A Defined Sense Of Personality In the Core Quartet
The core quartet boldly dives into several strong Latin Jazz pieces, displaying a defined sense of personality. Zaccai assertively establishes a rhythmic ostinato, sending the band into an upbeat son montuno groove on his composition “Curtis Anew.” A sudden shift sends Zaccai into a timba-influenced montuno underneath a series of explosive drum breaks, leading into a propulsive piano solo. Zaccai rides his tense statement into a driving montuno behind an energetic improvisation from conguero Reinaldo De Jesus. Foreboding chords drift over a rumba guaguanco on Noro Morales’ “Maria Cervantes” before Zaccai interprets the classic melody with an elegant reverence. The pianist infuses his solo with the same tasteful phrasing, balancing the statement with modern jazz chromatic development. Luques plays upon the percussive nature of the bass with a combination of rhythmic accents and long melodic lines before De Jesus stretches into a virtuosic improvisation. Drummer Richie Barshay and percussionist Reynaldo De Jesus provide a strong plena rhythm on “El Calderon,” laying the foundation for a clearly defined melody. Zaccai runs long flowing lines over the driving groove, trading phrases with percussive ideas from Luques. The exchange provides some insight into the brothers’ different personalities, but also shows a sympathetic artistry that allows them to build the song into a climax. The brothers dive into an off-kilter rhythmic pattern while De Jesus riffs through the spaces on Bud Powell’s “Bouncing With Bud,” until Zaccai jumps into the decidedly boppish melody. Zaccai displays some serious jazz chops, racing through bebop inspired lines until Luques takes a melodic improvisatory approach, running rapid lines across the range of his bass. The brothers join into a unified groove, allowing both Barshay and De Jesus to build engaging solos full of smart thematic development. These pieces show the group’s true strengths, as they display strong group interaction and distinct individual artistic personalities.

Exploring A Wide Range Of Textural And Rhythmic Variations
The group bravely explores a wide range of textural and rhythmic variations, putting a unique twist upon their sound. Zaccai bounces a funky keyboard line against De Jesus’
buoyant groove on “The Spoiler,” until the full band kicks things into high gear. Zaccai takes his time wrapping smart lines around the groove, focusing on the strength of his ideas. As the pianist stretches his improvisation, the power of his musicality emerges through his intelligent melodic construction and effective use of tension. Luques intently introduces an interesting bass groove on “Alkalinity,” before Zaccai delicately performs a thoughtful melody. Within the intimate setting of the two musicians, Zaccai’s carefully chosen lines shimmer with a shining beauty, reflecting the rich harmony. Luques improvises with a more aggressive approach, but the melodic integrity of his lines captures the deeply personal character of the piece. An edgy synthesizer sound introduces the funky groove on “Take That Seat” before a traditional piano presents the main theme. Zaccai cleverly plays off the difference between the two sounds by trading phrases between the two instruments, creating an attention grabbing exchange. Luques alters his phrasing to fit his strong melodies into the funk context, and after a return to the melody, the group finds a vamp for De Jesus’ explosive solo. Zaccai brings a new side of his artistry into the mix on Chopin’s “Op. 25, No.2” displaying a close familiarity to classical music. He winds the main theme around De Jesus’ driving conga groove, altering the phrasing slightly without sacrificing the integrity of the composition. The two musicians open the piece into moments of improvisatory exploration, showing their deep artistic foundations and the power of their musical relationship. The group stretches on these pieces, smartly integrating a variety of textural ideas into their music while holding onto their defined character.

Expanding Their Reach With Guest Artists
The quartet expands the reach of their group with some fantastic guest artists on a variety of pieces. The rhythm section establishes a sparse chordal pattern over a bomba groove on “Solutions” laying a foundation for a strong melody from guitarist Mark Whitfield. The group leaps into a driving momentum behind Whitfield’s improvisation, as the guitarist spins jazz fueled lines. Whitfield builds his statement into a wild unison melodic journey with both brothers accompanying him. Zaccai and the drummers establish a subtle 6/8 structure on “Song To Break The Spell,” as saxophonist Frank Kozyra and trombonist Michael Dease move through an understated melody. As the texture thins, Zaccai runs long melodic lines into a larger idea, inspiring an invested response from all members of the rhythm section. After a brief return to the melody, Kozyra stretches improvisational ideas over a lush setting filled with background vocals and rich chordal stretches. A subdued piano introduction leads into a jazz tinged and funky vocal from Giovanni Almonte on the potent “Thoughts Not My Own.” Luques and Zaccai take turns improvising over the 6/8 pattern, revealing an almost telepathic connection between their melodic ideas. Almonte returns with an impassioned vocal before the rhythm section jumps into an intense feel behind thought provoking poetry from the singer. Barshay and De Jesus explode into a bomba groove on “Taino Revenge” as Kozyra and Dease spin intertwining themes into a larger thought. Zaccai mixes equal shares of modern jazz aesthetics and syncopated phrasing into an invested improvisation. Luques creates powerful rhythmic ideas against the groove, creating an attention grabbing solo that gets to the heart of the song. These tracks allow the quartet to interact with a variety of musicians, allowing them to freely display many unseen sides to their musicianship.

An Unwavering Dedication To Fearless Growth
The Curtis Brothers Quartet takes bold steps towards a modern Latin Jazz sound on Blood • Spirit • Land • Water • Freedom, fearlessly pushing their musical approach into new territories. Zaccai and Luques bring a strong comfort level into their performance of Puerto Rican and Cuban rhythms, based upon their vast musical experience. As a result of their intimate familiarity, their mixtures with jazz effortlessly flow into lively improvisatory settings. As a composer, Zaccai brings a modern harmonic conception into the repertoire, and sets up interesting song forms for the group. At the same time, unique arranging ideas that organically integrate strings, electronics, and more show Zaccai stretching his concept into new directions. The group still stays connected to tradition at many points, revisiting standards from both the jazz and Latin genres. As performers, both Zaccai and Luques fearlessly storm through the music, spinning fierce improvisations and lively supporting lines. Barshay and De Jesus share the brothers’ passionate abandon for improvisation, consistently finding new opportunities to insert a personal touch. The strength and familiarity of the core quartet gives the music its powerful identity; at every turn, the musicians thrive upon their interactions, forming a continuous musical conversation. Whether working alone or in the company of guest artists, the musicians continually assert their creative identities with bold conviction. The group’s unwavering dedication to fearless growth and exploration makes Blood • Spirit • Land • Water • Freedom an exciting ride that intelligently defines the past, present, and future of Latin Jazz.

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Check Out These Related Posts:
Weekly Latin Jazz Video Fix: The Curtis Brothers
Album Of The Week: A Genesis, Insight
Thinking About The Next Generation: Insight & Rafi Malkiel On Video
Jazz Now: Extending The List

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Several questions swirled around in my head, but the biggest issue that I considered was simply - why? I found myself struggling with a need to classify the differences between Latin Jazz and salsa, but I couldn’t always explain it. Azucar Pa’ Ti is a classic recording; salsa musicians and Latin Jazz musicians alike should hear it. Does placing it in one of these two worlds make a difference or change that fact? Great music will always be great music, so its name doesn’t always make a difference. Names do help us deal with music in our society though and they tell us a bit about the musical content. After much deliberation, I decided that a classification is important, and I considered a few reasons for my decision. I’ve got three of those reasons below, take a look below and enter into the blurry line.

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Artistic Intentions and Listener Expectations
An artist that creates Latin Jazz brings a distinct set of artistic aesthetics and historical influences into their work. In this context, a musician makes a more personal statement aimed at illustrating their artistic concept. Each artist may bring a distinctly different personality into the mix, making the overall expression more interesting. They utilize song forms established by traditional jazz musicians through their work in bebop, hard bop, modal jazz, and more. In some cases, they might express themselves through established standards and well-known pieces, deferring to historical influences. Other musicians might build new structures based upon their experience with jazz and Latin styles. The whole idea of expressing personality requires them to take risks on a regular basis and constantly change their perspective based upon lessons of risk. They understand that in many cases, their audience wants to sit and listen to the music. Latin Jazz artists build an audience based upon the depth of their artistic vision and the clarity of their personal expression.

Salsa artists shape their music around a completely different set of expectations and build a separate experience. These musicians understand that their work functions in the realm of popular music and its main role is making people dance. The pack their arrangements with tension and release aimed at making the maximum impact upon their audience. The groove reins supreme, and the more obvious the pulse, the better for the dancers. These musicians play upon clearly defined forms, and subtlety goes underappreciated in most salsa contexts. Some salsa artists choose to make meaningful statements with their music, imbedding their lyrics with meaningful social commentary. Other artists simply choose to highlight the music’s party aspects and dance the night away. Regardless of the artist’s lyrical approach, the music demands a high level of musicianship, a strict discipline to the groove, and a keen ear for commercial appeal. These artists connect with their audience through catchy musical material, a danceable groove, and strong lyrical content.

