December 22 - Show #39 - Christmas Special

Theme: Chin chon chow – Louie Ramírez

Song-Artist-Album-Label

Feliz Navidad – Will King – Christmas Spanish Guitar – Compass Productions

Deck The Halls (Cuba) – Cuba L. A. – Christmas Around the World – Putumayo

Venid Fieles Todos (Cuba) – Liuba Maria Hevia – Christmas Around the World – Putumayo

Paz En La Tierra (Joy To The World) (Cuba) – Ramon F. Veloz Christmas Around the World – Putumayo

Aguinaldo Jíbaro (Puerto Rico) – Pepe Castillo – Christmas Around the World – Putumayo

Diciembre – Los Embajadores Vallenatos – A Putumayo World Christmas – Putumayo

White Christmas (France) – Los Reyes – Christmas Around the World – Putumayo

Joy to the world – Will King – Christmas Spanish Guitar – Compass Productions

Boogaloo Santa Claus – J. D. McDonald – In The Christmas Groove – Strut Records

Nadal de Luintra – Berroguetto – A Putumayo World Christmas – Putumayo

Noite Para Festejar – Ivan Lins – A Putumayo World Christmas – Putumayo

O Cometido – Chouteira – A Putumayo World Christmas – Putumayo

La canción del tamborilero (Carol of the Drum) – Raphael – 30 Aniversario 1961-1991 – Hispavox/Capitol

Jingle Bells – Will King – Christmas Spanish Guitar – Compass Productions

Cha cha all the way – The Capitol Orchestra – Ultra Lounge Christmas Cocktails, Part One – Capitol

Happy holiday – Peggy Lee – Ultra Lounge Christmas Cocktails, Part Two – Capitol

Snowfall cha cha – George Shearing & Billy May – Ultra Lounge Christmas Cocktails, Part Two – Capitol

I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus/Jingle Bells Bossa Nova [Medley] – Eddie Dunstedter – Ultra Lounge Christmas Cocktails, Part One – Capitol

Combinado – Quintento Diamont – Ibérico Jazz Las producciones de Antoliano Toldos – Vampisoul

Feliz Navidad – Los Straightjackets – 'Tis the season – Yep Roc Records

We wish you a merry Christmas – Will King – Christmas Spanish Guitar – Compass Productions


Highlights of the show:

From Latin Soul, I wish you all a merry Christmas and a happy new year 2010 loaded of joyful moments and fulfilled resolutions. Today, I wanted to celebrate the spirit of the season and all the songs have been renditions to Christmas classics, carols, and even traditional songs, with that Latin musical heritage or just Latin oriented that you are going to always find here in Latin Soul. The songs today aired have come pretty much from four albums. Here you may see them.

December 15 - Show #38

Theme: Chin chon chow – Louie Ramírez

Song-Artist-Album-Label

Feliz Navidad – Will King – Christmas Spanish Guitar – Compass Productions

Campesina – Pilar de la Hoz – Jazz con Sabor Peruano – Jaguar Music Records

Nao deixa o samba morrer – Carme Lamarque – Live in Lima – Self-produced album

Yatra-Tá – Tania Maria – Latin Jazz The essential album – Manteca/Union Square Music

Mas que nada – Ella Fitzgerald – Things ain’t what they used to be (and you better believe it) – Warner

Felicidade – Suba – Latin Jazz The essential album – Manteca/Union Square Music

Monk’s bread – The Latin Jazz Quintet – Hot Sauce – Prestige

Cinnamon & Clove – Lee Evans – Cinnamon & Clove – Verve

Afro Blue – Cal Tjader feat. Willie Bobo & Mongo Santamaría – Cal Tjader’s Greatest Hits – Fantasy

Work song – Ray Barretto and New World Spirit – Taboo – Concord Picante

Treat street – Vince Guaraldi – The Latin Side of Vince Guaraldi – Fantasy/OJC

Sabor a mí – Bebo & Chucho – Juntos para siempre – Calle 54 Records/Sony Music Latin

