September 28 - Show #62

Theme: Chin chon chow – Louie Ramírez

Song-Artist-Album-Label

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

Watermelon man – Mongo Santamaría – Compilation Latin Soul, Descarga & Boogaloo –
Manzana Producciones Discográficas

Camel walk – The Latinaires – Compilation The Bad Boogaloo Ny Yorican Sounds 1966-1970 – Fania

Dame un tipi – Frankie Dante & Orquestra Flamboyan – Compilation Playtime, Latin Soul Boogaloo – Hy&Fly Records

Hey mama – Johnny Zamot – Boogaloo Frog – J. Z. Productions

Every Monday – Manteca – Tremendo Boogaloo – Freestyle Records

Mini skirt – Mambo Zombies – Mambo Zombies – Self-produced: www.mambozombies.com

Hippie tune (Song for Josh) – New Cool Collective – Soul Jazz Latin Flavours
Nineties Vibe – Club 802/Challenge Records

Soul limbo – Cándido – Thousand Finger Man – Blue Note

The opener – Latin Percussion Jazz Ensemble – Just Like Magic – Latin Percussion Inc.

McCanna – Les McCann Ltd. – Compilation ¡A Gozar! – Blue Note

Tupac Amaru – Gato Barbieri – Fenix – Flying Dutchman/RCA Victor/BMG France

El arriero – Gato Barbieri – Fenix – Flying Dutchman/RCA Victor/BMG France

Bert’s bossa nova – Bert Kaempfert & His Orchestra – Compilation The Bossa Nova
Exciting Jazz Samba Rhythms Vol. 5 – Rare Groove Recordings

Bossa per due – Nicola Conte – Bossa Per Due – Eighteenth Street Lounge Music

Sai das trevas – Jazzamor – Compilation Sinners Lounge: The Latin Sessions – Confort Sounds

Criança das ondas – Intuit – Compilation Sinners Lounge: The Latin Sessions – Confort Sounds

Brazil nuts – Alex Valentin – Compilation Latin Vibes: Club Selection – Kinkysweet


Highlights of the show:

Latin Soul dedicated a set to one of the favorites artists and album ever played in the show. This is, Gato Barbieri and his 1972 album ‘Fenix’. An awesome musical gem that naturally deserves to be the highlight everytime is played on the air. Next, you may find a review on this album.





Gato Barbieri´s “Fenix” is an album from 1971 that could have been released today, 40 years later, and it would keep the freshness and cutting-edge than from back then. Well, we don´t talk about some electronica effects or something alike, but the pattern-free melodic evolutions in it. Greatly inspired by the free jazz movement of earlier seventies, this album will resemble to legendary saxophonist such as Pharoa Sanders or Ornette Coleman. The presence of the raw saxophone sound all over guiding the tune at its discretion is the distinctive feature of the earlier years of Gato Barbieri, and this album in particular earned him popularity becoming quite well known among jazz connoiseaurs or those seeking the new and non cannonical jazz style at the time. Regarding the content of the album, it is a fact in Mr. Barbieri´s first part of career to have a conception of jazz like a panamerican source of musical representation. This is, through this compositions, he wants to follow the jazz standards, adding nonetheless those instruments from the Southamerican music tradition. So, instruments from the Andean cultures wouldn´t surprise in this productions. In “Fenix”, the approach is more to the Brazilian music school, and instruments like the birimbau and conga and bongo drums are present all ove the album, at times getting engaged with samba rythms as well. The six tracks of the album are superb, offering a great listening experience along the forty minutes it lasts. Tunes which are a must to review from time to time: “Falsa bahiana”, “Bahia” which are clearly Brazilian inspired, and “El arriero”, in the best Gato´s tradition of saxophone raw power, cheered up vocally boosted tune, which is so typical of him. Definitively a gem of a very personal way to understand Latin jazz, easy to fall under the spell work of art.