On the same token, audience members find music based on specific listening demands, and they want to find the music that they desire. An audience member that wants to dance needs to find some serious salsa, and they need to experience all aspects of that music. These listeners probably wouldn’t enjoy a Latin Jazz concert; the sit-down setting would seem stifling while the search for self-expression might seem indulgent and boring. A Latin Jazz fan would appreciate an artist’s search for personal expression and enjoy moments of risk and musical daring. They probably enjoy a more focused setting that allows them to hear the music completely and appreciate the details of the performance. Some audience members might enjoy both musical experiences, but they most likely want to know what they might encounter on a certain night. Everyone wants to find their desired experience and unfortunately, that’s not always easy in today’s musical world. The massive amount of choice that we encounter makes certainly unclear; the more that we can be specific about the differences between salsa and Latin Jazz, the more likely musicians will find their audiences and people will find their favored listening choices.

Bypassing Secondhand Status
Latin Jazz certainly experiences second hand status in the greater jazz community, a stigma that has unfortunately followed the genre for most of its existence. The media and greater society placed traditional jazz musicians as the “serious” artists, regulating Latin Jazz artists to party music. Partly due to a lack of understanding about Latin Jazz and partly based upon racial discrimination, the general public has avoided Latin Jazz support over the years. At the same time, the music industry always happily paints Latin music, regardless of jazz content, as exciting dance music, guaranteed to raise the heat. Musicians experienced in the genre always seem to give the Latin realm its due, but other artists don’t always follow that trend. Many jazz musicians focus all of their time upon Coltrane, Miles, Monk, and Coleman, but they largely ignore Puente, O’Farrill, Santos, and Sheller. A misinformed belief that Latin Jazz is a “simpler” or “less complex” music leads musicians to the conclusion that they can’t create a significant artistic statement within the genre. While some of these situations have improved over the years, the stigma remains, and the jazz community consistently underestimates the artistic depth of Latin Jazz.

A greater understanding of the difference between Latin Jazz and salsa would help change some attitudes about the artistry behind Latin Jazz. Jazz does require a more complex understanding of harmony and a high level of technical dexterity, making the less demanding world of popular music an easy road for many jazz musicians. Since salsa sits firmly in the popular music world, many jazz musicians underestimate the value of studying its contents. Although this seems like a mistake due to the inherent challenges in salsa, many jazz musicians overlook it due to its place in the commercial music world. Since a good deal of these musicians confuse salsa with Latin Jazz, they pass over the Latin Jazz world with the same attitude. A clarification of the differences between the two genres would certainly help several jazz musicians to build a greater appreciation for Latin Jazz. With a higher respect in the jazz community, the music industry would certainly follow suit and more seriously market Latin Jazz as an important music. The future of the music really depends upon this type of shift, and an understanding of the differences between Latin Jazz and salsa would help.

Giving The Cultural Diversity Of Latin Jazz A Fair Shake
Salsa began as a Nuyorican interpretation of Cuban rhythms and continues that way to the present day; Latin Jazz has followed a different path. New York artists combined elements of Cuban son, danzon, and rumba, giving us a unique dance experience that the music industry later coined as “salsa.” When this trend hit its stride in the 1960s and 1970s, the use of Cuban structures became ingrained into the music’s fabric. Artists have occasionally touched upon pieces of Puerto Rican bomba and plena, Colombian cumbia, and Brazilian samba, but they never moved too far outside Cuban rhythms. Latin Jazz was born among New York’s mambo big bands, and as a result, it initially focused upon Cuban rhythms. While Cuban styles remained a major piece of Latin Jazz, the genre soon spread its wings into other cultural traditions. Jazz musicians fell in love with Brazilian music, creating numerous albums full of jazz sambas and bossa novas. As a greater cultural awareness grew around jazz, musicians brought extensive Peruvian rhythms, Colombian styles, Argentinean genres, and more into the Latin Jazz world. At this point, the cultural spectrum of Latin Jazz looks very different than salsa.

When people confuse Latin Jazz and salsa, they overwrite Latin Jazz with the churning Cuban rhythms of salsa. While they will certainly find Cuban dance rhythms in the Latin Jazz world, it won’t be the end of the story. Musicians such as Papo Vazquez, William Cepeda, and Miguel Zenon have reached high levels of artistry through the inclusion of Puerto Rican styles. Gabriel Alegria, Eric Kurimski, and Edward Perez all regularly make use of Peruvian rhythms, touching upon another side of the Latin Jazz world. Jovino Santos Neto, Claudio Roditi, and Trio Da Paz have continued a connection between jazz and Brazilian music, reaching beyond bossa nova. Argentinean music shares many musical bonds with jazz, and artists such as Pablo Aslan, Sofia Rei Koutsovitis, Emilio Solla, and Sofia Tosello explore them regularly. The Latin Jazz world is a broad and culturally diverse place that stretches far beyond the rhythmic content of salsa. When a listener stops with the Cuban rhythms of salsa, they will find some great music, but they’ll miss an incredible amount of inspiring artistic works.

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The blurry line between Latin Jazz and salsa present a major discussion – one that certainly doesn’t end here. I’d love to hear your thoughts on the topic – does it matter? Why? Leave a comment below and share your ideas, there’s certainly plenty of room for conversation. I’ve decided to continue this exploration with a reoccurring series entitled The Blurry Line. I’ll explore the issue from many angles; so hold on, the discussion has just begun!

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Check Out These Related Posts:
The Blurry Line Between Latin Jazz And Salsa
Distinguishing Between Latin Jazz And Salsa
Reality Check For Latin Jazz Musicians, Part 3
Community Conversation: Looking At Latin Jazz & Salsa

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Latin Jazz fans in the Los Angeles area will get one of those rare musical opportunities this week when vocalist Venissa Santí performs at the Catalina Bar & Grill. Residing in the Philadelphia area, Santí has built an impressive artistic identity and strong following over the past few years. Born into a Cuban family, Santí grew up in Ithaca, New York, soaking up a diverse musical diet and eventually delving into songwriting and vocals. She moved to Philadelphia, where she majored in music at the University Of The Arts and developed her skills in jazz vocals. As her exposure grew, her appreciation for Cuban grandfather’s compositions blossomed into a major connection with her roots. She traveled to Cuba several times, studying traditional music, such as rumba and Santeria songs. The culmination of her studies, journeys, and personal exploration arose on the 2008 independent release of Bienvenida. Santí brought Cuban folklore, traditional jazz, rock-edged blues, and a soulful vocal approach together into an outstanding mixture that signaled the immergence of a distinctive voice. In 2009, Sunnyside Records re-released Bienvenida to a wider audience, garnering praise and appreciation for Santí’s skills. As the word of her musical presence expands, Santí is building a significant fan base and the demand for live performances has grown.

The Los Angeles area gets a treat this week as Santí travels to the West Coast for a rare performance, giving a lucky audience a must-hear musical opportunity. In order to encourage Los Angeles Latin Jazz fans to attend the show, we’re dedicating this week’s Latin Jazz Video Fix to Santí with three clips. The first video provides some background on Santí and features her band performing “Talkin’ To You.” The second clip highlights an interview between composer John Hollenbeck and Santí, in preparation for a piece that featured the singer. The last piece finds Santí singing as a guest with saxophonist Jane Bunnett and her group Spirits Of Havana. Hopefully Santí’s performance will encourage future return trips and maybe even a journey up to the San Francisco Bay Area – I’ll keep my fingers crossed. Enjoy!

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Interview With Venissa Santí And A Performance Of “Talkin’ to You”

Composer John Hollenbeck Interviews Venissa Santí

Venissa Santí Performing With Jane Bunnett At The Jazz Journalists Association Awards

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Want to hear more from Venissa Santí? Check out her album:

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Don’t Forget - Santí makes her West Coast premiere this week with a gig at The Catalina Bar & Grill. If you’re in the Los Angeles area, you don’t want to miss this one! Details are below:

VENISSA SANTÍ
Thursday 11/5/09
WHERE: Catalina Bar & Grill
6725 West Sunset Boulevard
Hollywood, CA
TIME: 8:00 p.m.
TICKETS: $20

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Do you have a video to contribute to satisfy our weekly Latin Jazz video fix? If so, send it in - it’s time to feed our addiction. I’m looking for live performances, from any context. I’ll most likely be posting one video per week, but if you’ve got another idea, let’s talk. So come on Latin Jazz videographers, musicians, and fans - let’s share some of our memorable videos! Get my contact info HERE

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Check Out These Related Posts:
Spotlight: Bienvenida, Venissa Santí
Focusing The Spotlight: A Little More About Venissa Santí
4 Latin Jazz Vocalists Forging Their Own Identity
Celebrating Women In Latin Jazz: 5 Top Female Artists

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Marc Myers over at JazzWax has been diving into the Latin Jazz world this week with a great interview. In a three-part discussion, Myers talks with arranger and composer Marty Sheller about his early days on the jazz and Latin scene as a trumpet player, his days as a member of Mongo Santamaria’s band, and his current career as an exclusive composer and arranger as well as bandleader. It’s great to see Sheller in the spotlight after his many contributions to the Latin music world. Check out all the pieces of the interview here - Part 1, Part 2, Part 3.

