz. The pianist infuses each piece with a soulful joy that resonates through the music, bringing a passionate edge to his unique blend of jazz, Afro-Cuban music, and Brazilian rhythms. He integrates an influence from some of the most respected jazz and Latin pianists, including Michel Camilo and Chick Corea, but without a doubt, his performance explodes with a distinct personality that bursts through each track. As a composer, he delivers pieces that play upon the exciting momentum of Latin rhythms, but also explore the inherent beauty of flowing melodies and rich harmonies. Bassist Marcos Borges and drummer Manuel Santiesteban offer firm support throughout the album, displaying a strong command over the different styles that Quinto investigates and an informed ability to navigate diverse harmonic territory. Quinto applies his musicians’ skills wisely, integrating them closely into his arrangements. There’s a wise balance between composed band parts and open improvisatory material that maintains a cohesive sound while allowing space for spontaneity. These three musicians take the trio format and push it into a demanding style of Latin Jazz, turning the sound of three people into a massive wave of propulsive energy. Quinto and his trio provide a lot of reasons to hear Salsa’ N Jazz, making a compelling musical argument that can’t be missed.
If you want to get a better feel for Quinto’s music, there’s plenty of places online that you can find him. Quinto’s website offers a look at both of Quinto’s albums, some great video clips and pictures, as well as background information and a current schedule. You can befriend Quinto and check out samples from Salsa’ N Jazz over at his MySpace page. His YouTube page has a wealth of videos, featuring him performing in a variety of contexts; he also keeps it regularly updated, so you can check back often. Stay updated on all the latest news and events through Quinto’s Facebook page, and don’t forget to take the time and become a fan. Bassist Marcos Borges can be found on his MySpace page, letting you find out a little bit more about the man behind the low end. Drummer Manuel Santiesteban also resides on MySpace, check out his work with Quinto and beyond HERE. Take a few minutes to travel around the internet, and you’ll find plenty of options to become familiar with this fantastic musician.
Still looking for more Quinto? Don’t worry; we’ve got you covered. Quinto has kindly offered to share not one, but two tracks with LJC readers. Starting this morning, the songs “Salsa’ N Jazz” and “Quinto’s Rhumba” have found a new home at the LJC Listening Center. Head over there now and download MP3s of both complete tracks, add them to your iPod and you’re ready to go. Don’t wait; download these tracks now at the LJC Listening Center. Once you hear these tracks, you’re going to be hooked; once you’re ready for more take the dive, support Quinto, and pick up a copy of Salsa’ N Jazz – you’ll be glad that you did!
I’ve included a write-up on Quinto from Frank Eichardt below that includes some biographical information, giving you yet another chance to become familiar with Quinto. Enjoy!
———- Samuel Quinto is an exceptional piano player; his virtuoso, often percussive playing, often with a continuous “tumbao,” accompanying the other solos as well as his own, is intoxicating. His compositions, influenced among others by Michel Camilo, Chick Corea and Gonzalo Rubalcaba, are original melodies that can have – different colorings, depending on the ethnic or geographic origin of theme, dance or title.
Hard to believe that Samuel Quinto is self-taught – his prodigy tale goes like this:
Quinto was born in Belem/Pará, North-Brazil, and raised in Salvador da Bahía. Various good piano players accompanied the gospel singing in the Baptist church “Igreja Batista Sinai”, which his family regularly visited, and the seven year old boy was fascinated by them. He wanted to learn to play everything that they could play, and he wanted to become a better piano player than the best of them. All alone, only by ear, he taught himself everything. In his parents’ house there was a piano. His parents encouraged him, let him do as he liked. Piano classes were hard to finance, and he anyway didn’t want to practice scales and the classical canon. Rather, he learned by himself to play what he liked to play, learned to read and write music, and to make arrangements for music groups and choirs in the church. At the age of 12 he began playing the piano during services, in “his” church, in front of 1000 members of the congregation.
After a few terms at university, he gave up his studies of civil engineering and finally – aged 25 – decided to focus on one thing only: music! He earned his livelihood as piano-player in the bar of Hotel Marriott in Costa do Sauipe, a holiday resort near Salvador. He was bored by many forms of piano music and always wanted to play more complex things. One day he discovered Michel Camilo, the master pianist and composer in classical music and jazz; finally Quinto found his ideal of Latin Jazz.
In 2008 Samuel Quinto taught Latin jazz piano in a master class at the conservatory of the Catholic University in Salvador da Bahía, and in another master class at “Escola Jazz Ao Norte” in Porto, and has since given several solo concerts in Portugal. The first Samuel Quinto Trio CD, “Latin Jazz Thrill,” was released 2007 in Portugal and has provided the core of the repertoire during numerous concerts and festivals in 2007 and 2008 in various towns in Portugal and during the tour of 2008 with appearances in Hamburg, Berlin, Köln and Heilbronn as well as in Liège and Limoges. Samuel Quinto’s 2nd CD, “Salsa ‘n Jazz” was released officially on June 6th, 2009 and was presented in a concert in Porto. On bass was a classically trained contra bass player, Marcos Borges, also from Brasil, and on drums was Manuel Santiesteban from Cuba, who studied drums in Havana. The CD features eight compositions by Samuel Quinto and one standard, variable tone colors despite pure piano trio instrumentation, and an intoxicating joy of playing. Regular repetition of themes and precise playing in harmony may create the impression, on first hearing, that everything is through-composed, though actually its 50 % improvisation.
The track list describes the pieces as the courses of a festive dinner (contributed by Rui Vital, also a musician coming from Brasil and a friend of Samuel Quinto), and it gets things fairly close:
The starter – “Quinto’s Rhumba” – in the style of the jazz-rock-latin fusion experiments of the sixties, a lot of fun and an homage to Herbie Hancock, whets your appetite for more Latin rhythms. The main course is seven more compositions by Samuel Quinto, themes with a Brazilian and/or Cuban touch and rhythm, among them two romantic ballads, dedicated to Samuel Quinto’s wife and to his mother. As dessert, a beautiful version of “Stella By Starlight, which after a short introduction of the theme turns into improvisations over salsa rhythms.
I talked to Samuel Quinto after his trio’s concert in Hamburg 2008, and we had been corresponding since then. Finally he invited my wife and me to the concert in Porto, and again, “live” it was even better than on CD. The location, the concert hall of the private jazz school “Escola Jazz Ao Norte” in Porto, which breathes in the great music enthusiasm of its founder, owner and director, engineer Pedro Ferreira. The school provides music lessons on various instruments, workshops, music-therapy and concerts. Whenever all his administration and finance work leaves him the time, he takes saxophone lessons in his own school. All the well-tempered and excited friends, the helpers, and the three musicians of the Samuel Quinto Trio, appeared in elegant black suites before the almost 100 guests. All shared a great passion for music, for Latin jazz, personified by Samuel Quinto that night in Porto at the grand piano.
Meanwhile, a couple of things have become clear to me: Latin Jazz isn’t principally different from North American jazz, but an extension of its possibilities by the multiple rhythms of Latin American music, a process of exchange and mutual influence, continuing since the 1940s. And Samuel Quinto is on the way to becoming one of the great ones among the piano players in this genre.
One struggle that musicians face during our economic downturn is the shrinking number of clubs regularly supporting Latin Jazz. Clubs that long served as homes to regular live performances have shrunk their schedule into one or two days a week. Clubs that once booked a large number of jazz groups are quickly turning towards more accessible dance bands or smaller ensembles that require less pay. In many instances, clubs have turned away from live musical all together, hiring a DJ to pump salsa, hip hop, reggaeton, and R n’ B into spaces once reserved for live bands. Many clubs that avidly supported the live music scene are slowly disappearing, victims of the current financial burden and the slowly declining jazz audience. As the gigs start to disappear, the competition becomes fiercer, and Latin Jazz groups find themselves battling for gigs against straight-ahead jazz, fusion, and more. Some Latin Jazz groups move into salsa territory to find more work while others shrink their ensembles. In the worst-case scenarios, bands simply don’t perform due to the lack of available clubs. Venues for experimentation become very rare, and artists with new approaches or emerging genres have trouble solidifying their concepts. In times like these, it becomes more important to support and value clubs that still hold onto a daily dose of live music.
