All Aboard!

  

Arturo Sandoval & Y El Tren Latino
1995

Tracks:

01. Be-Bop     4:18    
02. La Guarapachanga     3:59    
03. A La P.P.     2:47    
04. Waheera     5:13    
05. I Can't Get Started     4:25    
06. MarteBelona     3:47    
07. Royal Poinciana     3:16    
08. The Latin Trane     5:15    
09. Candela (Yo Si Como Candela) / Quimbombo     4:50    
10. Drume Negrita     2:45    
11. Orula     6:01    
12. I Can't Get Started (Instrumental)     4:25 

  

Personnel:

Arturo Sandoval (trumpet, flugelhorn, piano, percussion); Celia Cruz, Oscar D'Leon, Luis Enrique, Joe Williams (vocals); Kenny Anderson, Ed Calle (saxophone, flute); Dana Teboe (trombone); Otmaro Ruiz (piano); Rene Toledo (guitar); David Enos (bass); Aaron Serfaty (drums); Manuel "Egui" Castrillo, Luis Henrique, Edwin Bonilla (percussion); Vicente Rojas, Laura Pifferver, Cheito Quinones (background vocals).

  

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Trumpet Player Arturo Sandoval of Hidden Hills, California was born on November 6, 1949, in Artemisa, a small town east of Havana in the Pinar Del Río province, home of Cuba's finest tobacco growing region, the Vuelta Abajo. Arturo's family was poor, existing on an income from his father's mechanics business. By the age of six, Arturo had a strong desire to be a musician.

Arturo began playing the congas and put together a mini-circus act with a cat on a high wire. He charged the neighborhood kids a penny to see his show. When his village organized an orchestra for local events, he joined and tried out a bunch of instruments, including the trombone, bass drum and the flute, which he didn't like because it made him dizzy. Arturo started looking at the trumpet and decided that's what he wanted to play.

The band didn't have an extra trumpet, and the family had no money to buy one; however, his Aunt bought him a Cornet. Arturo states that he started to blow the cornet and just figured it out. Arturo sought out a respected local trumpet player for some training and was rebuffed and told not to waste his time. Arturo left that meeting in tears but more determined than ever.

Amazingly, Arturo never received formal trumpet lessons. He played and practiced, but that was it. One day in 1963, Arturo saw a flyer for a scholarship program offering classical music training at the National School of Arts. He applied, and secretly went to Pinar Del Río for an aptitude exam that was mostly gauged to test his musical ear. When the telegram arrived with his acceptance, he announced to his parents that he was going to go to Havana to become a full-time musician. Arturo continued his education and musical training until he was about 16, when the government formed a big band, known as the Cuban Orchestra of Modern Music. The first trumpet in the national symphony, Luis Escalante, also was chosen as lead trumpet in the big band. The announcement energized Arturo, who had begun to chafe under the restrictions that he could only play classical music at the school. "I was dying to meet Luis Escalante," says Arturo. Escalante's hobby was fixing cars, and because of Arturo's experience helping his father, he established a connection with the vaunted trumpeter. They became friends, and finally Arturo told Escalante that he was a trumpet player, too. They started playing duets, and one day, Escalante asked if Arturo would like to take his place in the big band group. "I was speechless," Arturo says. "I told him they wouldn't let me play." But after Escalante intervened, the young Sandoval became the last chair in the trumpet section. Three years later, at the age of 20, he became the first trumpet in the orchestra, which in big band parlance meant he really became the band's leader...

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Trombone Pirates

  

Papo Vasquez
Pirates Troubadours
Carnival in San Juan
2003

Tracks:

1. Carnival in San Juan
2. Mundo Bizarro
3. Las Torres
4. Plena Pa' Las Nenas
5. Worlds
6. Vianda con Bacalao
7. En La Cueva de Tan
8. Stuffy Turkey
9. Like a Little Child
10. Snow Angel
11. Carlitos Coco
12. Fireflies from the Orion Nebula & Belen

Personnel:

Bill Lee, Tito Cepeda, Arturo O' Farrill, Milton Cardona, Willie Williams, John Benitez, Horacio Hernandez, Roberto Cepeda, Joe Gonzalez, Fred McFarlane, Victor Jones, Roberto Cepeda, Mario Rivera, Ivan Renta, Carlos Henriquez, Dafnis Prieto, Papo Vasquez

 

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Trombonist/composer/arranger Papo Vazquez, along with his group Pirates Troubadours, has just unleashed Carnival in San Juan, a multifaceted celebration which captures the spirit of its title.

