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.

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