Posted on January 15, 2008
Of Soul and Shadow
Conversation with
Composer, Arranger & Percussionist Luis Muñoz
By
Danilo Navas
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Luis Muñoz, composer, arranger and percussionist, was born in San José, Costa Rica. Coming from a very musical family, Luis showed an early interest in the arts and spent his youth performing in Rock and Jazz groups. In 1972 Luis entered the University of Costa Rica where he studied both Architecture and Music. He studied privately at the National Music Conservatory and with the principal flutist of the National Symphony Orchestra. In 1974 Luis emigrated to the United States and there completed his Degree in Music Composition at the University of California, Santa Barbara, under the tutelage of renown British composer Peter Fricker. For the last 30 years Luis Muñoz has written music for educational and sports documentaries, animation films, radio and television jingles, dance and theater. In addition, Muñoz has worked as a music producer and arranger, as well as a percussionist for numerous artists such as Airto Moreira, Etta James, Flora Purím and Jim Messina.
Luis Muñoz has made numerous recordings of his music throughout the years. In 1980, commissioned by the Costa Rican government, Muñoz wrote and recorded "COSTA RICA-COSTA RICA". Luis donated all the proceeds generated by the sales of that recording to the Red Cross in Nicaragua, a nation at the time desperately trying to heal itself from the effects of a devastating civil war. In 1988 he signed with CBS Records and recorded "LA VERDAD". In 1996, Fahrenheit Records "THE FRUIT OF EDEN", Co-produced by Dominic Camardella (who has helmed projects for Maynard Ferguson, Ottmar Liebert and Willie and Lobo), marked Muñoz's U. S. recording debut, an explosive introduction to a talent that had been wowing Latin America for years. In 1998, Muñoz brought listeners a more progressive and exotic expression on his next endeavor, "COMPASSION", continuing to evolve as an innovative force in instrumental music.
"I grew up in Costa Rica, which is right in the middle of the American continent," he muses, "and being in a place where every form of Latin music merges really had an impact on me. Coming from a large family that included amateur instrumentalists as well as professional composers, my involvement with music started at a very early age. I was constantly being exposed to the plentiful, multi-faceted world of Latin American music; the pleasure, inspiration and joy that came from that experience were very important factors in my decision to become a composer. I remember listening to the songs of Chilean Victor Jara and Violeta Parra; the voices of Mercedes Sosa and Milton Nascimento; the Argentinian Tango; the music of the Andean "Altiplano." I loved the music of Brazil, with the pulsating rhythms of the samba, the maracatú, the partido alto and the baião, plus the gentle beauty of the bossa nova; the cumbia from Colombia, the merengue from the Dominican Republic, the calypso from Trinidad, the norteña and ranchera music from Mexico, the bomba and plena from Puerto Rico and the music of Cuba. Cuban music, with it's deep African roots, has offered the world the gifts of the rumba, the cha-cha-cha, the son montuno, songo, mambo, guaracha and guaguancó, creating beats to which the entire world now dances." Muñoz continues, " ... In loving and appreciating these styles of music I grew up with, I would soon realize that there was much more yet to be discover. Early on I remember being exposed to the music of Miles Davis, Ornette Coleman, Eric Dolphy, John Coltrane and Thelonious Monk, which ignited my unquenchable thirst for jazz. Then, during my early teens, the" British Invasion," and music from groups like the Beatles would introduce me to a new type of music and culture from other parts of the world. Naturally, as a student at the Music Conservatory of the University of Costa Rica, I found myself deeply intrigued with the classical music repertoire. Bach, Ravel, Chopin, Stravinsky ... the influences were many and varied. I was in awe of the vast emotional spectrum of classical music. The passion and depth, the rapture and relevance, the sheer magic that can only be found in some of the greatest works ever written."
In 2004 Muñoz released "VIDA" which received the acclaim of the music media worldwide. Among many accolades, DownBeat magazine gave it 4 stars, it was pronounced "Best Latin Jazz CD of the Year" by Jazzreview.com, "A truly Monumental Work" by Americas Magazine, "A Masterpiece" by world renowned music critic Mark Holston (Hispanic Magazine) and "One of the 10 best recordings of the year" by Latin Jazz Network. In 2006 Mr. Muñoz was given an ACAM award in Costa Rica, for Jazz Composer/Producer of the year.
In 2007 Mr. Muñoz releases his latest recording, "Of Soul and Shadow", a collection of 10 compositions that explore his Central American roots through the idioms of Costa Rican folklore, classical music and jazz. Of Soul and Shadow features the collaborative efforts of over 25 musicians, including special guests Adolfo Acosta (Tower of Power) on trumpet; percussionist Ramses Araya (Ruben Blades); chromatic harmonica player Ron Kalina; trombone player Ira Nepus (Diana Krall); and New York sensation Dave Binney on alto sax.
As a percussionist, Luis Muñoz endorses and plays Yamaha Drums, Paiste Cymbals, Toca Percussion, Evans Drumheads and Regal Tip drumsticks exclusively. |
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For the last 3-4 years, we've been following the evolution of Luis Muñoz as an artist. "Of Soul and Shadow" is a beautiful, passionate recording in which the fusion of the most diverse musical elements is more evident than in previous releases. Luis continues to grow in talent and maturity. His music has a distinctive sensibility rooted in ancient Pan-American rhythms, but enriched with modern, contemporary expressions. Enjoy the music. Enjoy the reading.
DN: There's a strong folkloric element which is present throughout your new recording...
