April 27 - Show #51

Theme: Chin chon chow – Louie Ramírez

Song-Artist-Album-Label

Rumdrum – Tómas Einarsson – Compilation Putumayo Presents Latin Jazz – Putumayo Records

Changuí para Alfredo – Jane Bunnett – Radio Guantánamo: Guantánamo Blues Project Vol. 1 – Blue Note

Milestones – VW Brothers – Muziek – Patois Records

Baila guajira – Latin Percussion Jazz Ensemble – Just Like Magic – Latin Percussion Inc.

Rhapsodia del maravilloso – Sabú & Arsenio Rodríguez – Palo Congo – Blue Note

Cómo se goza en el barrio – Marc Ribot – Y Los Cubanos Postizos (The Prosthetic Cubans) – Atlantic

Mama Inés – Grant Green – The Latin Bit – Blue Note

Samba de Orpheus – Grant Green & Big John Patton – Iron City – 32. Jazz Records

Grazing in the grass – Willie Bobo – Talkin’ Verve – Verve

Yeh! Yeh! – Mongo Santamaría – Compilation From Latin… To Jazz Dance Vol. 5 – Rare Groove Recordings

Guaguanco stroll – Wali & The Afro Caravan – Compilation A Gozar! – Blue Note

Thousand finger man – Cándido – Thousand Finger Man – Blue Note

Wave – Elli Fordyce Sings – Songs Spun of Gold – Fordyce Music

Obsession – Sarah Vaughan with Milton Nascimento – Brazilian Romance – CBS

What a difference a day made – Carmen Lamarque – Live in Lima – Self-produced: carmenlamarque.com

Strangers in the night – RG Royal Sound Orchestra – Impact – RG Records

El muerto vivo – Peret – Éxitos Originales – BMG

Un mundo raro – Concha Buika – El último trago – Warner Music Spain

El agüíta del querer – Martirio with Chano Domínguez – Acoplados – RTVE Música


Highlights of the show:

'Latin Soul' offered tonight two tunes by Grant Green where the great guitar player showcases a Latin approach to his work. Both were renditions to classics from Cuba and Brazil respectively. Thus, the Latin guitar jazz by Grant Green becomes the highlights of tonight´s 'Latin Soul'.




1961 recorded and 1963 Blue Note release, Grant Green´s “The Latin Bit” was remastered and rereleased in 2007. Out of the extense Mr. Green career, this is his approach to Latin music, precisely in a time where it was common ground that many of straight jazz stars would try to explore new paths along the Latin soundscapes. The characteristic Grant Green´s plucking style is dominating the melodies from beginning to end of the album, accompanied by a bassline of percussion. As a result, a mellow overall tone offers almost an hour of Afro-Cuban classics, like “Mambo Inn”, “Mamá Inés”, “Tico tico”; together with samba tunes, “Brazil”; and renditons to classics as “Bésame mucho” and “Granada”. There´s room to Mr. Green compositions as “Blues for Juanita”; and more renditions as “My little suede shoes” and “Hey there”. Maybe the variation of approaches does not make the album work as a well blended piece, but yet it shows great moments and highlights of Latin jazz in the unusal format of guitar jazz and Afro-Cuban percussion support. All in all, a good album to enjoy Grant
Green´s musicianship, and the good deeds of the expertise of Willie Bobo and Carlos 'Patato' Valdés taking care of the percussion section. Lastly, despite the attempts of the musical cultural blend showcased, the artwork in the cover shows ignorance of the vast manifestations of Latin culture: Grant Green´s Latin outfit has nothing to do with the Latin musical approach given to his album. Let´s just keep it to the music, then.

April 20 - Show #50

Theme song: Chin chon chow – Louie Ramírez

Song-Artist-Album-Label

La camorra – Astor Piazzolla – Compilation Jazz Latino A Collection of Latin Inspirations – Chesky Records

Como dos extraños – Tango Bar – Compilation Jazz Latino A Collection of Latin Inspirations – Chesky Records

Libertango (Tributo a Astor Piazzolla) – Michel Camilo & Tomatito – Spain Again – Decca

