Latin Jazz: Generic Thread Forever

(Wow, this thread really took off. It doesn't help that I'm largely uninterested in Latin jazz.)

I've linked below to the Ben Ratliff February 17, 2008 article in the NY Times on Cuban-born, Florida based pianist Gonzalo Rubalcaba's new efforts including going to NY and recording a cd with some young New York jazz musicians

New York can use him. An exciting recent undercurrent of music in the city has been a new kind of Afro-Latin jazz, with greater intellectual complexity, compositional ambition and cultural precision.

I'm both curious and skeptical. Can someone school me on this new New York Afro-Latin jazz. Who is he talking about? How is he defining "greater intellectual complexity"?

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/17/arts/music/17ratliff.html?pagewanted=1&ref=music

Is Ratliff just talking about the young guys who are working with Rubacalba on this project?

He started with the saxophonist Yosvany Terry, a slightly younger Cuban living in New York, whom Mr. Rubalcaba knew from school days in Havana. He found Mike Rodriguez, a young trumpeter in Charlie Haden’s Liberation Music Orchestra, and Matt Brewer, a bassist with Greg Osby’s band. At the end of the process, at Mr. Brewer’s suggestion, he added the drummer Marcus Gilmore, whom Mr. Rubalcaba had never heard. Mr. Gilmore had the task of learning some ferociously complicated music in three days. Three weeks of performances followed, then the making of the album in New York

I wouldn't be able to say, but there does seem to be a steady stream of Afro-Cuban jazz musicians defecting to the US. Elio Villafranca would be part of the relatively newer generation, and apparently he has introduced some specific folkloric elements that hadn't made it into Latin jazz before. (I am covering my butt here with all these qualifiers, because I am just repating things I've heard or read, and a while ago at that.)

La Gran Manzana has Latin Jazz cats playing all over the place of various ages - not clear exactly who he's talking about. Maybe should go over to the yahoo group and see what they have to say. Maybe Marcus Gilmore's mom will weigh in.

http://www.allaboutjazz.com/albums/chovan/bobby_sanabria.jpg
Hi Dere!

May have to check with that Yahoo group or e-mail a local jazz dj/writer/researcher I know

Marcus Gilmore (born 1986) was inspired by the music of his grandfather, legendary jazz drummer Roy Haynes...Marcus also loves Afro-Cuban Jazz and plays timbales and Latin percussion. He has performed with Steve Coleman, Ravi Coltrane, Vijay Iyer, John Clayton, and others, and has sat in with Chick Corea, Ray Barretto, Branford Marsalis, Jimmy Heath, Wycliffe Gordon, and Roy Hargrove.
from jazzimprov.com

Yosvany Terry put out a pretty ambitious album a couple years ago called Metamorphosis. I wonder if this kind of thing is what Pareles is talking about?

Here is another damn YouTube video of him doing one of his songs: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JwY-GuDJ9PI

I saw Marcus with Vijay Iyer and Rudresh Mahanthappa at the Jazz Gallery, with Roy Haynes sitting right behind me. As far as I can tell, he can play anything. The thing that was new to me was that he like another young guy Johnathan Blake, incorporates hip-hop style fills while he is playing in a jazz context.

http://files.calabashmusic.com/images/26093/hp_chris_washburne_and_the_syotos_band_26093.jpg
Hi Dere!

http://www.allaboutjazz.com/photos/profile/jasonlindner.jpg
Hi Dere!

http://www.thelivemusicreport.com/2007/June/AOJ/FranciscoMela_jun07aDX.jpg
Hi Dere!

My friend e-mailed me that Ratliff may be referring to New York based Cuban drummmer Dafnis Prieto, Miguel Zenon, and NY based Argentinian Guillermo Klein among others.

Yeah, I was trying to remember Miguel Zenon's name. I actually think Rubalcaba is in the forefront of this movement rather than needing to employ it; he's amazing.

Dafnis Prieto, that's the guy I was trying to think of. I've heard his name popping up.

Matt, have you heard this totally sick local Afro-latin band?

Ratliff is contrasting Rubacalba's current home lifestyle and his working on his own approach with the new energy he's getting from the New Yorkers--

Mr. Rubalcaba has spent about a decade living in southern Florida in a quiet gated community about half-hour from Fort Lauderdale. His life looks more like that of a classical-music virtuoso than a jazz musician. He goes to the airport, tours, comes home and dives back into practice.

Dafnis Prieto has two great albums as a leader on Zoho. Latin jazz, which I usually don't much care for, but his stuff is kinda progressive and smart. Worth checking out, for sure.