Spanish Fantasy, Part IV – Chick Corea – My Spanish Heart – Polydor

Jingle Bells – Will King – Christmas Spanish Guitar – Compass Productions

The anything can happen mambo – Xavier Cugat and his orchestra with Abbe Lane – The Original Latin Dance King – Sony

Listen here/Cold duck theme – Poncho Sánchez – Latin Soul – Concord Picante

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

Latin Soul – Ralfi Pagán – Ralfi Pagán – Fania

Subway Joe – Joe Bataan – King of Latin Soul – Vampisoul

Grazin’ in the grass – Orchestra Harlow & Ismael Miranda – Compilation Playtime-Latin Soul Boogaloo – Hy&Fly

South of order – Panaman – Sinners Lounge: The Latin Sessions – Comfort Sounds

Atabaque – Jazzanova – The New Latinaires – Ubiquity Records


Highlights of the show:

'Latin Soul' is open to new ways to explore Latin jazz and soul music. The highlight of tonight's show is an interesting electronica album that may bring new paths to understand the undergoing path of Latin jazz and the remixes era.

Here you may find the compilation 'The New Latinaires Vol. 1" released in 1999 by the cutting edge label Ubiquity. The following review has been obtained from the British version of Amazon.com.



This is the first volume in a new series of Afro-Cuban/electronica fusion perpetrated by the fine folks at San Francisco's Ubiquity label. Why shouldn't the melting pot that is the U.S. produce music just as pan-ethnic and cross-fertilized? Jungle and drum-and-bass managed to absorb all manners of jazz and R&B influences into their heady stews. New electronic producers are discovering the same richness and broad textures in grooves of Afro-Cuban, Brazilian, and Latin descent.
NEW LATINAIRES is hot stuff. Shifting lower-keyboard eddies ride tropical breezes through Jazzanova's "Atabaque", the music's basslines seemingly carved from rubberised mercury. Squirts of electronics spin through tympani-and-timbale battlefields on Izuru Utsumi's "Zum-Zum". Capsule 150 brings Jobim and Cal Tjader into eight arms of rhythmic nirvana viathe tumbling cymbals, yawning wah-wah, and space-age loungeair bursts entwined in "Octopus". Electronica continues to spawn myriad, wonderful hybrids, and NEW LATINAIRES 1 is the prime place to set your lobes a-twirlin'.

December 8 - Show #37

Theme song: Chin chon chow – Louie Ramírez

Song-Artist-Album-Label

Music to watch girls by – Xavier Cugat and his orchestra – Compilation Music to Watch Girls By – Hitland

Don’t squeeze the peaches – Jack Costanzo & Gerry Wood – Latin Percussion with Soul –Vampisoul

Besito pa’ ti – La Lupe – Lo Mejor de La Lupe – EMI Latin

Jive samba – Cannonball Adderley – Compilation Latin Jazz Essential Album – Manteca/Square Union

Take five – Tito Puente – Compilation Latin Jazz Essential Album – Manteca/Square Union

Cielito lindo – Dave Brubeck Quartet – Bravo Brubeck! (Live in Mexico) – Legacy/Sony

Descarga Valdés – Bebo & Chucho – Juntos para siempre – Calle 54 Records/Sony Music Latin

Nica’s dream – Eddie Palmieri – Listen Here! – Concord Picante

Whirlpool – Vince Guaraldi – The Latin Side of Vince Guaraldi – Fantasy/Original Jazz Classics

El loco de la colina – Ray Sepúlveda – Tropical Tribute to the Beatles – RMM

Day tripper –Domingo Quiñones – Tropical Tribute to the Beatles – RMM

Q.T.P. – Raynald Colom – #Sketches of groove# – Fresh Sound Records

Gypsy sunrise – Antonio Restucci – Crisol – Petroglyph Records

Cilantro y comino – Chano Domínguez – NFS – Verve

La voz del tiempo – Tomatito & Camarón de la Isla – Barrio Negro – Milestone

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

Song of the seasons – Nicola Conte – Rituals – Schema Records

Love in – Nicola Conte – Rituals – Schema Records


Highlights of the show:

Nicola Conte's latest album "Rituals" has closed the show tonight. A 2009 album release from this incredible Italian composer, producer, arranger, DJ and so on... whose last album is truly a must for anyone who may like bossa nova and jazz, since the musical proposal of this artist is a definitive one to fall for. The review of the album that you may find below has been taken from the 'Editorial Reviews' from amazon.com.