And the title cut is quite an opening statement. Vazquez’ solo bursts with rapid-fire phrases, and tenor man Willie Williams follows with a rollicking upper register attack. Pianist Arturo O’Farrill plays his solo at the same tempo but with the feelings of an observer, not a participant. The percussion of Horacio “El Negro” Hernandez, Roberto and Tito Cepeda, and Joe Gonzalez keep the rhythm going full speed ahead. “Mondo Bizarro” is a crisply arranged mid-tempo tune which includes a horn riff reminiscent of the electric guitar intro on The Temptations’ “Cloud Nine.”

The mood becomes somber on “Las Torres,” a wrenching 9/11 tribute. Gonzalez delivers a passionate bilingual lamentation while the other band members pick up the chorus behind him. The raucous “Plena Pa’ Las Nenas” takes us back to the carnival, then things cool down again with Vazquez’s arrangement of bassist Bill Lee’s “Worlds.” The group goes for the jugular on “Vianda con Bacalao,” a solid Latin funk. Vazquez and Williams wail on their horns, Benitez lays down a pumping electric bass groove and the percussion section is absolute tachychardia.

Vazquez shows that he can also play straight-ahead with perfect fluency. His letter perfect arrangement of Monk’s “Stuffy Turkey” underscores the composer’s trademark eccentricity and features crisp drumming by guest Victor Jones and swinging piano by Fred McFarlane, as well as more fine soloing by Vazquez and Williams. “Carlito’s Coco” has free jazz overtones worthy of Ornette Coleman. 

 

From every genre, tempo and angle, Carnival in San Juan is a total triumph for Papo Vazquez.

This review originally appeared in AllAboutJazz-New York

  

 

  "Trombone virtuoso and innovative composer, Papo combines the best of jazz and Latin music to create a genre that is unique and wild. He's redefined Latin jazz!" 

 

~ Michael Brecker 

  

a link

       

Papo Vazquez New Biography Updated 2010

 

Papo home 

 

♥

Rumba a la Patato

  

Marlon Simon and the Nagual Spirits
Rumba a la Patato
2000
 
Tracks:
 
1. Rumba A La Patato
2. Songo Pa Monk
3. Humble And Innocent
4. Ericka
5. Something For Carol
6. Easy Mood
7. Sandra Malandra
8. Belleza India
9. Clear To Take Off
 
Personnel:
 
Marlon Simon- drum set, batas, timbales, percussion;
Edward Simon, Luis Perdomo- piano;
John Benitez, Andy Gonzalez- bass;
Bobby Watson- alto saxophone, soprano saxophone;
Peter Brainin- tenor saxophone;
Brian Lynch, Michael Simon- trumpet;
Roberto Quintero- congas, bongo, guiro.

   

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"Pure pleasure best describes Venezuelan percussionist Marlon Simon' and the nagual spirits Rumba a la Patato cd. Nagual is the part of us for which there is not a description, no words, no names. This music reaches out to the" nagual" within each listener and touches the soul. The numbers are alive with emotions from the Joyful Songo Pa Monk to the sweet Ericka to the haunting Belleza India. The percussion on this recording moves as Simon himself and Roberto Quintero propel the songs forward. The pair are extraordinarie, and the numbers positively swing." Linette Tobin. Clave Magazine.

    

Venezuela-born percussionist/composer Marlon Simon is a veteran sideman with Jerry Gonzalez, Chucho Valdés, and Hilton Ruiz. Rumba a la Patato features bassists John Benitez and Fort Apache's Andy Gonzalez and pianists Ed Simon (Marlon's younger brother) and Luis Perdomo, highlighting the leader's skills as a composer of stateside jazz laced with Afro-Cuban rhythms. Simon's compositional style centers on singable melodies that overlay complex rhythmic signatures, which make for nice solo showcases. Alto saxophonist (and ex-member of Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers) Bobby Watson delivers his Birdlike soprano and alto sax lines on the moving midtempo piece, "Ericka," and the Thelonious Monk tribute, "Songo pa Monk." The title track, a riveting rumba with a 6/8 introduction, is written for the pioneering conguero Carlos "Patato" Valdes and is brightened by trumpeter (and Eddie Palmieri bandmate) Brian Lynch's clave-blooded solo. On "Sandra Malandra," Simon melds mainstream jazz with Cuban rhythm, and on "Something for Carol," the Trinidadian calypso and Dominican merengue are brought together under Simon's sexy groove flag. As this recording shows, Marlon Simon knows how put together Latin jazz for the head, hips, and heart. --Eugene Holley Jr.