Fortunately, we’ve still got some of those vital venues left; one of these clubs currently making an impact on the Afro-Peruvian Jazz scene is Tutuma Social Club. Hosting live music six days a week, Tutuma Social Club brings together great Peruvian food and culture in an entertaining way. The club plays host to a regular crowd of New York’s best Afro-Peruvian Jazz artists, including Gabriel Alegria, Yuri Juarez, Edward Perez, and Juan Medrano “Cotito.” In addition, they’ve taken a vested interest in the expansion of the music, creating the “Going Afro-Peruvian” series. In the same way that “Salsa Meets Jazz” at The Village Gate inspired the mixture of jazz and Afro-Cuban rhythms, the “Going Afro-Peruvian” series has brought together the club’s Afro-Peruvian regulars with musicians such as trumpet player Jackie Coleman and tabla player Badal Roy. Audiences new to Afro-Peruvian music get plenty of opportunity to expand their horizons with all-ages matinees, Afro-Peruvian roots concerts, and traditional Peruvian peñas. The club finds a way to make their doors open to all interested parties – they never require a cover charge. The club encourages New York’s musicians to experience Afro-Peruvian music with jam sessions hosted by Hector Morales and after-hours sessions on Saturday nights. Even though the greater Latin Jazz scene increasingly feels the squeeze of a shrinking club scene, Afro-Peruvian Jazz has a home in New York where it can sustain the culture and grow as an art form.
Although Tutuma Social Club has actively hosted performances for several months, they celebrate their official grand opening tonight, moving into a wealth of great music during August. The grand opening celebration coincides with Peruvian Independence Day, so it should be quite of evening of festivities – don’t miss this! Upcoming artists in August include guitarists Eric Kurimski, Greg Diamond, and Hernan Romero, vocalists Claudia Alzamora and Jean Rohe, as well as Alegria’s Afro-Peruvian Sextet. For a full schedule, artist info, and more, check out the club’s website. We’re hoping that you show your support to Tutuma Social Club, so your Weekly Latin Jazz Video Fix will take you inside the doors of the venue to hear some of the great music. Get a taste of the club with videos from Gabriel Alegria and Jackie Coleman performing live at Tutuma. Enjoy!
———- Gabriel Alegria & His Afro-Peruvian Sextet
Trumpet Player Jackie Coleman
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Make sure that you check out Tutuma Social Club, the central hub for Afro-Peruvian Jazz here in the States. With so many clubs closing, your support become even more important!
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Do you have a video to contribute to satisfy our weekly Latin Jazz video fix? If so, send it in – it’s time to feed our addiction. I’m looking for live performances, from any context. I’ll most likely be posting one video per week, but if you’ve got another idea, let’s talk. So come on Latin Jazz videographers, musicians, and fans – let’s share some of our memorable videos! Get my contact info HERE
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
In an interesting blend of politics and Latin Jazz, pianist Arturo O’Farrill has been commissioned to write a piece in honor of Judge Sonia Sotomayor, the New York Puerto Rican political figure that rose to attention when President Obama nominated her to the Supreme Court. The Afro-Latin Jazz Ensemble will premiere the piece in November at their New York City home, The Symphony Space. The Bronx Museum of the Arts joined together with Symphony Space to sponsor the work – kudos to both for promoting high quality Latin Jazz! You can get the full scoop at Nate Chinen’s blog The Gig.
As part of the weekly “Take Five” feature at the NPR Music Blog, Felix Contreras gathered a collection of 5 Female Latin Jazz Vocalists with albums sung largely in Spanish. It’s a good mix of artists that you might be familiar with through LJC coverage HERE and HERE, as well as some new interesting faces that you might not recognize. Contreras and Scott Simon share their thoughts on the music and they offer streaming samples from each artist. It’s a great opportunity to get familiar with these musicians, check it out HERE.
Podcaster Jason Crane focuses his latest edition of The Jazz Session on one of today’s most prominent Latin Jazz artists, pianist Arturo O’Farrill. In close to thirty minutes of interview, Crane discusses several poignant topics with O’Farrill, including the state of jazz, importance of connecting with history, the Afro-Latin Jazz Orchestra, and more. It’s an essential listen as a reflection of the modern Latin Jazz world. Download it HERE.
If you’re in SOUTH AMERICA this week . . . GABRIEL ALEGRA AFRO-PERUVIAN JAZZ SEXTET WHEN: Saturday 8/1/09 WHERE:Jazz Zone
Av. La Paz 646 psje
El Suche, Miraflores, Peru TIME: 8:00 p.m. & 11:00 p.m. TICKETS: 50 soles
RICHIE ZELLON WHEN: Thursday 7/30/09 WHERE:Jazz Zone
Av. La Paz 646 psje
El Suche, Miraflores, Peru TIME: 10:30 p.m. TICKETS: 35 soles
If you’re in EUROPE this week . . . EDDIE PALMIERI WHEN: Tuesday 7/28/09 WHERE:Zapata
Pragstrasse 120
70376 Stuttgart, Germany TIME: 9:00 p.m. TICKETS: 20 euros
SAMUEL QUINTO WHEN: WHERE:B-Flat Jazz Club
Rua Garcia Arosa 4450
Matosinhos, Portugal TIME: 11:00 p.m.
If you’re in the MIDDLE EAST this week . . . EDDIE PALMIERI WHEN: Saturday 8/1/09 WHERE: The Courtyard Of The Two Temples
Baalbek, Lebanon TIME: 7:30 p.m.
HECTOR DEL CUERTO WHEN: Friday 7/31/09 WHERE: Bodrum Kalesi
Liman Mevkii
Muğla TIME: 9:30 p.m. TICKETS: 20,00 TL
If you’re on the EAST COAST this week . . . ALFREDO RODRIGUEZ WHEN: Tuesday 7/28/09 WHERE:Jazz Standard
116 East 27th Street
New York, NY TIME: 7:30 p.m. & 9:30 p.m. TICKETS: $20
ANNETTE AGUILAR & STRINGBEANS WHEN: Saturday 8/1/09 WHERE:Bennerson Park
64th street & Amsterdam Avenue
New York, NY TIME: 3:00 p.m. TICKETS: FREE
ARTURO O’FARRILL
Solo Piano WHEN: Wednesday 7/29/09 WHERE:Puppet’s Jazz Bar
481 5th Avenue Park Slope
Brooklyn, NY TIME: 7:00 p.m. TICKETS: $10
WHEN: Sunday 8/2/09 WHERE:Birdland
315 W. 44th Street
Manhattan, NY TIME: 9:00 p.m. & 11:00 p.m. TICKETS: $30
CHRIS WASHBURNE & S.Y.O.T.O.S. WHEN: Sunday 8/2/09 WHERE:Smoke
2751 Broadway
New York, NY TIME: 8:00 p.m., 10:00 p.m. & 11:30 p.m. TICKETS: $20 minimum
DAFNIS PRIETO
Litchfield Jazz Festival WHEN: Saturday 8/1/09 WHERE:Kent School
One Macedonia Road
Kent, CT TIME: 12:00 p.m. TICKETS: $35 – $55
ERIC KURIMSKI WHEN: Wednesday 7/29/09 – Sunday 8/2/09 WHERE:Tutuma Social Club
164 East 56th Street
New York, NY TIME: 8:00 p.m.; 8:00 p.m. 10:30 p.m. Thursday – Saturday; 2:00 p.m. & 7:00 p.m. Sunday TICKETS: NO COVER
GREG DIAMOND WHEN: Tuesday 7/28/09 WHERE:Flutebar
205 West 54th Street
New York, NY TIME: 8:00 p.m.
KIKI SANCHEZ WHEN: Sunday 8/2/09 WHERE:Sunshine Jazz Organization
846 Lincoln Road
Miami Beach, FL TIME: 9:00 p.m. TICKETS: FREE
PAQUITO D’RIVERA
Guest Artist w/Victor Mendoza WHEN: Thursday 7/30/09 WHERE:O’Day Park
85 West Newton Street
Boston, MA TIME: 7:00 p.m. TICKETS: FREE
Litchfield Jazz Festival WHEN: Sunday 8/2/09 WHERE:Kent School
One Macedonia Road
Kent, CT TIME: 7:00 p.m. TICKETS: $35 – $55
SALLY’S TOMATO: A TRIBUTE TO THE MUSIC OF CAL TJADER WHEN: Thursday 7/30/09 WHERE:Kitchen 305
16701 Collins Avenue
Sunny Isles, FL TIME: 9:00 p.m. TICKETS: NO COVER
TRIO DA PAZ
Litchfield Jazz Festival WHEN: Saturday 8/1/09 WHERE:Kent School
One Macedonia Road
Kent, CT TIME: 1:45 p.m. TICKETS: $35 – $55
WILLIE MARTINEZ WHEN: Thursday 7/30/09 WHERE:Nuyorican Poet’s Cafe
236 East 3rd Street
New York, NY TIME: 9:00 p.m. TICKETS: $10
If you’re in the MID-EAST this week . . . CRAIG RUSSO LATIN JAZZ PROJECT WHEN: Friday 7/31/09 WHERE:Sangamo Club
227 East Adams Street
Springfield, IL TIME: 6:00 p.m.
