DECEMBER/JANUARY 2013 ISSUE PICK OF THE MONTH PAPO VAZQUEZ'S MIGHTY PIRATES & TROUBADOURS Oasis (Pícaro Records) On his most recent CD, Capitán Papo Vázquez, backed by his crew of Mighty Pirates & Troubadours, embarks on a musical journey into uncharted oceans and mystical lands at the edge of the earth. In search of the last tribes of Tainos and Afro-Rican music-makers, Vázquez takes us deep into uncultivated regions of the Latin jazz pallette, exposing a soulful and rhythmic combination of Afro-Boricua, Afro-Caribbean and Afro-World music, baptized with jazz forms. The Puerto Rican rhythms of bomba, plena, and danza dominate the outing, with brilliant original scores and arrangements penned by Vázquez. The band includes such troubadouring pirates of Willie Williams (tenor sax), Rick Germanson (piano), Dezron Douglas (bass), Alvester Garnett (drums), and percussionists Anthony Carrillo and Carlos Maldonado. The list of guests includes trumpeter Wynton Marsalis (featured on three tracks), violinist Regina Carter (on the title track) and Akua Dixon's Quartette Indigo*, among others. Vázquez is at the top of his game, displaying one of the preeminent trombone tones in the business. Kudos to the percussion section headed by Anthony Carrillo for a superb job and keeping the rhythmic pulse alive and moving throughout this musical voyage. Preferred tunes include the opener ("Manga Larga"), "Sol Tropical", "San Juan de la Maguana", and the title track. —Rudy Mangual * String ensemble comprised of Akua Dixon (cello), Chala Yancy (viola) and violinists Ina Paris and Patrisa Tomassini. REVIEWS PACIFIC MAMBO ORCHESTRA PMO (PacificMambo.com) This 19-piece ensemble from San Francisco, led by pianist Christian Tumalan and trumpeter Steffen Kuehn, rejuvenates the Latin big band sounds of the 1940s through 1960s (the legendary mambo sounds of Machito and his Afro-Cubans, Tito Puente, and Tito Rodriguez), on this sizzling self-titled debut. Richly textured arrangements flow through this entire production with exquisite playing by California's ace musicians. With a repertoire of mostly original scores, the selections move with a frenetic mammoth pace, producing palpable sounds, rhythms, and beats, like only a true big band is capable of. While the brass and saxophone sections convey a profound musical eloquence to this recording, the rhythm section also cooks with intensity, generating a picture-perfect soundtrack for the vocalists to excel, as in the case of the PMO version of the Ruben Blades classic "El Cantante" (featuring guest vocalist Willie Torres). Other guests in the recording include Carlos Cascante (vocals), Kenny Washington (vocals), Ray Obiedo (guitar), and Tommy Igoe (drums). Fronting the band on vocals are Alexa Weber Morales and Armando Cordoba. Favorite tracks include "El Cantante," "Overjoyed," and "Cuando Estoy Contigo." —Rudy Mangual ANDREA BRACHFELD Lady of the Island (Zoho) Mostly associated with New York's Latin jazz and "salsa" scenes (It has been alleged that she was the first female flutist to be featured by a U.S.-based charanga, back in the mid-1970s), Andrea Brachfeld returns to her bebop roots on the CD "Lady of the Island", in which she tastefully combines jazz standards and originals, while exhibiting her impeccable technique and admirable melodic skills, with the support of a distinguished cast of sidemen and special guests that includes such gifted players as pianist Bill O'Connell, percussionist Chembo Corniel, trumpeter Wallace Roney, and trombonist Wycliffe Gordon, the latter of whom offered the following comment: "Though she (Andrea) has varied tastes in musical approaches and stylistic interpretations, she is a hard bopper at heart, and this is obvious on this date". To which I must reply: "Amen, brother Gordon!" —Luis Tamargo RICK DAVIES Salsa Norteña (Emlyn Music) Veteran composer/trombonist/bandleader Rick Davies is back with "Salsa Norteña," his third CD as a leader, recorded in Montreal, Canada, and Vermont. A road warrior for over 20 years in the New York City salsa and Latin jazz "cuchifrito circuit" (local salsa scene), Davies was the musical director of the popular salsa dura band "Salsa Picante," led by pianist Wayne Gorbea. He also worked with Tito Puente, Charlie Palmieri, Conjunto Libre, Blondie, and Wyclef Jean, to mention