   

RUMBA A LA PATATO is an exceptional first effort by Marlon Simon and the Nagual Spirits. Marlon Simon is following in the footsteps of great (Latin) Jazz bands like Jerry Gonzalez's Fort Apache Band and Ray Barretto's New World Spirit. The project is dedicated to the legendary Patato Valdes.
 
"Marlon Simon feels that the flow of creativity stems from the suffering pain, and violence we are inundated with on a daily basis. It is up to the artists to consolidate all of these negative happenings and convert them into positive ones." So states Peter La Barabara in the liner notes. Marlon Simon's music definitely has a spiritual feeling that is undeniable.
 
Marlon and crew serve up a variety of rhythms: Rumba, Songo, Mozambique, Calypso and even a little Merengue!
 
My favorite tracks thus far are RUMBA A LA PATATO, SONGO PA MONK and HUMBLE AND INNOCENT. The compositions are complex, rhythmic and full of masterful improvisations by the band members. Marlon Simon maintains a low profile on percussion but makes his presence felt throughout.
 

By     Thomas Pena

  

  

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King Conga

  

Johnny Blas

King Conga
1999

Tracks:

01-Con Ganas
02-King Conga
03-Mi Madre
04-The Sidewinder
05-The Beat of the Conga
06-Quien Sabe
07-Sobale
08-Socorro
09-Rican Conga
10-Inglesas
11-M.J.'s Mambo
12-Little Sunflower
13-Our Sound
14-Debbie's Mambo
15-Bomba Dance

Personnel:

Johnny Blas: Congas, percusión
Angelito Rodríguez: timbales, percusión, bongó, campana
Dan Weinstein: trombón
Kerry Loeschen: trombón
Humberto Ruiz: trombón
Edwin Blas: trombón
Mark Gutiérrez: piano
Paul Pérez: bajo
Terry Delgado: coro

Recorded at Private Island Trax, Hollywood, California on June 23 & 24, 1999. 

Includes liner notes by Dan Weinstein.

 

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This latest release from percussionist/bandleader Johnny Blas, his fourth as a leader, exhibits signs of growth and more depth in his and the group's musical interpretations and compositions. Propelled mainly by the triple threat of Johnny Blas on percussion and flute, Dan Weinstein on trombone and violin, and Mark Gutiérrez on piano and guitar, the group has hammered out their own style and sound, working together for years.

Also present in this recording as in previous releases is the healthy herd of four trombones, deploying monster brass colors, reminiscent of some of the early urban sounds of New York's Latin bands. Aside from the title track King Conga, a Dan Weinstein composition in the traditional Latin jazz genre, the CD also features many other compositions which fuse other Latin rhythms and styles with jazz. Mi Madre is a jazzy chachachá which pianist Mark Gutiérrez takes advantage of. The classic Lee Morgan composition The Sidewinder is transformed here into a boogaloo. Sobale, a Johnny Blas original, is a pachanga borderline descarga where everyone gets off. Another interesting composition is Socorro, composed and arranged by Dan Weinstein in the vein of the bossa nova and the bolero-chá. But my choice track is M.J.'s Mambo. Composed and arranged by Gutiérrez, the selection smokes with mucho sabor and commendable solos by Gutiérrez on piano and tres guitar, Johnny Blas on percussion, and Edwin Blas on the trombone.