September 21 - Show #61

Theme: Chin chon chow – Louie Ramírez

Song-Artist-Album-Label

We got Latin soul – Mongo Santamaría – Compilation Kool It, Soul Funk & Jazz Go Latin – Harmless Recordings

It’s not what you say – Louie Ramírez – Louie’s Grooves – Vampi Soul

Latin Soul Square Dance – Joe Bataan with Los Fulanos – King of Latin Soul – Vampi Soul

Fever – La Lupe – Compilation Kool It, Soul Funk & Jazz Go Latin – Harmless Recordings

Do you dig it? – Ray Barretto – Latino con Soul – PolyGram Records

Tighten up – Al Escobar & His Orchestra – Compilation Kool It, Soul Funk & Jazz Go Latin – Harmless Recordings

Vehicle – Susie Hansen – Representante de la Salsa – Jazz Caliente

Las calles de Chicago – Susie Hansen – Representante de la Salsa – Jazz Caliente

The new arrival – Charlie Sepúlveda – The New Arrival – Antilles

Passing by – Marlon Simon and the Nagual Spirits – In Case You Missed It – Jazzheads

El toro – Jerry González & The Fort Apache Band – Moliendo Café – Sunny Side Music

Contagio – Gonzalo Rubalcaba – Compilation Afro-Cuban Jazz Now – Blue Note

Yemayá – Jane Bunnett – Radio Guantánamo: Guantánamo Blues Project Vol. 1 – Blue Note

Footprints – Mark Weinstein – Timbasa – Jazzheads

Go east – Jeno Somlai – Let It Go – Self-produced album: www.jenosomlai.net

Bulerías del norte – Tino di Geraldo – Nuevos Medios Colección – Nuevos Medios

Entre tinieblas – Jorge Pardo – Las Cigarras Son Quizá Sordas – Milestone

Orobroy – Dorantes – Orobroy – Phantom


Highlights of the show:

Latin Soul kicked off tonight with an interesting selection of hyper upbeat tunes from reference artists from the so called Latin soul of the 70’s. The compilation Kool It, Soul Funk & Jazz Go Latin fed most of this segment. Next you may find a review on this album.





This compilation released by the British label Harmless in 2001 is another sample of the high interest that in the latest years is brought to this other kind of the golden era of the 70’s soul. Here you may find the great names of the genre, such as Mongo Santamaría, Ray Barretto, Joe Bataan, Jack Costanzo, Jimmy Sabater, and even La Lupe. The compilation works perfect as a whole despite the variety because it really sets a flow from tune to tune, truly making the whole piece a connected collection made up of very well back to back complemented songs. In the end, it is a very enjoyable piece of music to retro speed up your parties or just having a cool funky moment. Many of the songs are in English, always having a base on a typical Latin percussion and song rhythm structure. In this sense, Mongo Santamaría and Jack Costanzo got the highest accuracy in the crossover of Latin and Soul. Mr. Santamaría’s “We got Latin Soul” could be taken as an anthem for the genre. Ray Barretto is bringing here a more jazzy mode, as Joe Bataan, with his cover of “Theme of Shaft”, is closer to a purest soul style. Al Escobar & His Orchestra is another of the assets of the album, as Pucho & the Latin Brothers, who is a main reference in the style. Finally, the cover of “Fever” by La Lupe is one to remember and appreciate in its entire kitschy dimension. Concluding, a varied and very attractive compilation to help out interested listeners around finding more artists who at a certain point of music history wanted to explore both their Latin and Afro-American musical heritage with truly enjoyable results.

September 14 - Show #60

Theme: Chin chon chow – Louie Ramírez

Song-Artist-Album-Label

Campiña – Afro-Cuban Jazz Project – Putumayo presents Cuba – Putumayo Records

Sabroso como el guarapo – Orquesta Sublime – Putumayo presents Cuba – Putumayo Records

El bodeguero – Rubén González – Chanchullo – World Circuit/Nonesuch

No me llores más – Omara Portuondo – Buena Vista presents Omara Portuondo – World Circuit/Nonesuch

Boliviana – Irakere – Putumayo presents Cuba – Putumayo Records

Flores para tu altar – Celina y Reutilio – Éxitos de Celina y Reutilio – Discos Meca Suaritos

Rhapsodia del maravilloso – Sabu Martínez & Arsenio Rodríguez – Palo Congo – Blue Note

La luna en tu mirada – Ry Cooder & Manuel Galbán – Mambo Sinuendo – World Circuit/Nonesuch

Foforo Fo Firi – Los Hombres Calientes – Vol. 3 New Congo Square – Basin Street Records

Brother running – Los Hombres Calientes – Vol. 3 New Congo Square – Basin Street Records

