Thanksgiving is one of the few traditions with authentic roots right here in the United States. We make a big deal out of Christmas, Easter, and more, but in reality, those are European holdovers that we’ve integrated into our society. Thanksgiving celebrates our early founders that lived a much harder life than most of us experience in 2009. Their lives were on the line every day, and a year of continued prosperity and simple existence was a thing to be cherished. A day to reflect on their survival and appreciate their lives seemed like a natural event - one they deserved and needed. In the modern age, it’s a good thing that we continue this tradition; even though many of us aren’t struggling for survival, we should appreciate our lives even if just for a day.

We’re in the age of the declining jazz audience, and in a sense, the jazz community is struggling for survival - it’s daily work keeping Latin Jazz alive, and we should celebrate our community. I do my best to pay respects to the genre’s great musicians on a daily basis, but on Thanksgiving, I think it’s important to make some special mentions. Three years ago, I started a tradition of highlighting musicians that particularly affected me during the course of the year. The reasons are always different, but thought is the same - thanking musicians that gave me something during the course of the year. So in true Thanksgiving fashion, here’s 3 Latin Jazz Artists That I’m Thankful For . . .

Poncho Sanchez
It seems like we always take our most available assets for granted and sometimes overlook their importance in our lives. Conguero Poncho Sanchez is certainly one of the most popular figures in the Latin Jazz world, selling large numbers of CDs and appearing in almost every casual conversation about Latin Jazz.  He works the live performance circuit extensively, appearing at every major jazz festival and headlining major jazz clubs across the nation.  Here on the West Coast where Sanchez makes his home, he performs quite frequently.  I’ve always had a strong respect for Sanchez’s band - they produce some of the most professional Latin Jazz recordings and always give a great show. At the same time, constant praise for Sanchez sometimes just seems too easy, like a nod towards the greater public opinion.  His move towards rhythm and blues also seemed like a play towards greater accessibility, a bit of move towards larger record sales.  Although I could never put my finger on it exactly, I lost some of my early enthusiasm for Sanchez.

Over the past month, I had some incredible experiences which changed my opinion about Sanchez once again.  Having the opportunity to spend quite a bit of time talking to Sanchez really showed me his true personality - he’s simply a guy that loves playing music and holds a deep respects for some of the great leaders in Latin Jazz.  He had the opportunity to play with many of those folks, and it didn’t change him, it simply allowed him to fall deeper in love with the music.  His move into rhythm and blues reflected an honest piece of his musical upbringing, and more importantly, it was right in line with the path of his mentors.  If you listen to Mongo Santamaria’s work in the sixties and seventies, he combines Afro-Cuban styles with just about every rhythm and blues song possible.   Sanchez follows Santamaria’s lead faithfully, and he actually plays things a little more classy. There’s a reason why people love Sanchez - he’s a true Latin Jazz fan that can play with the best of them.  

Thank you Poncho for your enthusiasm, professionalism, and pure love of Latin Jazz - I look forward to appreciating your outstanding music for years to come.

Edmar Castaneda
Great Latin Jazz recordings are a special occasional, outstanding albums are even more rare, and albums that completely turn the style on it’s ear just don’t come along that often. Tradition implies a certain amount of linear concepts between artists and most people learn by imitation. Despite the best attempts of an artist to establish their own style, most performers integrate a good deal of musical ideas that we’ve heard before. Musical evolution occurs slowly; when an artist changes one element of their music, all the other things stay the same. It may take years to notice an identifiable change in the aesthetic approach to the music. Occasionally an artist appears with such a drastically different approach to the music that things seem different right away. The evolution process accelerates into a race for that artist and their music stands out from the crowd. This type of change generally doesn’t happen through alterations of the traditional genre, its due to the artist themselves - their personality, instrumental approach, and compositional style just start a new direction.

I listen to a lot of Latin Jazz every year, ranging from my favorite classics to a wide range of new material from modern day artists; I don’t experience the earth shattering revelation too often, but this year I found that mind boggling album in Edmar Castaneda’s Entre Cuerdas. The simple fact that Castaneda performs complex harmonies and rhythm while holding syncopated bass lines together on the harp is impressive in itself. That’s not the end of the story with his abilities though - he integrates a collection of percussive effects and unusual phrasing that sets his playing apart.  His compositions find a unique balance between Colombian traditions, jazz improvisation, and classical elegance.  His interaction with the guest musicians on the album really drives the point home.  From John Scofield to Joe Locke, Castaneda matches each individual’s artistry and creates a new level of creative collaboration.  Entre Cuerdas challenged me, inspired me, and forced me to think outside my current musical world through many, many, many repeated listens.  

Thank you Edmar for the chance to experience your music this year - I hope to see you do all this live in the future!

John Calloway
Over the past few years, our access to Latin Jazz has multiplied ten fold as we can now hear, see, and connect with artists from around the world with the simple click of a mouse. Our communities have expanded drastically, as we build relationships with artists that carry huge reputations in Latin Jazz history or we simply befriend young Latin Jazz artists that catch our attention. For some people, the role of their local music scene has become secondary to the greater music community that they can find online. Ten years ago, any city’s experienced musicians served as the core of the scene, and younger people sought their advice and guidance - they also attended their performances religiously. In this generation, young people can still obsess over more experienced musicians, but they can spend countless hours watching a musician from across the nation on YouTube instead of attending a local performance. With the declining interest in jazz among youth, it’s possible that only a small portion of any city’s young people are aware of their area’s mentors - and probably only a smaller number actually connect with them.

I come from an older generation, but I’ve always found value in respecting the contributions and talents of the experienced Latin Jazz mentors in the Bay Area; this year, I’ve had the opportunity to reflect upon the massive impact of John Calloway. I’ve followed Calloway’s music for many years, from his days with The Machete Ensemble to his current albums as a leader and as a member of The John Santos Sextet. I’ve heard him perform many times and had the opportunity to play with him on a few occasions - he’s an amazing flautist, an inspired pianist, a great composer, arranger, and so much more. Calloway works many hours as a dedicated educator, sharing his musical knowledge with students of all ages, from young children to adults. He’s a tireless musical figure that continues to push the scene in new directions through projects like Diaspora and the Flute Odyssey. Going back through Calloway’s career during our interview earlier in the year and seeing his strong connection with the audience at The San Jose Jazz Festival really made me reflect upon his contributions. We are fortunate to have a Latin Jazz scene in the Bay Area, but I don’t think that it would be half as strong as it is today if we didn’t have Calloway.

Thank you John for all the years of your influential musical presence here in the Bay Area and for making the Latin Jazz scene what it is today.

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Do have a Latin Jazz artist that has particularly inspired you over the course of 2009? Take the opportunity to thank them right here on LJC! Get into the spirit of Thanksgiving and leave a comment below thanking your favorite artist for their contributions this year . . .

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Check Out These Related Posts:
4 Latin Jazz Artists That I’m Thankful For (2007)
3 Latin Jazz Artists That I’m Thankful For (2008)
Latin Jazz Conversations: Poncho Sanchez (Part 1)
Latin Jazz Conversations: John Calloway (Part 1)

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