Weekly Latin Jazz Video Fix: Arturo Stable

Focusing The Spotlight: A Little Bit More About Sofia Tosello

Album Of The Week: Obsesión, Anna Estrada

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Amanda Martinez: Amor

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LUCIA PULIDO
WHEN: Wednesday 11/4/09
WHERE: International Cultural Center CAISI
Helsinki, Finland
TIME: 7:00 p.m.

WHEN: Thursday 11/5/09
WHERE: International Cultural Center CAISI
Stockholm, Sweden
TIME: 8:00 p.m.

OMAR SOSA
The Afro-Cuban Side Of Kind Of Blue
WHEN: Friday 11/6/09
WHERE: L’Auditori
Barcelona, Spain
TIME: 9:30 p.m.
TICKETS: 30 euros

SAMUEL QUINTO
WHEN: Thursday 11/5/09
WHERE: B-Flat Restaurant
Rua Garcia Arosa 4450
Matosinhos, Portugal
TIME: 11:00 p.m.

If you’re in ASIA this week . . .
PABLO ZIEGLER QUINTET
WHEN: Thursday 11/5/09
WHERE: Mount Fortress
Macau, China
TIME: 8:00 p.m.
TICKETS: FREE

PAQUITO D’RIVERA
WHEN: Friday 11/6/09 - Monday 11/9/09
WHERE: Blue Note - Tokyo
Tokyo, Japan
TIME: 5:30 p.m. & 8:45 p.m.
TICKETS: 8,400 yen

If you’re on the EAST COAST this week . . .
ANNETTE AGUILAR & STRINGBEANS
WHEN: Friday 11/6/09
WHERE: Trumpet’s
6 Depot Square
Montclaire NJ
TIME: 8:00 p.m. & 9:30 p.m.
TICKETS: $15

ARTURO O’FARRILL
Solo Piano
WHEN: Regular Wednesday Gig: 11/4/09; 11/11/09; 11/18/09; 11/25/09
WHERE: Puppet’s Jazz Bar
481 5th Avenue Park Slope
Brooklyn, NY
TIME: 7:00 p.m.
TICKETS: $10

Afro-Latin Jazz Orchestra
WHEN: Thursday 11/5/09 - Friday 11/6/09
WHERE: Symphony Space
2537 Broadway
New York, NY
TIME: 8:00 p.m.
TICKETS: $35; $40 on day of show

BOBBY SANABRIA
Clinic
WHEN: Friday 11/6/09
WHERE: Walker Recital Hall
501 E. 38th Street
Erie, PA
TIME: 10:30 a.m.
TICKETS: FREE

Quarteto Ache
WHEN: Saturday 11/7/09
WHERE: Walker Recital Hall
501 E. 38th Street
Erie, PA
TIME: 8:00 p.m.
TICKETS: $25

Quarteto Ache
WHEN: Sunday 11/8/09
WHERE: Walker Recital Hall
12387 Cedar Road
Cleveland Heights, OH
TIME: 7:00 p.m.
TICKETS: $20

CHRIS WASHBURNE & S.Y.O.T.O.S.
WHEN: Sunday 11/8/09
WHERE: Smoke
2751 Broadway
New York, NY
TIME: 8:00 p.m., 10:00 p.m. & 11:30 p.m.
TICKETS: $20 minimum

EDMAR CASTANEDA
10th Anniversary Django Reinhardt Festival
WHEN: Friday 11/6/09
WHERE: Birdland
315 West 44th Street
Manhattan, NY
TIME: 8:30 p.m. & 11:00 p.m.
TICKETS: $35 - $45

ERIC KURIMSKI
WHEN: Thursday 11/5/09
WHERE: Terraza Cafe
40-19 Gleane St
Elmhurst, NY
TIME: 10:00 p.m.
TICKETS: FREE

GABRIEL ALEGRIA AFRO-PERUVIAN JAZZ SEXTET
WHEN: Thursday 11/5/09 - Sunday 11/8/09
WHERE: Tutuma Social Club
164 East 56th Street
New York, NY
TIME: Thursday - Saturday 8:00 p.m. & 10:30 p.m.; Sunday 7:00 p.m.
TICKETS: NO COVER

GINO CASTILLO
CD Release of Ya LLege
WHEN: Tuesday 11/3/09
WHERE: Nuyorican Poet’s Cafe
236 East 3rd Street
New York, NY
TIME: 9:00 p.m.
TICKETS: $7

GREG DIAMOND
WHEN: Wednesday 11/4/09
WHERE: Flutebar Gramercy
40 East 20th Street
New York, NY
TIME: 8:00 p.m.

HENDRIK MEURKENS
10th Anniversary Django Reinhardt Festival
WHEN: Saturday 11/7/09
WHERE: Birdland
315 West 44th Street
Manhattan, NY
TIME: 8:30 p.m. & 11:00 p.m.
TICKETS: $35 - $45

WHEN: Sunday 11/8/09
WHERE: The Bar Next Door
129 MacDougal St
New York, NY
TIME: 8:00 p.m. & 10:00 p.m.
TICKETS: $12

NEGRONI’S TRIO
WHEN: Friday 11/6/09
WHERE: Small’s
183 West 10th street
New York, NY
TIME: 7:30 p.m.
TICKETS: $20

PAMELA RODRIGUEZ
Afro-Peruvian Vocal Series
WHEN: Tuesday 11/3/09 - Wednesday 11/4/09
WHERE: Tutuma Social Club
164 East 56th Street
New York, NY
TIME: Tuesday: 10:30 p.m. & Wednesday: 8:00 p.m.
TICKETS: NO COVER

PAQUITO D’RIVERA
Champions Of Jazz
WHEN: Tuesday 11/3/09
WHERE: Frederick P. Rose Hall
Broadway at 60th Street
New York, NY
TIME: 8:00 p.m.
TICKETS: $83 - $128

SOFIA TOSELLO
Afro-Peruvian Vocal Series
WHEN: Tuesday 11/3/09 - Wednesday 11/4/09
WHERE: Tutuma Social Club
164 East 56th Street
New York, NY
TIME: Tuesday: 8:00 p.m. & Wednesday: 10:30 p.m.
TICKETS: NO COVER

VENISSA SANTÍ
WHEN: Friday 11/6/09
WHERE: Vinto At The Piazza
2nd S. of Girard
Philadelphia, PA
TIME: 6:00 p.m.
TICKETS: FREE

If you’re in the MID-EAST this week . . .
DARWIN NOGUERA
WHEN: Friday 11/6/09
WHERE: Society For The Arts
1112 North Milwaukee Ave.
Chicago, IL
TIME: 8:00 p.m.
TICKETS: $50

LOS GATOS
WHEN: Wednesday 11/4/09
WHERE: Live At PJ’s
102 S 1st St
Ann Arbor, MI
TIME: 8:00 p.m. & 9:15 p.m.
TICKETS: $7

TUMBAO BRAVO
WHEN: Sunday 11/8/09
WHERE: Sangria - Royal Oak
401 S. Lafayette
Royal Oak, MI
TIME: 9:00 p.m.
TICKETS: $6

If you’re on the WEST COAST this week . . .
BOBBY MATOS
WHEN: Monday 11/2/09
WHERE: Hal’s Bar and Grill
1349 Abbot Kinney Boulevard
Venice, CA
TIME: 9:00 p.m.
TICKETS: NO COVER

CLAUDIA ACUÑA
WHEN: Tuesday 11/3/09
WHERE: Yoshi’s - San Francisco
1330 Fillmore Street
San Francisco, CA
TIME: 8:00 p.m.
TICKETS: $15 in advance; $20 at door

GRUPO FALSO BAIANO
WHEN: Wednesday 11/4/09
WHERE: Yerba Buena
701 Mission Street
San Francisco, CA
TIME: 8:00 p.m.
TICKETS: Gallery Entry: $7

WHEN: Sunday 11/8/09
WHERE: Coda
1710 Mission Street
San Francisco, CA
TIME: 9:00 p.m.
TICKETS: $7

JAZZ ON THE LATIN SIDE ALL-STARS
Upland Music Festival
WHEN: Sunday 11/8/09
WHERE: Historic Downtown Upland
3rd Avenue and A Street
Upland, CA
TIME: 8:00 a.m.
TICKETS: $6 - $25

JOVINO SANTOS NETO
Earshot Jazz Festival
WHEN: Monday 11/2/09 - Tuesday 11/3/09
WHERE: Tula’s
2214 2nd. Avenue
Seattle, WA
TIME: 8:30 p.m.
TICKETS: $14

WHEN: Friday 11/6/09
WHERE: The Shedd Institute
868 High Street
Eugene, OR
TIME: 8:00 p.m.
TICKETS: $11 - $32

KAT PARRA
WHEN: Thursday 11/5/09
WHERE: BJE Jewish Library
1835 Ellis St.
San Francisco, CA
TIME: 7:30 p.m.
TICKETS: FREE

MARK LEVINE AND THE LATIN TINGE
WHEN: Saturday 10/7/09
WHERE: Avonova
417 Avon St
Oakland, CA
TIME: 7:00 p.m.

