Editor’s Picks – Best CDs of 2011

The drum and the horn, an inspired duet that played a vital role in the birth of Cubop. Poncho Sanchez and Terence Blanchard, two Living Masters in their own right, pay a heartfelt tribute to Chano Pozo and Dizzy Gillespie, two Masters whose legacy continues to expand in the ample vocabulary of Jazz music. Their musical spirits are more present than ever on Chano Y Dizzy! [...]

More Noteworthy Recordings of 2011

Most fans, even aficionados of contemporary music, still only vaguely know the great trumpeter Claudio Roditi as the “Brazilian who joined Arturo Sandoval in Dizzy Gillespie’s United Nations Orchestra”. It is a pity that Roditi’s musical reputation rests on so narrow a spectrum in his enormous musical career. Few know, for instance, that Roditi was one of the first Brazilian musicians to relocate in the United States of America: in 1970 as a matter of fact [...]

Noteworthy Recordings of 2011

This is the recording that Maraca’s fans have been waiting for. Recorded live at the Grand Theater in Havana, Cuba (2010), it presents Maraca’s collaboration with the Havana Chamber Orchestra and includes standout contributions from pianist Harold Lopez-Nussa, Japanese violinist Sayaka, saxophonist David Sanchez, drummer Horacio “El Negro” Hernandez, percussionist Giovanni Hidalgo and others. The recording takes the listener on a musical journey [...]

Celebrating 10 years of La-33

This year the Colombian band La-33 is celebrating 10 years of playing old-style salsa. After all this time there is an enviable balance for this salsa group. The band has recorded three albums, sold more than 40.000 copies independently, and toured many countries like Mexico, Venezuela, Poland, Morocco, Denmark, Canada, Italy, England, Ecuador, France, Spain, Germany, Japan, Slovenia, Czech Republic, Romania, India, Norway and the United States [...]

Against All Odds: Angelito y La Timba de Ayer

An accomplished performing artist and a committed master drummer whose main goal is to preserve the traditional Afro-Cuban rhythms and to see more and more young people become involved in the proper learning of African hand percussion, Angel Rodríguez has actively sought out, recruited, registered and auditioned hundreds of students for merit/talent scholarships. In 1990 Angel traveled as a percussion instructor from New York to California [...]

Celebrating Emiliano Salvador and his Musical Legacy

Talk to anyone about Cuban piano players and invariably the name EMILIANO SALVADOR will pop up. Most will agree that Emiliano was in a class by himself. His personality and individualism as a soloist were strong enough to assure immediate recognition, yet he was never obtrusive to the point of using gimmicks. He was a brilliant pianist, composer and arranger, and a seminal figure in the resurgence of Latin jazz [...]

Terry Pearce Remembers The Golden Era of Dance Music In NYC

I first set foot inside the ROSELAND BALLROOM dance hall in 1978, lured by a long forgotten tribute to Cuban Music legend Miguelito Valdés. No one seems to remember this event, but to me it was an unforgettable night, and I could not get over how huge the place was, especially the dance floor. I knew little of its long history in regards to New York style Latin American music. It was, after all, the traditional gathering place for so many senior citizens [...]

Presenting José Rizo’s Mongorama

José Rizo’s Mongorama picks up where the Jazz on the Latin Side All Stars left off. After a decade of fruitful existence, performing and recording four terrific CDs (Jazz on the Latin Side All Stars 1 and 2, The Last Bullfighter and Tambolero), the veteran KJazz radio host, producer, composer and bandleader takes a new direction and moves on to a new project, which is actually a continuation of the original Latin jazz all stars band concept [...]

Luis Damian Güell: The Man Behind The Sound

Luis Damian Güell was born on September 28th, 1953 in the provincial city of Cienfuegos, in Cuba, where he attended the Marist Primary School between 1958 and 1960. The Marist Brothers are a Catholic religious order of brothers and affiliated lay people. The order was founded in France, at La Valla-en-Gier near Lyon in 1817 by Saint Marcellin Champagnat, a young French priest of the Society of Mary (Marist Fathers) [...]

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 [...]