‘Rituals’ is the third album by talented Italian musician Nicola Conti. Conti has garnered critical acclaim for his fusion of bossa nova, Latin rhythms, Italian soundtrack influences and jazz. This is a funky and enjoyable album which will delight fans and newcomers alike. Conte’s first album was Jet Sounds in 2000. The single Bossa Per Due gained international recognition and was an underground hit. It was used almost immediately for a prime-time commercial for Acura automobiles. The album was licensed for American distribution by Thievery Corporation s Eighteenth Street Lounge (ESL) label in the summer of 2001 as ‘Bossa Per Due’, and was slightly reconfigured version of the ‘Italian Jet Sounds’ album. ‘Rituals’ has received great early reviews internationally, which confirms the multifaceted talent of this artist and instrumentalist from Bari. As the review in Canada s NOW Magazine stated; A short-list candidate for jazz recording of the year, the elegantly turned out Rituals finds club-selecta-turned-bandleader Nicola Conte shifting away from knocking out more dance-floor bangers toward an altogether more spiritual aesthetic and a hugely expanded support cast and it turns out to be a brilliant move. ‘Rituals’ is by far Conte s most substantial work to date, and should appeal to a whole new audience outside the club and cappuccino bar scene. Admittedly, with such a talented cast of players, including saxophonists Greg Osby and Timo Lassy, trumpeter Till Brönner and soulful vocalist José James, helping to bring the songs to life, Conte would’ve had to work hard to mess things up.

December 1st - Show #36

Theme: Chin chon chow – Louie Ramírez

Song-Artist-Album-Label

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

Milestones – The Latin Jazz Quintet – Latin Soul – Prestige

Red top – The Latin Jazz Quintet – Latin Soul – Prestige

Mambo dinero – Dave Pike and his orchestra – Manhattan Latin – DECCA

Tin tin deo – Clark Terry & Chico O'Farrill – Spanish Rice – Impulse!

Lucy's Spanish Harlem – Louie Ramírez & Jimmy Sabater– In The Heart Of Spanish Harlem – Verve

The three Marias – Sammy Figueroa & His Latin Jazz Explosion – The Magician – Savant Records

Pent-up house – The Craig Russo Latin Jazz Project – In The Middle – Cagoots Records

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

Bonita – Tanóra – Día Real – Moondo Records

Nice 'n' easy – Willis Jackson – Boss Shoutin' – Prestige

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

Samba de una noto só – João Gilberto – Compilation As The World Turns-Brazilian – World Pacific Records

É – Gonzaguinha – Compilation As The World Turns-Brazilian – World Pacific Records

Nagõ Buddha – Gilberto Gil – Parabolic – Warner Music Brazil/WEA Latina

Use your head – Money Mark – Compilation Red Hot + Rio – Antilles/Verve

Bellaria – Madrid de los Austrias – Amor CD – Sunshine Enterprises/Provider Recordings

Sai Das Trevas – Jazzamor – Sinners Lounge: The Latin Sessions – Comfort Sounds

Welcome to the party – Har-You Percussion Group-Jazzanova Mix – Compilation The New Latinaires – Ubiquity



Highlights of the show:

Latin Soul's highlight tonight is the album “Latin Soul”! Agreeing on the inner qualities of the Latin spirit applied to music, albums, songs, styles, or cool radio shows in 88.9 KETR public radio as this is!, the expression Latin soul is extensively shared for what it constrains pertaining to life, style and idiosyncrasy. Tonight, “Latin Soul”, the album from The Latin Jazz Quintet, sounded delicious on the air, and has been a true highlight of the show.