Fantazias de samba – Los Hombres Calientes – Vol. 3 New Congo Square – Basin Street Records

Berimbau – Americo Bellotto – Compilation The Mood Mosaic 7-The New Shapes of Sound –Partners in Crime

Bim bom – Silvio Silvera – Compilation The Mood Mosaic 7-The New Shapes of Sound – Partners in Crime

L’enfant samba – Cortex – Compilation The Mood Mosaic 7-The New Shapes of Sound – Partners in Crime

Forever song – Mosquitos – Mosquitos – Bar/None Records

No ano que vem – Tania Maria – Compilation The Most of Latin Groove – Jazz FM Records

Tudo que você podia ser – Azymuth feat. Nair Candia – Compilation The Most of Latin Groove – Jazz FM Records

Nagô Buddha – Gilberto Gil – Parabolic – Warner Music Brazil/WEA Latina Inc.

Minhas lágrimas – Caetano Veloso – Cê – Nonesuch Records


Highlights of the show:

Latin Soul dedicated a set to the New Orleans ensemble Los Hombres Calientes. Out of their album New Congo Square Vol. 3., the veterans from the Big Easy give a shot to a jazz and latin crossover. Next, you may find a review on their album by Eugene Holley, Jr., from Amazon.com.




New Orleans's fabled Congo Square was the meeting place where blacks from Africa and the West Indies danced to their native grooves during the slavery era. Paying homage to one of the Crescent City's most historic spots is the city's own Los Hombres Calientes--percussionist Bill Summers, trumpeter Irvin Mayfield, and the newest member, drummer Horacio "El Negro" Hernandez. They take Congo Square to the Americas beyond the U.S. with Cuba's Isaac Delgado and Jamaica's Burning Spear. Recorded in New Orleans, Havana, Santo Domingo, and Bahia, New Congo Square delves into the rumba/salsa "Forforo Fo Firi," the reggae classic "I Shot the Sheriff," and the merengue-motored "Dominicanos." Mayfield plays the Brazilian bossa nova with passion on "Corcovado/Nocturnal Low Moan" and Jamaica's Rastafarian rhythms spring forth on "Nyabinghi." Stateside, the group also funks up contemporary urban dance grooves on the "New Bus Stop," and trumpeter Michael Ray and vocalist Kermit Ruffins serve up a tasty musical gumbo on "New Second Line." Los Hombres Calientes vividly connect the musical dots in the African American hemisphere. By Eugene Holley, Jr., from Amazon.com

August 24 - Show #59

Theme: Chin chon chow – Louie Ramírez

Song-Artist-Album-Label

Mamá agüela – Cal Tjader – Primo – OJC/Fantasy

Baby – Dave Pike and his orchestra – Manhattan Latin – DECCA

Rip a dip – The Latin Jazz Quintet – Latin Soul – Prestige

Arthur’s dance – The Caribbean Jazz Project – Compilation The Colors of Latin Jazz A Latin Vibe! – Concord Records

Tanguedía – Gary Burton – Compilation The Colors of Latin Jazz A Latin Vibe! – Concord Records

Have you met Miss Jones – Jeno Somlai – Let It Go – Self-produced album: www.jenosomlai.net

Caragua – Grafitti – Grafitti – Self-produced album: www.tomgraf.com

Brigas nunca mais – Jacob Melchior – It’s About Time – Self-produced album: www.jacobmelchior.com

Samba de Orly – Miguel de León – Postcards from Rio – Self-produced album: www.migueldeleon.net

Atabaque de Cunha – Dendê & Hãhãhães – Bahia de Todos os Santos – Mamadêlê Productions

Fado Alfacinha – Amália Rodrigues – Compilation Café Portugal – Union Square Music

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

Oye cómo viene – Chano Domínguez – Compilation Calle 54 Music from the Miramax motion picture – Blue Note

La danza de las sombras – Dorantes – Sur – EMI

Soleares – Pedro Iturralde & Paco de Lucía – Jazz Flamenco Vols. 1 y 2 – Hispavox/Blue Note

Bulerías – Pedro Iturralde & Paco de Lucía – Jazz Flamenco Vols. 1 y 2 – Hispavox/Blue Note

Las ciudades – Concha Buika y Chucho Valdés – El Último Trago – Warner Music Spain

Corazón loco – Bebo & Cigala – Lágrimas Negras – Calle 54 Records/Ariola-BMG



Highlights of the show:

Latin Soul aired today a few good flamenco and jazz crossover tunes, as it is the nature of the show. Among other artists featuring their blend of jazz and flamenco creations, a double set dedicated to Pedro Iturralde, a pioneer of this genre, has been the highlight of tonight´s show. Following, you may find a review to a landmark album from which two themes were aired in Latin Soul tonight.