but a few. A current resident of upstate New York (where he's a faculty member at SUNY Plattsburgh), Davies assembled his latest group "Salsa Norteña", recruiting many of the musicians from the thriving Montreal Latin scene. Among these are vocalist/saxophonist Jorge "Papo" Ross (a native of the Dominican Republic), and Venezuelan percussionists Jonathan Maldonado and Neville "Pichi" Ainsley, featured on the four straight-ahead salsa tracks of this production recorded in Montreal. The remaining four instrumental Latin jazz tracks in the CD were recorded in Vermont, featuring guest artist Ray Vega (trumpet), alongside top-caliber musicians from both sides of the U.S./Canadian border. Standouts include the opening track "Baile de Amor," "El Hombre de Panama" (dedicated to Ruben Blades), and "Son, Son, Son." —Rudy Mangual AUGI Citizens of the World (Diaposón West Records) Los Angeles-based multi-instrumentalist Dwayne "Augi" Agustine delivers his latest production as a leader on "Citizens of the World." In addition to his predominant contributions as composer, vocalist, and producer, Augi is virtually a one-man-band who plays most of the instruments involved (including bass, keyboards, congas, guitar, steel drums, percussion and vocals) on all ten tracks, with great ease and commendable talent, although he is backed occasionally by a few good friends, including pianists Mark Massey, Al Daniels, and Sergei Kasimoff; drummers Joey Heredia, ZeBruno Eisenberg, and Greg Brown; woodwind players Scott Martin, Gilberto Torres, George Harper, and Louis Van Taylor; and vocalist Ray Davis, among others. The repertoire serves as a travelogue that transports the listeners from the North American urban jungles to the Caribbean and to the Africa motherland, as exemplified by the title track, and the two versions of "Travel the World", in which he blends Latin and African rhythms with R&B and jazz elements. Other favorites include the opener (Diapasón), "Burn it Down", and "As the Day Goes By." All songs were composed, produced, engineered and mastered by Augi. —Rudy Mangual WALDEMAR BASTOS Classics of My Soul (Enja) Producida por el tecladista Derek Nakamoto en Los Angeles y Londres, la sexta grabación en solitario del distinguido cantautor/guitarrista angoleño Waldemar Bastos congrega diversos acompañantes e invitados especiales de alto calibre, tales como el percusionista cubano Luis Conte, el trompetista italoestadounidense Sal Cracchiolo y la tecladista japonesa Keiko Matsui, así como a la London Symphony Orchestra, la cual comparece elegantemente (bajo la batuta de Nick Ingman) en cuatro de las once selecciones del disco, cuyo repertorio totalmente original "convoca la belleza, el amor y la fraternidad con miras a unificar a la gente a través de la música", según señala el protagonista del CD, quien añade el siguiente comentario: "Para mí, la música posee la capacidad de romper barreras y auxiliar a crear un mundo mejor". —Luis Tamargo BOBBY MATOS' AFRO LATIN JAZZ ENSEMBLE Mambo Jazz Dance (LifeForce Jazz Records) Percussionist/bandleader Bobby Matos goes live on "Mambo Jazz Dance," his latest production on the LifeForce Jazz Records label. Matos and the charter members of his Afro-Latin Jazz Ensemble (pianist Theo Saunders, trombonist/violinist Dan Weinstein, bassist John B. Williams, tumbador Robertito Meléndez, reedman Pablo Calogero, and percussionist Jud Matos) are captured at two live performances conducted this year at a couple of premier Southern California venues. Revisiting classic Latin jazz standards, soundtrack tunes, and several original scores penned by Matos and Saunders, this new recording showcases a healthy and organic blend of progressive and avant-garde jazz fused with tasteful Afro-Caribbean rhythms. The ensemble is easily able to transition from a Cuban charanga (flute and fiddle structure) to a Latin jazz format to a salsa powerhouse dance band. The unique magic and excitement generated from a live performance by passionate musicians is truly captured in these nine tracks. Highlighting these sessions are the tracks "Mambo Chris", "Anna", and "The New Woman." —Rudy Mangual NINETY MILES Live At Cubadisco (Concord Pícante) Comprised of vibist Stefon Harris, tenor saxophonist David Sánchez, and trumpeter Christian Scott, the adventurous U.S. jazz