The first steps into a career as a bandleader offers a musician a choice – should they follow in the footsteps of their mentors or forge their own path? Retracing the steps of a teacher always serves as the safe route for a new bandleader. They can draw upon what they know, structure their work around defined models, and create a presentation that looks familiar to their audience. In the short term, this might lead to success, but they have a good chance of creating a shallow recreation of early work. Doing something new and creative certainly holds more risks and a greater potential for rejection. An artist is trying something without a proven track record that may lack a connection with the audience. Still, if the artist does make that magical bond with an audience, their music will live long into the future. It’s an interesting choice that says a lot about the core of a musician’s artistic vision.
When Eddie Palmieri applied his early musical experiences to a career as a bandleader, he did it in the most creative and insightful way possible. Born into a musical world, Palmieri was greatly influenced by New York’s vivid Latin music scene, brought to his attention by his brother Charlie. Nine years Eddie’s senior, Charlie became a proficient pianist early in his life and found work on the Latin music scene in his teens. As Charlie worked in the Palladium and beyond, Eddie discovered Noro Morales, Machito, Tito Puente, and more. Eddie soon began studying piano, and after a short side journey as a timbalero, he began working professionally in the Latin music world. He spent time in groups led by Eddie Forester, Johnny Següi, and Vicentico Valdes before finding himself in the Palladium with Tito Rodriguez. After two years with Rodriguez, Palmieri was ready to front his own band. After some experimentation, he met Barry Rogers and formed La Perfecta, a group that would blaze trails through the sixties. Their iconic hit “Azucár Pa Ti” showed the power of spontaneity and improvisation within a dance context, raising eyebrows across the Latin dance, jazz, and commercial music worlds. With a cutting edge combination of Latin dance structures and jazz energy, Palmieri and La Perfecta tore up the New York circuit and recorded a string of albums, included two collaborations with West Coast vibraphonist Cal Tjader. By 1969, Rogers had moved onto a career in the jazz world, and Palmieri brought legendary trumpet player “Chocolate” Armenteros into his group. Palmieri dug deeper into jazz through studies with Bob Bianco and eventually started incorporating more jazz harmonies into his recordings. His experimental spirit kept him moving through drastically different projects that always showed a high level of musicality – from the deep groove of Valmanos Pal Monte to the soulful vibe of Harlem River Drive, Palmieri always kept moving down a creative path.
Palmieri stands as one of the most consistently creative and innovative musicians in the Latin Jazz world. From his debut as a band leader with La Perfecta in the sixties, through his cutting edge work in the seventies, Palmieri always kept listeners on the edge of their seats. In Part One of our interview with Palmieri, we looked at the influence of New York’s vibrant Latin music scene, the impact of his brother Charlie, and his first gigs as a professional. Today, we dig into the La Perfecta years, Palmieri’s collaborations with Tjader, and his unique projects from the seventies.
———- LATIN JAZZ CORNER: After you left Tito Rodriguez, you formed La Perfecta. How did that group come together?
EDDIE PALMIERI: I started experimenting with different kinds of bands, just getting any gigs that we could do, whatever we could find. I always wanted a conjunto with trumpets – I wanted three or four trumpets, that was the style. But the music was certainly changing and the most popular music of the time was the charanga. That was a group with violin, flute, singers, timbales, and conga. My brother formed his charanga and then a gentleman called Johnny Pacheco formed his charanga. Then those were the two main charangas. There was also a dance called la pachanga that was very popular. That was all happening, and I was just looking to see what I could come up with.
Then I met a gentleman named Barry Rogers, and he was a trombone player – that’s how it started. I had one trombone and the rhythm section. Then one day we had the flute, played by a gentleman I knew named George Castro. One day I was able to use them both and I knew that was the sound that I was looking for – something completely new and exciting. All we needed was another trombone. We tried different trombonists until we found the Brazilian Jose Rodriguez. That combination which is on the recordings, that’s the greatest combination of two trombones that every played music, in my opinion.
LJC: La Perfecta really sounds like a jazz group within a dance context.
EP: Exactly right. We played typical music, but then when we changed to timbales and the flute, then it became the style that was happening – the charanga and the pachanga dance. But with the tone of Latin Jazz, we did compositions like “Azucar.” The band was just so open and went into so many different genres, right in front of your eyes. It was an exciting band to see, to hear, and to dance to.
LJC: You guys really stretched out, and you didn’t just do that live, you did it on the recordings too.
EP: Right, we changed the whole recording thing. Recordings were two minutes and forty-five seconds. Unless it was a special work like Machito’s band had – The Afro-Cuban Jazz Suite – those compositions were long. But for the commercial dance genre, you needed your songs to be two minutes and forty-five seconds so you could have twelve compositions on the LP. That was the deal – you look at those LPs, you see twelve compositions.
When we came to do “Azucar,” I told the gentleman that was the A & R man, I said, “Listen, we have a composition that’s not going to be two minutes and forty-five seconds.” He was the manager of Count Basie, and he was into jazz recordings. He said, “You go ahead and do whatever you want.” That’s what we did and it came out to eight minutes and thirty seconds. We changed everything around that recording time that ever existed.
LJC: That must have been a big thing for radio play at the time – how did radio guys react to that?
EP: The commercial radio certainly stood away from that composition. The jazz shows played it though. At that time, we had a jazz show that was extremely popular; it started at twelve midnight and it went until five in the morning – that was Symphony Sid’s show. Just with Symphony Sid alone, it became a monster, monster hit. Then everybody started to play it, but they would play parts of it and then fade out. Symphony Side would play the whole composition and it became a hit with everyone, particularly the blacks and then the Hispanics. “Azucar” was like the talk of the whole music industry here in New York City. Then it started to spread out little by little – to California, to Puerto Rico, and all that.
LJC: You did two albums during that time with La Perfecta that I love – your collaborations with Cal Tjader, El Sonido Nuevo and Bamboleate.
EP: Cal Tjader came into New York and he was looking for me. I thought that he was just looking for me to record with him, but he wanted to record La Perfecta. That’s what we did.
LJC: The two albums seem really different to me – El Sonido Nuevo seems very Cal Tjader influenced and Bamboleate sounds more like La Perfecta.
EP: Yea, we started to stretch it out on that one. He was just amazing, because he never recorded with us! I would lay down all the tracks and leave a spot for him, and then he would come in at night and then do his thing. It was amazing. You listen to it, and you couldn’t tell. He freaked everybody out, including me.
But he felt better that way. He said, “Look, if I record with you guys, I’ll be in the way. You guys do your thing and just leave me the spots where I’ll come and solo. Then we got a deal Eddie.” I said, “You got it.”
LJC: Did you guys ever perform together?
EP: You know, unfortunately we didn’t really perform together. We didn’t do any shows on either coast. We really didn’t utilize those albums. Promoters didn’t get into those two albums the way that they should have. His era, when he was really, really hot was 1957 or 1958 when he took Mongo Santamaria and Wille Bobo from Tito Puente and started to record for Fantasy at the Blackhawk in San Francisco. So he had all those years. Then when we met maybe seven or eight years later, and it was different. He was always popular and he was always Cal Tjader, but it wasn’t as strong as he was earlier.
LJC: You mentioned Barry Rogers – he was definitely one of the strongest trombone players in the style. If you could mention a couple of things that made Barry’s playing special, what would it be?
EP: He was a great musician. He had a different sound on the trombone because he was self-taught. He played with rhythm and blues bands, he played with jazz bands . . . he loved all types of music. He had recordings of different types of music – African music, Indian music, every different type of music that you could think of, Barry was already into it. When it came to our genre of music, he made a point of being really interested in understanding as much as he could. And he did.
He had been playing Latin music with some other groups within the Bronx, and that’s how he met Johnny Pacheco, who played flute. There used to be a jam session In a social club and that is where I met Barry. He was playing there with Pacheco, in the jam session. That’s how it started. Barry had already been playing Latin music around, but when he met me, and we got together with the really great Latin players like Manny Oquendo, Tommy Lopez, and Bobby Rodriguez, we went into another level.
He was a great bandstand buddy too. He didn’t just play. He tuned the pianos for me. He was a great car mechanic. He rode his motorcycle. He used to work with his father on a sailboat and go sailing. He loved to take pictures of the steam locomotives; he was a great photographer. The guy was out! We had some great years together on the bandstand.
LJC: In the seventies, you did some really interesting albums that were so different from Fania, the boogaloo, and everything else that was happening.
EP: Yea, that was after 1969. In 1969, everything changed. Barry had gone on his way – he wanted to play jazz and so he went with The Brecker Brothers. They used to have a band called Dreams. And he started to do a few other things. I took the trumpet player Chocolate Armenteros – he came in with the one trombone and that band certainly went into the years of the seventies.
LJC: One of the albums that I wanted to ask you about was Superimposition – you’ve got “Chocolate Ice Cream” on there and “17.5″ – great jazz tunes in the context of a dance album.
EP: Right, exactly. I always had that jazz feeling, but by that time, I had already been listening to some jazz recordings from players like Art Tatum, Thelonious Monk, Bud Powell, and Bill Evans. Barry took me to Birdland and I saw the original John Coltrane Quartet. Then I thought more about doing jazz and he recommended a teacher for me, Bob Bianco. I started to study and get jazz harmonies. That’s why you see some of those harmonic structures were so modern in some of the music that I wrote later on.
LJC: In that same year, you had Vamonos Pa’l Monte with Charlie on organ and you on Fender Rhodes. How did you guys work that out with the two keyboard instruments?
EP: The thing about that composition was making a statement. Nobody knew how great my brother could play organ. So I invited him to the recording and he took one of the most incredible organ solos that will ever be recorded. It will never be matched, never equaled. It was just a classic, classic solo. And the composition became a national hit all over the world. Wherever I went, wherever I played that, Vamonos Pa’l Monte was just a monster hit.
EP: That was Ronnie Cuber that brought me the Aretha Franklin orchestra. The main group was some of the musicians from Aretha Franklin’s group like Cornell Dupree on guitar, Gerald Jemmott on bass, Burt Collins on trumpet, Bernard Purdie on drums, and Ronnie Cuber, who was the baritone player. That was to make a statement. We did that on Roulette. Harlem River Drive is constantly brought up – nobody ever really heard Harlem River Drive properly at the time, and whenever they hear it now, they can’t believe it.
LJC: At the time, there was a lot of boogaloo going on, but that never really captured the essence of soul music the way Harlem River Drive did.
EP: Right. Again, it was one of the most incredible recordings and also a statement about conditions that existed in the lyric content. It’s there forever and I’m very proud that we recorded it.
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You’ll want to check out Part One of our interview with pianist Eddie Palmieri, where we dig into the influence of New York’s vibrant Latin music scene, the impact of his brother Charlie, and his first gigs as a professional. You can read it HERE.
Make sure that you come back soon to check out Part Three of our interview with pianist Eddie Palmieri, where we get into his Latin Jazz work in the nineties, his return to La Perfecta, and his current projects. Don’t miss it!
The lives of legendary Latin Jazz artists always recount themselves like a master class in the major events of music history. When these musicians experience each historical landmark, they simply seem like the ups and downs of daily life. Looking at these events in retrospect, we place the weight of history upon them, giving them significance for a variety of reasons. In most cases, these points in history involved creative movement, influencing everyone around them. While these milestones seem like everyday life for their participants, the impact shapes their future career. The sound and approach of these important historical moments live through their participants, staying alive with each new performance.