Seven years into his career, percussionist Johnny Blas continued to propel the Latin jazz idiom further into the 21st century with some of the most exquisitely arranged, consummately executed music the genre had heard in some time. Not a major departure from his first two albums with Ubiquity's Cubop imprint (1997s Skin & Bones and 1998s Mambo 2000), King Conga nonetheless maintains the standards of those sets. Joining Blas once again are guitarist/pianist Mark Gutierrez and trombonist/violinist Dan Weinstein: linchpins of the percussionist's combo since his 1995 debut, A Night in L.A. In addition to lending their substantial improvisational skills to the date, they combine with Blas to form a formidable writing trio. Percussionist Angelito Rodriguez also makes impressive contributions, sharing credit with Blas on five cuts. It's worth noting that King Conga's eight originals (not counting the tasty percussion interludes sprinkled throughout) are more than capable of holding their own alongside Freddie Hubbard's "Little Sunflower" and Lee Morgan's "The Sidewinder," the second and third cover versions ever recorded by the group. Album highlights include "Sobale," an up-tempo track that adds both flute and violin to an otherwise trombone-heavy mixture; "Socorro," a soft-stepping ballad adorned with a rich string arrangement by Weinstein; and "Debbie's Mambo," a lively eight-minute track presumably dedicated to Blas' wife. The latter features an outstanding arrangement for the band's four trombones and an inspired (and slightly deranged) piano solo from Weinstein. This is Latin jazz (circa 1999) at its very best. 

 

~ Nathan Bush

 

 

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Hands in Motion

  

Giovanni Hidalgo & Michel Camilo
Hands of Rhythm
1997

Tracks:
  
1. And Sammy Walked In - Camilo    5:53
2. Footprints - Shorter    5:07
3. Amo Esta Isla - Milanes    4:22
4. Softly, As in a Morning Sunrise - Romberg, Hammerstein    4:15
5. My Soul Beat - Hidalgo    4:10
6. Papa Boco - Acosta, Chapuseaux, Chapuseaux    4:50
7. Blue Monk - Monk    3:47
8. If You Knew... - Camilo    5:14
9. En Mi Viejo San Juan - Estrada    4:05
10. Hello and Goodbye - Camilo    6:17
11. Hands in Motion - Hidalgo    3:02

Personnel:

Giovanni Hidalgo 

(floor tom, bongoes, congas, timbales, wood blocks, cymbals, chimes, cricket guiro, cowbell, goat nails, jawbone, tambourine, shakers, shekere, vibratone, cascaras, maracas, sound effects);
Michel Camilo 

(piano)

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Could a collaborative effort between piano virtuoso Michel Camilo and Giovanni Hidalgo, who is commonly known as the finest living conguero, possibly live up to the expectations? The answer Hands of Rhythm offers is nothing short of "All that and them some, baby." The beautiful thing about hearing both Camilo and Hidalgo in a rare duo format is that unlike larger band contexts, their genius does not compete for sonic space with anyone. Every note, every stroke is clearly audible, and crystal clear. Almost as fantastic as the instrumental performance was the repertoire chosen. In fact, the overall flavor is not what one might expect from two players known well for blistering speed. A haunting, sensitive rendition of "Footprints" and the reminiscent "En Mi Viejo San Juan" are welcome surprises from a percussion lead duo. "Softly as in the Morning" and "Blue Monk" are swinging from start to finish. With these jazzy selections, the bossa nova-at-its-best "If You Knew," and the merengue "Papa Boco," Hands of Rhythm shies away from the clave-driven music that made these two men famous. And yet, they prove themselves as adept in any one idiom as the other. Hidalgo and Camilo make up for their small numbers with both taste and sheer brilliance. Hands of Rhythm is required listening for both these musician's loyal fan bases, and the Latin jazz listening public alike. 

~ Evan C. Gutierrez, All Music Guide

  

Widely acknowledged among the greatest congueros of his generation, Giovanni Hidalgo was born in San Juan, Puerto Rico, in 1963, first taking up the drums five years later; the son of the noted percussionist Jose "Manengue" Hidalgo, he was educated in Latin rhythms from childhood onward, and as a teen regularly walked to local gigs with his congas strapped to his back. He soon caught the attention of the legendary Dizzy Gillespie, touring in his United Nations All-Star Orchestra for four years; Hidalgo also became a noted session player, recording with Freddie Hubbard, Paul Simon, and Mickey Hart's Planet Drum project.
In 1992, he recorded his debut solo LP, Villa Hidalgo; Worldwide followed a year later, and for 1997's Hands of Rhythm, a collaboration with pianist Michel Camilo, Hidalgo earned a Grammy nomination in the Best Latin Jazz Album category. His Greatest Hits collection followed the next year. 
~ Jason Ankeny, Rovi 