Pedro Iturralde is a retired Spanish musician and composer who graduated from Royal Conservatory in Madrid, from which he retired in 1994. He was born in 1929, and dedicated his life to music. As a musician, his instrument was saxophone, and he enjoyed an extense and international career (studied at Berklee College of Music Boston, Ma) as a performer in jazz and as soloist at symphony orchestras. Being keen on jazz, along with classical music, he went on to lead his own jazz band in Madrid, and probably catched the new trend on crossover jazz and flamenco started in the 60's by Miles Davis and his “Sketches of Spain”. In 1967 and 1968, Pedro Iturralde goes on to experimenting and doing recordings for the Spanish label Hispavox, which were released under the name “Jazz Flamenco”, which later would be released as one album with the title “Jazz Flamenco Vols. 1 y2”, which later in the 90's were released by Blue Note as well.

“Jazz Flamenco Vols. 1 y 2” joins Pedro Iturralde's jazz band and the guitar of Paco de Lucía. This is a collection of eight themes were mainly a bebop jazz sound shares wisely with the flamenco guitar. The overall flow of the saxophone and drums will break a clear space for the guitar and the flamenco melodies at certain points in the evolution of the themes making the perfect ensemble of both jazz and flamenco musical languages. If you like jazz, the fresh guitar notes for opening and guiding first steps in tunes, as in “Zorongo gitano”, “Soleares” or “Bulerías” setting the flamenco tone to let the saxophone blend in and having the jazz band constrined in the complex rhythms of flamenco, you are going to enjoy this album. If you are on flamenco only, maybe this is not your cup of tea. All in all, it´s remarkable the solos of saxophone and guitar going back and forth as in a dialogue between Mr. Iturralde and Mr. De Lucía in the tracks of this highly recommendable album.

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.

August 10 - Show #57

Theme: Chin chon chow – Louie Ramírez

Song-Artist-Album-Label

Moderna muchacha – Joe Loco – Ultra-Lounge Vol. 17: Bongo Land – Capitol

A night in Tunisia – Latin Jazz Sextet – Joe Loco – Ultra-Lounge Vol. 17: Bongo Land – Capitol

Club Caballeros – Laurindo Almeida – Joe Loco – Ultra-Lounge Vol. 17: Bongo Land – Capitol

Mambo Jambo – Xavier Cugat – The Original Latin Dance King – Sony

Tuxedo – John Reids – Morphine Mambo Jazz Club – Plastic Records

Sabre dance – Lalo Schifrin – Mambo Mania Talkin’ Verve – Verve

Hip hug her – Chico O’Farrill – Mambo Mania Talkin’ Verve – Verve

Mambo de las brujas – Francy Boland – Mambo Mania Talkin’ Verve – Verve

Mambo de los dandis – Nicola Conte – Bossa per Due – Eighteenth Street Lounge Music

Seven steps to heaven – Sammy Figueroa & His Latin Jazz Explosion – The Magician – Savant Records

Caminos de Machu Picchu – Ray Mantilla Space Station – Synergy – Red Records

Leeway – Grafitti – Grafitti – Self-produced: Tom Graf and Ray Obiedo-www.tomgraf.com

Route 66 – Bebo Valdés with Israel López "Cachao", "Patato" Valdés, and Paquito D’Rivera – El Arte del Sabor – Blue Note

Dance with me – Emmet Wheatfall and Noah Peterson – When I Was Young – Self-produced album: Peterson Entertainment, LLC

A felicidade – Antonio Carlos Jobim & Vinícius de Moraes – Black Orpheus Soundtrack – Novabossa Red Hot – Verve

The girl from Ipanema – Stan Getz, João Gilberto, Astrud Gilberto & Antonio Carlos Jobim – Novabossa Red Hot – Verve