Pianist Eddie Palmieri certainly sits as one of the most important torch bearers of Latin Jazz and dance music today, having lived through some of the most important developments in Latin music. Born in Manhattan and soon relocated to the Bronx, Palmieri grew up immersed in the lively and rapidly evolving world of New York Latin dance music. His brother Charlie, nine years Eddie’s senior, had built strong piano skills as a young child and began playing professionally as a teen. Charlie’s deep involvement in the Latin music scene brought Eddie in close contact with important musicians such as Machito, Jose Curbelo, Noro Morales, and more. Inspired by the vibrant music scene unfolding around him, Eddie took piano lessons at Carnegie Hall with an eye on a music career. In the late forties, the Palladium Ballroom opened in downtown New York, and promoter Frederico Pagani started booking Latin dance bands. Placed in close proximity to the area’s numerous jazz clubs, the Palladium became the focal point of New York’s Latin music scene, booking the top bands. When Charlie performed at the Palladium with Tito Puente’s newly formed Piccadilly Boys, the groundbreaking timbalero inspired Eddie to move to percussion. He spent two years playing timbales with his uncle’s band before moving back to piano to start a professional career. Already a busy musician on the scene, Charlie began traveling with his own group, leaving Eddie in a position to fill the piano chair in different ensembles. He worked behind trumpet player Eddie Forester for a while before finding a spot in bassist Johnny Següi’s group. Moving up through the ranks of the New York scene, he joined former Puente vocalist Vicentico Valdes in 1956 before landing in Tito Rodriguez’s orchestra. Palmieri connected with all the major musical figures of New York Latin dance music’s “Golden Age,” prepared to forge new artistic ground in the future with his own ideas.
Palmieri watched New York’s Latin music scene evolve into an important musical milestone, and soaked all the era’s lessons into his own musical concept. These brave early musicians inspired Palmieri, who would become one of the genre’s most innovative and important musicians. In Part One of our interview with Palmieri, we dig into the early years of Palmieri’s life, the amazing scene around him, and his first steps into a professional career.
———- LATIN JAZZ CORNER: I know that you grew up during an important era for Latin music. Where were you born?
EDDIE PALMIERI: I was born in Manhattan and then raised in the Bronx. We moved up to the Bronx when I was around five years of age. Then I stayed in the Bronx until I got married. I was raised in the Bronx, first in an area called Kelly Street at Longwood and Intervale.
LJC: What was it like growing up around so much great music?
EP: What really inspired me was the music that they were playing, certainly after World War II, going into 1947 – 1948. I was listening to orchestras led by people like Noro Morales and Miguelito Valdes – these were the bands of the forties. Noro Morales was a very talented Puerto Rican pianist and very popular at that time. Then you also had the orchestra of Jose Curbelo. These bands were the ones that were in the city at that time. Tito Puente and Tito Rodriguez were sidemen in that band together! Which is quite extraordinary – later on they became archrivals. They were both with Jose Curblo; he had a fine orchestra. The only orchestra that was a big band before World War II was the Machito Orchestra. That orchestra started in 1939 with Mario Bauza, who was the brother-in-law of Machito. The bands were playing a lot and at the Harvest Moon Balls . . . all these things were happening in New York.
Tito had returned from World War II around this time; he was in the navy and then he came back after 1945. He was playing with Machito before the war; he thought he was going to go back with the Machito Orchestra, but that didn’t work out. The timbalero at the time was Uba (Nieto) – he had between four and six kids, he wasn’t going to let Tito get back in there! Then Tito did other things – he went with Pupi Campo, he went with Jose Curbelo, and then in 1949, he made the Piccadilly Boys.
My brother Charlie was already playing professionally at the time because he was nine years older than me. He was playing at The Copacabana in the forties. Clubs like that were really supper clubs, there were no dances like the way we know them. They were supper clubs with an American band that played six nights a week and a Latin band that played a show on the society band’s day off.
In 1949, everything started to change. The Palladium Ballroom came into being and Tito Puente came in there with The Piccadilly Boys. My brother knew Tito, and he started with The Piccadilly Boys in 1949. Machito came into The Palladium too. There was a great promoter at the time called Frederico Paggani, who was the one who brought the Latin bands from mid-town. You could work in mid-town, but we couldn’t get downtown; that was the idea behind The Palladium. It was one block away on the same sidewalk as Birdland, so you had all the jazz greats playing. Then right around the corner you had forty jazz clubs on 52nd Street and then The Palladium Ballroom. So my brother started at The Palladium with Tito and eventually left. Later on he came back with Tito because the pianist was drafted into the army for the Korean War. He stayed with Tito for a few years – two or three years, I don’t think it was more than that. But they did some great recordings.
For me, it was listening to all these bands that were playing. The Machito Orchestra, Tito Puente, and Tito Rodriguez started to record in ’49 or ’50. Tito Rodriguez had just formed his conjunto, a group with timbales, conga, bongo, bass, piano, three trumpets, and the lead vocalist. Tito Puente had Vicentico Valdes as the lead vocalist; Mongo Santamaria was on congas after a gentleman called Frankie Colon also went to the Korean war; Manny Oquendo on bongo; Tito Puente was on timbales; and my brother was on piano. It was an incredible conjunto, and they were recording constantly. That’s what I was hearing as a young man, because commercial radio was playing these orchestra, which doesn’t happen anymore.
LJC: You started playing piano young, you were studying with Margaret Barnes.
EP: Margaret Barnes was a classical pianist and like other classical artists at the time, she would rent rooms in the Carnegie Hall building. I would take my lessons there. My brother was studying with her and then he recommended me. I was about 11 years old when I met her – she was really great. I did an evaluation test next door at the theater for some professors and we got some good marks. She was a great, great teacher.
LJC: You also played timbales when you were younger.
EP: I played timbales for a couple of years with my uncle until I just couldn’t carry them anymore. That was going to lead to a hernia! My mother said, “Don’t you see your brother going to work with carrying an instrument – when will you learn?” I said, “I’m leaning Mom!” I went back to the piano and it was great. But I enjoyed those years on timbales.
When Tito Puente came out, everyone wanted to play timbales. Nobody had ever seen anything like that before. At that time, there was always the drummer – a drummer with the whole set of drums, just like the jazz orchestras. That was the drummer and then maybe a conga player would play. Timbales weren’t even seen until Tito Puente presented the conjunto. In Cuba they already had these conjuntos. The only thing that they didn’t use in Cuba was the timbales – they would have bongo and conga but no timbales. Then Tito Puente started to play timbales and he brought the rhythm section up front. The drummer used to always be in the back. When we started seeing all that as kids, it blew our minds. He was such a great soloist and artist on stage as well.
LJC: You did some of your first professional gigs in the fifties with Eddie Forester.
EP: Eddie Forester’s group was the first band that I played with. He was a very talented trumpet player, and he also played the vibes. From there, I went with a band led by Johnny Següi, which was really the first professional orchestra that I played with. My brother would play with them – he would play with them and then recommend me. At the time, my brother was already working with his own trio and quartet, traveling the Eastern seaboard. He would say, “My kid brother Eddie is playing piano . . .” Then I would get in and I would then play with that band. So I played with Johnny Següi, but I didn’t last too long with him. Then I went with Vicentico Valdes, the vocalist for Tito Puente. He started his own conjunto in 1953 and I joined him in 1956. After that, it was Tito Rodriguez for two years and then it was my own band.
LJC: One album that I wanted to ask you about from that era is that Tito Rodriguez album Live at the Palladium.
EP: In my opinion, that’s one of the greatest albums because it presented two different genres. It had the typical dance music that we know and the genre of Latin Jazz; but at that time, it was known as instrumental mambos.
LJC: That was a bit different than what you’d been doing at the time – that album was very jazz.
EP: They were already doing that. Machito started to do numbers with Flip Phillips and Charlie Parker where they would come in, play with the Machito band, and solo. The songs weren’t really arranged around the solo, but they would solo on these compositions. That’s what at least started it. Then when Dizzy Gillespie and Chano Pozo got together, that was the first Latin Jazz – the New York phenomenon.
But to us, it was known as instrumental mambos and those instrumental mambos were designed for dances. If you listen to that album really good, all those compositions are danceable. Like “Satin And Lace” by Phil Sunkel or “El Mundo De Las Locas” and “Liza” – they were standards, but those standard compositions were designed for dancing. They had their mambo parts in them, and the soloists could solo over jazz chords. It was a very important album in my opinion that was recorded on United Artists by Tito Rodriguez.
LJC: Were you checking out straight ahead jazz pianists at the time?
EP: No, not that much. I was really interested more in everything that was coming out Latin, specifically what was coming out of Cuba. Cuba was the forerunner and they were sending material constantly before 1960. The arrangers and composers from Cuba were sending material here so that the bands from New York could play them.
The Puerto Ricans were the ones that upheld the Cuban music in New York – there’s just no doubt about that. The Puerto Rican musicians that were here like Tito Puente, my brother, Tito Rodriguez (who was half Puerto Rican and half Cuban) – those bands were playing the compositions coming out of Cuba. There were compositions written by these bands, original pieces. But the majority of the work was from Cuba. It came as sheet music, but what you really got was the whole arrangement coming out of Cuba. A lot of the bands just recorded it as such. Some of them made new arrangements on those compositions, but some of them were just great arrangements coming out of Cuba.
LJC: Those were really big dance crazes at the time, right?
EP: Yea, that’s when the music was at it’s height. Remember it’s the era of the mambo, so the mambo was the deal and later on came the cha cha cha. The problem that we had was to be able to play downtown, you had to have a cabaret card. That was established because there were too many Puerto Ricans working Manhattan. To keep an eye on all of us, I guess, you had to go to the police station, get you finger prints, and then you got a cabaret card. Without that cabaret card, you were not allowed to play any place that served liquor. That was a terrible law that we had. A lot of the jazz players then went to Europe because they couldn’t work here.
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Make sure that you come back tomorrow to check out Part Two of our interview with pianist Eddie Palmieri, where we’ll talk about the formation of La Perfecta, his musical approach during that time, and his work during the seventies!
The blurry line between Latin Jazz and salsa plays upon the commonalities between the two performance approaches, but its not an easily tread area. Both genres have distinct musical requirements that demand specific specializations from the performers. A musician highly skilled in salsa might not successfully transition into the Latin Jazz world, and a strong Latin Jazz musician could be lost in a salsa context. Musicians often walk between both worlds, drawing upon the commonalities; they may make adequate contributions to the music, but few rise into the realm of dual outstanding statements. Only musicians with significant experience in both worlds can bounce between Latin Jazz and salsa with a high degree of artistry – its a fine art that requires dedication, skill, and keen insight.
The Spanish Harlem Orchestra is one of the most prominent groups to walk the blurry line between Latin Jazz and salsa in recent years. Organized in 2000 by pianist Oscar Hernandez, the group immediately drew upon his extensive experience in the Latin Jazz and salsa worlds. Hernandez built upon his time with legendary artists and groups such as Ray Barretto, Grupo Folklorico Y Experimental, and Ruben Blades to bring the group’s sound into focus. The band debuted worldwide in 2002 with the recording Un Gran Dia En El Barrio, capturing them an enthusiastic audience and a Grammy nomination. Spanish Harlem Orchestra cleverly reinterpreted salsa classics from the seventies, supplying the world with a long overdue dose of New York salsa dura. In addition, the group included original salsa and Latin Jazz pieces, giving Spanish Harlem Orchestra an opportunity to explore their sound. Two years later, the band released Across 110th Street, a mature development in the group’s performance style that featured a guest appearance from Blades. On this album the band solidified their heavy front-line that included legendary vocalist Ray De La Paz and saxophonist Mitch Forman. By the time Spanish Harlem Orchestra released United We Swing in 2007, they were a solid artistic force in the Latin music world, but also a serious draw at festivals and major venues around the world. This recording also featured a curious cameo from pop star Paul Simon, showing both a desire to reach a wider public and a connection to the larger world of music. As Spanish Harlem Orchestra celebrates their tenth year as a band, they hold a position of respect and artistic clarity, presenting some of New York’s finest large ensemble salsa and Latin Jazz. Concord Records recently signed the band to their Concord Picante label, and the first release arrives today, Viva La Tradicion. The album continues their stream of outstanding work, but also looks to the influence of past mentors that made both salsa and Latin Jazz a worldwide phenomenon. With their vision clearly in tact and a large dose of musicianship in their ranks, Spanish Harlem Orchestra stands poised to proudly represent both sides of the blurry line for years to come.