A short-lived but prolific ensemble that released three albums in the first years of decade of the 1960's, having even Eric Dolphy as guest musician to their second release, being “Latin Soul” the third and last of them all. The only member from one album to the next, though, is the leader and conga drum player, Juan Amalbert. Mr. Amalbert played conga drums as a regular studio musician for artists such as Sarah Vaughan, John Coltrane or Art Blakey. He also started in the production of other musicians later on. His years with The Latin Jazz Quintet are among the most fruitful, however. The lineup for “Latin Soul” had Artie Jenkins at the piano, Willie Coleman at the vibes, and the wonderfully executed saxophone of Bobby Capers, among others in the ensemble. The album works perfect as a whole and offers a great sample of the bebop years, at their height at the time of production of this album. The presence of the Latin percussion and vibes is just the right bit. All instruments blend giving the sensation of musical flow from one theme to the next, as you are being carried to an atmosphere of coolness and sophistication. An album that has not aged at all, transmitting all its fresh sound, as it had just been released in the lounge groove revival of the nineties. It also has, in my opinion, the perfect wrap in the wonderfully composed artwork of the cover. If you want to enjoy this, and other Latin jazz recordings by Juan Amalbert, it is recomendable, and more affordable, to acquire the compilation “Hot Sauce” where “Latin Soul” comes integrated among more recordings of The Latin Jazz Quintet that you won't find in the other official albums either.

November 24 - Show #35

Theme: Chin chon chow – Louie Ramírez

Song-Artist-Album-Label

Mambo Inn – Mario Bauzá, Paquito D’Rivera & Jorge Dalto – Afro-Cuban Jazz – Yemayá Records

Afro mood – Latin Percussion Jazz Ensemble – Just Like Magic – Latin Percussion Inc.

Martínez blues – Latin Percussion Jazz Ensemble – Just Like Magic – Latin Percussion Inc.

Qué sera, Sweetie – Willis Jackson – Boss Shoutin’ – Prestige

Cabato – Wild Bill Davis – From Latin to Jazz Dance Vol 5 – Rare Groove Recordings

Soul sauce – Cal Tjader – From Latin to Jazz Dance Vol 5 – Rare Groove Recordings

New York Soul – Ray Barretto – Latin Soul Man – Fania

Hit the bongo – Tito Puente – Can You Dig It? Thrilling Rare Grooves from Jazz to Soul’n’Brazil to Boogaloo – Brown Sugar Records

Batman’s boogaloo – Bobby Valentín – The Rough Guide to Boogaloo-Latin Dance with NY Attitude – World Music Network/Rough Guide

I like it like that – Cosa Nostra – Cosa Nostra – RAFF/World Psychedelia Ltd.

The meditation – The TNT Band – Playtime-Latin Soul Boogaloo – Hi&Fly Records

Tin Marin – Ricardo Ray & Bobby Cruz – Playtime-Latin Soul Boogaloo – Hi&Fly Records

Menina feia – Herbie Mann & Sergio Mendes Bossa Nova Rio Group – Do The Bossa Nova – Atlantic

Mas que nada – Oscar Peterson – Soul Español – Verve

Summer samba – Dizzy Gillespie – Melody Lingers On – Verve

Aula de matemática – Oscar Castro-Neves & Paul Winter – Brazilian Days – Earth Music

Manuel, o audaz – Toninho Horta – As The World Turns – World Pacific Records

Samba diferente – Sexteto Electrónico Moderno – Sounds from the Elegant World – Vampisoul

Muere pequeña bestia – Sexteto Electrónico Moderno – Sounds from the Elegant World – Vampisoul

Todo el mundo me persigue – Jaime Delgado Aparicio – El Embajador y Yo Original Movie Soundtrack –Vampisoul

Sexy surf – Jaime Delgado Aparicio – El Embajador y Yo Original Movie Soundtrack – Vampisoul

A starlett for you – Andre Luterau – The Mood Mosaic 7 “the new shapes of sound” – Partners in crime

Dedicated to love – Manfred Hübler & Siegfrid Schwab – Vampyros Lesbos Original Movie Soundtrack – Crippled Dick Hot Wax!


Highlights of the show:

Latin Soul has paid close attention to the work released in 1979 under the name “Just like magic”, where great artists from the Latin jazz scene put together a must in Afro-Cuban tradition.