Brigas nunca mais – Jacob Melchior – It’s About Time – Self-produced album: www.jacobmelchior.com

Leaps & bounds – Axel’s axiom – Uncommon Sense – Armored Records

Mesie Julián – Josh Rouse – El Turista – Yep Roc Records

One note samba/Surfboard – Stereolab + Herbie Mann – Red Hot +Rio – Verve

The boy from Ipanema – Crystal Waters – Red Hot +Rio – Verve



Highlights of the show:

Latin Soul aired today an interesting first part on Latin club music reminiscent to decades before the 60's, as many tunes had that a feeling of old noir B&W movie when action could happen in smoke-full clubs where frentic mambos where played by handsome-kitsch numerous-lineup orchestras. The highlight of the show today is the compilation “Mambo Mania”, a surprising collection where there's room to more than mambo.




In the Talkin' Verve series, the compilation “Mambo Mania” released in 1998 offers a refreshing collection of songs by artists such as Chico O'Farrill, Cal Tjader or Miguelito Valdés, to others not so familiar with Latin sounds as jazz musicians Wes Montgomery, or Francy Boland. The overall result is a festive bunch of songs going joining mambo tunes with those of lounge organs and big orchestras, even including raw Cuban percussion by “Patato” Valdés doing a cover of the Brazilian classic “Mas que nada”. As this one, other tunes don´t relate much to mambo as the circus-like Lalo Schifrin cover of “Sabre dance”, or his jazz version of the Cuban classic “El manisero”, here entitled “The peanut vendor”. Cal Tjader´s tune “Curaçào” is also far from pure mambo. All in all, if not the mambo album you wanted, it truly puts together some mambo with a misterious organ tinge and other big orchestra curiosities that make the listening a trip along styles and approaches to mambo and Latin tunes in general, like Herbie Mann's tune “Cuban potato chip”, or Francy Boland´s pair of themes. Remarkable is the opening track“Hip hug her”, the Booker T Jones' song, version by Chico O'Farrill, who also closes the compilation with “Descarga número 1000” as example of a sophisticated mambo. As mentioned, a musical trip to explore on Latin tunes ranging from mambo-like tunes to orchestral arrangements tunes with a lounge tinge to it. Let´s just enjoy the enterteining variety of Latin music, and learn about curious versions of songs you didn´t think you could come across in a mambo album.

August 3 - Show #56

Theme: Chin chon chow – Louie Ramírez

Song-Artist-Album-Label

Subway Joe – Joe Bataan & Los Fulanos – King of Latin Soul – Vampisoul

Do the boogaloo – Pete Rodríguez y su conjunto – Bogaloo The Rough Guide to Bogaloo –Rough Guides/World Music

Soul nitty gritty – Ralph Robles – Bogaloo The Rough Guide to Bogaloo – Rough Guides/World Music

Latin thing – Benítez – Playtime 17 Pure Latin Tracks Latin Soul Boogaloo – Hi & Fly Records

Every Monday – Manteca – Tremendo Boogaloo – Freestyle Records

Cachaíto in laboratory – Cachaíto López – Cachaíto – World Circuit/Nonesuch

Anaís – Cachaíto López – Cachaíto – World Circuit/Nonesuch

A gozar con mi combo – Cachao – Master Sessions Vol. 1 – Epic Records/Sony

We are our father’s sons – McCoy Tyner – McCoy Tyner and The Latin All-Stars – Telarc Jazz

Encuentro – Mark Weinstein – Timbasa – Jazzheads

El son te llama – Orchestra Baobab – Specialist in all styles – World Circuit/Nonesuch

Hommage à Tonton Ferrer – Orchestra Baobab – Specialist in all styles – World Circuit/Nonesuch

Jiin Ma Jiin Ma – Orchestra Baobab – Specialist in all styles – World Circuit/Nonesuch

Mani mani kuru – Ketama & Toumani Diabaté & Danny Thompson – Songhai – Hannibal Records

Comparito – Diego Amador – Piano Jondo – Milestone Records/Nuevos Medios

Nefertiti – Chano Domínguez – NFS New Flamenco Sound – Verve

Una noche sin ti – Yuri Juárez – Afroperuano – Saponegro Records


Highlights of the show:

A complete three-song set has been dedicated in today´s show to the Orchestra Baobab, the legendary Senegalese Afro-Latin band. Among many other tunes dedicated to the Cuban musical heritage, it was a worthwhile stop and see inside this album to check on a truly fusion of styles and traditions.