El abogado – VW Brothers – Muziek – Patois Records

Solid – Wayne Wallace Latin Jazz Quintet – ¡Bien Bien! – Patois Records

Cherokee – Kristina – Offshore Echoes – Patois Records

Afro Blue – McCoy Tyner – And the Latin All Stars – Telarc Jazz

Landú – Manuel Miranda – Compilation El Sonido del Jazz - Afro Jazz Peruano – TDV Media & Enterteinment Perú

Arroz con concolón – Yuri Juárez – Afroperuano – Saponegro Records

Canela – Kenyara – Compilation El Sonido del Jazz - Afro Jazz Peruano – TDV Media & Enterteinment Perú

Amor de mis amores – Ángel Lobatón – Afro Peruano Son – Jaguar Music Records

Bahia de todos os santos – Dendê & Hãhãhães – Bahia de Todos Os Santos – Mamadêlê Productions

Na beira do Rio – Dendê & Hãhãhães – Bahia de Todos Os Santos – Mamadêlê Productions

Não me estrague o dia – Os paralamas do sucesso – Compilation Beleza Tropical 2 – Luaka Bop

Rios, pontes & overdrives – Chico Science & Nação Zumbi – Compilation Beleza Tropical 2 – Luaka Bop

Tanacara – Gonzaguinha – Compilation Beleza Tropical 2 – Luaka Bop

Vamos esta noite – Clã – Cintura – EMI Music Portugal

Tira a Teima – Clã – Cintura – EMI Music Portugal

Olha a Ribeirinha – Negros de Luz – A Tribute to Amália Rodrigues – Times Square Records


Highlights of the show:

Latin Soul has offered a selection of contemporary West Coast Latin jazz from artists such as VW Brothers, Wayne Wallace, and Kristina, recording for the label Patois Records, whose work is remarkably oriented to the launching of new values especially from the San Francisco Bay Area Latin jazz today's music scene. Following, you may find a review on the recently released album “Muziek” by VW Brothers.



VW Brothers sign the album “Muziek”, a 2010 Patois Records release. VW Brothers is the artistic name of Paul Van Wageningen and Marc Van Wageningen. Brothers who are native to The Netherlands, long time residents in the States, currently settled (for a long time, too) in the San Francisco Bay Area. They share the responsabilities like this: Paul at the drums and Marc at the bass. They have long been musicians from the Pete Escovedo Orchestra, and have work along side with many musicians always being regulars in the support lineups for recordings for albums of others. Revered among the musicians and conneisaurs of the scene, an album composed and released under their name has been long awaited. So far, there has been many “long” in this review. Finally, with “Muziek”, we obviously are in front of the result of talented musicians who were expected to go a step ahead in their careers and have some pay back in the sense of publicly acclaimed recognition. Regulars from contemporary Latin jazz scene like Wayne Wallace and Michael Spiro among a numerous orchestra members (and I presume, friends) have made possible bring “Muziek” to life. A collection of eleven themes ranging from classic contemporary Latin jazz (“Zapatos de madera”, “Benito”, the take on Miles Davis' “Milestones”, “Cecilia's song”), to more straightahead jazz (“Simone”, “Moon over gate”) to funky jazz as well (“You guys done yet?”), which will make pleasant the listening of it to anyone keen on these music standards. Especially remarkable is the tune “El abogado”, where a truly crossover takes place and you may go from Cuban ritual chant, to cool keyboards, to trumpet solo and more in all seven minutes. Likewise the ending tune “Euro” is the mellow tone close to melancolic epilogue to a highly recommendable sample of crossover jazz going from Latin to less ethnic approaches leaving a smooth feeling in the listener, who probably will long enjoy this work.

April 13 - Show #49

Theme: Chin chon chow – Louie Ramírez

Song-Artist-Album-Label

Latin Soul square dance – Joe Bataan with Los Fulanos – King of Latin Soul – Vampisoul

Coco-e – Joe Bataan – Saint Latin’s Day Massacre – Fania

Welcome to the party – Har-You Percussion – Compilation The New Latinaires – Ubiquity Records

Dance, dance, dance – The Lebron Brothers & Orchestra – Compilation Playtime-Latinsoul Boogaloo – Hi & Fly Records

Bobo! Do that thing – Willie Bobo – Compilation Latin Soul, Descarga & Boogaloo – Manzana Producciones Discográficas