LARRY HARLOW WHEN: Friday 7/31/09 WHERE:Voodoo Lounge
One Riverboat Drive
North Kansas City, MO TIME: 8:00 p.m. TICKETS: $25
LOS GATOS WHEN: Thursday 7/30/09 WHERE:The Firefly Club
637 S. Main
Ann Arbor, MI TIME: 8:00 p.m. TICKETS: $8
TUMBAO BRAVO WHEN: Thursday 7/30/09 WHERE:Lakeshore Park
601 S Lake Dr
Novi, MI TIME: 7:00 p.m. TICKETS: FREE
WHEN: Sunday 8/2/09 WHERE:Sangria – Royal Oak
401 S. Lafayette
Royal Oak, MI TIME: 9:00 p.m.
If you’re on the WEST COAST this week . . . ALEXA WEBER MORALES WHEN: Thursday 7/30/09 WHERE:Cafe Claude
7 Claude Lane
San Francisco, CA TIME: 7:30 p.m. TICKETS: FREE
BOBBY MATOS WHEN: Saturday 8/1/09 WHERE:Saint Andrews Park
8701 S. St. Andrews Street
Los Angeles, CA TIME: 4:00 p.m. TICKETS: FREE
ESTRADA BROTHERS WHEN: Saturday 8/1/09 WHERE:Olivas Adobe
4200 Olivas Park Drive
Ventura, CA TIME: 7:30 p.m. TICKETS: $18
GILBERT CASTELLANOS LATIN JAZZ QUINTET WHEN: Tuesday 7/28/09 WHERE:The Onyx Room
825 5th Avenue
San Diego, CA TIME: 10:00 p.m. TICKETS: NO COVER
WHEN: Friday 7/31/09 WHERE:GIO
8384 La Mesa Boulevard
La Mesa, CA TIME: 7:00 p.m. TICKETS: NO COVER
JOHN CALLOWAY WHEN: Friday 7/31/09 WHERE:Bird & Beckett Bookstore
653 Chenery Street
San Francisco, CA TIME: 5:30 p.m. TICKETS: FREE
NAGUAL WHEN: Friday 7/31/09 WHERE:Formaggio
11211 East Point Drive
Rancho Cordova, CA TIME: 6:00 p.m.
WHEN: Saturday 8/1/09 WHERE:Natomas Oaks Park
2230 River Plaza Drive
Sacramento, CA TIME: 5:00 p.m. TICKETS: FREE
PETE ESCOVEDO
Strawberry Festival WHEN: Sunday 8/2/09 WHERE:Santa Cruz Fairgrounds
2601 E. Lake Ave.
Watsonville, CA TIME: 2:00 p.m. TICKETS: FREE
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Latin Jazz developed into a major style in the United States, but in reality, it’s a music with global roots; so there’s no reason that it should be restrained to the States. Jazz artists learned the appeal of Europe long ago, and for years, many of them have regularly visited the old country. Many elements brought jazz artists to Europe – a wider appreciation for the art form, many more venues, and a number of major festivals are just some of the reasons that jazz musicians continue to visit European countries. Some jazz artists like Dexter Gordon felt such a major appreciation for their art form in Europe that they left the confines of the United States and made Europe their new home. Latin Jazz artists learned the appeal of Europe more gradually, as leaders like Tito Puente and Machito built the popularity of Latin Jazz through European tours. The demand grew for Latin Jazz artists across Europe and soon the overseas festivals and nightclubs became a regular destination for Latin Jazz artists. In the past couple of months, Latin Jazz artists such as Paquito D’Rivera, Sofia Rei Koutsovitis, Eddie Palmieri, Michel Camilo, Lucia Pulido, Arturo Sandoval, Edward Perez, and Jovino Santos Neto have all performed in Europe, meeting appreciative crowds. There’s room for all varieties of Latin Jazz and an invitation to both experienced and young performers; European audiences simply love their Latin Jazz. As the tradition becomes even further established in Europe, Stateside Latin Jazz artists may find a second home in a number of European countries, or at least a regular tour destination.
In another example of this expanding connection, New York based vocalist Corina Bartra recently performed with her Azu Project in Germany. In Eastern Europe for two concerts, Bartra and her group performed at the Goldbeck House in Hamburg and the A-Trane club in Berlin. Promoting her recent album Afro-Peruvian Jazz Celebration, Bartra made a smart move expanding her audience into the European circuit with these concerts. The album gathers a combination of new material and tracks culled from earlier recordings. The tracks feature original compositions, Afro-Peruvian arrangements of jazz standards, and traditional songs embellished with a jazz influence. In many ways, it serves as a perfect introduction to Bartra’s repertoire, giving new listeners a wide view of her musical perspective. Bartra’s music brings together a strong connection to Afro-Peruvian music, a taste of jazz, dips into experimentation, and her highly personal approach to vocals. The subtleties of this combination result in intriguing music that presents listeners with entertainment, exposure to cultural traditions, and thought provoking material. These factors work perfectly for a European audience, who will often engage the music’s artistic elements on a much deeper level. European audience members that experienced Bartra’s performance undoubtedly walked away with a new appreciation for Afro-Peruvian Jazz, and those that picked up Afro-Peruvian Jazz Celebration will be hooked on Bartra’s music.
Today’s Latin Jazz Photo Album features several pictures from the Goldbeck House concert by Corina Bartra & Her Azu Project. The pictures certainly tell a story, featuring images of intensive and focused performance; it looks like the audience got a great show. Thanks to Corina Bartra for providing the photos for today’s Photo Album. Enjoy!
———- Corina Bartra & Her Azu Project At The Goldbeck House In Hamburg, Germany
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Looking for more from Corina Bartra? Check out some of her older albums: Son Zumbon
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Do you have pictures to contribute to the Latin Jazz photo album? I’d love to have everyone in the Latin Jazz community contribute! I’ll be posting five to ten pictures a week – I’m looking for live performance shots, not promo pics. I’d like to keep them centered around one artist per week, but if you’ve got another idea, let’s talk. So come on Latin Jazz photographers, musicians, and fans – let’s put some more memorable pictures in the Latin Jazz Photo Album! Get my contact info HERE
Things I Wanted to Do
Chembo Corniel
Chemboro Records
The creation of a truly modern Latin Jazz sound requires a musician to look at the world with multiple sets of eyes. The musician’s first pair of eyes must remain firmly focused upon the lessons of the past. Numerous mentors and role models throughout history already established tradition and proper performance practice, and modern musicians need to keep those lessons in the forefront of their attention. If they don’t understand the past, they risk rehashing an approach previously covered. Their second set of eyes needs to stay locked upon their artistic contemporaries, observing the development of newly emerging trends. The artistic community can serve as a constant source of inspiration, exchanging new ideas and offering challenging venues for improvisation. This community feeds the musician’s perspective, allowing them to develop their artistic personality. As the musician gazes into the future, they need to take risks and bravely try new artistic approaches. In reality, the future can’t be seen, it must be created, and forward-looking musicians take the chances that will push the art form into the future. The truly visionary musician keeps all three perspectives in focus while engaging their ideas, creating informed music with a sense of authenticity and a distinct movement into the future. Percussionist Chembo Corniel and his band Grupo Chaworo offer an encompassing perspective on Things I Wanted to Do, presenting a modern and inspired Latin Jazz set that respectfully reflects the genre’s past, present, and future.