NAGUAL
WHEN: Friday 11/6/09
WHERE: Formaggio
11211 East Point Drive
Rancho Cordova, CA
TIME: 6:00 p.m.
TICKETS: NO COVER

PETE ESCOVEDO
WHEN: Thursday 11/5/09 - Sunday 11/8/09
WHERE: Yoshi’s - San Francisco
1330 Fillmore Street
San Francisco, CA
TIME: Thursday - Saturday 8:00 p.m. & 10:00 p.m.; Sunday 2:00 p.m. & 7:00 p.m.
TICKETS: Thursday $26; Friday & Saturday $28; Sunday 2:00 p.m. - $5 kids, $18 adults, 7:00 p.m. - $28

PONCHO SANCHEZ
WHEN: Tuesday 11/3/09
WHERE: Vibrato Grill
2930 Beverly Glen Circle
Bel Air, CA
TIME: 7:30 p.m. & 9:00 p.m.
TICKETS: $20

VENISSA SANTÍ
WHEN: Thursday 11/5/09
WHERE: Catalina Bar & Grill
6725 West Sunset Boulevard
Hollywood, CA
TIME: 8:00 p.m.
TICKETS: $20

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A Distinct Strength In Brazilian Settings
Estrada shows a distinct strength through a jazz vocal presence in Brazilian settings. An up-tempo samba groove kicks the band into high gear on Alvaro Carillo Alarcon’s “La Mentira,” as Estrada launches into an inspired and confident reading of the melody. Saxophonist Charlie McCarthy captures Estrada’s inertia with an energetic solo that flies through the changes with a bopish ease. Guitarist Ray Scott’s acoustic integrates a different texture into the piece, contributing a lyrical solo that takes the band into a cuica feature and Estrada’s return to the main theme. Damien Masterson’s soothing harmonica glides over a laid-back bossa nova groove on Toquinho & Vinicius De Moraes’ “Carta Ao Tom 74,” leading into Estrada’s slyly understated lyric. Masterson wraps pleasing melodies around the lush harmony, expressively shaping his line with scoops, slides, and pitch bends. Pianist Jonathan Alford plays around the song’s swaying groove, infusing his rhythmic drive with a bluesy edge. Drummer Phil Thompson dives head first into a funky Brazilian groove on Edu Lobo’s “Upa Neguinho,” providing momentum while the bass and keyboards create rich layers of sound. Estrada pushes the band with an engaging vocal that darts around clever rhythmic accents and leaps between ranges. Percussionist Michaelle Goerlitz’s brief repinique feature leads directly into a skillfully developed improvisation from Scott that bounces around the groove with a quirky character. Estrada displays a confident comfort in Brazilian realms, lending a carefully crafted presence to a strong collection of jazz settings.

Diversifying the Repertoire With Cuban Styles
Estrada takes the opportunity to diversify her repertoire with a group of pieces based upon several Cuban styles. A winding horn line assertively drives a path through a powerful songo groove on Pedro Flores’ “Obsesión,” before the band settles into a guaguanco rhythm behind Estrada’s commanding vocal. Trombonist Wayne Wallace displays a strong character as he builds an attention grabbing improvisation full of tension and smart melodic development. After a quick interlude, McCarthy rides the momentum of Alford’s addictive montuno, aggressively throwing syncopated rhythms into the mix with a raspy tone. Alford delicately creates a thoughtful improvisation over a sparse danzon on Ruben Fuentes’ “Flor Sin Retoño.” Estrada provides a captivating vocal in this exposed setting, precisely placing phrases over the rhythm with dynamic contrast and a confident attitude. Alford reflects the graceful elegance of the danzon tradition with a distinctly characteristic improvisation until Estrada grabs the song with the strength of her melodic presence. The rhythm section leaps into a catchy and accessible cha cha cha groove on Burt Bacharach’s “Always Something There To Remind Me,” as Estrada interprets the well-known melody with a jazz sensibility. Scott reflects the song’s pop background with a quick and ear pleasing improvisation that easily sails over the groove. Vibraphonist Tommy Kesecher conjures memories of Cal Tjader with a winding lyrical solo full of clever melodic twists. These pieces find Estrada developing her identity as a vocalist in a different side of Latin Jazz and succeeding with style.

A Skillful Diversity
Estrada explores a variety of additional musical approaches on other tracks, showing a skillful diversity to her musicianship. Bassist Alex Baum enters with a percussive bass line on Eden Abbez’s “Nature Boy” that takes on a Middle Eastern character as percussionist Raul Ramirez supplies the foundation with a funky dumbek. Estrada interprets the classic melody with a purposeful understatement, creating an interesting contrast against the dynamic background. Scott contributes a coy improvisation on electric guitar that tastefully plays around blues ideas until Alford creates a mysterious vibe with thick spacious synthesizer lines. Scott’s solo acoustic guitar shapes a calm motion on the original “Soledad (Norah),” working as the perfect backdrop to Estrada’s vocal. The two musicians form a complimentary duo with Scott winding melodic commentary between the beautifully simple shape of Estrada’s performance. A brief guitar interlude displays Scott’s ingenuity with chordal accents, smartly placed harmonics, and moving arpeggios, leading back to Estrada. Masterson demands attention with the bold sound of his bass harmonica drenched in reverb on “Llorna,” before it evaporates into a standard harmonica statement over a soft landó. Estrada thrives in this setting with an effective vocal that skillfully tells a story with her command over dynamics and tone. As Estrada brings the song into a climax, Masterson places the deep rich sound of his harmonica against the song, creating an engaging texture. Estrada shows a rich depth to her musical identity on these tracks, demonstrating the ability to express herself in a variety of settings.

A Defined Artistic Presence
Estrada steps forward with a more defined artistic presence on Obsesión, garnering musical results that boldly stand on their own. Her daring steps through a variety of Latin Jazz approaches reflect a growing artistic confidence and an evolving connection to different styles. She plays upon her strength in Brazilian Jazz, navigating through several different rhythmic feels with ease. As Estrada stretches into Cuban rhythms, Peruvian genres, original composition, and Middle Eastern textures, she intelligently adjusts her performance approach to match the context. At the same time, Estrada displays the strength to retain an artistic identity with each shift, appearing unmistakably with a core sound at every turn. Her vocal performance resonates with a steady confidence in both Portuguese and Spanish, a canny ability to navigate through jazz harmonies with a direct melodic sensibility, and a clever approach to phrasing. Scott’s arrangements support Estrada’s strengths at every turn, featuring the vocal while leaving plenty of space for improvisation. The core group of Alford, Baum, and Thompson interpret the arrangements skillfully, balancing the necessary foundation with a healthy character. The long list of guest soloists including Wallace, McCarthy, Masterson, and Kesecher add spirit to the recordings, reflecting Estrada’s positive commitment to the music. All these pieces join into a cohesive and satisfying musical statement on Obsesión, keeping Estrada on the track for a long career full of great music.

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Check Out These Related Posts:
Spotlight: Sonando Vuelos, Anna Estrada
12 More Female Artists That Rock the Latin Jazz World
Focusing The Spotlight: A Little Bit More About Anna Estrada
Spotlight: Viajando Choro e Jazz, Grupo Falso Baiano

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Tosello delivers a captivating performance presence that demands more attention, and fortunately, you can find her in plenty of places online. Start by going right to the source and check out Tosello’s website, a great source of information with a bio, performance schedule, videos, links, and more. If you’d like to become friends with Tosello, you can visit her MySpace Page, where you’ll find music from her album, pictures, and more. You might have moved onto that other social networking giant, so you might prefer to visit Tosello’s Facebook Page, where you can write on her wall, find lots more photos, check out a couple of her videos, sign up for her mailing list, and more. Tosello has been a regular fixture among many different New York Latin Jazz and traditional Latin groups - you can check out some of her frequent collaborators online, including Julio Santillián, Pedro Giraudo, Cocomama, and Retumba. Tosello’s album can be found on an established label - a good deal for a debut release - and you can check out Tosello’s label, Sunnyside Records, HERE. There’s a lot of possibilities to get to know this great artist better, so don’t wait, start clicking now!

Check out Tosello’s music through the links above and discover a talented and engaging young artist – you’ll be hooked right away! Tosello’s combination of jazz and Argentinean folk music shines with appeal; check it out and then pick up a copy of Alma Y Luna, a definite 2009 highlight. I’ve included some biographical information on Tosello below so that you can learn a bit more about this fantastic artist, and then a video of Tosello performing with guitarist Julio Santillán. Enjoy!

