One of the things that characterizes a great musician is an unquenchable thirst for performance and musical exploration.  While all artists enjoy the thrill of performance, there are some musicians that simply can’t live without it. They take the opportunities that come towards them, they perform to their highest ability, and then they fill their free time with more playing. Practice never seems like a chore, it becomes an essential part of their day. When the demands of life fill major gaps of time with responsibilities outside the music world, they squeeze practice into every available inch of their free time. The hunt for new musical perspectives becomes a passionate search, that drives them to new collaborators and unfamiliar contexts. Being thrown into a different situation doesn’t deter them though, they simply find new way to cope with the music and they continue performing. They find room for their own personality inside each of these situations and freely experiment with the inherent possibilities before them. Their connection with musical performance is more than an occupation, it’s a essential need that defines their life. This drives these musicians into an unstoppable forward motion towards great musical accomplishments, and they generally contribute important artistic ideas into the world.

Flautist Mark Weinstein celebrates his 70th birthday this week on July 1st, 2010, marking another milestone in an influential career.  Getting into music at an early age, Weinstein moved through piano, clarinet, and drums before settling into the trombone as his main instrument.  He tackled the bass in order to get regular work, but a night subbing for trombonist Barry Rogers in Eddie Palmieri’s La Perfecta led to a steady gig with the iconic pianist.  Weinstein and Rogers worked as a powerful frontline, shaping the soon to be legendary sound of La Perfecta.   Weinstein left the group for a quick detour to the European jazz scene and upon his return, he became one of the most in-demand trombonists on New York’s scene.  He split his time between jazz and salsa gigs, developing a concept that found fruition in his first release as a leader, Cuban Roots.  Despite a rushed recording session, this groundbreaking album brought together the rhythms of Santeria and jazz improvisation in an innovative and organic way. Unfortunately Cuban Roots didn’t get the public acclaim that it deserved, driving Weinstein out of the music business. The album became a favorite among musicians, and when Weinstein returned to music as a flautist, he had a wealth of admirers.  He recorded several albums in the vein of Cuban Roots, including The Orishia Suite, Algo Mas, and Cuban Roots Revisited.  Forever the restless musical spirit, Weinstein also explored Brazilian Jazz, recording O Nosso Amor and Lua E Sol.  He released some different takes on traditional Latin Jazz, walking along tradition on Con Alma and integrating a timba approach on Timbasa.  He also explored straight-ahead jazz on Straight No Chaser, Jewish music on Shifra Tanzt, and much more.  As Weinstein hits 70, there’s no signs of stopping with several more projects already on the horizon.

Weinstein’s first 70 years made him an important and influential figure in the Latin Jazz world, and now he continues his musical explorations guided by his thirst for inspiring experiences. If you’re looking for a more in-depth look at Weinstein’s career, check out our four part interview with him - here’s Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, and Part 4. In the meantime, we’ll be honoring Weinstein’s 70th Birthday with our Weekly Latin Jazz Video Fix. The first video is a bit fuzzy, but well worth the watch, as Weinstein performs material from Cuban Roots with a small group that includes guitarist Ben Lapidus, bassist Harvey S, percussionist Felix Sanabria, and more. The next clip finds Weinstein in a more intimate setting, performing “Samba De Orfeo” in a duet with guitarist Paul Meyers. The last selection places Weinstein with his group Jazz Brazil, performing an original arrangement of the standard “Summertime.” As we look back on seventy years of fantastic music from Weinstein, here’s looking forward to many more - enjoy!

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Mark Weinstein Performing Material From Cuban Roots With A Small Group

Mark Weinstein Performing “Samba De Orfeo” With Guitarist Paul Meyers

Mark Weinstein Performing “Summertime” With Jazz Brazil

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Want to hear more from Mark Weinstein? Check out these albums:

Cuban Roots

Lua E Sol

Con Alma

Straight No Chaser

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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.

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Check Out These Related Posts:
Album Of The Week: Timbasa, Mark Weinstein
4 Latin Jazz Flautists Bringing The Instrument Into The Forefront
Album Of The Week: Tales From The Earth, Mark Weinstein & Omar Sosa
Best Of 2008: Drum Kit, Large Ensemble Album, Brazilian Jazz Album

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