A Rich Connection To Tradition
Corniel and his band members provide several compositions that display a rich connection to tradition while keeping an eye on the modern jazz world. Corniel and drummer Vince Cherico introduce the conguero’s “Buena Gente” with an explosive break, leading into a flowing melody over rich chord changes. Bassist Carlos Derosa grabs the momentum of the charging son montuno with an energetic solo full of lively lines until the rhythm section bursts into an up-tempo swing and saxophonist Ivan Renta spins post-bop lines. After a group break, pianist Elio Villafranca abruptly establishes a funky montuno, allowing Corniel to create an expressive statement that bends between various rhythmic feels. Cherico and Corniel establish a smoldering rumba behind a repeated coro on Villafranca’s “Habana” until an assertive break leads Renta into the engaging melody. A group of percussionists join Corniel on batá for a funky interlude, leading into jazz fueled statements from Renta and Villafranca that connect with the lineage of jazz soloists and step into modern chromatic discourse. After a return to the melody, Villafranca and Derosa fall into an interesting rhythmic vamp over the batá drummers as Cherico leaps into a colorful statement. Derosa, Villafranca, and guest artist tresero Junior Rivera set up an addictively funky vamp behind an engaging melody on “Descarga Patato” until an assertive coro creates some excitement over a breakdown. Renta enters into a dynamic exchange with guest trombone player Jimmy Bosch, building the energy level until the band shrinks behind Villafranca’s intensive statement. The rhythm section establishes a blistering vamp underneath a repeated coro, allowing Corniel and guest timbalero Marvin Diz to trade virtuosic ideas. The sole sound of a trio of batá drummers enters into a steady pattern on “Oru Pa’ Tommy Lopez” as Corniel remembers his good friend and mentor, the late Tommy Lopez. The drummers journey through a number of traditional patterns before falling into a double time rhythm as a vocalist provides traditional Santeria songs. These tracks reveal an immense amount of knowledge and experience among the band members, showing their deep study of traditional music and a keen understanding of the links to the present.
Reflecting A Modern Sensibility
Corniel includes several pieces that reflect a modern sensibility, including additional sounds and aesthetic approaches while never leaving the Latin Jazz world. The rhythm section establishes a dizzying pace behind Renta’s flowing melody on “Things I Wanted To Do” until the band explodes into a half-time rock beat with distorted guitar fills from Gennaro Tedesco. As the band returns to the main feel, Renta attacks the up-tempo groove with a vengeance, leading into the quiet intensity of Villafranca’s brilliantly constructed statement. Tedesco takes a short turn applying his rock energy to the song until Corniel displays a tasteful use of his extensive chops on a powerful solo. Derosa and Villafranca create a subdued vamp on “September Cha” moving behind a melody from Renta and guitarist David Oquendo that wavers between a flowing ease and tense rhythms. Renta cuts through the thick texture with his biting tone and driving lines before handing the spotlight to Villafranca, who runs long intricate lines across a Fender Rhodes. The rhythm section rides a steady vamp with a funky inertia as Corniel and Diz trade percussive ideas before falling into an intense bembe rhythm. John Di Martino provides a rich array of chords from his Fender Rhodes while bassist Ruben Rodriguez plays a catchy line on “Fantasma” before the time disappears into an airy melody from Renta, who recalls a Wayne Shorter tone on soprano sax. A dramatic pause leads into an inspired improvisation from Renta, who adds a sharp edge to the soothing texture with quick lines, distinct rhythmic accents, and chromatic embellishments. Di Martino provides contrast by quickly embracing the song’s understated mood, moving relaxed lines across his instrument. These tracks provide a different side of the band’s musicianship, showing their ability to integrate modern ideals without loosing sight of their Latin Jazz foundation.
Exploring Works From Their Musical Peers
Corniel’s group wisely explores works from their musical peers, finding a balance between the past and present of New York Latin Jazz. Villafranca skillfully walks through many musical directions on his unaccompanied introduction to Zaccai Curtis’ “Isla Verde” before Renta winds a colorful melody over a steady bomba groove. The rhythm reaches a dramatic pause while Villafranca moves into a brilliantly conceived statement full of harmonic depth and strong thematic development. Renta pushes the ensemble with a forceful momentum behind his improvisation before the rhythm section jumps into a vamp for Corniel’s quick solo. Guest artist Dave Samuels plays upon the resonate quality of his instrument in an unaccompanied introduction to Bobby Collazo’s “Tenia Que Ser Asi,” before sharing the melody with Renta in a flowing interpretation over a boloero. The deep tone of Rodriguez’s bass shimmers with a rich beauty over the thin texture, as he develops a melodically engaging statement. Samuels takes his time building his ideas, leaving plenty of space and emphasizing the beauty of his melodies against a backdrop of strings and percussion. Corniel explores the conga’s inherent tonal possibilities through an unaccompanied solo on Marty Sheller’s “The Sultan” before the group falls into a slow swaying 6/8 feel behind Renta’s soprano sax. The rhythm section maintains a calm intensity behind winding solos from both Renta and Villafranca, who smartly build their ideas with tension against the flowing backdrop. Corniel provides percussive colors against an interlude that leads into a sea of batá drums and a Santeria song, infusing the song with a colorful link to the Afro-Cuban tradition. Derosa and Villafranca establish a funky vamp over a son montuno groove in an odd time signature on “Swing Street” before Renta and accordion player Ludovic Beier jump into a catchy harmonized melody. Beier escapes all the common trappings of the accordion, creating a bluesy statement filled with jazz phrases. The rhythm section returns to the original vamp, giving Corniel a chance to bring the song to a close with an insightful percussion statement. These tracks allow Corniel and his musicians an opportunity to explore the artistry of other musicians, cleverly integrating outside influences while maintaining their own identities.
Defining The Future Of Latin Jazz
Corniel and Grupo Chaworo demonstrate a keen perspective upon the Latin Jazz world throughout Things I Wanted to Do, keeping all eyes upon the genre’s full spectrum. As a player, Corniel sits among a small group of percussionists that play with an authentic link to Nuyorican roots but also capture the excitement of modern virtuosity. He radiates with a strong musical presence following in the line of the great percussionist bandleaders like Mongo Santamaria and Ray Barretto. These role models undoubtedly influenced Corniel’s approach as a bandleader, but he shines with an original voice throughout the recording. The repertoire comes from some of the genre’s most interesting composers; strong contributions from Marty Sheller, John Walsh, Zaccai Curtis, and Hector Martignon keep the album continually interesting. With each piece, Corniel bravely explores a variety of different musical settings, inspiring new improvisational approaches from each musician. Corniel surrounds himself with a group of like-minded musicians that call upon lessons from both the past and present to construct strong musical voices. Villafranca provides outstanding support, displaying an intimate familiarity with each style and a unique soloist that mixes intellectual lines with a spontaneous edge. Renta emerges as a major Latin Jazz saxophone voice, tackling each tune with a professional confidence, a stylistic depth, and a transparent soulful sound. Both Derosa and Cherico groove throughout the album with a ferocious inertia, and when they take the spotlight, that passionate energy translates into memorable solos. Corniel and Grupo Chaworo hold an undeniable grip on the music’s past and present throughout Things I Wanted to Do, playing with an intensity that not only looks ahead, but also clearly defines the future of Latin Jazz.
Few individuals spend a lifetime in jazz, and when they do, they should be celebrated for their accomplishments. Many times, jazz artists are simply a spark that glows during a certain era and then slowly fizzles in the following decades. They may exert a strong influence through their improvisational style or their compositions, but only the strongest voices survive over the long haul. Young artists simply appear and take the spotlight; it’s a natural progression, but one that leaves older artists in the dark at the end of their careers. Some artists create one or two influential albums and then spend years making forgettable recordings that most people never hear. Others simply get tired after years on the road and constant self-reflection – eventually they leave the business completely. Sustaining a jazz career over the course of several decades requires an unfailing dedication to excellence, an ability to follow trends, and the keen sense to continually improve your performance. A musician that lives through jazz into their elder years deserves our respect. Today we show that admiration as Doctor Billy Taylor celebrates his 88th birthday, topping a lifetime of jazz performance, education, and promotion.
Many people remember Taylor as a straight-ahead jazz master – a well-deserved title – yet we sometimes forget the fact that in his younger days Taylor made some important dips into the Latin Jazz world. He made the most of his youth, playing with a wide variety of the important names in swing and eventually bebop. From a childhood deeply immersed in the piano to a diverse collegiate musical training, Taylor entered New York in the early forties very prepared for the challenges of jazz. He quickly found work with tenor saxophonist Ben Webster and then moved between groups led by Dizzy Gillespie, Eddie South, and Stuff Smith. He met the legendary Art Tatum and became a hard working pupil, soaking up all his mentor’s lessons. He moved through the bebop scene, working with Charlie Parker, Don Byas, and Lucky Thompson. Taylor formed his own trios, booked numerous performances, and recorded several albums as a bandleader. Before Taylor hit his thirtieth birthday, he was firmly established upon New York’s jazz scene and had staked a serious artistic claim as a pianist. By the time that he leapt into Latin Jazz experimentations, Taylor was a serious jazz veteran, an experienced bandleader, and a strong creative force.