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Sofia Tosello, a remarkable young vocalist, originally from Cordoba, Argentina, belongs to an exciting new group of artists who are changing Latin American song. Rooted in the variety of Latin American cancion traditions, including tango, chacarera, bolero filin, son and zamba, one also hears shades of the downtown “world” jazz scene, bossa nova, and a bit of funk in Tosello’s performances.

“As a child growing up, I remember my parents listening to Gal Costa, Caetano Veloso, Roberto Goyeneche, Mercedes Sosa, The Platters, Luther Vandross, Debussy, Duke Ellington and many others. This was my earliest musical training.” Sofia started her musical studies, and had her first professional performance, when she was just eight years old. Subsequently, she studied and developed her vocal technique with singer Marcela Benedetti at La Colmena Instituto de Musica in Cordoba. Tosello’s interest in jazz, as well as her desire to explore the international dimensions of Latin music, led her to relocate to New York, at the age of 18, to study at City College of New York. “A whole new world opened up to me. My first jazz teacher and musical mother was Sheila Jordan, and she really taught me the art of making a song one’s own. I’ve also had the opportunity of singing with many Cuban, Colombian, Peruvian, and Venezuelan ensembles. That’s how I developed my rhythmic sensibility. Singing with Pedro Giraudo’s Jazz Orchestra and Julio Santillan Septet, which fuses jazz and Argentinean folk, has forged a stronger connection with my roots.”

Sofia’s debut CD, Alma y Luna, to be released on the Sunnyside Record Label on October 6, 2009, is the outcome of a long maturation period in New York City. Alma y Luna is an innovative project that finds the vocalist accompanied by a transnational group of Latin musicians Pavel Urkiza, Yosvany Terry, Julio Santillan, Yayo Serka, Mauricio Herrera, Pedro Giraudo, Osmany Paredes, Aquiles Baez, and Miguel Rivaynera, among others. Alma y Luna, which was produced by Fernando Aponte, features Tosello’s talents both as a songwriter and as an interpreter of Latin American composers such as Pavel Urkiza, Alberto Rojo, Chato Diaz, Ana Robles, Don Pancho Terry and Julio Santillan.

With the guitarra, contrabass and bombo leguero as her starting point, Tosello recreates a musical landscape that spans all of the Americas, from New York to Cuba to Buenos Aires. Rooted in the variety of Latin Americam cancion traditions, including tango, chacarera, zamba, bolero filin, and Peruvian vals, Alma y Luna also reflects an impressive range of sounds and textures that only the global village of New York can produce. Tosello prefers to see herself as a border-crosser, not bound by the logic of genre; her musical aesthetic is best described by words like hybridity and mestizaje. Tosello’s soulful and sensitive approach combines the best of today’s global currents in jazz, Latin, and pop music while maintaining a profound respect for tradition – a feat seldom achieved by young artists.

Ms. Tosello has performed, recorded and collaborated with a wide variety of talented artists such as Pedro Giraudo Jazz Orchestra, Aquiles Baez, Julio Santillan Septet, Julio Santillan and Sofia Tosello Duo “Tribute to Borges”, Alex Cuba, Pavel Urkiza (Gema y Pavel ), Marta Gomez, La Cumbiamba eneye, Tito Castro, Cocomama, Retumba, Marvin Diz, Jose Conde y Ola Fresca, Diego Obregon y su grupo Chonta, Coba (Sebastian Cruz), Christos Rafalides, Jonathan Powell Band, Son de Madre, David Oquendo, Mariela Valencia, Pepe Vazquez, Thalia, El “Puma” Rodriguez, Octavio Cotan, Las Gardenias, Eladio “Pancho” Terry, Cable a Tierra, Cielo de Judas (Osvaldo Brizuela).

She has appeared at many noted venues including Summer Stage Central Park (NYC), Blue Note (NYC), Joe’s Pub (NYC), The Hecksher Theatre at EL Museo del Barrio (NYC), Jazz Standard (NYC), Jazz Gallery (NYC), Smoke (NYC), Drom (NYC), 55 Bar (NYC), Zinc Bar (NYC), Sweet Rhythm (NYC), The Knitting Factory (NYC), The Bitter End (NYC), SOB’s (NYC), Brooklyn Museum Stage (NYC), Queens Theatre in the Park (NYC), BAM Café (NYC), Festival del Bolero N4 (NYC), El Taller Latino Americano (NYC), FB Lounge (NYC), Aaron Davis Hall (NYC), APAP Convention (NYC), NJPAC (Newark), Madison Square Garden (w/Thalia) (NYC), Walt Disney Concert Hall (LA), Michigan Womyn’s Festival (Hart, MI), Macau International Music Festival (China), Teatro Amadeo Roldan (Cuba), and Teatro San Martin (Argentina).

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Sofia Tosello Performing “El Picarón” With Guitarist Julio Santillán

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Check Out These Related Posts:
Spotlight: Alma Y Luna, Sofia Tosello
Weekly Latin Jazz Video Fix: Sofia Tosello
Latin Jazz Report Card: 31st Annual Chicago Jazz Festival
Spotlight: Salsa n’ Jazz, Samuel Quinto Trio

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Percussionist Arturo Stable resonates with a defined modern artistic presence that sits firmly in his work both as a performer and a composer. Born in Santiago de Cuba, Stable was raised in an artistic environment, following the lead of his father, a painter and musician. His family eventually moved to Havana, where Stable’s musical studies kicked into high gear, and he later earned a degree in percussion from the Amadeo Roldán Conservatory. Stable soon left the island in search of better pastures, landing in Puebla, Mexico. He earned a post-graduate degree in music education in Puebla, before heading to Berklee School of Music in Boston to study composition. He gained many contacts during his time at Berklee, and the percussionist soon found work with a diverse range of Latin Jazz artists, from Dave Samuels to David Sanchez, and Hector Martignon. In 2004, Stable recorded his first album as a leader, 3rd Step, making a definitive move forward as an artist. He followed with the 2007 release Notes on Canvas, a fascinating personal statement that interpreted several well-known paintings through original Latin Jazz compositions. Stable’s latest release, Call, brings all these elements together with stellar performances and distinctly modern compositions. Stable’s move towards a modern sound reflects the creative and searching presence of an intelligent musical mind, expressing himself with pieces of culture and society that shine with artistic integrity.

Today’s Weekly Latin Jazz Video Fix pays tribute to the strength and purpose of Stable’s artistic vision, in all its forms. The first clip reveals the details of his new album through music as well as interviews with members of his quintet. The second video shows Stable the bandleader guiding his group through a traditional descarga at the now defunct Chacacha Club. The last video finds Stable alone, showing the refined percussion skills that have made him an in-demand player on the modern scene. There’s some heavy musicianship here that bodes well for the modern Latin Jazz world. Enjoy!

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Arturo Stable On His Latest Album The Call

Arturo Stable Quintet Performing At Chacacha

Arturo Stable Quintet Performing Solo

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Want to hear more from Arturo Stable? Check out his older albums.

Notes on Canvas

3rd Step

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Do you have a video to contribute to satisfy our weekly Latin Jazz video fix? If so, send it in - it’s time to feed our addiction. I’m looking for live performances, from any context. I’ll most likely be posting one video per week, but if you’ve got another idea, let’s talk. So come on Latin Jazz videographers, musicians, and fans - let’s share some of our memorable videos! Get my contact info HERE

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Check Out These Related Posts:
Building a Bridge Between Concept and Listener: Origen Records and Arturo Stable
5 Artists That Are Making Us Question Our Assumptions About Latin Jazz
Album Of The Week: The Year Of Two Summers, Edward Perez
Album Of The Week: Dancando Com Ale, Greg Diamond

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The folks over at NPR’s A Blog Supreme have been out and about in New York, hearing some great live jazz. Fortunately, they’ve not only seen some wonderful straight-ahead jazz, but a healthy dose of Latin Jazz as well. They’ve left their impressions of a couple of great shows - Gabriel Alegria and his sextet at Tutuma Social Club and Dafnis Prieto’s Si o Si Quartet at the Jazz Standard. Those are two show I would have loved to have seen, so it’s great to get the feedback from NPR - there’s some good pics as well. Check it out HERE.

The Latin Jazz scene in Canada is still fairly new to me, but whenever I run across something from the North, I’m always impressed with the quality of music up there. Peter Hum over at Jazzblog.ca has been one of the prime people filling me in, and this week he’s got more to share. Hum interviews Latin Jazz vocalist Amanda Martinez in anticipation of her upcoming performance at NAC’s Forth Stage. It’s a great introduction to a Latin Jazz artist that I will now be looking to find out more about! Check out the interview HERE.