There aren’t many groups that capture the essence of both Latin Jazz and salsa with such power as Spanish Harlem Orchestra, so a new release from the band is always welcome. In celebration of the release of Viva La Tradicion, today’s Weekly Latin Jazz Video Fix is dedicated to the amazing presence of Spanish Harlem Orchestra. The first clip features the band live at a major festival performing a powerful Latin Jazz piece, “Tambori.” The next video finds the group at the Montreal Jazz Festival laying down some heavy salsa in “Llego La Banda.” The third snippet places the band in San Jose, California, digging into another Latin Jazz piece from their new album, “Rumba Urbana.” The last piece is another instrumental smoker from United We Swing, featuring some great percussion work. Spanish Harlem Orchestra delivers the best of New York salsa and hard hitting Latin Jazz, making them a treasure on the modern musical scene – enjoy!
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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
As the Obama administration opens up the gates on artistic exchange with Cuba, we’re finding more and more opportunities to learn about the great jazz musicians from the island. One of the best-known Cuban jazz musicians would have to be pianist Chucho Valdés, whose new album Chucho’s Steps, announces his arrival in grand fashion. Over at All About Jazz, contributing editor Joan A. Cararach has interviewed Valdés, taking the time to get details on each track from the new album. It’s a great look inside one of the top Latin Jazz releases from 2010 – check it out HERE.
In the world of modern jazz, one of my favorite bassists and composers has to be Dave Holland; from his early work with Miles Davis all the way up to his current releases, Holland epitomizes taste and creativity. Mr. Holland has a new album on the forefront, Hands, a great recording that combines his jazz skills with the flamenco guitar of Pepe Habichuela. I’m always looking for interesting mixtures of flamenco and jazz – this one certainly fits that bill. Over on Holland’s site, you can buy the album or simply stream it in its entirety – find it HERE.
Over at A Blog Supreme, Felix Contreras has taken some time to reflect upon the passing of Latin music historian and journalist Max Salazar, offering a potent picture that really captures the spirit of the man. Contreras mixes historical fact with his own personal recollections of the man, based upon a trip that Contreras made to New York. It’s a must-read article that looks back fondly upon this important figure. You can read it HERE.
If you’re in SOUTH AMERICA this week . . . GUILLERMO KLEIN Y BASE DE NAVE WHEN: Wednesday 9/29/10 WHERE:Teatro IFT
Buenos Aires, Argentina
If you’re in the MIDDLE EAST this week . . . OMAR SOSA
London African Music Festival WHEN: Saturday 10/2/10 WHERE:Cemal Resit Rey Concert Hall
Istanbul, Turkey
If you’re on the EAST COAST this week . . . AFRO-BOP ALLIANCE WHEN: Thursday 9/30/10 WHERE:Talara
615 President Street
Baltimore, MD TIME: 8:00 p.m. TICKETS: NO COVER
ARTURO O’FARRILL
Solo Piano WHEN: Wednesday 9/29/10 WHERE:Puppet’s Jazz Bar
481 5th Avenue Park Slope
Brooklyn, NY TIME: 7:00 p.m. TICKETS: $10
Afro-Latin Jazz Ensemble WHEN: Friday 10/1/10 WHERE:Adelphi University Concert Hall
1 South Avenue
Garden City, NY TIME: 8:00 p.m. TICKETS: $35 – $45
BOBBY SANABRIA
Sexteto Ibiano WHEN: Wednesday 9/29/10 WHERE:Fonda Boricua
172 East 106th Street
New York, NY TIME: 7:30 p.m. TICKETS: $10
CHICO O’FARRILL’S AFRO-CUBAN JAZZ ORCHESTRA WHEN: Sunday 10/3/10 WHERE:Birdland
315 W. 44th Street
Manhattan, NY TIME: 9:00 p.m. & 11:00 p.m. TICKETS: $30
EDWARD PEREZ WHEN: Wednesday 9/29/10 WHERE:Tutuma Social Club
164 East 56th Street
New York, NY TIME: 7:00 p.m. & 9:00 p.m. TICKETS: NO COVER
ERIC KURIMSKI WHEN: Thursday 9/30/10 WHERE:Terraza Cafe
40-19 Gleane St
Elmhurst, NY TIME: 10:00 p.m. TICKETS: FREE
GABRIEL ALEGRIA AFRO-PERUVIAN JAZZ SEXTET WHEN: Friday 10/1/10 – Sunday 10/2/10 WHERE:Tutuma Social Club
164 East 56th Street
New York, NY TIME: Friday – Saturday: 8:00 p.m. & 10:30 p.m.; Sunday: 7:00 p.m. & 9:00 p.m. TICKETS: NO COVER
GABRIELE TRANCHINA WHEN: Saturday 10/2/10 WHERE:Brotherhood Winery
100 Brotherhood Plaza
Washingtonville, NY TIME: 2:00 p.m.
GARY MORGAN & PANAMERICANA WHEN: Tuesday 9/28/10 WHERE:Zinc Bar
82 W 3rd St
New York, NY TIME: 9:30 p.m. & 11:00 p.m. TICKETS: $10 & 2 Drink Minimum
GREG DIAMOND WHEN: Tuesday 9/28/10 WHERE:NuBlu
62 Avenue C
Manhattan, NY TIME: 9:30 p.m.
HECTOR NIEVES WHEN: Thursday 9/30/10 WHERE:Fonda Boricua
172 East 106th Street
New York, NY TIME: 8:00 p.m. TICKETS: NO COVER
HENDRIK MEURKENS WHEN: Sunday 10/3/10 WHERE:The Bar Next Door
129 MacDougal Street
New York, NY TIME: 8:00 p.m. & 10:00 p.m. TICKETS: $12
LAURANDREA LEGUIA WHEN: Tuesday 9/28/10 WHERE:Tutuma Social Club
164 East 56th Street
New York, NY TIME: 7:00 p.m. & 9:00 p.m. TICKETS: NO COVER
PEDRO GIRAUDO
Sextet WHEN: Saturday 10/2/10 WHERE:Barbes
376 9th Street
Brooklyn, NY TIME: 8:00 p.m. TICKETS: $10
VANDERLEI PEREIRA AND BLINDFOLD TEST WHEN: Thursday 9/30/10 WHERE:Fat Cat
75 Christopher Street
New York, NY TIME: 7:00 p.m. TICKETS: $3
WILLIE MARTINEZ WHEN: Thursday 9/30/10 WHERE:Nuyorican Poet’s Cafe
236 East 3rd Street
New York, NY TIME: 9:00 p.m. TICKETS: $7
If you’re in the MID-EAST this week . . . CHICAGO AFRO-LATIN JAZZ ENSEMBLE WHEN: Tuesday 9/28/10 WHERE:Andy’s Jazz Club
11 East Hubbard Street
Chicago, IL TIME: 9:00 p.m. TICKETS: $10
CRAIG RUSSO LATIN JAZZ PROJECT WHEN: Friday 10/1/10 – Saturday 10/2/10 WHERE:Remy’s Jazz And Cocktails
225 East Monroe Street
Springfield, IL TIME: 8:30 p.m. TICKETS: $10
EL MOVIMIENTO WHEN: Saturday 10/2/10 WHERE:Centennial Park
2500 West End Avenue
Nashville, TN TIME: 4:30 p.m. TICKETS: FREE
LOS GATOS WHEN: Wednesday 9/29/10 WHERE:Live At PJ’s
102 S 1st St
Ann Arbor, MI TIME: 8:00 p.m. & 9:15 p.m. TICKETS: $7
PAULINHO GARCIA WHEN: Wednesday 9/29/10 WHERE:Piccolo Mundo
Jackson Blvd. & Columbus Dr.
Chicago, IL TIME: 6:00 p.m.
TUMBAO BRAVO WHEN: Sunday 10/3/10 WHERE:Sangria’s
401 South Lafayette Avenue
Royal Oak, MI TIME: 9:30 p.m. TICKETS: $5
If you’re in the MID-WEST this week . . . ALFREDO RODRIGUEZ
Sedona Jazz On The Rocks WHEN: Saturday 10/2/10 WHERE:Poco Diablo Resort
1752 State Route 179
Sedona, AZ TIME: Festival Starts At 11:00 a.m. TICKETS: $52 – $102 in advance; $65 – $125 at door
If you’re on the WEST COAST this week . . . ALFREDO RODRIGUEZ WHEN: Thursday 9/30/10 WHERE:Jazz Bakery
6752 Hollywood Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA TIME: 8:30 p.m. TICKETS: $25
ANNA ESTRADA WHEN: Saturday 10/2/10 WHERE:The Cannery
2801 Leavenworth
San Francisco, CA TIME: 12:00 p.m. TICKETS: FREE
EDDIE PALMIERI WHEN: Sunday 10/3/10 WHERE:Oxnard College
Channel Island Harbor Park
Ventura, CA TIME: 8:00 p.m. TICKETS: $45
FRANCISCO AGUABELLA LATIN JAZZ ENSEMBLE WHEN: Saturday 10/2/10 WHERE:Steamer’s Cafe
138 W. Commonwealth Avenue
Fullerton, CA TIME: 8:30 p.m. TICKETS: $8
HECTOR DEL CURTO’S ETERNAL TANGO ORCHESTRA WHEN: Friday 10/1/10 – Saturday 10/2/10 WHERE:Sur
2901 1st Avenue S
Seattle, WA TIME: 9:00 p.m. TICKETS: $35
KAT PARRA WHEN: Friday 10/1/10 WHERE:Stanford Hospital Atrium
300 Pasteur Drive
Stanford, CA TIME: 12:30 p.m. TICKETS: FREE
NAGUAL WHEN: Thursday 9/30/10 WHERE:Paul Martin’s American Bistro
1455 Eureka Road
Roseville, CA TIME: 7:30 p.m. TICKETS: NO COVER
WHEN: Saturday 10/2/10 WHERE:Paul Martin’s American Bistro
1455 Eureka Road
Roseville, CA TIME: 7:30 p.m. TICKETS: NO COVER
Blueprints Chicago Afro Latin Jazz Ensemble Chicago Sessions
Forming a new ensemble in the modern musical world demands a lot from an artist, but establishing a big band involves a special set of challenges. From a basic logistical standpoint, the sheer size of a big band creates recurring financial issues. As a result, band leaders need to either find sufficient funding to support the group or fill the band with extremely dedicated musicians that are fully committed to the idea. Building repertoire for a big band requires a huge time commitment and highly refined composition and arranging skills. The group’s writers not only need to build a set of smart melodies and inspiring harmonies, but they also need to spread the beauty of their compositions across full wind sections, coordinating at every move with the rhythm section. The band leaders also need to shape a distinct personality for the band that reflects the individual members and the audience’s expectations. Placing fifteen to twenty talented musicians on stage opens many opportunities to spotlight individuals; the trick becomes finding spots where the unified group doesn’t become lost to the individual. When audiences see a Latin Jazz big band, they immediately get visions of Puente, Machito, and Rodriguez – although the band leaders might respect this lineage, they need to break away from it and make their own statements. Each challenge becomes larger when a big band becomes involved, so the musicians behind the group need a concrete vision and a heartfelt dedication to the group. Led by pianist Darwin Noguera and trumpet player Victor Garcia, the Chicago Afro Latin Jazz Ensemble overcomes all these potential challenges on Blueprints, delivering an intelligent and thoroughly enjoyable collection of Latin Jazz big band tracks.