 
An exciting and high-powered virtuoso pianist, Michel Camilo came from a very musical family (with all nine of his uncles being musicians). Originally playing accordion, he switched to piano when he was 16. After moving to New York in 1979, his song "Why Not?" became a hit for the Manhattan Transfer and caught on as a standard, and "Caribe" entered the repertoire of Dizzy Gillespie. Camilo, who worked with Paquito d'Rivera's band for three years (cutting an album with "Why Not?" as the title cut), recorded for Electric Bird (sessions reissued by Evidence) and Columbia, and worked as a leader beginning in the mid-'80s. He has released numerous albums under his own name, including Spirit of the Moment in 2007.
~ Scott Yanow, Rovi

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Mas Congas

 

The Conga Kings

Giovanni Hidalgo - Candido - Patato Valdes

2000

Tracks:

01. Tumbando Caña
02. Elube Chango
03. Guaganc¢ Pa' Las Tumbadoras
04. Nagüe
05. Avísale A Mi Contrario
06. Tuna Se Quemó
07. Descarga De Los Reyes
08. Duet I: Temporal
09. Duet II
10. Duet III
11. Conga Kings Grand Finale

Personnel:

Giovanni Hidalgo - Conga, Vocals
Candido Camero - Conga, Vocals
Carlos "Patato" Valdes - Conga, Vocals

Guillermo Edghill - Bass
Joe Gonzalez - Bongos Mauricio
Smith - Flute
Nelson Gonzalez - Vocals, Tres

José Francisco Valdés: Claves
Hermengildo Olivera: Vocals
Nelson González III: Coro
Luis Rosa: Coro

Ray Santos: director musical

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These guys are the undisputed kings of conga. All three of the main players are the undisputed kings of Afro-Cuban drumming. They are Candido Camerera (the old master who can still belt them out with the best of them), Patato Valdes (the technician who is a master of unique combinations and rhythms) and Giovanni Hildalgo (the young gun, a child prodigy turned world-class musician).

This CD, which was recorded in a St. Peter's Episcopal Church in Manhattan and supervised by musical director Ray Santos, who had worked independently with each of the Kings. The CD was/is the brainchild and pet project of Chesky Records owner David Chesky who also served as the producer). The Conga Kings were recorded live with each player's drums fed directly into one microphone which was then digitized. Upon further production, it is possible to hear the individuality that each drummer personifies.

Backed-up by a veritable who's who of Latin musicians, The Conga Kings is more than an album about drumming. The music here is layered in such a way that it is possible to hear all of the players: the high-pitched (and sometimes piercing) flute supplied by Mauricio Smith, the bass of Guillermo Edghill, Nelson Gonzalez on tres and coro, John Benthel on second tres, Jose Francisco Valdes on claves, Herman Olivera Jr. on coro, Luis Rosa on coro and Joe Gonzalez on bongos.

Each piece is beautifully arranged to show off the mastery of one, two and even all three of the Kings, but the most moving and amazing offering on the disc is the final track, "The Conga King's Grand Finale" which showcases the talents of each of these wonderful drummers and attests to the appreciation and affinity that these men feel toward each other.

This Conga Kings recording is a testament to the genre. 

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♥

Conguero

  

Francisco Aguabella

h2o
1999

Tracks:

1. Short Story   3:30
2. Quien Eres Tu   5:12   
3. Wood Place   4:24   
4. Nena   4:57   
5. Cavalie   3:18   
6. Son To Any Kid   4:55   
7. Intensity   4:02   
8. Vencido   4:31

9. Caito   4:46   
10. Danzonete   4:56
  
Personnel:

 Congas, Percussion - Francisco Aguabella

Bongos - David Romero
Double Bass - Jonathan Pintoff
Drums - Ed Smith
Lead Vocals - Nengue Hernandez
Piano - Joe Rotondi Jr.
Saxophone - Charles Owens
Trombone - Danny Weinstein
Trumpet - Luis Gonzalez
  

Remastered, remixed edition of 1986 release on Olm.

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There is no shortage of conguero-led Afro-Cuban and Latin jazz groups in the world. With so many household names like Poncho Sanchez and Ray Barretto to choose from, why stop and take notice of the slightly below the radar Francisco Aguabella? All questions will be answered and doubt will disappear at the first listen to 1999's H2O. While other percussionist/bandleaders have their roots firmly in the mambo dance craze of the '50s and '60s, Aguabella's music is born of rhumba. The difference is palpable. From his distinct, clear, sharp tone to his enigmatic, quinto-driven phrasing, Francisco, though a staple of the New York scene for many decades, never left Havana. Producer Orlando "Cachaito" Lopez, a Latin jazz headliner himself, managed to capture the raw, no-frills energy of Aguabella's style on H2O beautifully. Sonically, the record has the closeness and intensity of first-row seats in a small, smoky club. Stylistically a little less folkloric than Francisco's first release, Agua de Cuba, there's a dance sensibility that drives the record. The arrangements are plenty jazzy, but without losing the visceral punch that so many bandleaders sacrifice. The selections with vocals are definitely salsa, but without being homogenized or slick, maintaining the funky quality so often sacrificed in preference toward shiny production. If there is such a thing, Aguabella is both the modern master and original gangster of Afro-Cuban music.
~ Evan C. Gutierrez