Weekly Latin Jazz Video Fix: The Curtis Brothers

Spotlight: Alma Y Luna, Sofia Tosello

The Latin Jazz E-Group: Celebrating 10 Years Of Latin Jazz Community

Album Of The Week: Tales From The Earth, Mark Weinstein & Omar Sosa

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WHEN: Saturday 10/31/09
WHERE: Rasa
Pauwstraat 13
Utrecht, Netherlands
TIME: 8:30 p.m.
TICKETS: 17 euros

WHEN: Sunday 11/1/09
WHERE: Tropentheater
Linnaeusstraat 2
Amsterdam, Netherlands
TIME: 3:00 p.m.
TICKETS: 17 euros

OMAR SOSA
WHEN: Thursday 10/29/09
WHERE: Casa de la Cultura
Calle de la Eras, 33
Caudete, Spain
TIME: 9:30 p.m.
TICKETS: FREE

WHEN: Friday 10/30/09
WHERE: Teatro Regio
Calle San Francisco, 21
Almansa, Spain
TIME: 10:30 p.m.
TICKETS: 10 euros

WHEN: Saturday 10/31/09
WHERE: Salon de Actos
Avenida Juan Carlos, 1
Higueruela, Spain

WHEN: Sunday 11/1/09
WHERE: Centro Social
Plaza de la Constitucion, 8
Casas Ibanez, Spain
TIME: 7:30 p.m.
TICKETS: 8 euros

SAMUEL QUINTO
WHEN: Thursday 10/29/09
WHERE: B-Flat Restaurant
Rua Garcia Arosa 4450
Matosinhos, Portugal
TIME: 11:00 p.m.

If you’re in CANADA this week . . .
AMANDA MARTINEZ
WHEN: Wednesday 10/28/09
WHERE: National Arts Center, Fourth Stage
53 Elgin Street
Ottawa, ON Canada
TIME: 8:00 p.m.
TICKETS: $20

If you’re in CENTRAL AMERICA this week . . .
TURIYA MAREYA & JAVIER CABANILLAS
WHEN: Thursday 10/29/09
WHERE: El Dragon Rojo Bar
1934 Zona Central
Tijuana, Mexico
TIME: 9:00 p.m.
TICKETS: FREE

If you’re in SOUTH AMERICA this week . . .
ARTURO SANDOVAL
WHEN: Wednesday 10/28/09
WHERE: Teatro Nescafé de las Artes
Manuel Montt 032
Providencia, Santiago de Chile
TIME: 9:00 p.m.
TICKETS: $15

WHEN: Friday 10/30/09
WHERE: Teatro Gran Rex
Av Corrientes 857
Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina
TIME: 9:30 p.m.
TICKETS: $10

If you’re in the CARIBBEAN this week . . .
ETERNAL TANGO QUINTET
Fiesta Ibertoamericana de las Artes
WHEN: Thursday 10/29/09
WHERE: Teatro Julio César Ortiz Escuela Libre de Música Caguas
Puerto Rico
TIME: 8:00 p.m.

Fiesta Ibertoamericana de las Artes
WHEN: Friday 10/30/09
WHERE: Teatro Tapia
San Juan
Puerto Rico
TIME: 8:00 p.m.

If you’re on the EAST COAST this week . . .
ANDREA BRACHFELD
WHEN: Thursday 10/29/09
WHERE: The Underground Lounge
955 W End Ave
New York, NY
TIME: 9:30 p.m. & 11:00 p.m.
TICKETS: $10 in advance; $12 at door

ANNETTE AGUILAR & STRINGBEANS
WHEN: Friday 10/30/09
WHERE: The Garden Cafe
4961 Broadway
New York, NY
TIME: 7:30 p.m.

ARTURO O’FARRILL
Solo Piano
WHEN: Wednesday 10/28/09
WHERE: Puppet’s Jazz Bar
481 5th Avenue Park Slope
Brooklyn, NY
TIME: 7:00 p.m.
TICKETS: $10

BORIQUA JAZZ NIGHTS
WHEN: Thursday 10/29/09
WHERE: La Fonda Boricua
169 East 106th Street
New York, NY
TIME: 9:00 p.m.
TICKETS: NO COVER

CARLOS AVERHOFF QUINTET
WHEN: Wednesday 10/28/09
WHERE: MDC Wolfson Campus, Chapman Conference Center - Room 3210
300 N.E. Second Avenue
Miami, FL
TIME: 12:00 p.m.
TICKETS: FREE

CHICO O’FARRILL’S AFRO-CUBAN JAZZ ORCHESTRA
WHEN: Sunday 10/25/09
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 10/25/09
WHERE: Smoke
2751 Broadway
New York, NY
TIME: 8:00 p.m., 10:00 p.m. & 11:30 p.m.
TICKETS: $20 minimum

DAFNIS PRIETO SI O SI QUARTET
WHEN: Thursday 10/29/09
WHERE: Flynn Center
153 Main Street
Burlington, VT
TIME: 7:30 p.m.
TICKETS: $25

ELIO VILLAFRANCA
WHEN: Tuesday 10/27/09
WHERE: Jazz Standard
116 East 27th Street
New York, NY
TIME: 7:30 p.m. & 9:30 p.m.
TICKETS: $20

ERIC KURIMSKI
WHEN: Thursday 10/29/09
WHERE: Terraza Cafe
40-19 Gleane St
Elmhurst, NY
TIME: 10:00 p.m.
TICKETS: FREE

FRANCISCO MELA TRIO
WHEN: Tuesday 10/27/09 - Sunday 11/1/09
WHERE: Blue Note - New York
131 W. 3rd St
New York, NY
TIME: 8:00 p.m. & 10:30 p.m.
TICKETS: $20 - $30

GABRIEL ALEGRIA AFRO-PERUVIAN JAZZ SEXTET
WHEN: Thursday 10/29/09 - Sunday 11/1/09
WHERE: Tutuma Social Club
164 East 56th Street
New York, NY
TIME: Thursday - Saturday 8:00 p.m. & 10:30 p.m.; Sunday 7:00 p.m.
TICKETS: NO COVER

GARY MORGAN & PANAMERICANA
WHEN: Wednesday 10/28/09
WHERE: Zinc Bar
82 W 3rd Street
New York, NY
TIME: 9:30 p.m. & 11:00 p.m.

GREG DIAMOND
WHEN: Monday 10/29/09
WHERE: 1492 Food
60 Clinton Street
New York, NY
TIME: 8:00 p.m.

HENDRIK MEURKENS
WHEN: Saturday 10/31/09
WHERE: Trumpet’s
6 Depot Square
Montclair, NJ
TIME: 8:30 p.m. &10:30 p.m.
TICKETS: $15, $10 minimum

JESSICA MEDINA
Afro-Peruvian Vocal Series
WHEN: Tuesday 10/27/09
WHERE: Tutuma Social Club
164 East 56th Street
New York, NY
TIME: 8:00 p.m. & 10:30 p.m.
TICKETS: NO COVER

LENNIE PICKETT
Going Afro-Peruvian Series
WHEN: Wednesday 10/28/09
WHERE: Tutuma Social Club
164 East 56th Street
New York, NY
TIME: 8:00 p.m. & 10:30
TICKETS: NO COVER

PAQUITO D’RIVERA
WHEN: Saturday 10/31/09
WHERE: New Jersey Performing Arts Center
One Center
Newark, NJ
TIME: 7:30 p.m.
TICKETS: $39

PAUL CARLON OCTET
WHEN: Thursday 10/29/09
WHERE: DROM
85 Avenue A
New York, NY
TIME: 9:00 p.m.
TICKETS: $15 in advance; $17 at door

WILLIE MARTINEZ
WHEN: Thursday 10/29/09
WHERE: Nuyorican Poet’s Cafe
236 East 3rd Street
New York, NY
TIME: 9:00 p.m.
TICKETS: $7

YUNIOR TERRY QUARTET
WHEN: Thursday 10/29/09
WHERE: Zinc Bar
82 W 3rd Street
New York, NY
TIME: 9:30 p.m. & 11:00 p.m.
TICKETS: $7

If you’re in the MID-EAST this week . . .
CHICAGO AFRO-LATIN JAZZ ENSEMBLE
Quartet
WHEN: Thursday 10/29/09
WHERE: Andy’s Jazz Club
11 E. Hubbard Street
Chicago, IL
TIME: 5:00 p.m.
TICKETS: $5

Nonet
WHEN: Saturday 10/31/09
WHERE: Las Tablas Restaurant
2942 N. Lincoln Avenue
Chicago, IL
TIME: 9:00 p.m.
TICKETS: $10

LOS GATOS
WHEN: Wednesday 10/28/09
WHERE: Live At PJ’s
102 S 1st St
Ann Arbor, MI
TIME: 8:00 p.m. & 9:15 p.m.
TICKETS: $7

TUMBAO BRAVO
WHEN: Saturday 10/31/09
WHERE: Radisson Hotel
17231 Laurel Park Rd
Livonia, MI
TIME: 10:00 p.m.