Strength In Big Band Afro-Cuban Jazz
The backbone of the Chicago Afro Latin Jazz Ensemble’s repertoire rests upon Afro-Cuban rhythms, and they demonstrate their strength in this area clearly on several tracks. Noguera and bassist Joshua Ramos set up a frantic groove over an up-tempo son montuno on “Send Eggs,” providing an exciting foundation for a winding melody from Garcia and saxophonist Juan Turros. A short but inspired percussion exchange leads into a solo from Turros, who weaves in and out of the chord with an impassioned abandon until Noguera tears through his improvisation with rapid melodies. A stuttering mambo sends the band charging into a ferocious trumpet exchange between Garcia and Tito Carrillo, setting up a enthusiastic percussion conversation from drummer Ernie Adams, timbalero Juan Picorelli, and guest conguero Paoli Mejias. Brash band hits frame a sly 6/8 groove on “Captain Spok,” until an unaccompanied solo from conguero Mejias transitions the band into a menacing melody. The wind players slide around understated melodies with an air of mystery before moving aside for an extended improvisation from Mejias. An explosive change into double time son montuno launches Mejias into an engaging series of traded phrases with Steve Turre, who uses conch shells to create a beautiful improvised contrast. A unison vamp from Noguera and Ramos ground a quick and funky son montuno rhythm on “Captain Spok,” while staggered horn entrances intertwine into a series of rapid melodic phrases. Turre grabs the band’s avid momentum and aggressively spins a series of percussive lines with his trombone that slice through the thick background figures with a sharp precision. Noguera follows Turre’s lead with edgy jazz fueled lines that powerfully charge through the harmony until alto saxophonist Greg Ward II enthusiastically wraps angular lines around the band’s heavy groove. The group takes their repertoire based upon Afro-Cuban rhythms and turns it inside out with smart compositions, committed performances, and passionate improvisations.
Expanding The Group’s Sound With Vocalists
The group expands the reach of its sound on two tracks through the integration of both Spanish and English vocals. A funky reggae groove creates a laid-back mood on “Vuelvo a Vivir,” allowing Ricky Luis to dig into the Spanish vocal with a soulful edge. The huge sound of the horn section falls into a wah-wah laden statement from guitarist Neal Alger, whose smart phrasing nails the song’s feeling superbly. The wind players transition the group into a driving double time son montuno, allowing several members of the wind section to improvise melodic ideas between a repeated coro. A richly orchestrated layer of winds establishes a lush introduction to “Timeless,” setting the stage for a pretty vocal performance from Nythia Martinez. This piece strongly displays the Noguera and Garcia’s intelligent arranging as colorful layers of wind warmly wrap around Martinez’s vocal, cleverly leading into a smooth double time feel. Picorelli leaps into a stylish statement, based upon strong idea development, until a dramatic unaccompanied solo from Ramos sends the group flying back into Martiez’s closing vocal. These two vocal features provide a striking contrast to the rest of the group’s repertoire, allowing them to display another side to their vast creative skills.
Exploring Different Rhythmic Ideas And Musical Approaches
The Chicago Afro Latin Jazz Ensemble displays a broad artistic range, drawing upon different rhythmic ideas and musical approaches on other pieces. The group’s full wind section captures the rich colors of the chord changes on “Bossa Pegajosa” until the saxophone section breaks into an unforgettable melodic tapestry of sound. Garcia leaps into a long and inspired improvisation, spinning lyrical ideas that reflect against the harmony with beauty and style. As the group supports Garcia with broad background figures, the trumpet player shows his true gift for melodic development, building his idea into a complete statement that both captures the heart of the song and reveals his strong personality. The rhythm section charges through a blazing son montuno in 7/4 on “Milesmiles,” as the wind players combine sharply curving rhythmic figures with long streaming melodies. Ward bravely charges through a fierce improvisation over the brisk seven beat groove with rapid runs, contrasted by a smart solo from Garcia that starts with long lines and build into aggressive attacks. A swing section sets up a move into a half time cha cha cha for Noguera’s classy improvisation until syncopated horn figures send the group back to the melody over the original feel. A stuttering funky three beat rhythmic foundation establishes a jagged feel behind “Tierra,” while the wind players attack a jerky melody full of staccato accentuations that brilliantly flow into an engaging melody. Woodwind player Rich Moore finds his way through the unique setting with a fluid clarinet solo that leaps off the recording with melodic ingenuity. Carrillo storms into a powerful improvisation full of bluesy appeal and high note appeal until a strong mambo leads into a fitting cajón solo from Juan Daniel Pastor. These pieces reveal a diverse range of abilities within the ensemble, allowing them to interpret pieces from all spectrums of the Latin Jazz world.
A Series Of Superb Successes
Noguera and Garcia avoid potential pitfalls of a young big band on Blueprints, leading the Chicago Afro Latin Jazz Ensemble through a series of superb successes. The group bases the core of its work upon the traditional focus of Latin Jazz big bands, shaping their strong performances mainly around Afro-Cuban rhythms. They approach this context from their own perspective though, and the cleverly conceived compositions sparkle with originality. Both Noguera and Garcia show a heavy set of arranging skills on the album, filling the recording with lush wind voicings and smart rhythm section correlation, as well as ingenious artistic twists and turns. The writing of the two musicians really sets the group apart from other big bands, as they deliver pieces strongly connected to tradition while maintaining a modern edge. The ensemble contains many strong soloists, with Carillo and Ward standing apart while Garica and Nogueras both consistently shine. The inclusion of Turre, Alger, Luis, and Mejias push the group into the next level of artistry, and their presence drives the band members to truly inspired performances. While the formation of a big band may be both a risk and a challenge, Nogueras, Garcia, and the full Chicago Afro Latin Jazz Ensemble pull the task off with style and ease on Blueprints, establishing themselves as an important creative entity with a solid and promising future.
The Latin music world lost a long time champion this past weekend, as Max Salazar passed away on Sunday, September 19, 2010. Born on April 17th, 1932 in New York, Salazar found an affinity for Afro-Cuban music at a young age, but didn’t really pursue his interests professionally until the late sixties. He began working as a journalist for Latin New York magazine in 1968 and his love for the music just drove him deeper and deeper into the genre. He researched the style meticulously, interviewed countless musicians, promoters, and business people, and observed the music’s most significant turning points first hand. His unstoppable drive led to writing assignments with a number of important publications, including Billboard, Latin Time, The Village Voice, Musician Magazine, Latin Beat, and Impacto. He shared the music’s most significant recordings and interviewed important musicians live on a weekly radio show, housed in New York’s WKCR. He continued his radio work for years to come, eventually expanding to include a show on WBAI. He served as a guest lecturer at a number of important institutions such as UCLA and the Smithsonian institution, sharing his vast knowledge of New York Latin music with the world. In 2002, he released a collection of his writings entitled Mambo Kingdom: Latin Music in New York, giving a good taste of his knowledge and background. Salazar dedicated his life to the preservation of Latin music, placing the style in a position of respect and seriousness.
I never meet Salazar personally, but I knew his writing well. Any serious study of Latin music involves the reading of Salazar’s many articles, interviews, and commentaries. He was simply one of the prime sources of information on the evolution of Latin music in New York. A true tribute to Salazar would involve a focused reading of his many works – something that I highly recommend; I personally plan on revisiting several articles and discovering others in the near future. In the meantime, I’ve taken some quotes from Salazar’s work and used them as inspiration for short riffs on Salazar’s contributions to Latin music. Pulling these quotes out of context sometimes does change the intention slightly, so by all means, go back to Salazar’s original writings to find his true meaning; they simply serve as inspiration here for a tribute to one of Latin music’s most avid supporters.
“After 1917, when the Puerto Rican community in New York began to build itself with additional migrants, the stirrings of a Latin music scene emerged.”
- “Latin Music: The Perseverance Of A Culture”
While Salazar wasn’t around New York in 1917, he was a first hand witness to the growth and development of Latin Jazz and salsa. His work as a writer for Latin New York pushed him out into the Latin music scene, and his passion for the music kept him digging deeper. He heard the Big 3 at The Palladium and watched as the mambo integrated more jazz qualities, eventually finding a comfortable spot next to be-bop. Salazar became a personal friend to Machito and Tito Puente, spending ample time getting to know the subtleties of their work. He found himself in the music’s inner circle, always keeping himself aware of the music’s sometimes harsh realities. As he became closer to the scene, Salazar respected the music fully and worked overtime to meticulously study its development and document its history. As artists began to integrate soul and funk into Latin rhythms, giving us boogaloo, Salazar was there, getting the full scoop. When Ray Barretto, Willie Colon, and Celia Cruz burst onto the world scene with salsa hits, Salazar watched the growing trend with complete interest. He followed the evolution of salsa romantica, small group Latin Jazz, experimentation with folk rhythms, and much more. In many ways, Salazar’s life followed the evolution of Latin music in New York, from early stirrings to modern developments; he fortunately documented his experiences, letting us see the history that unfolded before his eyes.
“Without recognition, encouragement, exposure and employment are insufficient to nurture a promising career. Recognition is also necessary for posterity if a history of a culture is to be chronicled.”
– “1968 First Latin Music Entertainment Awards”
Promoting Latin music and writing about it often has its share of rewards and struggles – you’re rewarded with a deep connection to the music that you love and you struggle to move the work into the greater world. Salazar certainly loved Latin music deeply, and his passionate connection to the music drove him to work tirelessly to promote it. He found several different venues to educate, inform, and expose the public to great music, historical facts, and the cultural relevance of Latin music in the United States. As a writer for numerous publications, Salazar spoke intelligently about Latin music from an informed perspective – he told the truth about the music and he based it upon real life experience. He was intimately familiar with the repertoire of several bands, so when he worked as a disc jockey on WBAI, he could give listeners the most engaging tracks that would simply get them hooked on the artist. As a lecturer at several different universities, he had years of research to draw upon, personal anecdotes to share, and a personal connection to the music that had to be inspiring. He wrote about the struggles associated with the promotion of Latin music, but his tireless promotion of the art form suggests that he simply plowed past them, insisting that the world recognize the importance of New York Latin music.
“Perhaps someday there will be enough Hispanics in our city who will stand up to the leeches who exploit our culture and say “enough . . . I will no longer listen to your bribery and flowery false adulation . . . This music is ours and whatever fruits are derived from it are ours.”
- “Latin Music: The Perseverance Of A Culture”
This statement has been made since Salazar wrote this and the backbone of the argument rests upon Salazar’s work – his extensive writings are a springboard for the current research around New York Latin music that happens today. When Salazar began writing about Latin music in the late sixties, it was an isolated topic, only covered by daring and alternative publications like Latin New York. When salsa became hugely popular, writers weren’t digging into the music with much detail or respect for the cultural foundations of the style. Even as we moved towards the end of the century, the number of people taking a serious academic and historical look at Latin Jazz or salsa were minimal. In other words, as the music moved through decades of history and evolution, almost no one was documenting it . . . with the exception of Salazar. When modern researchers want to learn about the history of the music more completely, they inevitably find their way to Salazar’s work. When a musician finds a need to connect history with performance, they will most likely spend some time reading something by Salazar. He simply provided so much real and concrete information about Latin Jazz and salsa that his writings become a natural starting point for a serious study of the music. Salazar’s body of work is a true gift to the world that allows the music to be taken seriously and studied for years to come.
“There will always be another king. It’s very possible . . . There are always others with potential.”
- “Max Salazar On Tito Puente”
In the context of this article, Salazar reflects upon Puente’s passing and answers a question about another young musician becoming “El Rey” of Latin music. His full response refers to Eddie Palmieri as a potential candidate and recognizes the fact that music will continue to grow; someone will move it forward into the future as Puente had once done. At the risk of twisting Salazar thoughts here, I’d like to look at this as a springboard for another concept – the ongoing support of Latin music. Salazar spent decades dedicated to the preservation of Latin music history, the promotion of the genre’s finest artists, and the education of the public about the art form’s cultural contributions to American culture. Latin Jazz and salsa will continue to evolve; the musicians and their approaches to performance will always be changing. The world needs people with Salazar’s passion to submerge themselves in Latin music and catalogue the results. The general public across the United States needs someone to act as a bridge between common knowledge and the realities of Latin music. If one man can contribute so much to the survival of Latin music, just think what the combined power of hundreds or even thousands of passionate and intelligent fans could do. The only way that we can truly honor the work that Salazar did is to continue it for years to come – a responsibility that we all need to respect with the same level of integrity shown by Max Salazar.
The Spotlight Series highlights upcoming Latin Jazz musicians that have yet to reach national recognition. Many of these musicians thrive in local scenes and some tour in support of releases. All these musicians contribute greatly to the overall Latin Jazz scene, and they deserve our “spotlighted” attention.