The year is 1979 and the label Latin Percussion Inc. releases “Just Like Magic”. The power of three great percussionists of the scene, Tito Puente, Carlos ´Patato´ Valdés, and Johny Rodríguez Jr., accompanied by Steve Berrios on drums, Eddie Martínez at the piano, René López on trumpet, and Sal Cuevas on bass. Thirty nine minutes of Afro-Cuban musical tradition at its best. This is an album where percussion virtuosity leads the whole picture, in a rich dialogue with piano or vibes and marimba at times. Opening track “The opener”, as the names goes, sets the tone for the steady rhytmical pace coming along. Especially good take on fourth track, “Afro mood”, which is indeed a great piano and percussion Latin jazz piece. The same could said for “Bernie´s tune”. “Baila guajira” has vocals by Nancy O'Neill and Jeanette Rodríguez, who also takes part in a more experimental approach as in the tune “Latin funk”. The album ends with the theme “Tito & Patato”, which is both congaleros back to back on raw drumming the timbales and congas for a remarkable coda to an album delivering energy all over the place.

November 17 - Show #34

Theme song: Chin chon chow – Louie Ramírez

Song-Artist-Album-Label

It’s not what you say – Louie Ramírez – Louie’s Grooves-Latin Soul, Jazz & Boogaloo from Louie Ramírez – Vampisoul

Cookin’ with A&J – J. Rodríguez and A. René Orchestra – Louie’s Grooves-Latin Soul, Jazz & Boogaloo from Louie Ramírez – Vampisoul

The Oracle – Sabu Martínez & Louie Ramírez – Jazz Espagnole – Vampisoul

Rush hour in Hong Kong – Louie Ramírez – Louie’s Grooves-Latin Soul, Jazz & Boogaloo from Louie Ramírez – Vampisoul

Vitamina – Kako’s New York After Hour Orchestra – Louie’s Grooves-Latin Soul, Jazz & Boogaloo from Louie Ramírez – Vampisoul

Yeh!, Yeh! – Mongo Santamaría – From Latin to Jazz Dance Vol. 5 – Rare Groove Recordings

I’m on my way – Cándido – Beautiful – Blue Note

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

Los desperados – Gato Barbieri – Caliente! – A&M Records

El arriero – Gato Barbieri – Fénix – Flying Dutchman/BMG France

Take me to Aruanda – Kristina –Offshore Echoes – Patois Records

Makes this city ours tonight – Sarah Vaughan with Milton Nascimento – Brazilian Romance – CBS

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

Follow the moon – Thomas Clausen Brazilian Quartet – Stunt Records

Q.T.P. – Raynald Colom - #Sketches Of Groove# - Fresh Sound Records

El anillo (Chibulí) – Juan Peña el Lebrijano with Orquesta Andalusí de Tánger – Encuentros – Ariola

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

Tangos del fuego – Chano Domínguez – NFS New Flamenco Sound – Verve/Universal

Esta gitana – Bernarda y Fernanda de Utrera – Ritmo En La Sangre – Hispavox -- In memory of Flamenco singer Bernarda de Utrera, passed away last week.


Highlights of the show:

You may have probably noticed the cool Latin Soul distinctive and catchy theme tune. Every Tuesday at nine and a few minutes pm, the piano ding-dang-dong stroke notes and the accompanying vibes open the show for a whole new musical adventure. Tonight, more tracks from the album containing “Chin chon chow”, the show theme, have been aired to learn more on Louie Ramírez's musician, arranger, and composer abilities.