“Specialist in All Styles” is the 2002 album by Orchestra Baobab, released by Nonesuch Records. This a band originally from Senegal and their music can be classified (if you like to tag everything) as Afro-Latin. This is, Latin music made by African musicians, where you may guess, different kinds of styles and musical heritage are foreseeable going to a crucible that may not always bring a good result. Orchestra Baobab is a legendary band originated in Dakar, Senegal in the decade of the 1970´s, which from 1987 to 2001 was apparently out of businnes. It came back strong again with this album here reviewed and it´s still very healthy, internationally touring around. In late 60´s and 70´s, Latin music was well accepted in some West Africa countries like Senegal, Benin, or Gambia. Bands were formed which assumed this sound as their own and reinterprete it fusioned to their musical heritage. Orchestra Baobab was one of this band, and possibly the most popular. Many musicians from different cultural heritages out of Senegal form the band, singing usually along the Wolof and the Mandinga cultures and languages. Musically they lack the complex Latin percussion, but they adjust very well to the particular Cuban “son” style. In “Specialist in All Styles”, they do an outstanding version on the classic “El son te llama”, in Spanish. The lately popular Cuban musician Ibrahim Ferrer is the guest artist in “Hommage à Tonton Ferrer”, another remarkable tune in this album. The opening track “Bul ma miin” is a very catchy tune that sets a happy tone to the whole album. And so the music goes in a festive atmosphere, combining a mid-tempo beat and nice and clear guitar plucking, getting along with the Cuban rhythm of “son”. Brass comes at the right times. “Specialist in All Styles” was produced by the internationaly famous and acclaimed Yossou N´Dour, and that may explain the comeback of the band after being gone some twelve years. A recomendable album to explore the results of fusion and being admired for the long way run of the influence of Cuban music (which was influenced by African sounds in a first place).

Summer concerts in Spain

Latin Soul has been airing prerecorded shows during a few weeks in June and July. I hope you have kept listening with interest, maybe reviewing some themes heard in the past, which you enjoyed and wanted to have aired once again.


While being out of Commerce, home to KETR, in Spain, I have attended a couple of concerts that I definitively would like to share with you through this blog. These concerts were offered by artists aired in “Latin Soul”, and it was a great pleasure to have the chance to assist and watch them. I was lucky they were offered in a region of Spain where I tend to be vacationing every summer: San Pedro del Pinatar-Lo Pagán in the so called Mar Menor, in Murcia. The Mar Menor (minor sea) is a peculiar geological formation formed in the Mediterranean sea that encloses a piece of sea which has a narrow pass to the main Mediterranean sea and as a result turns out to be a sort of lake by the sea, with hardly no brave waves at all and a higher level of salinity which has been appreciated by family type of tourism and the elderly alike.


In this area, the touristic town of San Javier has organized the already 13th edition of the “Festival Internacional de Jazz de San Javier”. For this edition, they had artists such as Marcus Strickland Quartet, Dr. John, or George Benson in schedule. Not far from there, some 25 miles, the old city of Cartagena, Murcia has celebrated the 16th edition of their World music festival “La Mar de Músicas”. Some artists presented in this edition were Toumani Diabate, Youssou N'Dour, Salif Keita, Os Mutantes, and Gotan Project among many others. Both festivals employ a hard working organization and resources to try to put together attractive line ups year by year, so that they have gotten to be up and running for so many years and obtaining so, a well earned prestige among the quite loaded agenda of music festivals going on in Spain in the summer time.

Next, I describe the concerts that I assisted in these two mentioned festivals.


July 8: Chucho Valdés & The Afrocuban Messengers, at the XIII Festival Internacional de Jazz de San Javier, Murcia, Spain.