High Vs Low Giovanni Almonte Truth Revolution Records
Vocalists in the modern Latin Jazz world face a unique set of challenges that require them to reflect upon the past with their creativity in full force. They must root themselves in tradition, displaying the knowledge and respect of their mentors. In many ways, this sends the vocalist back into the world of standard repertoire, which may include classic jazz songs, folkloric pieces from the Caribbean and South America, and recognizable Latin Jazz pieces. They simply can’t stop there though; artists need to push forward in new directions, defining themselves and reflecting upon their generation. Many instrumentalists tackle this task with enthusiastic zeal, forming new approaches to harmony and melody that take shape in a body of original compositions. Vocalists have a tougher road here, as they generally stay connected to the power of lyrics. Integrating lyrics and melodies from different cultural traditions into jazz settings has become a key piece of modern jazz vocal work, which does help separate the singer. Singers generally don’t create large bodies of original work that push their musical vision into the forefront though, relying upon interpretation to fuel their identity. This leaves vocalists in a difficult spot, stuck in the throngs of tradition without any sense of individualism. Vocalist Giovanni Almonte destroys this stereotype completely on High Vs Low with a set of compelling original compositions interpreted with the help of several visionary instrumentalists.
A Range Of Influences From Afro-Cuban Popular Music
Almonte integrates a range of influences from the world of Afro-Cuban popular music, including ideas from contemporary salsa and more jazz influenced styles. Pianist Zaccai Curtis firmly establishes a memorable montuno which fits nicely into the band’s song montuno rhythm on “Coldsuns” before the group flies into a double time rock beat behind Almonte’s vocal. The poetic lyric bounces between rock tension and salsa intensity, leading the group to a dramatic timba breakdown that sends the song into a furious forward motion. A raging mambo pushes the group into another strong breakdown, giving Almonte an opportunity to display his lyrical improvisation. A frantic montuno flies over an up-tempo 6/8 rhythm on “Kings & Queens,” setting the stage for Almonte’s cleverly crafted lyric, delivered with a powerful clarity. Almonte leaves spaces between his vocal statements for several impressive flights of improvisation from bassist Panagiotis Andreou and trumpet player Julie Acosta. The song rises to a boiling intensity with harmonized vocals from Almonte, and a long stretch of enthusiastic interaction from the rhythm section players. Curtis improvises fluidly over a salsa introduction on “Si Nteme,” transitioning into Almonte’s vocal, which flows with class and style into a refreshing samba groove. A sparse breakdown sends the song charging into a timba drive, opening the door for hot mambos, edgy percussion breaks, and some smart pregon work from Almonte. Curtis charges forward with an energetic montuno, allowing Almonte provide some rhythmic spoken word until Acosta and trombone player Marshall Gilkes trade ferocious improvised phrases. A graciously understated unaccompanied bass solo from Andreou leads into an introspective duet between Curtis and Almonte on “Urgente” before the full band explodes into full force salsa. Almonte craftily shapes his lyric around the salsa structure, giving way to a smart improvisation from Curtis. The group charges into a slamming timba groove after Curtis’ solo, letting Almonte cut loose on a stream of improvised lyrics in both Spanish and English. Almonte and his band show an affinity for Afro-Cuban styles here, fluently blending dance and jazz aesthetics.
A Balance Between Jazz, Latin, And Rock
Several pieces find a balance between jazz, Latin cultures, and rock influences, resulting in pieces overflowing with style and power. Open acoustic guitar chords float over a strutting funk groove on “Mil Voces” creating a lush setting for Almonte’s Spanish lyrics. The band kicks into a heavy rock edge with thick distorted guitars while Almonte controls the proceedings with smart lyrics and a skilled vocal approach. A downtempo turn spotlights the sweet quality of Almonte’s voice before the group digs into a powerful rock sound, continuously building into a frenzied sound. Percussionist Reinaldo De Jesus sets up a steady Latin groove that explodes into a wall of distorted guitars on “Darkest Water,” foreshadowing some serious intensity. Almonte sets up his ideas over an increasingly syncopated setting, finding a consistent return to the raw energy of the edgy guitars. A thinning texture leads to a trio of batá drums and Santeria chants that wind back into Almonte’s tense vocal and thick guitars. Delicate piano accompaniment from Curtis supports Almonte’s raw and exposed vocal on “I Want It,” gaining momentum from batá drums. Drum kit and sharp band accents send the texture towards a rock feel, creating a drastic contrast. The group weaves through alternating feels until the batá drums take center stage with Santeria melodies becoming an essential piece of the compositions. Brash band hits lead into a catchy groove over an odd time signature, adding a pleasant contrast to Almonte’s flowing vocal on “La Ilus On.” The group supports Almonte’s vocal with an evolving texture that integrates chordal patches from the horns and rock tinged drum grooves. The band moves back to the original groove as Acosta winds lyrical lines between Almonte’s vocal ideas, adding an improvisational edge. Almonte integrates a modern feel to these pieces, finding smart places to juxtapose rock over authentic Latin settings, always benefitting his overall compositions.
Experimenting With Unexpected Musical Elements
Almonte also takes time to experiment with a blend of unexpected musical elements, keeping his music fresh and exciting. An acoustic guitar fingerpicks through chords over a steady foundation of Latin percussion on “Wrong” while Almonte completely exposes himself on introspective lyrics. As the rhythm section moves into a fuller groove, smartly orchestrated strings rise out of the background, giving the sound a neo-classical sound. Almonte works around the powerful arrangement with commanding vocal ability, displaying a broad dynamic range, an innate sense of phrasing, and a personal connection to the lyrics. Curtis floats improvised lines over a airy six beat groove on “Soy,” giving way to a Spanish lyric from Almonte. The song comes alive through a sophisticated arrangement that starts to build the texture through elegant horn lines which are soon joined by strings. The two worlds come together on a graceful instrumental interlude, framing Almonte’s vocal with a classy intellectualism. A quick synthesizer lick falls into a frantic breakbeat on “I Chose,” setting a raging foundation underneath Almonte’s floating vocal. Fuzzy guitar, an effected bass sound, reverb laden electric piano, and intensive drum work provide some nice contrast to the rest of the album, showing a true sense of range. Almonte doesn’t simply revel in novelty here though, he creates contrast through his voice and cleaner textures, while finding other spots to let his band stretch in this new world. Almonte finds inspiration in these unique musical directions, avoiding boundaries and finding artistic connections.
A Creative Musician With A Bold Visionary Determination
Almonte displays high artistry on several levels throughout High Vs Low, emerging as a knowledgeable musician with a clear sense of modern identity. His lyrics consistently flow over each piece with a natural poetic grace, never dropping in beat when sung in Spanish or English. There’s an appealing intellectual quality about the construction of Almonte’s lyrics, but they remain topical to the singer’s generation, resonating with a raw intensity. The album bumps between several musical worlds, smartly taking the bet pieces of timba, rock, jazz, New York salsa, and folkloric music. Despite the sheer number of directions represented in Almonte’s music, the vocalist employs each element to benefit the overall composition, leaving the listener with extremely coherent songs. There are some points where style just doesn’t matter anymore; the elements of Almonte’s music blend together with such a natural compatibility that you can easily forget their roots in separate spheres. Still, the group approaches the different musical pieces with such conviction and knowledge that there’s still something for individuals to grab onto – whether you’re coming into this album from jazz, salsa, or rock en español, you’re easily going to find something to relate to. Almonte’s band has impressive chops, which they utilize with taste throughout the album; the singer realizes the potential there though, and he generously gives them plenty of improvisational space. Almonte approaches his role as a vocalist and creative musician with a bold visionary determination on High Vs Low, delivering an unforgettable performance that overflows with potential and individuality.
Many people have contributed toward the spread of Latin Jazz around the world, pushing the music into the public through a variety of means. Some people have taken a challenging path, sticking steadfastly to their roots, taking their music to the public as a cultural expression. These artists keep the history of the music alive, but often wait many years to find widespread acceptance. Other musicians act as entertainers, connecting with the general public on their level, making Latin music fun and accessible. At times these musicians sacrifice authenticity for commercial success, but they open the doors for countless listeners into a world of deeper musicianship. Both types of musicians are essential pieces of the musical landscape, keeping Latin Jazz alive in their own ways.
Known around the world as “Mr. Bongo,” Jack Costanzo brought the instrument and in some instances, the rhythms of Cuba, into the public eyes of pop culture. Born in Chicago on September 24, 1922, Costanzo spent his childhood delving into one of his families popular pastimes, dancing. His skills on the dance floor made him a regular in the ballrooms, where he saw his first Latin dance band performing live, Mario Dumont’s band from Puerto Rico. Inspired by the group’s percussionist, Costanzo constructed his own bongos and began jamming with the dancehall bands. A stint in the Navy moved Costanzo to the West Coast, where he began his career as a professional percussionist playing with band leader Bobby Ramos. Costanzo soon moved up the chain of success, finding a spot in the Lecuona Cuban Boys, whose hit “The Peanut Vendor” sent them traveling to performances across the country. Costanzo soon became a regular fixture upon the Los Angeles Latin music scene, performing with groups led by Desi Arnez and Rene Touzet. He soon caught the eye of Stan Kenton, whose increased interest in Latin music had inspired him to recruit a bongocero. Important recordings like “The Peanut Vendor,” “Bongo Riff,” and “Abstraction” introduced Costanzo’s bongo virtuosity to the jazz crowd, and brought the integration of jazz harmonies and Afro-Cuban rhythms to a wider population. Kenton utilized the instrument creatively, sometimes leaning upon its Afro-Cuban roots and other times having Costanzo play completely coloristically. Costanzo’s gig with Kenton ended in 1948, but he quickly found work with another massively popular jazz figure, vocalist and pianist Nat King Cole. The percussionist worked with Cole for five years, recording memorable pieces such as “Calypso Blues,” “Lover Come Back To Me,” and “Yes Sir, That’s My Baby.” After his time with Cole, Costanzo found himself in high demand, earning high profile jobs with vocalist Peggy Lee, Judy Garland, Harry James, and many more. In the mid-fifties, Costanzo formed his own band, utilizing the talents of top Los Angeles musicians like legendary pianist Eddie Cano. Costanzo and his group recorded several albums during the late fifties, including Plays Jazz, Afro, & Latin, Latin Fever, and Mr. Bongo Plays Cha Cha Cha. The exotic appeal of Latin percussion mixed with Costanzo’s safe appearance lead to several placements in Hollywood movies, including the Elvis film Harum Scarum and Pat Boone’s Bernadine. Costanzo left the scene for quite a few years, only to return with a sizzling new Latin Jazz project, spearheaded by the Bobby Matos produced 2001 album Back From Havana. The following year Costanzo delivered another high energy collection of West Coast Latin Jazz entitled Scorching the Skins. Still residing in Southern California, Costanzo still makes special appearances with his band, continuing to spread the appeal of Latin music to an adoring public.
Costanzo will celebrate his 88th birthday this Friday, September 24, 2010, reaching another milestone in an lifetime of inspirational music performances. While other musicians may have done more to spread authentic mixtures of jazz with South American and Caribbean cultures, Costanzo was one of the individuals responsible for capturing the public’s love for Latin music. In honor of this accomplishment, we’re dedicating today’s Weekly Latin Jazz Video Fix to “Mr. Bongo” Jack Costanzo. The first clip features Costanzo performing a duet with Nat King Cole in the memorable “Calypso Blues.” The next two videos are taken from movies featuring Costanzo, including films by Ann Miller and Pat Boone. The last snippet is Costanzo’s band Latin Combustion performing a descarga live in 1997. Costanzo’s work did a lot to spread Latin music into the greater world, an important task to be respected – enjoy!