(xpost)
I thought Guillermo moved to Barcelona or somewhere but maybe he came back recently. I saw Zenon play at Cachaca with this wanky percussionist. Zenon himself was OK. That Dafnis Prieto quintet album, did it win an award or something, Grammy maybe? I didn't see the actual quintet but I saw Jason Lindner (pictured above) and Dana Leong do some non-Latin thing involving a trombone, a cello, a rock drummer (these three all Dana), a laptop and dueling space-age keyboards.

Matt, have you heard this totally sick local Afro-latin band?
Just going by the name you will like them, Matt, it is a rejected JBR screen name en español.

James Redd, you are correct that Argentinian Guillermo Klein left NYC and moved to Barcelona. But he's gonna be doing a free show Fri. 2-29 at the Library of Congress in DC with a q and a beforehand moderated by Larry Appelbaum (LOC employee, WPFW dj, and discoverer of that Monk Carnegie Hall tape).

I just hope Chilean Claudia Acuña hasn't moved out of NYC in the past year.

Some of these cats, like Guillermo and Jason, came out of the Small's scene.

Jordan, I haven't actually gone to hear them play, isn't that lame of me? I have heard Tony Castaneda Trio, but everyone's heard them.

With the usual disclaimers about Latin jazz not really being my thing, I have to say Dafnis Prieto is pretty impressive just to watch. (Same goes for Elio Villafranca, whose virtuosity is combined with great stage presence and charisma.)

Dr. Chris Washburne is doing his regular Sunday night gig at Smoke this evening. If I didn't feel under the weather, I'd head up there and see what those dudes have to say about this.

He's got a Norwegian and a Norwegian-American in that band, so not all of them are, um..

But it's a feeling man...

I saw Chris with his band (a bunch of initials--SYOTS or something)down here years ago.

Who am I kidding, I'm going to stay home tonight and do a big load of laundry. Or sort it and do it tomorrow. Or not sort it and feel guilty.

SYOTOS= See You On The Other Side. You don't know the story, Steve?

It's all coming back to me now. Yep I know the story.

Was just reading a review in the Washington Post over the weekend of the Ethos Percussion Group doing a Dafnis Prieto composition

Ummmm, I wanna hear Latin-jazz that's more Latin (yea that sounds kinda stereotypical but you know what I mean) than improv jazz

descarga vs. improv

Bought this beautiful reissue last month, just getting around to listening tonight...aaaaaaahhhhhhh, that's the stuff.

http://www.vinyl.com/covers/LPWORT1014H.gif

is there anything more raw than those early Willie Colon & Hector Lavoe records?

i would accept equally raw. or any other great two trombone salsa bands.

70s Salsa (was The Fania Label 1970-1980: S/D)

Jordan, I will think about this. I would say Cesta All Stars are pretty raw, but the people involved had better chops (which is not a put-down of Willie Colon, who I like immensely). They come highly recommended by Nina La Mulata Rumbera. Also Alegre All Stars (which was more or less the same outfit) but I'm less familiar with their work. Cesta only put out a couple albums I think. Oh, also, those Palmieri La Perfecta albums have a great rawness to them. Not quite garage-raw like the early Willie Colon stuff, but raw. Similar lineup, heavy on trombone (not sure if it's one or two or what, but it's heavy), but there's flute. (If flute should put you off for some reason, I want to emphasize that this is pretty raw flute.) My favorite La Perfecta albums are Lo Que Traigo and Azucar Pa' Ti. Also, the compilation on Libertad Records from a few years back, Lost Classics of Salsa is really good and has been described as a collection of "garage salsa," though orchestration varies. Some of that early (60's/very early 70s) Ray Barretto stuff is pretty raw too. Not my cup of tea, but maybe you would like it? Have you checked out any of his work from that time period?

thanks dude, i will try and check some of that stuff out. orchestra harlow sounds promising too.

Hmmm. I don't think I've heard anything by Larry Harlow that I'd consider as raw as early Colon/Lavoe stuff, not that he isn't good in his own right.

(Warning: I didn't find Lost Classics of Salsa vol. 2 as good as the first one, so if you get one, get the first one.)

noted. i'm digging on this video though: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iIpzn4M2KEg

I listened to a bunch of La Perfecta last night and I'm thinking you might do better with Molasses and Mozambique. The only problem with Molasses is that there's a horrible English-language bolero, "You're Gonna Hear From Me." Anyway, the other two I mentioned do both have really raw moments that need to be heard, but they get smooth at times. If you are interested in trombone (you play trombone, right?) you owe it to yourself to hear some of this stuff. Parts of EP's Unfinished Masterpiece (from the 70s) are pretty raw and manic. Actually, La Perfecta has an element of smooth as well. But the trombone work in La Perfecta is some of my favorite ever.