This ultra-rare and highly sought-after piece of Latin jazz history has finally been reissued for the world to experience! This CuBop re-release corrected previous mix problems; and the album was completely remixed and remastered     "Francisco Aguabella's H2O, originally released on the Olm label in 1986 and long out of print, is the kind of forgotten gem that all too often stays that way. So Latin-jazz fans should thank their lucky stars that Cubop has seen fit to reissue it in all its fiery glory. H2O is a white-hot recording that showcases precisely why Aguabella, a master percussionist who was born in Matanzas, Cuba, and who has been a driving force in Latin jazz and Afro-Cuban music since his U.S. arrival in 1957, is a certified living legend. Bristling with tight salsa arrangements that spotlight Aguabella's topnotch ensemble (including Nengue Hernandez on timbales and vocals and trombonist Dan Weinstein, who's also appeared with Aguabella to great effect on 1999's Agua de Cuba), H2O still leaves plenty of room for Aguabella to shine. "Wood Place" intertwines a delicious piano montuno with some thrilling interplay between Aguabella's congas and the horn section, "Nena" boasts some tricky unison vocal work from Hernandez, Aguabella, and Orlando Lopez, and "Danzonette" presents Aguabella's riveting take on the classic Cuban danzon style. About the only quibble with H2O is its woeful lack of information in the packaging--surely not Cubop's fault, as the album was licensed from a small, fly-by-night label, but missed nonetheless. Still, as anyone who hears this will agree, that's a minor point: the music here is enough."
-Ezra Gale, Amazon.com

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"Aguabella is the John Coltrane of the Conga Drums.”
~ Dizzy Gillespie
  

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Conga y mas...

  

John Santos & Machete

Tribute to the Masters
1999
 
Tracks:

01 - Tin Tin Deo   
02 - Lyesa
03 - So What
04 - Himno De La Razas    
05 - Descarga lyawo    
06 - Itim    
07 - Moose The Mooch    
08 - Chango    
09 - Syeeda's Song Flute       
10 - Matters Not    
11 - Foreign Exchange       
12 - Salt Peanuts    
13 - Obalufon
 
Personnel:
 
John Santos - Percussion, Arranger, Conga, Gong, Synthesizer Programming, Wind Chimes, Waterphone, Guiro, Shaker, Quinto, Bata, Chekere, Claves, Piano
Israel "Cachao" López - Bass
Rebeca Mauleón - Piano, Arranger, Keyboards, Vocals
Wayne Wallace - Trombone, Arranger, Keyboards, Adaptation, Synthesizer Programming, Mixing
Bill Ortiz - Trumpet
Melecio Magdaluyo - Sax (Alto), Sax (Tenor)
Rev. Ron Stallings - Sax (Soprano)
Orestes Vilató - Bongos, Timbales, Bells
Yosvany Terry - Sax (Alto)
Paul Wageningen - Drums (Snare)
John Calloway - Flute
Ron Stalling - Sax (Tenor)
David Belove - Bass
John Calloway - Flute, Piano, Arranger
Jeff Cressman - Trombone, Engineer, Mixing Advisor, Flugelhorn

   

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John Santos is one of the foremost proponents of Afro - Latin music in the world today. This tribute to acknowledged masters of Afro - Latin and jazz features Israel “Cachao” Lopez, Orestes Villato, Wayne Wallace and more. The new John Santos & Machete album is titled "Tribute to the Masters" and salutes acknowledged masters of the jazz and Afro - Cuban worlds. Cubop is proud to have released this recording on February 8th, 2000.