Muchacha – Manteca – Tremendo Boogaloo – Freestyle

New York Soul – Ray Barretto – Compilation Can You Dig It? – Brown Sugar Records

I like it like that – Cosa Nostra – Cosa Nostra – RAFF

Maw Latin Blues – Nuyorican Soul – Nuyorican Soul – Mercury Records

Juana Mil Ciento – Irakere – Compilation Latin Jazz La Combinación Perfecta – Smithsonian Folkways Recordings

And I love her (Mi gran amor le di) – José Alberto “El canario” – Tropical Tribute to The Beatles – RMM

A hard day’s night – Johnny Rivera – José Alberto “El canario” – Tropical Tribute to The Beatles – RMM

And I love her – Os Sambeatles with Manfredo Fest – Os Sambeatles – Braz-Bossa-Roots

A hard day’s night – Os Sambeatles with Manfredo Fest – Os Sambeatles – Braz-Bossa-Roots

Triste – Manfredo Fest – Compilation The Bossa Nova Exciting Jazz Samba Rhythms Vol. 5 – Rare Groove Recordings

Samba Toff – Sexteto de Jazz Moderno – Compilation The Bossa Nova Exciting Jazz Samba Rhythms Vol. 5 – Rare Groove Recordings

Samba para dos – Eddy Harris feat. Lalo Schifrin – Compilation The Bossa Nova Exciting Jazz Samba Rhythms Vol. 5 – Rare Groove Recordings

Guisella – Yuri Juárez – Afroperuano – Saponegro Records

El norte – Gabriel Alegría – Wayruro – Rhino Records


Highlights of the show:

It's a common saying that The Beatles have inspired many artist and actually have shaped the popular culture of XXth century and probably centuries to come... Latin Soul have presented tonight two albums that lie straight under the category of Beatles musical inspiration. The best of it all is that the crossing of genres that have been made in the process. Both salsa and bossa nova musical genres have served to offer rendition on classic Beatles songs. “A Tropical Tribute to The Beatles”, from the Latin music world, and “Os Sambeatles”, from the bossa nova scene, have been aired back to back on their respective takes on these Beatles intemporary themes: “And I love her” and “ A hard day's night”. Next, you may read reviews in both albums published in different websites, such as buy.com and dustygroove.com.




A bossa nova take on The Beatles -- served up with plenty of great keyboard work from the legendary Manfredo Fest! Fest is well know to bossa fans for his killer combo sides of the 60s -- and although this album's a much more obscure effort, it follows in a very similar vein -- instrumental and strongly jazz-based, with piano or organ as the main solo instrument, soaring over the top of some tightly crackling rhythms! The tunes are all Lennon/McCartney compositions -- played with lots of inventive touches that really take them from their roots, and open them up as new groovers filled with keyboard improvisation. Titles include "All My Loving", "Help", "Can't Buy Me Love", "Michelle", "Hard Day's Night", and "Ticket To Ride". Review by Dusty Groove America, Inc.




On December 31, 1962, the Beatles performed the classic song "Bésame Mucho" at the Star Club in Hamburg, Germany, in recognition of the highly emotive music from Latin America. Four decades later, RMM decided to bring the Beatles' greatest hits back, this time played by some of the most prominent Latin artists in a tropical tribute to one of the most influential acts in popular music ever. After the opening track, "Hey Jude," by Puerto Rican singer Tony Vega, Tito Nieves and the percussion virtuoso Tito Puente deliver a freewheeling "Let It Be." The Cuban soloist Guianko performs a salsa version of "Can't Buy Me Love," followed by Johnny Rivera's "Hard Day's Night." Latin diva Celia Cruz sings her own version of "Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da," while New York-based Ray Sepúlveda and Manny Manuel do the same on "The Fool on the Hill" and "I Want to Hold Your Hand," respectively. Domingo Quiñones' cover of "Day Tripper" is followed by "Lady Madonna" by Venezuelan-born Oscar D'León, and Jesús Enríquez joins Cuban Miles Peña on "With a Little Help From My Friends." RMM Tropical Tribute to the Beatles comes to an end with a stylish version of "Yesterday" by Cheo Feliciano (aka José Cheo Feliciano), a bolero-inflected "And I Love Her," and "Come Together" by Latin jazz symbol Tito Puente. A joyous 13-track record with captivating and even exuberant performances in both English and Spanish. ~ Drago Bonacich on buy.com.