At this point in his career, Taylor produced two influential Latin Jazz recordings that emphasized different aspects of the music. As an established bandleader, Taylor held the artistic authority to move outside his comfort zone and experiment with different music. Many bebop artists stepped into the world of Afro-Cuban rhythms, inspired by the successful Latin Jazz blends from Machito’s Afro-Cubans and Dizzy Gillespie. In many ways, Taylor’s embrace of Afro-Cuban rhythms was a natural reflection of the times and a common experience among his peers. The journey into the realm of Afro-Cuban music presented new challenges, but Taylor approached the new music with the trademarks of his career, grace and style. While Taylor never fully committed himself to the Latin Jazz world, he definitely explored it with a deep respect. His performances reflect a thorough consideration of the musical aesthetics of both jazz and Latin music, and the resultant recordings contain smart and interesting music.
———- Cross Section The music found on Cross Section provides a good representation of his 1954 trio, with most of the material focused upon tight arrangements of swing and bebop tunes; Taylor dives deeply into Latin Jazz on four tracks though, replacing drummer Percy Brice with Machito’s rhythm section. With this change, Taylor inherits one of the best percussion sections in Latin Jazz history with Uba Nieto on timbales, Charlie Smith on congas, Jose Mangual on bongo, and Machito on maracas. Although the Machito group dwarfs Taylor’s experience in Afro-Cuban rhythms, there’s never a sense of imbalance; Taylor stays firmly in command throughout the session. Instead of drawing upon standards or Machito repertoire, Taylor chose to experiment with the clave and compose all four pieces. Cubop was in full swing at the time, and although Taylor’s reputation at this point sat firmly in swing and bebop, he obviously had some experience with Afro-Cuban rhythms. While the songs escape the traditional trappings of Latin piano at the time – for the most part we hear a distinct absence of montunos throughout all four tracks – Taylor writes cleverly around the clave and his improvisations show an awareness of the rhythm. Taylor’s regular bassist, Earl May, covers the tumbao admirably, staying firmly on top of the beat with the percussionists. Overall, Taylor presents a strong connection to Afro-Cuban music and displays a coherent vision of its connection to jazz.
Most of the tracks on Cross Section finds Taylor’s trio in their standard repertoire, but the four Latin Jazz tracks explode off the recording as definite highlights. Taylor authoritatively introduces “I Love Mambo” with a percussive intensity that stimulates some inspired call and response from Smith and Mangual. Taylor constructs a catchy theme based on a simplistic harmony before stretching into boppish improvised melodies over moving chords. Mangual displays his expertise throughout this track, providing outstanding conversational bongo work. Taylor and May come together in a unison lick on “Candido Mambo” before Taylor leaps into another basic and highly rhythmic melody. Taylor demonstrates the true potential of Cubop on his improvisation, running chromatic lines through the changes and creating some interesting rhythm tensions. He quickly dips into a basic montuno, trading short phrases with both Smith and Mangual. As Taylor pounds away at sharp rhythmic accents and May vamps around one chord, a defined descarga aesthetic creeps into “Early Morning Mambo.” Taylor finds a distinct place for his bebop licks over the one-chord vamp, cleverly blending the music’s melodic language with an enthusiastic approach to rhythm. He emerges from his solo with several cleverly altered variations on a rhythmic figure, giving Smith and Mangual a chance to improvise. Taylor introduces a bass vamp in his left hand on “Mambo Azul” before May grabs the line and Taylor jumps into the album’s strongest melody. The song’s chord changes stay close to standard rhythm changes, so Cubop reigns supreme through Taylor’s improvisation. The Latin Jazz tracks on Cross Section demonstrate his understanding of both genres and his clear vision of the commonalities between them; it’s a classic piece of Cubop that begs a listen.
———- The Billy Taylor Trio with Candido Dizzy Gillespie introduced Candido Camero to Taylor in 1954, kicking off a new period for Taylor’s trio. Gillespie hoped to hear Candido’s playing, thinking that he might use the conguero for his band. Taylor and his group enjoyed Candido’s playing though, and the percussionist became the trio’s fourth member. In every way, Candido worked as a member of the group instead of a “Latin tinge.” His presence never drove the group into a full Latin Jazz performance aesthetic, and he certainly did not add a sense of novelty to the group. Instead the addition of the trio’s fourth member provided an opportunity to explore the relationship between jazz and Latin music. The trio needed to adjust their playing creatively to incorporate Candido and the percussionist needed to mold his performance to fit Taylor’s concept. At times the trio straightened their eighth notes, coming close to an authentic interpretation of Afro-Cuban Jazz. Other times, Candido altered his tumbao to find a place in the group’s addictively powerful swing feel. The results were sometimes awkward while at other times the mixture of the two aesthetics shined with pure genius. Whatever the outcome, the collaboration signals one of the early genuine attempts to find a natural meeting place between the two worlds. Despite the artistic success of this collaboration, Candido left Taylor’s group after six months, as both sides of the equation moved onto different interests. Fortunately, Taylor captured the group on the 1954 recording The Billy Taylor Trio with Candido, a fascinating album that finds all four musicians playing at the top of their game.
While Cross Section symbolized Taylor’s attempt at pure Afro-Cuban Jazz, The Billy Taylor Trio with Candido found the pianist experimenting between genres. Taylor and May start an up-tempo vamp before the pianist jumps into the classic melody on Mario Bauza’s “Mambo Inn.” With Brice keeping a swing rhythm on the snare with brushes and Candido providing a slightly altered martillo pattern on bongo, Taylor freely spins bebop lines over the chord changes. Candido builds an ingenious improvisation with only Brice holding the high hat on two and four; he starts within the swing structure and over the course of his extended statement, he leans towards the clave and integrates classic phrases. The group implies a bolero on Cole Porter’s “Love For Sale,” giving Taylor room to provide a gorgeously thoughtful melodic interpretation. Brice and May slide closer to a swing feel as Taylor opens into an improvisation, weaving his lines smartly around the juxtaposed feels. The band disappears as Candido repeats a 6/8 bell pattern on his bongo, eventually opening into a brilliantly constructed display. The blazing fast tempo on Taylor’s “A Live One” allows Candido to keep a more traditional tumbao while the rhythm section swings. Taylor displays the chops that established him on New York’s scene with a jaw-dropping series of amazing long lines. Candido and Taylor trade fours in an album highlight performance that spotlights two geniuses at work. Taylor and May solidify a short vamp over another mixture of bolero and swing on “Different Bells” before Taylor jumps into a moody melody. Taylor uses space to distinguish his solo, but Candido steals the show on another unaccompanied solo that pushes the band into a screaming double-time feel. Two more Taylor compositions, “Bit of Bedlam” and “Declivity,” find Candido working around the trio’s buoyant sense of swing. In both cases, the master conguero shows an amazing flexibility and a creative energy that propels the group into fantastic performances. The Billy Taylor Trio with Candido may not deliver the clave driven intensity of Cross Section’s Latin Jazz tracks, but that’s not the point; Taylor and Candido engage in a creative meeting here that sits at the crossroads of Latin and jazz.
———- Taylor returned to Latin Jazz sporadically throughout his career, and a few more albums captured these efforts. He recorded as a sideman with saxophonist Joe Holiday, who often used Afro-Cuban percussion. Mambo Jazz, a great Holiday compilation features Taylor as well as many other musicians in an extensive set. On his 1993 GRP album It’s a Matter of Pride, Taylor included percussionist Ray Mantilla on several tracks, adding an authentic Latin flavor. All of the pieces are Taylor originals, showing his evolved sense of Latin Jazz on about half the tracks. Taylor hosted the weekly NPR series Jazz at Kennedy Center for over two decades, continually bringing guests artists onto the show to play with his trio and conduct interviews. While Taylor included a fair share of straight-ahead jazz artists, he made sure to regularly bring Latin Jazz artists onto the show. In several places throughout his career, Taylor proudly integrated Latin music into his jazz concept. He stands as a rare example of a straight-ahead jazz artist that can move between the two worlds without falling into novelty or jagged interpretations. Taylor shines as a musician that treated both genres with respect and integrity, and today, on his 88th birthday, we honor his Latin Jazz contributions.
Salsa’ N Jazz
Samuel Quinto Trio
When a pianist leads a trio, they inherit an enormous musical responsibility; for the most part, the core foundation of the ensemble’s sound lies in their musical personality. Their repertoire choices make strong statements about their background and aesthetic preferences while original compositions open the door to their artistic identity. Each detail of the arrangements need to be structured around the pianist – their strengths, weaknesses, and their fundamental approach to jazz must be considered. They need to present each song’s melody with a unique twist that signals their personal stamp while keeping the main theme identifiable. The pianist needs to play with a distinctive and identifiable style that sets them apart from the long number of musicians that have led trios. They must display musical mastery in their improvisations, keeping extended statements interesting and meaningful while thinking about the song’s overall shape. At the same time, they need to provide space for their fellow musicians to express themselves. When the group dives into a Latin context, the pianist must find a way to fulfill these functions without loosing the rhythmic propulsion usually provided by the piano. It takes diversity, a variety of approaches, and a lot of bravery to keep a full piano trio album interesting; success in this endeavor places the artist in a strong position, while failure makes them forgettable. Pianist Samuel Quinto leads his trio with a bold and enthusiastic personality on Salsa’ N Jazz, delivering an exciting set that successfully explores a variety of approaches and influences.