WHEN: Sunday 11/1/09
WHERE: Sangria - Royal Oak
401 S. Lafayette
Royal Oak, MI
TIME: 9:00 p.m.
TICKETS: $6

If you’re in the MID-WEST this week . . .
JEFF JONES & MOSAIC
Dia De Los Muertos Celebration
WHEN: Saturday 10/31/09 - Sunday 11/1/09
WHERE: Desert Botanical Gardens
1201 N. Galvin Parkway
Phoenix, AZ
TIME: 10:30 a.m.
TICKETS: Included w/Garden Admission

If you’re on the WEST COAST this week . . .
FRANCISCO AGUABELLA
WHEN: Saturday 10/24/09
WHERE: Steamer’s
138 W. Commonwealth
Fullerton, CA
TIME: 8:30 p.m.
TICKETS: $8

GILBERT CASTELLANOS
WHEN: Tuesday 10/27/09
WHERE: Onyx Room
852 5th Avenue
San Diego, CA
TIME: 9:00 p.m.
TICKETS: FREE

JOHN SANTOS SEXTET
WHEN: Sunday 11/1/09
WHERE: Yoshi’s - Oakland
510 Embarcadero West
Jack London Square
Oakland, CA
TIME: 2:00 p.m. & 7:00 p.m.
TICKETS: 2:00 p.m. - $5 kids, $18 Adults; 7:00 p.m. - $18

JOVINO SANTOS NETO
WHEN: Saturday 10/31/09
WHERE: Methow Valley Community Center
201 S. Methow Valley Hwy
Twisp, WA
TIME: 7:00 p.m.
TICKETS: $15

KAT PARRA
WHEN: Sunday 11/1/09
WHERE: Avonova House
417 Avon St
Oakland, CA
TIME: 3:00 p.m.
TICKETS: $15

NAGUAL
WHEN: Friday 10/23/09
WHERE: The Fox and the Goose
1001 R Street
Sacramento, CA
TIME: 9:00 p.m.
TICKETS: $4

PONCHO SANCHEZ
WHEN: Friday 10/30/09
WHERE: Vitello’s
4349 Tujunga Avenue
Studio City, CA
TIME: 7:30 p.m. & 9:30 p.m.
TICKETS: $20; 2 drink minimum

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Tales from The Earth
Mark Weinstein & Omar Sosa
Otá Records

Exploring Improvisational Ideas
Weinstein takes the opportunity to explore improvisational ideas over African influenced settings on many tracks. Vocalists Aho Luc Nicaise and Mathias Agbokou enter with a Santeria chant on “Invocation,” leading into an addictive groove from drums and percussion while balafon player Aly Keita improvises. As Keita settles into a steady groove, Weinstein freely creates melodies, weaving in and out of the thick texture. Sosa follows Weinstein’s statement with an assertive vibraphone solo that cleverly plays upon the percussive drive of the group. A 6/8 bell pattern segues into a melodic ostinato from Keita on “Walking Song,” as drummer Marque Gilmore changes the texture with a backbeat. Weinstein allows flowing lines to float over the active texture, creating a sense of liberty and openness to his improvisation. As Weinstein continues to explore the setting, Nicaise begins a traditional song, which creates an interesting contrast to the flute solo. Bassist Stanislou Michalak intersperses bluesy licks in between rich double stops on “Elders Speak” as Weinstein furiously improvises. The exchange between the two musicians grows more intense as they both raise the intensity of their ideas, complimented by brash percussion accents. Michalak and Weinstein reach critical mass as the percussionists join with a groove, driving the improvisations into a chaotic flight of wild phrases. A sea of bells and sparse balafon phrases provides a thin backdrop for a melodic improvisation from Weinstein on “Flirtation.” As Weinstein builds his ideas, Gilmore falls into a broken funk and Michalak infuses a rootsy blues feel into his bass line. The three musicians continue to stretch their conception, moving the music into an interesting combination of African derived aesthetics. These songs find Weinstein winding his improvisational voice around this unique setting, which inspires some impressive work.

Prominently Featuring Vocals
Several pieces feature vocals prominently, calling upon a number of traditional songs and chants within an improvisational context. Nicaise begins “River Crossing” with a strong and confident song until a flurry of percussion storms into the mix amid subtle improvising from the rest of the band. The song takes on a definitely different feel as it moves over a funky drumbeat, jazz-fueled bass fills, and repeated balafon patterns. Sosa pushes the song into a furious forward motion with the smart insertion of quick improvised lines and sharp accents on the vibraphone. A thick layer of closely intertwining percussion patterns leads into understated improvising from Weinstein, Michalak, and Keita on “Men’s Talk.” As the drummers fade into the background, Nicaise leaps into a powerful traditional song, moving forward as the band improvises around him. The group cleverly plays with texture as Weinstein makes an improvised journey through the diverse musical landscape with lush elegant lines. A Cuban rumba pattern burns beneath an impassioned improvisation from Weinstein on “Spirit Messenger.” Nicaise and Agbokou enter with repeated phrases that frame Weinstein’s solo, which quickly reaches a furious drive. The band breaks down to racing percussion and vocals, leaving the song in a traditional mode, making the connection to Africa very apparent. The inclusion of vocals on these tracks connects the work more explicitly to African traditions, making the link with music of the Diaspora even stronger.

Emphasizing Pieces Of The Diaspora
Other pieces lean the group towards implications of the African Diaspora by emphasizing different musical elements. Guitarist Jean Paul Bourelly establishes an assertive funk line over a 6/8 rhythm while Sosa keeps a steady marimba pattern on “Children At Play.” Bourelly pushes the band into high gear with a rock-tinged chordal pattern while Weinstein enthusiastically improvises. Sosa dives into an energetic statement, drawing off the band’s forward motion and inspiring some active response. Gilmore’s laid-back drum groove, Sosa’s rich vibrato chords, and Weinstein’ long flute tones infuse “Celebration” with a soulful funkiness. Weinstein plays upon this vibe with the deep rich tone of his bass flute, spinning bluesy lines full of long wandering phrases. Sosa lets the percussion ride their groove before slowly entering into a vibraphone solo, which he builds into a thick frenzy of notes. A gospel-tinged soulfulness fuels Bourelly’s Motown influenced guitar groove and Gilmore’s ultra laid-back groove on “Praise.” The group follows this groove with a hypnotic faithfulness while Sosa inserts lush shimmering chords and Nicaise improvises an inspired vocal. A syncopated balafon ostinato explodes into a massive groove on “Gratitude” as Gilmore hits a heavy funk beat and Sosa nails a catchy marimba vamp. Sosa gradually opens his line into an engaging solo, which pushes the band with a sense of addictive enthusiasm and an upbeat attitude. Both Nicaise and Agbokou interject short vocal phrases that playfully move around the band’s unstoppable groove. These songs demonstrate the vast range of African influence in several contemporary musics, and they highlight the musicians’ vision between the different genres.

Bringing The Connection Into A Clear Light
Weinstein and Sosa find organic connections between African music and styles from the Diaspora on Tales from The Earth, delivering a wonderfully creative statement of African identity. The album draws extensively upon improvised settings, wisely disregarding the notion of a composed tribute to the country. Without the crutch of a pre-composed score, the musicians draw upon their most natural musical instincts. Weinstein and Sosa gathered an interesting group of musicians that cut across African and the Diaspora; their first instincts naturally result in authentic connections to Africa, Cuba, and beyond. The improvised setting brings the best pieces of jazz improvisation into the forefront, allowing the musicians to escape the trap of complex chord changes and simply express their personal identities. Both Weinstein and Sosa appear completely at ease in this context, producing both relaxed and intense music that draws upon the organic connection and tension between Africa and the Diaspora. Keita contributes a strong connection to African music with a wealth of authentic balafon patterns that blend into the music perfectly. Michalak and Gilmore add a healthy dose of tension into the mix, emphasizing their connections to funk, soul, and jazz. Nicaise and Agbokou provide a strong bridge between musical worlds, throwing equal doses of Cuban Santeria chants and African percussion into the music. With all these pieces in place, Weinstein and Sosa let all the musical elements freely interact on Tales from The Earth, resulting in a beautiful musical statement that brings the connection between Africa and her Diaspora into a clear light.

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Check Out These Related Posts:
Album of the Week: Afreecanos, Omar Sosa
Album of the Week: Lua e Sol, Mark Weinstein
Album of the Week: Con Alma, Mark Weinstein
Revisiting Latin Jazz Classics: Cuban Roots, Mark Weinstein

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Ten years ago, the Latin Jazz community had a number of localized scenes, but in many ways, these different pockets of activity needed some way to connect. While many musicians had befriended each other through their travels, their conversations remained disjointed, isolated to phone calls. The internet remained young in the 1990s, still lacking the type of social media connection we’ve now taken for granted. Duke University started some of the earliest online gathering points for communities, developing Usenet groups, an online bulletin board system. Usenet groups allowed for an ongoing conversation, but in the nineties, most of these groups covered large topics; the rec-music-afro-latin Usenet group served as the popular forum for most Latin music lovers. This group benefited from contributions by Latin musicians throughout the world, but the range of the group was broad – members discussed Latin Jazz, salsa, folkloric music, Latin pop, and more. Latin Jazz fanatics had to sort through a tall stack of messages to find their golden content – a need existed for a Latin Jazz gathering place, someone simply needed to organize it.