———- Nat King Cole and Jack Costanzo Performing “Calypso Blues”
Ann Miller With Jack Costanzo
Jack Costanzo’s Band Featured In The Pat Boone Movie Bernadine
Jack Costanzo’s Band Latin Combustion From 1997
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Want to hear more from “Mr. Bongo” Jack Costanzo? Check out these albums: Back From Havana
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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
The Curtis Brothers continue to pour outstanding Latin Jazz into the modern world, giving us some of the most exciting and cutting-edge music in contemporary music. The group recently had an extremely successful West Coast tour, and even if you weren’t there, now you can check out one of their shows from the tour. The Curtis Brothers have just released a live recording from their show at the Kuumbwa Jazz Center in Santa Cruz, CA as a free download. That’s right, you can get this high quality recording with six songs clocking in at a little over fifty minutes of music for free. Don’t hesitate – this is The Curtis Brothers at their best; download the album for free HERE.
Last week we celebrated Israel “Cachao” Lopéz’s 92nd birthday, paying tribute to the influential and inspirational work that the bassist created during his lifetime. All of those milestones will be recounted this week as PBS airs the documentary Cachao: Uno Más as part of their American Masters series. It’s great to see Cachao recognized as the major piece of American music that he truly is. The documentary will provide historical information as well as some great musical segments that you won’t want to miss. Set those DVRs now – you can get the full scoop as well as watch some extra video footage HERE.
The Checkout continues to do some amazing work, keeping us in touch with some of the best jazz musicians from around the world, including some important Latin Jazz musicians. If you haven’t gotten enough of Danilo Pérez with our five-part interview this past week, you can find the pianist being interviewed at the Checkout around his performance at the recent 2010 Detroit Jazz Festival HERE. Then for a rare treat, check out this interview and performance from the legendary Brazilian Jazz composer and multi-instrumentalist Hermeto Pascoal HERE.
If you’re in SOUTH AMERICA this week . . . ALFREDO RODRIGUEZ
With Yamandu Trio WHEN: Friday 9/24/10 WHERE:Sala Funarte Sidney Miller
Rua da Imprensa
16 (Térreo)
Centro do Rio de Janeiro, Brazil TIME: 7:00 p.m.
Featuring Yamandu Costa WHEN: Saturday 9/25/10 WHERE:Jockey Clube de São Paulo
Rua Bento Frias, 248 – Pinheiros
São Paulo, Brazil TIME: 8:30 p.m.
If you’re in EUROPE this week . . . OMAR SOSA
London African Music Festival WHEN: Thursday 9/23/10 WHERE:Jazz Cafe
5 Parkway
Camden Town
London, England TIME: 7:00 p.m. TICKETS: 17.50 pounds
SAMUEL QUINTO WHEN: Friday 9/24/10 WHERE:B-Flat
Rua Garcia Arosa 4450
Matosinhos, Portugal TIME: 11:00 p.m.
If you’re in CANADA this week . . . AMANDA MARTINEZ WHEN: Sunday 9/26/10 WHERE:Memorial Park
Queen Street
Port Hope, Ontario
Canada TIME: 1:15 p.m. TICKETS: $20
If you’re on the EAST COAST this week . . . AFRO-BOP ALLIANCE WHEN: Thursday 9/23/10 WHERE:Talara
615 President Street
Baltimore, MD TIME: 8:00 p.m. TICKETS: NO COVER
ANNETTE AGUILAR & STRINGBEANS WHEN: Thursday 9/23/10 WHERE:Nuyorican’s Poet’s Cafe
236 East 3rd Street
New York, NY TIME: 9:00 p.m. TICKETS: $7
ARTURO O’FARRILL
Solo Piano WHEN: Wednesday 9/22/10 WHERE:Puppet’s Jazz Bar
481 5th Avenue Park Slope
Brooklyn, NY TIME: 7:00 p.m. TICKETS: $10
ARTURO SANDOVAL WHEN: Thursday 9/23/10 – Sunday 9/26/10 WHERE:Blue Note – New York
131 W 3rd Street
New York, NY TIME: 8:00 p.m. & 10:30 p.m. TICKETS: Bar: $20; Table: $35
BOBBY SANABRIA
“Clave – The Key” WHEN: Monday 9/20/10 WHERE:Hockett Family Recital Hall – Ithaca College
Ithaca College Campus
Ithaca, NY TIME: Master Class – 4:00 p.m.; Lecture/Recital – 8:15 p.m.
Sexteto Ibiano WHEN: Wednesday 9/22/10 WHERE:Fonda Boricua
172 East 106th Street
New York, NY TIME: 7:30 p.m. TICKETS: $10
Quinteto Okobio with special guest Candido Camero WHEN: Saturday 9/25/10 WHERE:York College Performing Arts Center
94-45 Guy R. Brewer Boulevard
Jamaica, NY TIME: 7:00 p.m.
BRONX HORNS WHEN: Friday 9/24/10 WHERE:S.O.B.’s
200 Varick Street
New York, NY TIME: 8:00 p.m. TICKETS: $10
CHICO O’FARRILL’S AFRO-CUBAN JAZZ ORCHESTRA WHEN: Sunday 9/26/10 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 9/26/10 WHERE:Smoke
2751 Broadway
New York, NY TIME: 8:00 p.m., 10:00 p.m. & 11:30 p.m. TICKETS: $20 minimum
Double Bill With Michel Camilo WHEN: Saturday 9/25/10 WHERE:Lehman Center For The Performing Arts
250 Bedford Park Boulevard West
Bronx, NY TIME: 8:00 p.m. TICKETS: $35 – $50
ED FAST & CONGA-BOP WHEN: Saturday 9/25/10 WHERE:Farmington Polo Grounds
152 Town Farm Road
Farmington, CT TIME: 5:00 p.m. TICKETS: $10
EDMAR CASTANEDA WHEN: Friday 9/24/10 WHERE:Long Beach Public Library
111 West Park Avenue
Long Beach, NY TIME: 7:00 p.m.
EDWARD PEREZ WHEN: Wednesday 9/22/10 WHERE:Tutuma Social Club
164 East 56th Street
New York, NY TIME: 7:00 p.m. & 9:00 p.m. TICKETS: NO COVER
ERIC KURIMSKI WHEN: Thursday 9/23/10 WHERE:Terraza Cafe
40-19 Gleane St
Elmhurst, NY TIME: 10:00 p.m. TICKETS: FREE
GABRIEL ALEGRIA AFRO-PERUVIAN JAZZ SEXTET WHEN: Friday 9/24/10 – Sunday 9/26/10 WHERE:Tutuma Social Club
164 East 56th Street
New York, NY TIME: Friday – Saturday: 8:00 p.m. & 10:30 p.m.; Sunday: 7:00 p.m. & 9:00 p.m. TICKETS: NO COVER
GABRIELE TRANCHINA WHEN: Tuesday 9/21/10 WHERE:Mathpeth Library
69-70 Grand Avenue
Mathpeth, NY TIME: 2:30 p.m. TICKETS: FREE
WHEN: Sunday 9/26/10 WHERE:Metropolitan Room
34 W 22nd
New York, NY TIME: 7:00 p.m. TICKETS: $25 & 2 drink minimum
GREG DIAMOND WHEN: Wednesday 9/22/10 WHERE:Flutebar – Gramercy
40 East 20th Street
New York, NY TIME: 8:00 p.m.
GRUPO LOS SANTOS WHEN: Thursday 9/23/10 WHERE:Barbés
376 9th Street
Park Slope, Brooklyn, NY TIME: 8:00 p.m. TICKETS: $10
HECTOR NIEVES WHEN: Thursday 9/23/10 WHERE:Fonda Boricua
172 East 106th Street
New York, NY TIME: 8:00 p.m. TICKETS: NO COVER
HENDRIK MEURKENS WHEN: Thursday 9/23/10 WHERE:Bar Next Door
129 MacDougal Street
New York, NY TIME: 8:30 p.m. & 10:30 p.m. TICKETS: $12
WHEN: Sunday 9/26/10 WHERE:Blue Note – New York
131 W 3rd Street
New York, NY TIME: 12:30 p.m. & 2:30 p.m. TICKETS: $24.50
JUAN MEDRANO COTITO
With Sofia Rei Koutsovitis, Eric Kurimski, & Edward Perez WHEN: Saturday 9/18/10 WHERE:Inca Gaucho Restaurant
173 Westchester Avenue
Port Chester, NY TIME: 9:00 p.m. TICKETS: NO COVER
LAURANDREA LEGUIA WHEN: Tuesday 9/21/10 WHERE:Tutuma Social Club
164 East 56th Street
New York, NY TIME: 7:00 p.m. & 9:00 p.m. TICKETS: NO COVER
MICHEL CAMILO
Double Bill With Eddie Palmieri WHEN: Saturday 9/25/10 WHERE:Lehman Center For The Performing Arts
250 Bedford Park Boulevard West
Bronx, NY TIME: 8:00 p.m. TICKETS: $35 – $50
SALLY’S TOMATO: A TRIBUTE TO THE MUSIC OF CAL TJADER WHEN: Friday 9/24/10 WHERE:Bricks Nightclub and Sky Lounge
66 SW 6th Street
Miami, FL TIME: 10:00 p.m.
If you’re in the MID-EAST this week . . . CHICAGO AFRO-LATIN JAZZ ENSEMBLE WHEN: Tuesday 9/21/10 WHERE:Andy’s Jazz Club
11 East Hubbard Street
Chicago, IL TIME: 9:00 p.m. TICKETS: $10
Hyde Park Jazz Festival WHEN: Saturday 9/25/10 WHERE:Little Black Pearl
1060 East 47th Street
Chicago, IL TIME: 4:00 p.m. TICKETS: FREE
LOS GATOS WHEN: Wednesday 9/22/10 WHERE:Live At PJ’s
102 S 1st St
Ann Arbor, MI TIME: 8:00 p.m. & 9:15 p.m. TICKETS: $7
PAULINHO GARCIA WHEN: Wednesday 9/22/10 WHERE:Piccolo Mundo
Jackson Blvd. & Columbus Dr.
Chicago, IL TIME: 6:00 p.m.
Two For Brazil – Hyde Park Jazz Festival WHEN: Saturday 9/25/10 WHERE:International House
1414 E. 59th Street
Chicago, IL TIME: 6:30 p.m. TICKETS: FREE
TUMBAO BRAVO WHEN: Sunday 9/26/10 WHERE:Sangria’s
401 South Lafayette Avenue
Royal Oak, MI TIME: 9:30 p.m. TICKETS: $5
If you’re in the MID-WEST this week . . . PONCHO SANCHEZ WHEN: Friday 9/24/10 WHERE:Phoenix Symphony Hall
225 E Adams Street
Phoenix, AZ TIME: 8:00 p.m.
If you’re on the WEST COAST this week . . . ALEXA WEBER MORALES WHEN: Friday 9/24/10 WHERE:Servino Ristorante
9 Main Street
Tiburon, CA TIME: 8:00 p.m.