Showing Authority On Up-tempo Tracks
Quinto attacks several tracks with an undeniable authority, fueling each up-tempo song with an impressive display of chops, musicality, and clave-fueled intensity. Quinto storms into “Jaci” with a ferocious montuno before creating a strong contrast with a distinctly understated melody. The rhythm section breaks the groove with a free flowing section that Quinto uses to transition into a spellbinding solo over a driving groove. After a dramatic return to the main melody, Quinto revisits the original montuno while drummer Manuel Santiesteban leaps into a quick and exciting improvisation. Quinto stretches across a lushly developed unaccompanied solo on the introduction to “Salsa’ N Jazz” until the rhythm section jumps into a powerful momentum behind the active melody. Syncopated rhythms, rapid flights of notes, and quick montuno snippets wrap around band hits as Quinto creates an engaging and energetic statement. Santiesteban enthusiastically builds a statement around Quinto’s strong montuno, integrating classic licks into the drum kit with a creative flair. Quinto ebulliently winds streaming lines over an up-tempo swing introduction on the standard “Stella By Starlight” before he twists through interesting rhythmic alterations over a songo rhythm. Quinto cleverly inserts short two-chords vamps between each trip through the main chord changes, allowing him to embellish his solo with bluesy phrases. The rhythm section really shines throughout the track, defining the form with a long list of feel changes and sharp breaks that give Quinto a steady and evolving foundation. In this setting, Quinto shows an exhilarating side to his musicianship, revealing the ability to create powerful statements over high-energy material.
Displaying A Wide Expressive Range
Quinto’s performance abilities hold a wide expressive range though, and he displays a more subdued side on other pieces. The rhythm section provides a gentle swing ballad foundation behind Quinto on “Bolero To Preta,” allowing him the space to create an elegantly simple melodic presentation. Santiesteban moves into a more traditional bolero rhythm while Quinto raises his dynamic into a focused intensity with huge lush passages. An inventive side to Quinto’s musicianship appears as he revisits the melody, embellishing it with huge harmonic flourishes and subtle rhythmic changes. Santiesteban provides a short preview of the groove before Quinto authoritively plays the melody on “Vôo Da Andorinha,” a distinguished and intricate chorinho. As he enters his improvisation, Quinto wisely maintains the song’s feel, capturing the rhythmic element with a clear precision while building new melodies that resonate with a bluesy undertone. The main theme returns with a heightened sense of importance and a more assertive momentum, revealing the group’s keen attention to form. The group converges around an understated sense of melancholy on “Isabel” with Quinto’s quiet melody and the rhythm section’s delicate balance between a jazz ballad and a straight bolero. Quinto develops his improvisation with long lush melodies, drowning in waves of harmonic richness. Each member of the group compliments the overall song with a unified approach and unwavering support, resulting in a poetic beauty. These pieces present a distinct contrast, providing a more intimate showcase for Quinto, who shines with thoughtful musicianship.
A Mixed Bag of Influences
Quinto diversifies his repertoire on the remaining songs, presenting a mixed bag of influences that confirm the depth of his knowledge. The group mixes a funky groove with a cha cha cha on the bluesy “Quinto’s Rhumba,” recalling shades of Herbie Hancock and Mongo Santamaria. Rolling through the changes with a combination of trills, repeated blues lines, quick runs, and syncopated rhythms, Quinto creates a fun and catchy statement filled with excitement. Bassist Marcos Borges and Santiesteban trade short improvised ideas, playing off the funk feel with an enthusiastic commitment. Quinto and Borges ride a sparse groove over rumba clave on “Ficou No Meio” before the pianist dives into a melody that winds through son montuno and Brazilian baião rhythms. As he leaps into his improvisation, he covers diverse territory, implying Cuban timba with a quasi-breakdown, placing catchy lines over the baião, and watching over the proceedings with a dramatic flair. After a return to the melody, Quinto settles into a steady montuno as Santiesteban and Borges each take turns at quick improvisatory statements. “Kalimba Muléle” opens with unison runs, sharp rhythm section attacks, a flowing melody, and dips into rich harmony that establish a serious mood. As the group moves into the solo cycle, Quinto switches to kalimba for an interesting transition into an engaging solo characterized by quirky offset rhythms. Borges displays his electric bass skills with a funky solo that utilizes sharp slaps until Santiesteban takes the group back to the melody with a quick solo statement. Quinto shows extensive range through these tracks, giving the impression that his musicianship can guide him through any setting.
The Emergence Of A New Piano Stylist
Quinto guides his trio through Salsa’ N Jazz with a fiery passion, firmly based upon his broad musicianship and accomplished performance skills. As a pianist, Quinto repeatedly displays highly developed technical abilities, a deep knowledge of harmony, and a keen insight into melodic creation. His improvisations scream with a fiery spontaneity and a jazz intensity while his melodic interpretations reflect a thoughtful and reflective musician. He often reveals a strong Michel Camilo influence with bits of Chick Corea and Chucho Valdes thrown into the mix. Quinto has built upon these references extensively though, forging his own voice through a creative investigation of these musicians. His compositions serve as perfect showcases for his skills, displaying the wide range of his musicianship in full view. He manages to prioritize expression throughout his writing, mixing his extensive technical ability with well-constructed ideas. Santiesteban and Borges act as an ideal rhythm section behind Quinto’s strong musical personality. They unobtrusively support his work at every turn, making musical choices that benefit each song. When given the opportunity to step into the spotlight, they appear as solid soloists with distinct personalities. With all these elements in place, Quinto holds the weight of the trio upon his shoulders with style and ease on Salsa’ N Jazz, strongly declaring the emergence of a new piano stylist.
I want to start by saying that I am really pleased to hear about the survival of JazzTimes. The initial news of your production halt really put a damper on the jazz world’s spirits, and the new report of your continued publication turns things around completely. You’ve served the jazz world as a steady advocate for decades now, and the loss of your presence would significantly alter the state of jazz promotion. I applaud Madavor Media for their avid support of the JazzTimes, and I look forward to the application of their publishing expertise onto the JazzTimes brand. I’m impressed with their foresight to keep Lee Mergner and other JazzTimes staff members on the team, indicating that a connection with the jazz community interests them. I’m excited about a long and successful future for the magazine.
You might look at this hiccup as an opportunity to make a fresh start, and I’d like to suggest that this might be a good time to reevaluate your coverage of the Latin Jazz world. There’s been an unprecedented outpouring of creativity and significant cultural statements in the Latin Jazz world for several years now, and honestly, I haven’t seen that reflected in your pages. Artists are pushing the music in an unbelievable number of directions, resulting in major statements that beg for overdue attention. Besides a continuing progression in the firmly established areas of Afro-Cuban and Brazilian influences, musicians are integrating traditions from Peru, Argentina, Mexico, Colombia, and more into their art. While some musicians continue to use simple chord progressions from Latin dance music, others investigate bebop, hard bop, modal, and avant-garde improvisation approaches. Their statements range from easily accessible and danceable to extremely academic and thought provoking, but one thing remains true – the Latin Jazz world is currently thriving artistically. A lack of coverage seems like a crime; any major jazz publication, print media or online, needs to regularly feature Latin Jazz in order to honestly represent the modern day jazz world.
I wanted to make sure that I was speaking on facts, so I looked back at the cover stories from the past eighteen years. Your cover stories provide a significant amount of publicity to artists, and logically, you should offer this opportunity to a fairly even spread of straight-ahead jazz, Latin Jazz, fusion, avant-garde, and more. Over the course of 184 issues, you covered two contemporary Latin Jazz artists that hold a major impact upon today’s scene. Poncho Sanchez held the cover of the November 2001 issue while saxophonist Paquito D’Rivera sat on the cover during 1999. Both of these artists have significantly spread the popularity of Latin Jazz around the world, and their output consistently reflects strong musicianship. Dizzy Gillespie fronted an issue in April of 2005 on Latin Jazz that covered his era with Chano Pozo. As a jazz publication, the balance between coverage of the past and present can be a challenge, so I’m glad to see that you went back to the music’s roots. Danilo Perez, an outstanding artist that has spent a piece of his career referencing Latin styles, appeared on the cover of your 2008 educational supplement. Los Hombres Caliente, a side project from Bill Summers and Irvin Mayfield, earned the cover of the May 2003 issue. That’s a total of 5 cover stories for Latin Jazz, an unusually small amount considering the enormous artistic impact of the music. If we were talking about a couple of years, this might be a reasonable number, but we’re talking about eighteen years – you published 184 issues, and during that time, you placed Latin Jazz artists on the cover five times. That’s a completely unacceptable amount of coverage towards the Latin Jazz world.