I may have pointed this article out to you before, but Barry Rogers was the lead trombonist on these albums, and he is a large part of what's great about them.

Also, parts of EP’s Unfinished Masterpiece.

You might also want to try Mon Rivera's Mon y Sus Trombones (1976). Willie Colon also did an album with him, but I wouldn’t say it’s as raw. I like it better though, and it’s called There Goes the Neighborhood.

Much of Angel Canales work has kind of a raw feel, although to me his arrangmenets are too sophisticated to be called raw (and he does smooth as well). Tends to be heavy on the barri saxophone like a lot of the real classic Puerto Rican salsa. This is a good song by him.

Marvin Santiago maybe?

nah, i play drums (trying to study up on timbales), i just like some unapologetic trombone. both those clips are nice, i'll put those dudes on the list.

as for "raw", i've got nothing against highly arranged stuff. i do love the sound and fuck-you attitude of those willie colon records, but i'm mostly looking for energy and montunos and as few slow tunes as possible.

if you want "raw" jordan this is the guy you need.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arsenio_Rodriguez
he's considered by many as the "godfather of salsa", although he wouldn't like that kind of talk.

here is a link to his discography http://www.slipcue.com/music/cuba/rodrigueza.html
and the only video of him with his band back in the dayz
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=71GHJf7Zi8E&feature=related

anyways, i have la pachanga and primitivo and both are essential listening. ive been meaning to investigate his older stuff but those 2 are so good i almost hate to spoil my finds.

The 2008 Latin Grammy nominations are out. Anybody recommend any of the below:

Best Latin Jazz Album
Mejor Album de Jazz Latino
Melhor Álbum de Jazz Latino
(For solo artists, duo or group performances. Vocal or Instrumental.
Para interpretaciones por artistas solistas, dúos o grupos, vocales o instrumentales.
Para artistas - solo, duplas ou performances em grupo. Vocais ou instrumentais.)

Afro Bop Alliance
Caribbean Jazz Project Featuring Dave Samuels
[Heads Up International]

Brasilianos 2
Hamilton de Holanda Quinteto
[Brasilianos]

Nonada
Rodolfo Stroeter, Tutty Moreno, Nailor Proveta, André Mehmari y Teco Cardoso
[Pau Brasil/Biscoito Fino]

Cultural Survival
David Sánchez
[Concord Picante]

Charlie Sepúlveda & The Turnaround
Charlie Sepúlveda & The Turnaround
[Turnaround Records]

http://www.grammy.com/latin/9_latin/

Cal Tjader is my MAN right now

Check out the albums he did with Eddie Palmieri if you haven't yet. (Of course, I say this coming more from Palmieri love than Cal Tjader love.)

Yup.

SOLAR HEAT

Cal Tjader is my MAN right now

― J0hn D., Thursday, December 4, 2008 2:13 PM (3 hours ago) Bookmark

Haha, I just downloaded numerous cal albums last night and have been playing them.

Gotten curious about the Skye catalog beyond what little I have. Probably will serch for the whole catalog tonight.

Albums in NY Times Best of 2008 lists in the December 21 issue

Ben Ratliff lists Gonzalo Rubalcaba-Avatar

Nate Chinen lists Guillermo Klein y Los Guachos Filtros
and David Sanchez-Cultural Survival

http://riverplatejazzfiles.blogspot.com/

https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/latin/8477603/jerry-gonzalez-dies-trumpeter-dead

Latin jazz trumpeter Jerry González has reportedly died at age 69, according to The Spanish Society of Authors and Publishers (SGAE) and local reports.

González reportedly died after a fire blazed through his first-floor home in Madrid around midnight on Monday (Oct. 1...González, who was of Puerto Rican parentage, was born in East Harlem and grew up in The Bronx. He was a member of Eddie Palmieri’s band early in his career, then joined Manny Oquendo’s Conjunto Libre with his brother, bassist Andy González. Andy was also by his side in The Fort Apache Band, which he formed in 1979.

After appearing in Spanish director Fernando Trueba’s 2000 Latin jazz documentary Calle 54, Jerry González moved to Madrid. There, he formed a quartet, El Comando de la Clave, and recorded and performed with both jazz and flamenco musicians

Aww man, as I wrote elsewhere on ilm, I once saw Jerry Gonzalez swagger down an aisle with his trumpet in a beat up case on his way late to join a panel in progress that he was supposed to be part of at a Smithsonian Museum.

He always seems to have more fire and energy than many Latin jazz players. What a shame he's gone.