“Louie's Grooves - Latin soul, jazz & boogaloo from Louie Ramírez” is a compilation released by the Madrid, Spain based label Vampisoul in 2005. It contains themes composed and arranged through Mr. Ramírez career and others where he takes part just as musician. Born in NY City, he had a gift for music and so he collaborated with everybody in the Latin musical scene since he started in late 50's with Joe Loco's band and from then on making his own spot and being appreciated as great vibraphonist and better composer and producer for the good of Latin jazz and soul musical scene in the US. Partnerships with Charlie Palmieri, Joe Cuba, and Sabu Martínez among many others until he died in 1993 at the age of 55. However, he didn't release many albums under his own name. So, this album here presented aims to cover that gap. The information from the CD sleeve shows some collaborations with Puerto Rican/NYC singer Jimmy Sabater that go from very soul like as in “Times are changin'” to more salsa inspired as in “La flauta” or “Yroco”. Tunes dealing with vibraphone instrumentation by Mr. Ramírez himself are found in tunes “Chin chon chow”, “Rush hour in Hong Kong”, “Sid's groove”, “Barrio nuevo”, and “I dig rhythm” where vibes in a steady pace a la minimalist turn those ones in hypnotic tunes. Great descargas are also found in the tracks signed with Charlie Palmieri like “Luisito Mozambique” and “Fat papa's descarga”. Among those great tunes are also remarkable the two signed with J. Rodríguez & A. René Orchestra, “Cookin' with A&J” and “Descarga A&J”, which lie in the descarga and latin soul territories. From Sabu's “Jazz Espagnole” album, we find the song “The oracle”, with Dizzie Gillespie's trumpet, and the production of Mr. Ramírez, so we learn he has played all positions in the field. A great album aiming to portrait some ten years (the 60's-70's era) of his four decade prolific career. Definitively an asset to get into Latin jazz and soul influences and just let be carried away and enjoy.

November 10 - Show #33

Theme song: Chin chon chow – Louie Ramírez

Song-Artist-Album-Label

Woody’n you – Sabu & Dizzy Gillespie – Jazz Espagnole – Vampisoul

Manteca – Dizzy Gillespie and His Orchestra – Afro – Verve

Zambia – Mario Bauzá – Messidor’s Finest Volume One – Messidor

Tanga – Machito and His Afro-Cuban Orchestra – The Original Mambo Kings-An introduction to Afro-Cubop 1948-1954 – Verve

Mambo caliente – Arturo Sandoval – The Mambo Kings Original Motion Picture Soundtrack – Elektra/Warner

The anything can happen mambo – Xavier Cugat with Abbe Lane – The Original Latin Dance King – Sony

Baby – Dave Pike and His Orchestra – Manhattan Latin – DECCA

Polly’s delight – Juan Amalbert’s Latin Jazz Quintet – Hot Sauce – Prestige

Los bandidos – Cal Tjader – Along Comes Cal – Verve

Work song – Vince Guaraldi – The Latin Side Of – Fantasy Records/OJC

El toro – Gabor Szabo – From Latin to Jazz Dance Vol. 5 – Rare Groove Recordings

Cabato – Buck Clarke Sound – From Latin to Jazz Dance Vol. 5 – Rare Groove Recordings

Aguanile – Irakere – The Best Of – Sony

Modo cubano – Paquito D’Rivera & The United Nation Orchestra – A Night In Englewood –Messidor

Rhapsody in blue – Chucho Valdés – Briyumba Palo Congo-Religion of the Congo – Blue Note

Se me hizo fácil – Concha Buika con Chucho Valdés – El Último Trago – Warner Music Spain

Luz de luna – Concha Buika con Chucho Valdés – El Último Trago – Warner Music Spain

Me embrujaste – Martirio & Chano Domínguez – Acoplados – RTVE Música


Highlights of the show:
Latin Soul aired tonight the latest album by Concha Buika, accompanied by Chucho Valdés at the piano. Together with this, another Chucho Valdés tune has been a great moment in the show tonight.



“El último trago” is an album made to let a crossover happen between two styles of two great professionals of music today: Concha Buika and Chucho Valdés. She is the last sensation of new flamenco in Spain today despite her short career, or at least the few released albums she has. She has had a singing career, though, as long as she can remember. She brings together musical and ethnic traditions apart in a beginning. Of African origin -born and raised in Mallorca, Spain from family native to the old Spain colony of Equatorial Guinea- she has fusioned her African roots with Flamenco, the musical expression of the Gypsy people in Spain. Her hoarse voice is here accompanied by the crystalline piano sound of Chucho Valdés, the renowned Afro-Cuban pianist, main world figure of Latin jazz nowadays. Out of this duo, this album inevitably would be bringing together an exploration of copla (traditional popular song in steady verses and stanzas in Spain), bolero, vocal jazz flamenco like. An overall lineup of genres joined under Ms. Buika versatility singing style reviewing popular and well famed compositions as 'En el último trago', 'Se me hizo fácil', 'Un mundo raro', 'El andariego', and so all the songs in the album could follow. Not a bad song at all, and a great sequencing of them, makes this album a top notch of Latin international piano jazz vocals.