Based on your cover stories in the past eighteen years, I feel like you’ve focused your energies upon a limited number of artists, distinctly ignoring Latin Jazz musicians. For example, Pat Metheny, Wynton Marsalis, Wayne Shorter, and Diana Krall each sat on four different JazzTimes covers. Chick Corea, Herbie Hancock, and Sonny Rollins each graced the cover of JazzTimes five different times. Joe Lovano found his way into four different cover stories, and your first issue back in publication will present him for a fifth time. Miles Davis, a major jazz artist by any standard, landed on the cover of your magazine a grand total of six times in the eighteen years past his death. John Scofield gained a total of five covers stories in the past and your second issue back to print will place him on the cover for a sixth time. Ten artists formed the cover story features over the course of forty-seven issues of JazzTimes – at ten issues per year, that’s a little less than five years worth of magazines. That number also resonates with me as nine times more cover issues than Latin Jazz artists have received over the past eighteen years. I don’t mean to create the wrong impression; I believe that each of these artists has made important contributions to the art form and they deserve publicity. Still, you have chosen to repeatedly return to a small number of artists while burying a significant jazz genre, Latin Jazz. You’ve chosen widely accessible artists to focus upon, which must make some JazzTimes sales. I understand the need to sell magazines – that’s where you get your powerful ability to promote artists. Still, I find this imbalance of publicity fairly irresponsible and damaging to the Latin Jazz world.
I realize that your publication contains much more than the cover story, so just to be fair, I dug a little deeper into the magazine contents, only to find similar results. I uncovered a total of 39 references to Latin Jazz artists throughout the past eighteen years, again a very small number. Granted, I’m not including CD, DVD, or book reviews; I understand these can be good sources of promotion for Latin Jazz artists. I believe that you’ve regularly reviewed major Latin Jazz albums, and I greatly appreciate that fact. The thirty-nine articles that I’m referencing range from the half page blurb to the multiple page cover stories. These articles provide a bit more meat, and in my opinion, they more often drive your readers towards the support of the featured artists. Several of the more popular Latin Jazz artists made repeat appearance such as Arturo Sandoval, Eddie Palmieri, Tito Puente, Jerry Gonzalez, and more, shrinking that actual number of Latin Jazz musicians that found themselves in the pages of JazzTimes. I estimate that depending on the depth of your coverage, you could easily include six to ten artist features per issue, and most likely more. This puts the total number of artist articles over the past eighteen years at a low number of 1,104 and a high number that could reach 1,840 and beyond. Within those articles, you included Latin Jazz artists in your coverage 39 times, giving the Latin Jazz world at best a meager representation. Once again, I find this imbalanced and unfair, disregarding all the important work done by Latin Jazz artists.
I’m not asking you to dismiss artists from the mainstream jazz world – they are important musicians that deserve publicity – but did you ever think about the message that a lack of Latin Jazz coverage sends? By making the music invisible to your readers, you send the message that it’s not important. Most jazz scholars would agree that Latin Jazz is an important piece of the jazz world, and many of them would go into depth about the extent of its impact. I would find it hard to believe that your knowledgeable staff of jazz journalists actually believes Latin Jazz isn’t important, and I assume that they would gladly cover it. Overlooking Latin Jazz also sends mixed messages about your views on race. In every form, jazz sends powerful messages about culture and identity – Latin Jazz speaks volumes about Caribbean, Central and South American culture. References back to folkloric forms, and the use of traditional songs symbolize cultural pride while the mixture of jazz signifies an evolving identity. Aren’t these interesting issues that your readers would like to explore? Isn’t this the meat of the artistic process that we’d all love to be a part of? We’ve heard about it from Wynton, Lovano, and Scofield, why can’t we hear about it from Latin Jazz artists? By marginalizing Latin Jazz, you state that the extensive jazz contributions of Caribbean, Central and South American artists don’t matter. Again, I question if you really intend to give your readers this impression.
I’d like to see a more regular coverage of Latin Jazz and I’d love to see the magazine look at a broader spectrum of the ever-expanding world of Latin Jazz. You might consider a monthly article dedicated to Latin Jazz that keeps your readers aware of new artists and changing trends. I’d suggest a cover feature for a Latin Jazz artist at least once or twice a year. I believe that your magazine needs to dig more deeply into the modern Latin Jazz world and discover the many artists waiting for attention. Established Latin Jazz artists like D’Rivera, Sanchez, Palmieri, Sandoval, and Gonzalez surely should get continued coverage, but your focus shouldn’t end there. Look into artists experimenting with combinations of traditional South American music and jazz such as Gabriel Alegria, Eric Kurimski, Yuri Juarez, Sofia Koutsovitis, and Edward Perez. Investigate the strong but often overlooked West Coast Latin Jazz scene and feature artists like John Santos, Bobby Matos, Jose Rizo’s Jazz on the Latin Side All-Stars, Mark Levine and the Latin Tinge, John Calloway, and Wayne Wallace. Explore every inch of New York’s long established Latin Jazz circuit and you’ll find musicians like Papo Vazquez, Chembo Corniel, Andrea Brachfeld, Annette Aguilar, and Bobby Sanabria. Look even further and you’ll find Charlie Sepulveda, William Cepeda, Venissa Santi, and Felipe Salles. This is a short list of ideas, perhaps a starting point for a few alterations. I don’t think that these changes would move your magazine away from its original focus; in fact, I think that it would simply balance your coverage.
For many years, you have exerted a major influence over the jazz world, and you have the power to make a bold statement that people will hear. Your audience believes what you write, they listen to your suggestions, and they follow your lead in their support of the jazz world. At the same time, they ignore what you choose to ignore, leaving the Latin Jazz world in a lurch. I honestly hope that this can change quickly. Maybe its time to make the statement that Latin Jazz is important, and that artists from the Caribbean and South America are making powerful statements that rival their American born counterparts.
Just a thought, but I hope that its one that you will take into consideration as you look at the future of JazzTimes. Thanks for listening, my best wishes to the success of JazzTimes.
Composer, arranger, and theorist George Russell died this past Monday night July 27, 2009, leaving behind a lifetime of important work that altered the course of the jazz world. Russell began playing music as a drummer during his youth in Cincinnati, moving towards a professional career through college. During an extended hospital stay, Russell studied harmony and began writing, soon selling an arrangement to Benny Carter. He later started performing again, but composing and arranging quickly became a primary focus. As he became closer to many jazz musicians, discussions about theory prompted him to think about harmony in a new way. He developed his Lydian Chromatic concept, which challenged traditional thoughts about harmonic organization. Musicians such as Miles Davis, Bill Evans, and John Coltrane embraced Russell’s concepts and applied them to their own musical endeavors, giving us masterpieces like Davis’ 
and Coltrane’s 
. Russell solidified his concept in two books, and practiced it through performance with his own groups, creating classic albums such as 
and 
. A younger generation digested Russell’s concept as he moved into education, teaching courses on Lydian Chromatic theory at the New England Conservatory. Russell was awarded the MacArthur Foundation Fellowship, the National Endowment for the Arts American Jazz Master Award, two Guggenheim Fellowships, and many other honors. Russell moved jazz forward significantly; he heard jazz in a new light, opening the door to a new and modern perspective upon improvisation.
Music evolves through cultural trends and experimentation – one person can’t simply put all the pieces of a genre together with a single attempt; there are numerous instances that built up to the composition of “Cubano Be, Cubano Bop.” Gillespie met Cuban musician Mario Bauzá years before the Carnegie Hall concert, and they often discussed the possibilities of a marriage between jazz and Afro-Cuban rhythms. Gillespie experimented with the concept, composing “Pickin’ the Cabbage” in 1939 for Cab Calloway’s band, a diluted attempt at integrating the two genres. Bauzá played upon his background to create more authentic blends of jazz and Afro-Cuban music as musical director for Machito and His Afro-Cubans. Most Latin Jazz historians would agree that the Bauzá captured the first authentic mixture of the two worlds when he composed “Tanga” in 1943. Further arrangements from Machito pianist Rene Hernandez integrated bebop soloists and solidified the idea. The Machito band didn’t stop with “Tanga” though; jazz became an increasing piece of their arrangements. Stan Kenton admired Machito during this time and requested a musical dedication from composer Pete Rugolo. The resultant piece, “Machito” was composed in 1946 and then recorded in March of 1947, six months before Gillespie’s Carnegie Hall concert. In simply a few isolated examples, it becomes very clear that Russell had several model to build upon; “Cubano Be, Cubano Bop” was far from the first fusion of Afro-Cuban rhythms with jazz. 