ANNA ESTRADA WHEN: Monday 9/20/10 WHERE:The Cannery
2801 Leavenworth
San Francisco, CA TIME: 12:00 p.m. TICKETS: FREE
WHEN: Saturday 9/25/10 WHERE:Theater Way Stage
Downtown
Redwood City, CA TIME: 4:00 p.m. TICKETS: FREE
ESCENCIA WHEN: Sunday 9/26/10 WHERE:Jazzschool
2087 Addison Street
Berkeley, CA TIME: 4:30 p.m. TICKETS: $20
FRANK CANO WHEN: Saturday 9/25/10 WHERE:Steamer’s Cafe
138 W. Commonwealth Avenue
Fullerton, CA TIME: 8:30 p.m. TICKETS: $8
JOHN CALLOWAY WHEN: Sunday 9/26/10 WHERE:CODA
1710 Mission Street
San Francisco, CA TIME: 7:00 p.m. TICKETS: $10
JOHN SANTOS WHEN: Sunday 9/26/10 WHERE:Sproul Plaza
UC Berkeley Campus
Berkeley, CA TIME: 4:00 p.m. TICKETS: FREE
NAGUAL WHEN: Saturday 9/25/10 WHERE:Painting For Miracles
304 N. 12th Street
Sacramento, CA TIME: 6:30 p.m. TICKETS: $10
WHEN: Sunday 9/26/10 WHERE:Woodbine Park
2430 52nd Avenue
Sacramento, CA TIME: 6:00 p.m. TICKETS: FREE
PETE ESCOVEDO WHEN: Friday 9/24/10 WHERE:The Center Phoenix Hall
10950 South Central Avenue
Los Angeles, CA TIME: 8:00 p.m. TICKETS: $10
SONANDO WHEN: Thursday 9/23/10 WHERE:Tula’s
2214 Second Avenue
Seattle, WA TIME: 8:00 p.m. TICKETS: $10
SUSIE HANSEN LATIN JAZZ BAND WHEN: Saturday 9/25/10 WHERE:Steamer’s Cafe
138 W. Commonwealth Avenue
Fullerton, CA TIME: 8:30 p.m. TICKETS: $8
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Pianist Danilo Pérez has spent his life making a difference in a variety of ways that have touched countless people around the world. As a performer, Pérez has applied enthusiastic creativity and smart musicality consistently, raising the artistic bar wherever he performs. From his younger days performing on Panama’s lively music scene to later Stateside gigs with vocalist Jon Hendricks and saxophonist Paquito D’Rivera, Pérez’s artistic vision has changed the state of each context that he visits. His bold musicianship made a huge difference when he joined bassist John Patitucci and drummer Brian Blade in saxophonist Wayne Shorter’s quartet. Pérez gained valuable insights on life from the legendary Shorter, which came through the quartet’s music in spontaneous and explosive ways. Lessons from Shorter also inspired Pérez to pursue social activist directions, making a brave choice to make a difference in his home of Panama. The pianist established the Panama Jazz Festival in 2003, looking to both offer educational opportunities for young people and hold concerts with important jazz artists. As the festival grew, Pérez saw the power of the educational component and created the Fundación Danilo Pérez to provide continued support for education in Panama. The power of Pérez’s social consciousness was contagious and the Berklee School of Music soon asked him to bring it to their campus. The Berklee Global Jazz Institute combines top-notch musical performance with a sense of social responsibility, all guided by Pérez and his firm commitment to the world. With his 2010 release Providencia, Pérez once again looks into his desire to make a difference in the world and answers that call with some powerful music. He remains a man on a mission, looking to improve the world, by making a difference musically and through social activism.
Pérez has spent his life making a difference and his bold conviction comes through every action that he takes. Each piece on Providencia resonates with his sense of purpose, delivering meaningful music that reaches across global boundaries. In Part One of our interview with Pérez, we looked at his deeply musical childhood and early professional experience. The pianist moved to the States and quickly found his way towards work with Hendricks, D’Rivera, and Dizzy Gillespie, which we cover in Part Two. We dig into Pérez’s work as a leader in Part Three of our interview, investigating his first four albums. Part Four of our interview focused upon Pérez’s work with Shorter and his creation of both the Panama Jazz Festival and the Berklee Global Jazz Institute. In the last piece of our interview, Pérez talks about his new album Providencia and his continued commitment to changing the world.
———- LATIN JAZZ CORNER: I wanted to ask you about your new album Providencia – you mention that you were inspired by the vision of your daughters asking what are you doing for the future. How does this shape the music on the album?
DANILO PEREZ: It’s in constant development – we talked about the whole history of my life and it just kept going on until now. I became a Unicef ambassador, I work with kids, and I realize that children are the main thing. Still, it wasn’t really until I had my own children that I fully understand what that meant. I’m really, really concerned about it. For example, I was in Panama during the invasion. It’s like, why are we doing this? There’s a lot of hypocrisy about doing things and being meaningful while we’re just destroying the world. It’s fascinating how everything is right there in front of us – some people see it and some people don’t see it. Some people walk around sedated in life.
So my daughters brought this element to light for me. I really want to do something to help the generations of the future. I believe education is the key. I believe that working with these kids to teach them and then allowing them to develop as human beings is important. They need to learn values, to understand that the world is bigger than we actually are presented with . . . it’s actually smaller than we are presented with too! The internet provided the opportunity to feel the struggle of every human being if you allow that, if you use the internet in the right way. Those things are not that far away anymore.
So all these things about social values and the things that I’m doing with the foundation, that all became a natural script for my next project. I haven’t really recorded every year; it’s been sometimes three or four years. I do feel very compelled to have a movie script or a story that I want to say. This time the idea of what are we doing was relevant to me to help the kids in the future.
One thing that I feel like we can do is commit with a child. For example, I did this in the piece “Daniela’s Chronicles,” Every year I write a little piece for my daughter – a little motif or something. Every year I keep working on this – it’s still unfinished. I hope that I can do it until she’s 18, so maybe I’ll have a symphony by then. Those little things are so important – commitment, consistency – it’s not really the music, but also the attitude.
Then “Cobilla” is a piece I wrote; it’s actually a protest piece. It’s a piece that I wrote during the eight years where we’ve had a lot of difficulties and a lot of tremendously bad choices – the Iraq War for example. In that piece, there’s a lot of hard chords that are dogs barking, so there’s a whole scenery behind that. There’s an ambulance, there’s people running around. That’s the inspiration behind it.
Then you have “The Bridge Of LIfe.” There’s a lot of great classical musicians that I see who would like to improvise, but they are afraid. With this piece, I decided to write something and then have that mixture – classical mixed with jazz and Latin. Everything becomes music with no borders. In there, I wanted to transmit what Wayne has taught us – the detachment thing. You’ve got to get rid of attachments and go for it. Throw yourself in the pool, get thrown in. Struggle is what he calls it – you’ve got to struggle in life to glory.
The idea with Rudresh (Mahanthappa) is that I’m fascinated by unusual sounds – he has an unusual sound to me. It’s an unusual way of playing and I wanted to put myself on the spot without rehearsal and see how we would react to each other. I believe that acceptance and living in the moment are two key ingredients that you need to fall in love with the process – acceptance, not judging, and living in the moment. Those things are really good for developing the love of the process; this is the key element to find the tools for the unknown. You need this element for the unknown areas that Wayne has talked about. It’s like, how do you get there? You have to allow yourself to love the process; you’ve got to love it. Otherwise you can corrupt the result if you rush into it. So that’s what that piece “The Maze” is about; it’s the challenge in humanity – we get up every day and we don’t really know what the answer is. We’re looking for that. We are struggling with all of this and the conclusion is I hope is that we really are trying. I hope that when people are listening to the record, they think, “In anything I’m doing, writing, painting, politician, anything, I’m going to try without routine.” This record was a nice mixture of structure and non-structure that happened only on that day.
Of course, I used the base, which was Ben (Street) and Adam (Cruz), who have been in my trio for years. In there, I have brought the same values that Wayne has taught us. I bring music that I am not attached to. I am not holding grudges if somebody misses one note in something that I wrote. I’m non-judgmental, letting people invest in their spiritual love for the music. That was my core group, we just added the other musicians to it. I scripted it like a movie – the main characters and guests.
LJC: I noticed on the album, you’ve got two traditional Panamanian pieces on there as well, that you interpret in a jazz way. How much does that traditional music from Panama still influence you?
DP: So much, and especially the lyrics. The lyrics for me are fundamental. As I was producing the record, one of the lessons that I learned was no matter how internet oriented we’ve become, as long as we are called human, the idea of love’s struggle and romance are never going to end. That idea is something that we are attached to. Those two pieces have lyrics of the most what we call tragic loss, which I feel is necessary for humanity. From the beginning, those wonderful stories – Romeo and Juliet, Don Quixote – you see a lot of that playing out in our lives. You have this idea of falling in love with your eternal love and then all of sudden, something major happens. It becomes a struggle for your generation and it brings a lot of feeling out of you. You start feeling it and you actually start understanding humanity. We have emotions, we cry. That’s why I put those pieces there. They both have these tremendous tragic lyrics. But no matter how galactic and visionary we become, we have to deal with that. And at the same time, we have this love for music, for jazz, all this stuff that we love in life. So that’s why I put those two pieces on the album.
LJC: At the end of the liner notes, you say, “That future is going to be a reflection of what we say, think, and do today.” You’ve done a lot musically and socially – do you think there’s still work left to do?
DP: Very much so, there’s a lot that we can do. I think that one of the key elements is to keep the idea of traveling. I just came from Europe and a lot of things that seem so natural here; they’re so far away for other people. Even the idea of food for Cuba right now, in Africa, in certain parts of Panama, and Latin America – even people having a piece of bread today is a huge event. But keeping connected to this thought that whatever you do in goodwill, it sends a message to the world and it will effect the world in a certain way that is important. I really think that’s a great way of living. It’s a very optimistic thought, but we need that right now. This is the debate that I always have. I’m always asked, “Do you really think it’s going to change?” I say, “You have to believe and have faith that it will.”
I think that we think of the whole idea of growth like, “OK, if everyone gets educated then we’re accomplishing what we wanted.” No, it’s not that. Good education is what we need. We don’t need more schools; we need better schools, better teachers, and people more passionate. We need that kind of energy. We’re doing all the things correct, but how many passionate teachers are doing that? A lot of teachers still don’t know what they love. I think this is what we’re talking about, the difference that we need. These are the kids of the future – the future presidents, the future directors. They’re in a key moment of their life and we have to be dealing with the oil spill. We’re spending all our money on that while they’re closing schools or art programs somewhere. These are the things that I’m really concerned about and there’s still a lot to do.
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Don’t miss Part One of our interview with pianist Danilo Pérez, where we talk about the influence of his father, the impact of Panama’s musical community, and his extensive professional experience as a young person. You can find it HERE.
You’ve got to read Part Two of our interview with pianist Danilo Pérez, where we discuss his move to the United States, his studies at the Berklee School Of Music, his early gigs with Jon Hendricks and Paquito D’Rivera, and his tenure as pianist with Dizzy Gillespie’s United Nations Orchestra. You can read it HERE.
Check out Part Three of our interview with pianist Danilo Pérez, where we explore his emergence as a leader and dig into his first four recordings, as well as talk about his audition for Wayne Shorter’s group. You can track it down HERE
In Part Four of our interview with Pérez, we discuss his work with Wayne Shorter, the impact of Shorter’s philosophy upon his musical concept, the establishment of the Panama Jazz Festival, and the Berklee Global Jazz Institute. You can find it HERE.
The first steps into a career as a bandleader offers a musician a choice – should they follow in the footsteps of their mentors or forge their own path? Retracing the steps of a teacher always serves as the safe route for a new bandleader. They can draw upon what they know, structure their work around defined models, and create a presentation that looks familiar to their audience. In the short term, this might lead to success, but they have a good chance of creating a shallow recreation of early work. Doing something new and creative certainly holds more risks and a greater potential for rejection. An artist is trying something without a proven track record that may lack a connection with the audience. Still, if the artist does make that magical bond with an audience, their music will live long into the future. It’s an interesting choice that says a lot about the core of a musician’s artistic vision.
Then I met a gentleman named Barry Rogers, and he was a trombone player – that’s how it started. I had one trombone and the rhythm section. Then one day we had the flute, played by a gentleman I knew named George Castro. One day I was able to use them both and I knew that was the sound that I was looking for – something completely new and exciting. All we needed was another trombone. We tried different trombonists until we found the Brazilian Jose Rodriguez. That combination which is on the recordings, that’s the greatest combination of two trombones that every played music, in my opinion.
EP: The commercial radio certainly stood away from that composition. The jazz shows played it though. At that time, we had a jazz show that was extremely popular; it started at twelve midnight and it went until five in the morning – that was Symphony Sid’s show. Just with Symphony Sid alone, it became a monster, monster hit. Then everybody started to play it, but they would play parts of it and then fade out. Symphony Side would play the whole composition and it became a hit with everyone, particularly the blacks and then the Hispanics. “Azucar” was like the talk of the whole music industry here in New York City. Then it started to spread out little by little – to California, to Puerto Rico, and all that.