“Briyumba Palo Congo-Religion of the Congo” is Chucho Valdés 1999 album released by Blue Note. A landmark figure in Latin jazz musical scene whose career officially started back in 1967 when he formed the Orquesta Cubana de Musica Moderna. Later, in 1972 he founded the renowned Latin jazz and soul cutting-edge band Irakere, being awarded a Grammy in 1979. Mr. Valdés, though, has probably been always joined to music, especially to piano, the instrument he can be considered a virtuoso of: Chucho Valdés is son of Bebo Valdés, the famed piano player and former director of Tropicana, the legendary night club in Havana, Cuba. It´s very likely that Chucho Valdés career started when he started as long as he can remember. After leading Irakere for around ten years, he started a remarkable solo career at times, or with his band Crisol, or with collaborations with Roy Hargrove. This album here commented is a gem of Latin jazz and it is truly recommended if you dig the crossover between piano jazz and Afro-Cuban sounds. From beginning to end you are going to feel a constant uptempo pace in the tunes exploring traditional spiritual Cuban tunes thanks to the three percussionist backing his know-how on piano. In contrast, you will enjoy jazz ballads where Mr. Valdés pays tribute to Duke Ellington and George Gershwin as in the themes 'Caravan', 'Embraceable you', or 'Rhapsody in blue', which is given a wonderful Afro-Cuban jazz rendition. As said above, a truly gem of Latin jazz heavily supported by the raw percussion of Afro-Cuban traditional music.

November 3 - Show #32

Theme song: Chin chon chow – Louie Ramírez

Song-Artist-Album-Label

Who’s got the bread? – Mongo Santamaría – Olé Ola – Concord Picante

A night in Tunisia – Hilton Ruiz – Live at Birdland – Candid

Mira Flores – Eddie Palmieri – Listen here! – Concord Music

Take five – Tito Puente – Mambo Diablo – Concord Picante

A deeper shade of soul – Ray Barretto – Acid – Fania

Soul limbo – Cándido Camero – Thousand Finger Man – Blue Note

Mambo jambo – Xavier Cugat – The Original Latin Dance King – Sony Music

Rhapsodia del maravilloso – Sabu – Palo Congo – Blue Note

Choferito plena – Marc Ribot y los Cubanos Postizos – The Prosthetic Cubans – Atlantic

Mellow mood – Wes Montgomery – Verve Silver Collection – Verve

Comes love – Darden Purcell – Easy living – Armored Records

My romance – Pilar de la Hoz – Jazz con Sabor Peruano – Jaguar Music Records

Chega de saudade (No more blues) – Carmen Lamarque – Live in Lima – Self-produced: carmenlamarque.com

Who Needs Forever? – Thievery Corporation Remix-Astrud Gilberto – Sinners Lounge: The Latin Sessions – Comfort Sounds


Highlights of the show:

Latin Soul highlights, among the so many great tunes from tonight, an album devoted to the Cándido Camero percussion expertise, filled up with soul and crazy congas and bongos upbeat rhythms.


The legendary label Blue Note made possible for the no less legendary percussionist Cándido Camero to have a large ensemble to back up the evolutions of Cándido on congas and bongos in this 1969 album “Thousand Finger man”. A renowned and ubiquitous percussionist in many of the Latin albums produced around the Latin jazz, Afro-Cuban, or soul scene in the States during the second half of the XXth century, here explores the upbeat funky Latin soul sound paths. Backed up with a heavy and soulful horn section and a playful Frank Anderson at the organ, a la Jimmy Smith, the album is a fully very enjoyable instrumental, that has lied far from the expectations and favor of more Cándido purists. Including a great rendition to 'Soul limbo', it stands a good sample of upbeat Latin soul.