The importance of “Cubano Be, Cubano Bop” was all about the moment and context of the performance, and its lasting impact remains isolated to history. By 1947, Gillespie had defined himself as a major voice in jazz and a stylistic innovator that had helped usher the world into the bebop era. The performance of “Cubano Be, Cubano Bop” signaled an influential leader of the jazz community publicly embracing Afro-Cuban rhythms in a relevant and artistic way. His performance sent a statement to the jazz community that Afro-Cuban rhythms held more potential than basic dance arrangements, they included the possibility for high art. At the same time, Gillespie premiered the work at a highly respected concert hall that served as a stage to the world. At that moment, Afro-Cuban music moved beyond the barrio and found a home in the serious concert hall. The power of Pozo’s performance captured the world’s attention and helped bolster the reputation of Afro-Cuban music. The power of these two elements form the cultural impact of “Cubano Be, Cubano Bop” much more than the musical content of a piece that has rarely been recorded or performed over the past 62 years since its premier. 
The attribution of “the first fusion of Afro-Cuban rhythms with jazz” to Russell completely co-opts the cultural background of Latin Jazz. With that one statement, the work that musicians from Cuba and Puerto Rico such as Bauzá, Machito, and Tito Puente did to build the style disappears. Based upon the press release, one man had the vision to combine Afro-Cuban rhythms with jazz, sparking the creation of a whole style. Gillespie and Pozo become footnotes in the overall story, simply the performers that followed the brilliance of the compositions. Well, actually, Gillespie becomes a footnote in the story, while Pozo, who wasn’t even mentioned in the article, becomes invisible. In one simple sentence, the Associated Press shifts the credit for a creation made by multiple African-American, Caribbean, & South American musicians to single man. This exists as one more example of Latino musicians and their contributions being buried, an unacceptable trend.
Samuel Quinto is an exceptional piano player; his virtuoso, often percussive playing, often with a continuous “tumbao,” accompanying the other solos as well as his own, is intoxicating. His compositions, influenced among others by Michel Camilo, Chick Corea and Gonzalo Rubalcaba, are original melodies that can have – different colorings, depending on the ethnic or geographic origin of theme, dance or title. 
The track list describes the pieces as the courses of a festive dinner (contributed by Rui Vital, also a musician coming from Brasil and a friend of Samuel Quinto), and it gets things fairly close: 
Few individuals spend a lifetime in jazz, and when they do, they should be celebrated for their accomplishments. Many times, jazz artists are simply a spark that glows during a certain era and then slowly fizzles in the following decades. They may exert a strong influence through their improvisational style or their compositions, but only the strongest voices survive over the long haul. Young artists simply appear and take the spotlight; it’s a natural progression, but one that leaves older artists in the dark at the end of their careers. Some artists create one or two influential albums and then spend years making forgettable recordings that most people never hear. Others simply get tired after years on the road and constant self-reflection – eventually they leave the business completely. Sustaining a jazz career over the course of several decades requires an unfailing dedication to excellence, an ability to follow trends, and the keen sense to continually improve your performance. A musician that lives through jazz into their elder years deserves our respect. Today we show that admiration as Doctor Billy Taylor celebrates his 88th birthday, topping a lifetime of jazz performance, education, and promotion. 
Most of the tracks on 
While 
Taylor returned to Latin Jazz sporadically throughout his career, and a few more albums captured these efforts. He recorded as a sideman with saxophonist Joe Holiday, who often used Afro-Cuban percussion. 
, a great Holiday compilation features Taylor as well as many other musicians in an extensive set. On his 1993 GRP album 
I want to start by saying that I am really pleased to hear about the survival of JazzTimes. The initial news of your production halt really put a damper on the jazz world’s spirits, and the new report of your continued publication turns things around completely. You’ve served the jazz world as a steady advocate for decades now, and the loss of your presence would significantly alter the state of jazz promotion. I applaud Madavor Media for their avid support of the JazzTimes, and I look forward to the application of their publishing expertise onto the JazzTimes brand. I’m impressed with their foresight to keep Lee Mergner and other JazzTimes staff members on the team, indicating that a connection with the jazz community interests them. I’m excited about a long and successful future for the magazine.
You might look at this hiccup as an opportunity to make a fresh start, and I’d like to suggest that this might be a good time to reevaluate your coverage of the Latin Jazz world. There’s been an unprecedented outpouring of creativity and significant cultural statements in the Latin Jazz world for several years now, and honestly, I haven’t seen that reflected in your pages. Artists are pushing the music in an unbelievable number of directions, resulting in major statements that beg for overdue attention. Besides a continuing progression in the firmly established areas of Afro-Cuban and Brazilian influences, musicians are integrating traditions from Peru, Argentina, Mexico, Colombia, and more into their art. While some musicians continue to use simple chord progressions from Latin dance music, others investigate bebop, hard bop, modal, and avant-garde improvisation approaches. Their statements range from easily accessible and danceable to extremely academic and thought provoking, but one thing remains true – the Latin Jazz world is currently thriving artistically. A lack of coverage seems like a crime; any major jazz publication, print media or online, needs to regularly feature Latin Jazz in order to honestly represent the modern day jazz world.
I wanted to make sure that I was speaking on facts, so I looked back at the cover stories from the past eighteen years. Your cover stories provide a significant amount of publicity to artists, and logically, you should offer this opportunity to a fairly even spread of straight-ahead jazz, Latin Jazz, fusion, avant-garde, and more. Over the course of 184 issues, you covered two contemporary Latin Jazz artists that hold a major impact upon today’s scene. Poncho Sanchez held the cover of the November 2001 issue while saxophonist Paquito D’Rivera sat on the cover during 1999. Both of these artists have significantly spread the popularity of Latin Jazz around the world, and their output consistently reflects strong musicianship. Dizzy Gillespie fronted an issue in April of 2005 on Latin Jazz that covered his era with Chano Pozo. As a jazz publication, the balance between coverage of the past and present can be a challenge, so I’m glad to see that you went back to the music’s roots. Danilo Perez, an outstanding artist that has spent a piece of his career referencing Latin styles, appeared on the cover of your 2008 educational supplement. Los Hombres Caliente, a side project from Bill Summers and Irvin Mayfield, earned the cover of the May 2003 issue. That’s a total of 5 cover stories for Latin Jazz, an unusually small amount considering the enormous artistic impact of the music. If we were talking about a couple of years, this might be a reasonable number, but we’re talking about eighteen years – you published 184 issues, and during that time, you placed Latin Jazz artists on the cover five times. That’s a completely unacceptable amount of coverage towards the Latin Jazz world.
Based on your cover stories in the past eighteen years, I feel like you’ve focused your energies upon a limited number of artists, distinctly ignoring Latin Jazz musicians. For example, Pat Metheny, Wynton Marsalis, Wayne Shorter, and Diana Krall each sat on four different JazzTimes covers. Chick Corea, Herbie Hancock, and Sonny Rollins each graced the cover of JazzTimes five different times. Joe Lovano found his way into four different cover stories, and your first issue back in publication will present him for a fifth time. Miles Davis, a major jazz artist by any standard, landed on the cover of your magazine a grand total of six times in the eighteen years past his death. John Scofield gained a total of five covers stories in the past and your second issue back to print will place him on the cover for a sixth time. Ten artists formed the cover story features over the course of forty-seven issues of JazzTimes – at ten issues per year, that’s a little less than five years worth of magazines. That number also resonates with me as nine times more cover issues than Latin Jazz artists have received over the past eighteen years. I don’t mean to create the wrong impression; I believe that each of these artists has made important contributions to the art form and they deserve publicity. Still, you have chosen to repeatedly return to a small number of artists while burying a significant jazz genre, Latin Jazz. You’ve chosen widely accessible artists to focus upon, which must make some JazzTimes sales. I understand the need to sell magazines – that’s where you get your powerful ability to promote artists. Still, I find this imbalance of publicity fairly irresponsible and damaging to the Latin Jazz world.