  

Most of the selections on this CD, the third from John Santos' Machete Ensemble, are from 1998 - 1999, but there are also four cuts from 1989 - 1990. Ranging from Latin bop (including "Tin Tin Deo," "Moose the Mooche," and "Salt Peanuts") and folkloric chant pieces to Latinized versions of Miles Davis' "So What" and John Coltrane's "Syeeda's Song Flute," the music is continually intriguing and inspiring. The key soloists include trombonists Wayne Wallace and Jeff Cressman, Melecio Magdaluyo on various reeds, pianist Rebeca Mauleon, and many percussionists. Recommended. 

~ Scott Yanow, All Music Guide

    

Percussionist John Santos and his Machete Ensemble have won a devoted following in their native San Francisco Bay Area and among Latin - jazz aficionados the world over with their wide - ranging excursions into Afro - Caribbean music. Tribute to the Masters finds Santos and company paying tribute to individual icons like John Coltrane ("Syeeda's Song Flute"), Dizzy Gillespie ("Salt Peanuts"), and Miles Davis  ("So What") as well as to various Afro - Cuban religious music and to different Latin styles in general. Aside from a musical career that includes work with Gillespie, Eddie Palmeiri, Tito Puente, and Francisco Aguabella, Santos has long been known for his scholarly contributions to the field of Afro - Latin music as a writer and historian. In that sense, Tribute to the Masters  is a kind of historical survey of Latin music and a natural for Santos. The beauty of the disc, though, is that he and his breathtaking ensemble -  - which includes legendary guest musicians like bassist Israel "Cachao" Lopez and timbale player Orestes Villato -  - breathe life into homages to Afro - Cuban Santeria saints ("Chango" and "Iyesa") and fiery Latin - jazz workouts like "Moose the Mooche." ~ Ezra Gale

 

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John Santos (photo by Tom Ehrlich)

John Santos: “What is Latin Jazz?”

 

Want to learn more? Click here to download a list of resources for further listening and reading (discography & bibliography).

 

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Congas y mas

 

Ray Armando & His Playground Quintet
Mallet Hands
2000

Tracks:

1. Con Mi Guaguanco
2. Boxer
3. Eighty One
4. Mallet Hands
5. Take The 'A' Train
6. Soko
7. Elizete
8. In Sid's Thing
9. As We Were

Personnel:

Ray Armando (whistles, congas, percussion);
Ben Clatworthy (saxophone);
Jorge Valentin Griffin, Theo Sanders (piano);
Eddie Resto (bass);
Enzo Todesco (drums);
Robertino Melendez (bongos, shekere, bells);
Jose "Papo" Rodriguez (bongos, bells).

    

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By Egidio Leitao

Ray Armando has appeared on some of the greatest jazz and Latin albums of all time and has played with Duke Ellington, Stan Getz, Antonio Carlos Jobim, Joao Gilberto, Nina Simone, Gato Barbieri, Tito Puente and Lionel Hampton, just to name a few. After all these years-he started his involvement with Latin percussion at age 8-he finally has an album of his own.

Mallet Hands, produced by Bobby Matos, is a collection of nine original compositions featuring heavyweight players Ben Clatworthy (tenor sax), George Griffin and Theo Sanders (piano), Eddie Resto (bass), Enzo Tolesco (drums) and Robertito Melendez and Jose "Papo" Rodriguez (bongos). These players do some incredible work. Clatworthy's tenor solos are stunning, and his interplay with Griffin and Sanders is a knockout on the delectable closing track, "Con Mi Guaguanco."

Despite all the talented sidemen, however, your attention is never far from Armando's awesome percussive pyrotechnics. Billy Strayhorn's classic "Take the 'A' Train," for example, is transformed into an infectious, swinging samba. Armando's use of a Brazilian cu¡ca is astounding.

Mallet Hands is a roller-coaster trip of rhythms.

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Born on January 27, 1939 in Brooklyn, the young Armando would listen closely to his father’s Machito and Arsenio Rodriguez records and to the voice of his mother, a professional singer, dancer, and actress. While his dreams of becoming a baseball player were never realized, he did manage to become skilled on the conga drums at an early age.

He was first involved with Latin percussion through his uncle at the age of 8. His first real influence and teacher was Mongo Santamaria, who lived across the street from his family. At the age of fifteen, he went on the road with Elmo Garcia’s Big Band. After paying his dues with Garcia, he went on to work with the Mambo King himself, Tito Puente, with whom he would play at the legendary Palladium in New York City. After his stint with Puente, he continued his studies in percussion instruments and guitar compositions, delving into elements of harmony, theory and counterpoint.

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