In Conversation with Flutist, Composer, Arranger, Mark Weinstein

The reason I am focusing on Pedrito is that "Timbasa" is as much his project as it is mine. He co-produced the recording and set things up in response to a funny challenge. I ran into him somewhere and he asked me when we were going to collaborate on another project. Sort of goofing on him I said, "Find me a piano player and a bass player who are as good as you and bring a couple of drummers." I had no idea what he was going to deal me! [...]

Hilario Durán Trio – Motion (Alma Records – 2010)

In his much-anticipated follow-up to the Grammy-nominated and Juno Award-winning Latin Big Band recording, From The Heart (Alma Records,2008) the piano master, Hilario Durán brings together a power trio comprising bassist, Roberto Occhipinti and drummer, Mark Kelso. In the process he has created Motion, a memorable, new canvas of sound, unveiled through a palette of vivid tonal colors throughout the album’s eight tracks [...]

Grammy Winner Raphael Cruz Reaffirms his commitment to Latin Jazz!

Raphael has long been recognized by his fellow musicians as a gifted percussionist and bandleader, possessor of exquisite sensitivity and impeccable timing, a veteran who has shared both the stage and the recording studio with such legendary performers as Mongo Santamaría, Ray Barretto, George Benson, Paquito D’Rivera, Herbie Mann, McCoy Tyner, Bette Midler, Flora Purim and Chaka Khan. He performs on Cuban, Brazilian, African and exotic [...]

Latinjazznet Online Music Store – August 2010 update

Check the latest additions to our Online Music Store (affiliated to amazon.com) – Browse throughout the different categories: Books, Magazines, Music, DVD, Blu-ray, Songbooks, Instructional Books and DVDs, Musical Instruments and more.

Latin Jazz Network Radio – Jukebox – August 2010 Playlist

Jukebox – August 2010 Playlist: Alex Brown, Antonio Adolfo & Carol Saboya, Arturo Sandoval, Bobby Carcassés, El Movimiento, Chris Washburne, Claudio Roditi, Federico Britos, Hamilton de Holanda, Hector Martignon, Kenia, Mark Weinstein, Omar Sosa, Samuel Torres, Pedro Bermudez, Paul Austerlitz, Steve Pouchie, Trio Esperança, Nando Michelin, Ricardo Silveira [...]

Lucía Pulido: Time Darkened by Sorrow, Brightened By Passion

The sky darkens, Lorca-like and a primordial wail rips through it. “Ai…leh leh leh…/No sé qué tendrá mi pecho/no sé qué tendrá mi pecho…/que mi voz alevanta,” she sings as she cries… “I don’t know what’s in my chest/I don’t know what’s in my chest…/that my voice is arising.” Her voice cuts through the dense clouds and shoots across the sky towards the infinite… Beloved Carmelita has thrown her life away. Dressed like a siren [...]

Hector Martignon – Second Chance (Zoho Music – 2010)

In a literal world the music on Second Chance would simply represent “B” sides of music that pianist, Hector Martignon has played in the past. In reality they are anything but that. It is here that Martignon has provided wicked twists to all the music he has played before—he uses the term “devilish,” which in Spanish is a word fraught with meaning. The word diabólico might be infinitely more appropriate as it has fangs and breathes a fire [...]

Trio Esperança – De Bach á Jobim (Disques Dreyfus – 2010)

There is a rare and celestial beauty that pervades throughout De Bach á Jobim, the album by the legendary a capella Brasilian group, Trio Esperança who share a very special connection with the 10-voice ensemble, Grupo Vocal Desandann. Both ensembles use the oldest instrument known to human kind in intricate harmonies that have a spirit connection seemingly as old as the Psalms of David. However, from the historical perspective [...]

Federico Britos – Voyage (Sunnyside Records – 2010)

As the world continues to awake to the rising tide of undiscovered music and musicians from the South American paradigm—in an almost ironic kind of reversal of Alejo Carpentier’s voyage of musical discovery in Los Pasos Perdidos (E.D.I.A.P.S.A, 1953) or to the English-speaking world The Lost Steps (Alfred Knopf, 1956, Univ. of Minnesota, 2001)—the Cuban violinist Federico Britos celebrates five decades in the lonely and all but forgotten [...]

Bobby Carcassés – De La Habana a Nueva York (Vero Records)

The insane revelry of the guaguancó kicks off De La Habana a Nueva York, and produces a blue flame of energy from an all, but forgotten master musician, Bobby Carcassés. The Cuban-born flugelhorn player, pianist, percussionist, raconteur and vocalist of exceptional talent and virtuosity has been making a quiet noise—heard, sadly, only by his musical peers—for over fifty years. With this fine album, it is hoped that the world will listen [...]