August 17 - Show #58

Theme: Chin chon chow – Louie Ramírez

Song-Artist-Album-Label


Swamp people – Pucho and His Latin Soul Brothers – Compilation Can You Dig It? – Brown Sugar Records

Hit de bongo – Tito Puente – Compilation Can You Dig It? – Brown Sugar Records

Light and sweet – Willie Rosario – Compilation Latin Dance Party Vol. 2 1960's Boogaloo – Warner Jazz/Atlantic

One, two, three – Ramsey Lewis – Goin' Latin – Verve

Mexican hat dante – Clark Terry & Chico O'Farrill – Spanish Rice – Impulse!

Minor's holiday – Kenny Dorham – Afro-Cuban – Blue Note

Poinciana – McCoy Tyler – And The Latin Jazz Stars – Telarc Jazz

Ping pong – Conrad Herwig – The Latin Side of Wayne Shorter – Half Note

Watcha gonna do – Pete Escovedo – Mister E – Crossover

Iracuba – University of North Texas Latin Jazz Ensemble – En Clave – North Texas Jazz

Just now – Michel Camilo – Spirit of the Moment – Telarc Jazz

On the other hand – Michel Camilo – One More Once – Sony/Columbia

Watermelon man – Michel Camilo – Thru My Eyes – RMM Records

Samba triste – Eliane Elías – Compilation Calle 54 – Blue Note

Corcovado – Vince Guaraldi – The Latin Side of Vince Guaraldi – Fantasy Records

Você e eu – Herbie Mann – Do the Bossa Nova – Atlantic

Mas que nada – Oscar Peterson – Soul Espanol – Verve

Can't buy me love – Os Sambeatles – Os Sambeatles – Braz-Bossa-Roots

A hard day's night – Os Sambeatles – Os Sambeatles – Braz-Bossa-Roots



Highlights of the show:

Latin Soul aired today a complete three-theme set on the Dominican Republic pianist Michel Camilo. A composer and musician whose career spans three decades, and who has been years on top of the Latin jazz stardom, also a recognizable figure in straightahead jazz and classical piano. The clean, soberb, and outstanding piano sound of Mr. Camilo has long been appreciated in Latin Soul. By this set, the show wanted to go through different albums by him, covering different registers. Next, you may find the review of the albums from which themes has been selected to be aired in Latin Soul tonight. They are three different Latin jazz and jazz perspectives by a truly piano virtuous.





“Spirit of the Moment” was released by Telarc in 2007. It has the sound of a personal intimate album. Michel Camilo plays piano, Charles Flores plays bass, and Dafnis Prieto plays drums. A three-men lineup that approaches to straightahead jazz more than pure Latin jazz. You may find tunes reminding you of more Latin/funk sounds, as the opening track “Just now”, track 3 “Spirit of the moment”, or “Nardis”, which got a Flamenco jazzy tinge for its rythym at the piano performance. Finally, “Hurry up and wait” is another leaning on the Latin side. Overall, it´s a great sample of piano jazz with basic accompanying instrumentation, which appeals to all those who may enjoy melow piano tunes, with upbeat moments where piano and percussion explore a not very marked Latin connection as you may expect from other mainstream Latin jazz albums by Michel Camilo himself.





Michel Camilo´s “Thru my Eyes” is a 1997 album released by RMM Records, produced by Michel Camilo himself. It´s overall a wonderfull collection of takes on Latin jazz classic tunes, hence “Thru my eyes”. From “Poinciana”, “A night in Tunisia”, or “Oye cómo va”, to “Mambo Inn” and “Manteca”, among others, Mr. Camilo´s mastery at piano to be the main instrument, even at the lead of the percussion with his own piano strokes. Going from Latin “clave” sound to melodic piano tune just happens in a matter of seconds, showing the versatility of Mr. Camilo progressing from pure Latino to jazz and reverse. The accompanying band includes the ubiquitous Horacio “El negro” Fernández at drums, together with a bass support by the sidemen Anthony Jackson and John Patitucci, but no brass in this album. Mongo Santamaría´s classics “Watermelon man” and “Afro blue” are also among the reviews here done. A truly tour de force by Michel Camilo covering on many different tunes, but taking care of them offering something like a piano caress to Latin jazz marklands, and presumably keystones for his here shown exquisite talent.





“One More Once” is a 1994 album released by Columbia/Sony, where Michel Camilo composes all the songs. It counts with a truly big ensemble, among whom, we may find the saxophone of Paquito D'Rivera, and Giovanni Hidalgo at congas. The Latin jazz sound to this album is more obvious than in other samples by Mr. Camilo. There is a general festive flavor to all the tunes in the album, making any of them a good example of what it is contemporary Latin jazz with an aim for joy and catchy rhythms. The opening track “One more once” and following “Why not!” really set the tone for the album, suggesting that this is not the intimate piano jazz that we may find in other Michel Camilo´s works. Although, you still find room for Mr. Camilo piano solo on “The resolution”. Anyway, the album´s themes in general seek the syncopation to have the listener in the delightful territory of upbeat Latin jazz at its best.