trio Ninety Miles" (an appropriate denomination based on the geographic distance between Key West and the largest Caribbean island) ventured into Havana last year, when Concord Pícante released its critically acclaimed, self-titled collaboration with a couple of younger Havanese quartets respectively led by the brilliant pianists Harold López-Nussa and Rember Duharte. Recorded during the same trip, "Live at Cubadisco" documents Ninety Miles' first and only live performance at Havana's Amadeo Roldán Theatre, in conjunction with their Cuban colleagues, during the 2010 Cubadisco music festival. Harris contributed a couple of melodically purifying compositions ("And This Too Shall Pass" and "Brown Belle Blues"); while Scott submitted the track "Paradise Found" (a tune penned by his uncle Donald Harrison Jr., the big chief of New Orleans' Congo nation); and last but not least, Sánchez came up with the delightful ballad "The Forgotten Ones" and the African-inspired flavors of "City Sunrise." The remaining tracks (López-Nussa's "La Fiesta Va" and Duharte's "Congo") were authored by the participating piano-playing Cuban bandleaders, whose original tunes reveal their diverse multicultural references, from unadulterated African-derived sources to refined European classical traditions. From a geopolitical perspective, the Ninety Miles recordings serve to demonstrate that the usually destructive Castroite regime has failed to demolish the ancient musical bridge between Havana and New Orleans, as illustrated by a comment provided by John Burk (Concord's executive producer): "I found it really interesting that these (Cuban) musicians had studied and embraced the jazz genre, an American art form, and taken it to such a high level." —Luis Tamargo VARIOUS ARTISTS Diablos del Ritmo - The Colombian Melting Pot, 1960-1985 (Analog Africa) "Diablos del Ritmo - The Colombian Melting Pot, 1960-1985" is an anthology of Colombian music compiled by Analog Africa's founder, Samy Ben Redjeb. It took half a century, after conducting extensive research during seven expeditions to Barranquilla, where he collected thousands of recordings required to create this historic musical compilation. A total of 32 tracks made the final cut, split between Afrobeat, Afrofunk and psychedelia-inspired rhythms on Part 1 (14 tracks), and mostly cumbias and other danceable tropical rhythms on Part 2 (18 tracks). Heavily influenced by the sounds of Nigeria, Congo, Ivory Coast, and the Hispanic Antelleans (especially Cuba and Puerto Rico), Colombia's coastal region experienced a cultural clash that morphed into a rich amalgam of irresistible dance forms. This compilation identifies the roots of this movement. Some of the featured artists and bands include names such as Wganda Kenya, Julián y su Combo, Los Salvajes, Sonora Dinamita, Alejandro Durán, Los Alegres Diablos, and Los Curramberos de Guayabal, among many others. This 12th compilation project from Analog Africa is available as a 2-CD package, alongside a 60-page booklet that includes 40 vintage photographs and 24 interviews. "Diablos del Ritmo" is certainly guaranteed to transport any listener to this magical era of Colombian music. (A vinyl package is also available, divided into two separate double LPs). —Rudy Mangual HENRY BRUN & THE LATIN PLAYERZ A Very Latin Christmas (Richport Enterprises Recordings) Originally released in the winter of 2011, "A Very Latin Christmas" is Henry Brun & The Latin Playerz salute to the Holiday Season. Percussionist/bandleader Henry Brun spices up a handful of seasonal favorites, arranged brilliantly to the pace and spirit of the Latin beat. Recorded, mixed and mastered at Studio Cats Recording Studio in San Antonio, Texas, Brun and The Latin Playerz Orchestra deliver a powerful lineup headed by classics such as "White Christmas," "Have Yourself a Merry Christmas," "Silent Night," "Santa Claus is Coming to Town," and "Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer," among many others. Under the musical direction of trumpeter Adrian Ruiz and with special guest musicians Dr. John Mills (saxes/flute/clarinet), Robert Ybarra (guitar), Sister Gail Wilborne (vocals), Rudy Estrada (trumpet), Stan Revillas (electric bass), and Michael Guzman (violin), this is indeed "A Very Latin Christmas" dance party CD. —Rudy Mangual