EP: He was a great musician. He had a different sound on the trombone because he was self-taught. He played with rhythm and blues bands, he played with jazz bands . . . he loved all types of music. He had recordings of different types of music – African music, Indian music, every different type of music that you could think of, Barry was already into it. When it came to our genre of music, he made a point of being really interested in understanding as much as he could. And he did. 
LJC: In the seventies, you did some really interesting albums that were so different from Fania, the boogaloo, and everything else that was happening.
The lives of legendary Latin Jazz artists always recount themselves like a master class in the major events of music history. When these musicians experience each historical landmark, they simply seem like the ups and downs of daily life. Looking at these events in retrospect, we place the weight of history upon them, giving them significance for a variety of reasons. In most cases, these points in history involved creative movement, influencing everyone around them. While these milestones seem like everyday life for their participants, the impact shapes their future career. The sound and approach of these important historical moments live through their participants, staying alive with each new performance. 
EDDIE PALMIERI: I was born in Manhattan and then raised in the Bronx. We moved up to the Bronx when I was around five years of age. Then I stayed in the Bronx until I got married. I was raised in the Bronx, first in an area called Kelly Street at Longwood and Intervale.
Tito had returned from World War II around this time; he was in the navy and then he came back after 1945. He was playing with Machito before the war; he thought he was going to go back with the Machito Orchestra, but that didn’t work out. The timbalero at the time was Uba (Nieto) – he had between four and six kids, he wasn’t going to let Tito get back in there! Then Tito did other things – he went with Pupi Campo, he went with Jose Curbelo, and then in 1949, he made the Piccadilly Boys. 
My brother Charlie was already playing professionally at the time because he was nine years older than me. He was playing at The Copacabana in the forties. Clubs like that were really supper clubs, there were no dances like the way we know them. They were supper clubs with an American band that played six nights a week and a Latin band that played a show on the society band’s day off. 
For me, it was listening to all these bands that were playing. The Machito Orchestra, Tito Puente, and Tito Rodriguez started to record in ’49 or ’50. Tito Rodriguez had just formed his conjunto, a group with timbales, conga, bongo, bass, piano, three trumpets, and the lead vocalist. Tito Puente had Vicentico Valdes as the lead vocalist; Mongo Santamaria was on congas after a gentleman called Frankie Colon also went to the Korean war; Manny Oquendo on bongo; Tito Puente was on timbales; and my brother was on piano. It was an incredible conjunto, and they were recording constantly. That’s what I was hearing as a young man, because commercial radio was playing these orchestra, which doesn’t happen anymore. 
EP: I played timbales for a couple of years with my uncle until I just couldn’t carry them anymore. That was going to lead to a hernia! My mother said, “Don’t you see your brother going to work with carrying an instrument – when will you learn?” I said, “I’m leaning Mom!” I went back to the piano and it was great. But I enjoyed those years on timbales. 
EP: Eddie Forester’s group was the first band that I played with. He was a very talented trumpet player, and he also played the vibes. From there, I went with a band led by Johnny Següi, which was really the first professional orchestra that I played with. My brother would play with them – he would play with them and then recommend me. At the time, my brother was already working with his own trio and quartet, traveling the Eastern seaboard. He would say, “My kid brother Eddie is playing piano . . .” Then I would get in and I would then play with that band. So I played with Johnny Següi, but I didn’t last too long with him. Then I went with Vicentico Valdes, the vocalist for Tito Puente. He started his own conjunto in 1953 and I joined him in 1956. After that, it was Tito Rodriguez for two years and then it was my own band. 
.
The Puerto Ricans were the ones that upheld the Cuban music in New York – there’s just no doubt about that. The Puerto Rican musicians that were here like Tito Puente, my brother, Tito Rodriguez (who was half Puerto Rican and half Cuban) – those bands were playing the compositions coming out of Cuba. There were compositions written by these bands, original pieces. But the majority of the work was from Cuba. It came as sheet music, but what you really got was the whole arrangement coming out of Cuba. A lot of the bands just recorded it as such. Some of them made new arrangements on those compositions, but some of them were just great arrangements coming out of Cuba. 
The blurry line between Latin Jazz and salsa plays upon the commonalities between the two performance approaches, but its not an easily tread area. Both genres have distinct musical requirements that demand specific specializations from the performers. A musician highly skilled in salsa might not successfully transition into the Latin Jazz world, and a strong Latin Jazz musician could be lost in a salsa context. Musicians often walk between both worlds, drawing upon the commonalities; they may make adequate contributions to the music, but few rise into the realm of dual outstanding statements. Only musicians with significant experience in both worlds can bounce between Latin Jazz and salsa with a high degree of artistry – its a fine art that requires dedication, skill, and keen insight.
, capturing them an enthusiastic audience and a Grammy nomination. Spanish Harlem Orchestra cleverly reinterpreted salsa classics from the seventies, supplying the world with a long overdue dose of New York salsa dura. In addition, the group included original salsa and Latin Jazz pieces, giving Spanish Harlem Orchestra an opportunity to explore their sound. Two years later, the band released 
, a mature development in the group’s performance style that featured a guest appearance from Blades. On this album the band solidified their heavy front-line that included legendary vocalist Ray De La Paz and saxophonist Mitch Forman. By the time Spanish Harlem Orchestra released 
in 2007, they were a solid artistic force in the Latin music world, but also a serious draw at festivals and major venues around the world. This recording also featured a curious cameo from pop star Paul Simon, showing both a desire to reach a wider public and a connection to the larger world of music. As Spanish Harlem Orchestra celebrates their tenth year as a band, they hold a position of respect and artistic clarity, presenting some of New York’s finest large ensemble salsa and Latin Jazz. Concord Records recently signed the band to their Concord Picante label, and the first release arrives today, 
, announces his arrival in grand fashion. Over at All About Jazz, contributing editor Joan A. Cararach has interviewed Valdés, taking the time to get details on each track from the new album. It’s a great look inside one of the top Latin Jazz releases from 2010 – check it out 
The Latin music world lost a long time champion this past weekend, as Max Salazar passed away on Sunday, September 19, 2010. Born on April 17th, 1932 in New York, Salazar found an affinity for Afro-Cuban music at a young age, but didn’t really pursue his interests professionally until the late sixties. He began working as a journalist for Latin New York magazine in 1968 and his love for the music just drove him deeper and deeper into the genre. He researched the style meticulously, interviewed countless musicians, promoters, and business people, and observed the music’s most significant turning points first hand. His unstoppable drive led to writing assignments with a number of important publications, including Billboard, Latin Time, The Village Voice, Musician Magazine, Latin Beat, and Impacto. He shared the music’s most significant recordings and interviewed important musicians live on a weekly radio show, housed in New York’s WKCR. He continued his radio work for years to come, eventually expanding to include a show on WBAI. He served as a guest lecturer at a number of important institutions such as UCLA and the Smithsonian institution, sharing his vast knowledge of New York Latin music with the world. In 2002, he released a collection of his writings entitled 
, giving a good taste of his knowledge and background. Salazar dedicated his life to the preservation of Latin music, placing the style in a position of respect and seriousness.
“After 1917, when the Puerto Rican community in New York began to build itself with additional migrants, the stirrings of a Latin music scene emerged.” 
Promoting Latin music and writing about it often has its share of rewards and struggles – you’re rewarded with a deep connection to the music that you love and you struggle to move the work into the greater world. Salazar certainly loved Latin music deeply, and his passionate connection to the music drove him to work tirelessly to promote it. He found several different venues to educate, inform, and expose the public to great music, historical facts, and the cultural relevance of Latin music in the United States. As a writer for numerous publications, Salazar spoke intelligently about Latin music from an informed perspective – he told the truth about the music and he based it upon real life experience. He was intimately familiar with the repertoire of several bands, so when he worked as a disc jockey on WBAI, he could give listeners the most engaging tracks that would simply get them hooked on the artist. As a lecturer at several different universities, he had years of research to draw upon, personal anecdotes to share, and a personal connection to the music that had to be inspiring. He wrote about the struggles associated with the promotion of Latin music, but his tireless promotion of the art form suggests that he simply plowed past them, insisting that the world recognize the importance of New York Latin music.
“There will always be another king. It’s very possible . . . There are always others with potential.”
Many people have contributed toward the spread of Latin Jazz around the world, pushing the music into the public through a variety of means. Some people have taken a challenging path, sticking steadfastly to their roots, taking their music to the public as a cultural expression. These artists keep the history of the music alive, but often wait many years to find widespread acceptance. Other musicians act as entertainers, connecting with the general public on their level, making Latin music fun and accessible. At times these musicians sacrifice authenticity for commercial success, but they open the doors for countless listeners into a world of deeper musicianship. Both types of musicians are essential pieces of the musical landscape, keeping Latin Jazz alive in their own ways.
, 
, and 
. The exotic appeal of Latin percussion mixed with Costanzo’s safe appearance lead to several placements in Hollywood movies, including the Elvis film 
and Pat Boone’s Bernadine. Costanzo left the scene for quite a few years, only to return with a sizzling new Latin Jazz project, spearheaded by the Bobby Matos produced 2001 album 
. The following year Costanzo delivered another high energy collection of West Coast Latin Jazz entitled 
. Still residing in Southern California, Costanzo still makes special appearances with his band, continuing to spread the appeal of Latin music to an adoring public. 
Pianist Danilo Pérez has spent his life making a difference in a variety of ways that have touched countless people around the world. As a performer, Pérez has applied enthusiastic creativity and smart musicality consistently, raising the artistic bar wherever he performs. From his younger days performing on Panama’s lively music scene to later Stateside gigs with vocalist Jon Hendricks and saxophonist Paquito D’Rivera, Pérez’s artistic vision has changed the state of each context that he visits. His bold musicianship made a huge difference when he joined bassist John Patitucci and drummer Brian Blade in saxophonist Wayne Shorter’s quartet. Pérez gained valuable insights on life from the legendary Shorter, which came through the quartet’s music in spontaneous and explosive ways. Lessons from Shorter also inspired Pérez to pursue social activist directions, making a brave choice to make a difference in his home of Panama. The pianist established the Panama Jazz Festival in 2003, looking to both offer educational opportunities for young people and hold concerts with important jazz artists. As the festival grew, Pérez saw the power of the educational component and created the Fundación Danilo Pérez to provide continued support for education in Panama. The power of Pérez’s social consciousness was contagious and the Berklee School of Music soon asked him to bring it to their campus. The Berklee Global Jazz Institute combines top-notch musical performance with a sense of social responsibility, all guided by Pérez and his firm commitment to the world. With his 2010 release 
, Pérez once again looks into his desire to make a difference in the world and answers that call with some powerful music. He remains a man on a mission, looking to improve the world, by making a difference musically and through social activism. 
One thing that I feel like we can do is commit with a child. For example, I did this in the piece “Daniela’s Chronicles,” Every year I write a little piece for my daughter – a little motif or something. Every year I keep working on this – it’s still unfinished. I hope that I can do it until she’s 18, so maybe I’ll have a symphony by then. Those little things are so important – commitment, consistency – it’s not really the music, but also the attitude.
Then you have “The Bridge Of LIfe.” There’s a lot of great classical musicians that I see who would like to improvise, but they are afraid. With this piece, I decided to write something and then have that mixture – classical mixed with jazz and Latin. Everything becomes music with no borders. In there, I wanted to transmit what Wayne has taught us – the detachment thing. You’ve got to get rid of attachments and go for it. Throw yourself in the pool, get thrown in. Struggle is what he calls it – you’ve got to struggle in life to glory. 
Of course, I used the base, which was Ben (Street) and Adam (Cruz), who have been in my trio for years. In there, I have brought the same values that Wayne has taught us. I bring music that I am not attached to. I am not holding grudges if somebody misses one note in something that I wrote. I’m non-judgmental, letting people invest in their spiritual love for the music. That was my core group, we just added the other musicians to it. I scripted it like a movie – the main characters and guests. 
LJC: At the end of the liner notes, you say, “That future is going to be a reflection of what we say, think, and do today.” You’ve done a lot musically and socially – do you think there’s still work left to do?