In 1999, Latin Jazz fanatic Luis Moreno recognized that need and acted upon it. As he tells it:

The Latin Jazz e-group has its roots in the old Usenet group rec.music.afro-latin. I’d been a member of that group for years and made many friends there. One of these is Goyo Pappas. I posted a message to the group one day about a recording by Mark Levine’s group Que Calor - Keeper Of The Flame.

Goyo replied, “Hey, why hadn’t you told me about this album before?!”

“You know what we need?” I said, “A group devoted to Latin Jazz!”

I didn’t think too long about it. I was aware that there were different sites on the internet that offered the service. So I started one on e-groups which was later bought out by Yahoo. I started by inviting many of the participants of rec.music.afro-latin and then I spent years scouring the internet for contacts to Latin Jazz musicians and inviting them. The group was an instant smash. It doubled and doubled in size and attracted all of the industry people. It was clear that the need had been great.

A few months later I invited Goyo to help moderate and he has been a moderator ever since. At different points of expansion and contraction there have been other moderators and even a period of unmoderated status, but Goyo and I are able to handle the volume well now.

A Poignant First Post
Moreno posted the first message to the e-group on October 17, 1999, and it summed up the group perfectly – “A forum for Latin Jazz aficionados to work out their obsession or make it worse.” Many early group members took this message to heart and jumped right into the sense of community imbedded in the music. Within a week, 84 messages had been posted to the group and a number of important musicians and radio personalities had given into their obsession. Pianist Mark Levine, drummer Chuck Silverman, and guitarist Pablo Menendez all jumped into the conversation within the first week. Latin Jazz radio mainstays Arturo Gomez and Awilda Rivera both extended the discussion with several messages. Within the next week, the group reached 157 messages and new members included saxophonist Jane Bunnett, drummer Willie Martinez, and percussionist Rafael Ramirez. By the time the group reached a month, it was a definite success with 407 messages and a multitude of new members.

Early Conversations
The conversations in those early days reflected different themes that would become ongoing forces behind the group – a quest to discover new artists, an unquenchable thirst to describe the music on a deeper level, and an avid appreciation for high quality Latin Jazz. In that first month, the group started long conversations about several active Latin Jazz musicians that were heating up the scene, such as Gonzalo Rubalcaba, Tony Martinez, and Chucho Valdes. Listening recommendations started in that first week with posts about Nuyorican Nights from Chris Washburne and the SYOTOS Band, Best Friends from Giovanni Hidalgo and Humberto Ramirez, and Celebrating Chico Buarque De Hollanda from Edsel Gomez. The group dug into the meaning behind the word Maferefun, the title from a Tony Martinez album and the bandages that Mongo Santamaria would wear on his fingers during performances. There was plenty of awareness about live performances, with posts about the Havana Jazz Festival, the San Francisco Jazz Festival, as well as dates from the Susie Hansen Band and Ray Vega. In every way, the Latin Jazz discussion group became a prime meeting place for the international Latin Jazz community to indulge their passion.

Looking At History Through The E-Group
Digging through the Latin Jazz group’s archives delivers some serious historical landmarks that frame the music in an interesting way. During the first month, Goyo sent out a question about a Moacir Santos recording, and who was the first to send a detailed reply to his query? Mark Levine, of course, whose current album Off & On presents an incredible tribute to Santos. Several messages recall a different political era when pressures eased between the United States and Cuba, allowing for Stateside performances from Irakere, Los Van Van, and more. A 1999 article posted to the group discussed a “Latin Jazz” breakthrough with cutting edge music from Paquito D’Rivera, David Sanchez, Valdes, and Rubalcaba. Discussions around the first Latin Grammy presentations question the motivation behind some moves, wondering whether music or industry drives the awards. Numerous posts include reviews about the recent releases of the time, providing time sensitive details to everything from Tribute to the Masters by John Santos and the Machete Ensemble to Latin Spirits from Poncho Sanchez and Descarga Total by Orlando “Maraca” Valle. The group frames major events in the music with fascinating perspectives; looking into Tito Puente’s death reveals a flood of messages with personal reflections and historical facts. With all ten years of the e-group’s messages cataloged on Yahoo, we’ve got a collection of incredible facts and opinions available for research and more.

An Essential Online Gathering Place
For the past ten years, the Latin Jazz e-group has provided an essential online gathering place for the Latin Jazz community, one that we should celebrate. Over the years, the Latin Jazz group has also become a place where both personal and professional connections have formed. Musicians discussed the art form and business behind Latin Jazz; fans sent messages to their heroes; managers, promoters, writers, and radio personalities connected with musicians. It’s a place where a question about Latin Jazz might inspire a detailed response from Levine, Bobby Sanabria, Jose Madera, Bobby Matos, John Santos, Sonny Bravo, Robby Ameen, Janine Santana, Kat Parra, or more. The newest Latin Jazz listener can visit the group and find a long list of important recordings to hear while the most experienced musician can exchange ideas with their peers and colleagues. It remains a place where Latin Jazz addicts still can work out their obsession or make it worse . . . and fortunately many, many people have chosen to make it worse!

Thanks for Luis and Goyo for ten outstanding years of community, education, and entertainment – we all hope for ten more!

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Latin Jazz musicians, promoters, and fans have all found a home on the Latin Jazz e-group, so I asked some of them to send their thoughts about it. Here’s some reflections on the group – enjoy!

Mike Freeman
As a member for half (or more) of its 10 years in existence, I view the Yahoo Latin Jazz group as part educational and informative on a variety of levels (learning of new recordings, videos, musicians and groups I was unfamiliar with, gaining a better understanding of various styles of the music as well as behind the scene insights into the business, social-political aspects, and people/personalities in and around the music) and part a source of networking (having met new musicians, radio programmers and business contacts, as well as made stronger bonds with folks I already knew and or played music with).

The group has seen it all with discourse (both interesting and not) on almost everything, arguments (both civil and not so civil) about almost everything, a wide variety of humor (laugh and or groan) and has generated a large coming together of sometimes disparate people (both musicians and non musicians) to engage in their passion for music, Latin Jazz first and foremost, and things related.

Nick Marrero
Mundo Jazz U92 WUMR
I was part of the group when I was doing Latin Jazz Expressions on WWSP in Stevens Point Wisconsin back in 2001. For me the group has been instrumental in getting me contacts and information so that I could present this music to places that really did not have one locally to present it. I am now in Memphis and once again the Latin Jazz Group is still very important in my efforts to keep the music out there. Here is to an informative and successful network for all of us who love this music so much.

Jamie Scott
I’ve only been a member for a few weeks, but already this group has provided me with a wonderful experience! Through the group I found out about Bobby Sanabria’s event at The National Jazz Museum where screenings were held of the first 2 hours of the Latin Music USA documentary on PBS.

It was exciting to share this screening with other people who love this music! And who certainly know more about it than I. Often, I go to music events alone, or sit home alone watching these documentaries. Sharing it was so much more meaningful for me. It made me (currently unemployed) want to fight to stay in New York!

The only “problem” with the Sanabria event was that on same day, there was a bass master class that I was eager to attend, to see what I might learn there. Oh, what a wonderful conflict to have–all thanks to the Yahoo group.

Janine Santana
I love this group. I feel much more a part of the community since I’ve joined (and trust me, I live in a very isolated area). I have connected with many fellow musicians, radio personalities who specialize in our beloved Latin Jazz culture, and supporters of our music who sometimes even stop me on the street because of the intimate friendliness of this group. I can ask or comment directly to my heroes and long-distance friends very easily here.

I have learned more directly from the other musicians themselves about our history and their adventures, misadventures and thoughts on our music than I could have learned on my own in a lifetime of “studying”. I even have had lots of joyful laughter as I’ve read some posts, gotten recipes, advise, …all priceless.

I LOVE this group, the first and only e-group I’ve ever joined.

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Did you miss the first ten years of the Latin Jazz e-group? Do yourself a favor and catch the next ten years - this is essential stuff for any Latin Jazz fan. Don’t forget, you can check out the archives of the first ten years as well, so there’s plenty of reading! Sign up for the group HERE.

If you’ve been a member for a while, join in our celebration of the group and leave a comment below with your thoughts on the group!

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Check Out These Related Posts:
Four Missing Resources In Latin Jazz Education
Latin Jazz Standards: 10 Versions Of Manteca
Jazz Now: 5 Latin Jazz Albums From The Present Moment
5 Ways To Build Enthusiasm Around Latin Jazz Through Latin Music USA

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