The greatest piano player in Latin jazz today, Chucho Valdés, took the opportunity of presenting his new album “Chucho´s Steps” in his concert. Most of the songs performed would be belonging to his coming album, as he explained. Nonetheless, his repertoire is quite extense already and he went through it delighting connoisseurs and new comers to Latin jazz. As an example, he opened with an Irakere piece, “Misa Negra”, that very well could be the ilustration of what Afro Cuban jazz is. For the occasion (and the new album), he has gathered The Afrocuban Messengers, from whom is remarkable saxophone player Manuel Miyares gave a few brilliant solos. The main figure, nevertheless, was Chucho Valdés, of course, who would introduce to the audience and guide the whole music played; and who would extend his solos or accompany the main melody on his discretion. You could feel as the audience wanted Chucho´s solo moments above all other parts. As they were virtuous and soul healing. Percussion was also present, of course, and the blend of it with piano got high quality harmonious moments. At times, uncomprehensible jazz and Latin rhythms, alternating with more catchy standard Latin tunes, going back to pure African percussion; and start over. In the last part of the show, Chucho introduced his sister Mayra Caridad Valdés, and some vocals and dancing tunes came to concert, grasping the interest of the audience and taking their yearning for dancing real. It was the perfect ending for a show going from the cult to the popular having always the main beautiful sound of Chucho's diverse piano tunes as the main protagonist. In short, a two-hour experience of cool live Latin jazz according to one of their greatest interpreters.





July 9: Afro-Cubism (Cuba-Mali), at the 16th edition of La Mar de Músicas, Cartagena, Murcia, Spain.



“Afro-Cubism” is the Nick Gold´s (owner of label World Circuit) dreamed musical project become truth some 13 years later. In other words, Nick Gold was the executive mind behind Buena Vista Social Club, the music collaboration between Ry Cooder and the traditional long-life Cuban musicians back in 1997, which exploded and put the old Cuban music in the world map. Ever since, musical creativity from Cuba gained more respect than the one already earned (as Cuba is truly the birthplace to so many “Latin music” styles). The original idea included bringing Mali, Africa musicians to bring together sinergy from both musical schools. The Africans couldn´t make it to the appointment, due to visa and administrative reasons. This day of today in Cartagena, Spain, the only remaining member from Buena Vista, Elíades Ochoa (accompanied by his Cuarteto Patria), was the Cuban part of the project “Afro-Cubism”. On the Mali side of the show, these were the names: Toumani Diabaté, at the beautiful sound instrument kora; Bassekou Kouyate, at the n'goni, also a beautiful sound off a wooden guitar-like instrument; Lassana Diabaté, at the balafons, a sort of xilophone; Djelimady Tounkara, at the electric guitar; and Kassy Mady, vocals.

Tonight's concert at Cartagena, Spain was the presentation to the world. From here, the tour continued to Rotterdam, Netherlands, and it´s my understanding that the show is to visit the States in the fall. World Circuit is releasing the album in fall 2010. In this concert you could feel a little of what a first experience might be when you put many influences together. Having the musicians been after this show and project many months, one had the feeling that they were finding their way through the masses. Audience, on its part, was totally in for the proposal. We were expecting cool Cuban rhythms together with the kora and the n'goni. In that sense, the mix was wonderful. Remarkable when the Cuban brass section boosted it all up! The songs were being presented in a funny way by Mr. Ochoa, who was wearing his typical sombrero and black shirt. His attitude as front man and expertise at the guitar lead the show from beginning to end. Some songs were Cuban, others from Mali. In any case, long versions of all them were in use so in the evolution of the melodies, chances were given for instruments build up their dialogues. And so it happened. The wonderful cristaline plucking sound of the n'goni and the kora could go for hours and you will always feel is not enough of it. At one time, in what it seemed to be a spontaneous moment where Mr. Ochoa, Mr. Diabaté and his kora, and Mr. Kouyate and his n'goni were left alone in the stage, little by little they shaped up a wonderful version of “Guantanamera”, the Cuban classic, being so the highlight of the show. One after the other, songs came and stayed, no matter who sang if Elíades Ochoa or Kassy Mady, the instruments took over in what it seemed at times turns to show solo virtuosism. I missed, by the way, more solo moments for Mr. Diabaté and his kora, but maybe he was saving himself for his own concert the next week. All in all, a cool musical proposal full of legendary musicians, who played well on stage, worked out a show based on their expertise more than in the repertoire, making the audience enjoy from the beginning, and for some, getting the heat of the sinergy by the end, when most of the people was standing up song after song dancing whatever the music was dictating, and that´s what a good concert must be.




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