Tite Curet Alonso Recording

I received an email from Aurora Flores about a "tribute" to the late Tite Curet Alonso, that is being released today.

check out Aurora's site for the liner notes:

http://www.zondelbarrio.com/Press.php

More info on Tite Curet Alonso:

http://www.herencialatina.com/Cachao/Canciones_Tite/Cancionero_Tite.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tite_Curet_Alonso

http://www.herencialatina.com/Mon_Rivera_2/Entrevista_Tite.htm

Miguel Zenon with Paoli Mejias

Paoli Mejia's latest release, Jazzambia, features Miguel Zenon. It is some of the best Latin Jazz to be played here in the USA in years IMHO. So in keeping with Ralph's insightful article about Miguel check him out on this CD. You will not be disappointed.

Here is the lineup:

Hans Glawischnig Bass
Antonio Sanchez Drums
Jaleel Shaw Saxes
Luis Perdomo Piano
Miguel Zenón Alto sax
Tony Escapa Drums
Chris Cheek Saxes
Christian Nieves Cuatro
Rafael Tito De Gracia Timbal
Ricardo Pons Alto sax
Yan Carlos Artime Coro

"Perspectiva Fragmentada" - John Santos Quintet (Machete Records)

I am a big John Santos fan, but moreso for his folkloric offerings (i.e. Kindembo, Batachanga). John always manages to get great rumberos and percussionists together to record as a cohesive unit, it never sounds forced in other words. Sandy Perez, Willie Ludwig, Yaya Maldonado, Roberto Borrell are some of his regular guests.

But when it comes to Latin Jazz, he ain't no slouch either. "Perspectiva Fragmentada" is no exception. John fearlessly takes us on a journey through concepts made reality and recorded with a tenderness and attention to detail that only comes from truly having a respect for the traditions while forging ahead.

I won't go into too much detail, but I have been pumping this in the car for a couple of days and it just refuses to get old and tired. "Campana La Luisa" starts as a Palo song, then bembe, then son, then afro! I can't remember the last time I heard an Afro tune that wasn't recorded during the Golden Era of Latin Music. "Not in Our Name" is another great tune which seems to be taken straight out of "Miller's Crossing" only with bata thrown in for good measure.

Check out this review:

A musician’s perspective is their unique view of the world, shaped by their life and shared through music. Life experiences shape a musician’s perspective in many ways; every event in a musician’s life has an effect on their overall perception of the world. Upbringing, ritual, and tradition all foster a musician’s cultural perceptions, and the value that they place upon their heritage. Exposure to other lives and beliefs can expand an individual’s perspective, helping them look at the world through another person’s eyes. As musicians translate their perspective into sound, that worldview, background, and exposure shines through their compositions...

(click below for the whole review)

http://www.chipboaz.com/blog/2008/10/26/album-of-the-week-perspectiva-fragmentada-the-john-santos-quintet/

Steve Berrios Y Son Bacheche - "First World" (Milestone MCD-9234-2)

If you have checked out "Sentimiento Manana" than you know that I will at times submit posts highlighting particular albums that stand out in the world of rumba and percussion. Well, I wanted to continue that here at Street Level, but with a focus more on the "Latin Jazz" side of things. I think its only right that I start by profiling "First World" by Steve Berrios & Son Bacheche.

Steve Berrios first album is as honest as it gets. Straight ahead jazz, rumba, guiro, palo, all come together to somehow form an album as cohesive as it is different. It is as if Steve's various moods were somehow sonicly captured and produced for our listening pleasure. But enough with the abstract thought, let's get down to the nitty gritty.

First World starts out with "Mafranbingo", a great straight ahead Joe Ford arrangement a la Fort Apache. "La Buena Noche Mi Ngo", a Palo tune with Pedro Morejon singing the gallo part and Eddie Bobe and Steve on coro. "Once I Loved", is a great vocal jazz tune, which is followed by "El Nino Rey", a standard in the world of rumba which features the voice of Eddie Bobe and Julito Collazo on Iya. "Talkin' to Myself", is basically Steve conversing with himself through various percussion instruments. "Iremowire", a guiro with Julito Collazo serving as akpwon and playing agbe. "Uranus" is another great tune which fluctuates between straight ahead jazz and rumba, the pianist is not listed but I'd bet money that Larry Willis is at the helm on this one. "Brushin It" is another Steve solo tune, but this time on 3 snare drums and brushes. "Once in a While", a bolero features Freddy Cole on vocals. "Alamofije" a columbia with the late great Julito on lead vocals features Steve on quinto and Eddie Bobe on tres dos. "Deja Voodoo" is a short guiro interlude to "Dale" a rumba with Eddie Bobe on lead vocals and Papo Vasquez on trombone. "Lonely Woman/Acolona" is Ornette Coleman meets bata, with Julito on iya, Steve on itotele, Eddie Bobe on okonkolo, John Benitiez on bass, Eddie Henderson, Joe Ford, Peter Brainin, Papo Vazquez on horns. "Wild Is the Wind" another great smooth jazz tune features a great piano intro by Larry Willis. "Son Bacheche" ends the album with a short Comparsa Santiaguera.

As you can see this is not your typical "latin jazz" album but rather a day in the life of Steve Berrios, percussionist par excellence. Steve has played with the who's who, and can pretty much play everything in the world of latin and jazz percussion. He plays bata, rumba, classical percussion, traps, palo, guiro, brazilian, he even sings. Willie has played some Palo gigs with Steve and if I may quote him, "Steve can play more with one hand than most can play with two."

Do yourself a favor and get this cd. Price is no excuse since Amazon is selling this album so cheap that it can't be legal.

I am going to leave you with a Steve Berrios quote from an article that Eddie Bobe wrote for Descarga.

"Music for me is a life experience. It's not like I'm a musician at 9pm for the first set and when I get off the bandstand that's it. It's something you have to live while you're brushing your teeth or while you go pay your telephone bill." (Steve Berrios, 95')

(Steve, Photo Credit: Steve Berrios)