LM: Yes, there is! I believe my own personal growth as an artist has taking me back full circle to it, to the root, to the beginning, my beginning, to the first music in its simplest form. There are five main sources of inspiration and influence in my music: European Classical music, Rock & Roll, Jazz and Afro Caribbean music. But before The Beatles and the Kinks, before Alberto Vazquez, Elvis, Perez Prado and Celia Cruz, before Chopin, Tchaikovsky and Stravinsky, before Miles, Monk and Coltrane, there was the sound of the marimba and the acoustic guitar. “El Punto Guanacasteco” and the music from the most Northern state in the country was present in my life from the very beginning, at family parties, gatherings, in the streets, civic celebrations, school, plays, etc. It may have taken me almost 40 years to get back to it, but this is the musical idiom closest to my heart. I‘ve taken the basic instrumentation of Costa Rican and Latin American folklore in general, along with its rhythms and melodic styles and I use them as a departing point. From there, I’ve applied harmonic structures more often found in Jazz,
plus the element of improvisation, a Classical music approach to orchestration, and Cuba, ever present Cuba… However, I believe the end result is very much Costa Rican in its essence and spirit. My manager Agustín Fallas, coined the term and calls it “Latin Folk Jazz”.
DN: Why "Of Soul and Shadow?" What's the story behind the title of the CD?
LM: The title refers to what I am trying to express with this music. To me there is good and bad music, period. I expect the musicians that I work with to have a full understanding and command of the technical aspects of music, like being able to play in tune, having enough “chops” to perform what is asked of them, having a strong knowledge of harmony, melody, rhythm, history, being a good reader, a good listener, etc. But beyond that, and much more important is the emotional aspect of the music, its soul and heart, the capability of those musicians to translate emotion into sound, which end up giving music its soul. My hope is that this music has come directly from my heart, reflecting its content fearlessly: This is who I am as an
artist and as a person, this is what I feel, this is my story, my musical representation of life as I see it. It is undeniable that we live in times of difficulty, of conflict and darkness. Times of war, of humanity facing global warming and all its repercussions and effect in our children’s future; these are the times of 9/11, of Rwanda and the Darfur genocide, of poverty, and hunger and Katrina… And this music is also a reflection of those times of “Shadow”. We
all need to get involved in making things better. In putting my two cents in, I am starting to develop a series of acoustic, chamber like concerts for next year, which we have named "Songs of Peace and Transformation". I have chosen from our repertoire what I consider the songs closest to my soul, introspective at times, melodic, spiritual perhaps. A sense of participation and collaboration in the pursuit of "Peace and Transformation" is at hand behind these concerts. Both, change and peace are so badly needed in today's world, and I feel that this will be a good opportunity for us artists, to help with the cause. I see each performance as a prayer for peace, a moment of communion and meditation on the matter with each community we visit. And going back to your question, perhaps “Soul” alone, without the “Shadow” would have being a better title, but…
DN:
You gathered a very talented array of musicians for this project...
LM: I have a seven piece touring band which is at the core of the recording: Keyboardist George Friedenthal, with whom I’ve been working with, off and on for almost 30 years; Guitarrist Narciso Sotomayor, a Costa Rican childhood friend, with whom I’ve also been making music with since the late sixties; brass player Jonathan Dane, a 10 year veteran of my ensemble; bass player Tom Etchart, whom I’ve known for 15 years. He joined the band two years ago. The percussion chair is shared by Kevin Winard, whom I met when he was 12 years old, and Ramses Araya, who’s also been playing with Ruben Blades for many years and is perhaps the greatest Costa Rican percussionist; the newest member of the band is Jon Nathan, a music professor at UCSB and member of the Santa Barbara Symphony Orchestra, who plays marimba with us. There is a wonderful sense of history and friendship in the band, which is invaluable. In total, there were almost 25 musicians involved in the recording of “Of Soul and Shadow”. The CD features two of the greatest Jazz improvisers in the music scene today, and interesting enough, both with absolutely opposite styles and musical approaches: chromatic harmonica player Ron Kalina and
alto sax player David Binney. Ron I met in 1997. During the sessions for the recording of my 1998’s “Compassion” CD, I called the musician’s union in Los Angeles looking for a harmonica
player and they gave me several names. He was at the top of the list and he was the first one I called. Since then he’s being at the top of my list, being part of every single one of my CDs since the late 90’s. Talk about a soulful player… David is an old friend of mine, from the California Central Coast Jazz scene. He grew up in Ventura, 30 miles South of Santa Barbara, where I’ve being residing for over 30 years. However, he made his name as a master improviser in NYC. David is a modern Jazz virtuoso of infinite imagination and chops, and I believe he is at the vanguard of Jazz, as part of a small group of young artists constantly breaking new musical ground and setting the pace for Jazz in the Big Apple. I am indeed lucky to be able to
work with every single one of these musicians.
DN: Let's talk about each of the songs on "Of Soul and Shadow."
LM: The CD starts with what I consider to be a perfect example of “Latin Folk Jazz”. “Paso a Paso” is an extremely simple two-chord piece, with a bass ostinato doubled by the piano’s left hand. Two melodies are introduced, one played by the acoustic guitar and the other one by the marimba. That completes the written part of the song. It is such a basic, minimal composition, however, its strength lies in its development. Coltrane’s “A Love Supreme” inspired it, believe it or not. After the melodic material is stated by a basic quartet, the piece starts to expand both dynamically and harmonically, with the addition of batas, horns, and other multiple percussion. By the time I go to the drum set and David Binney starts his second and final solo, the song has transformed drastically, to an almost unrecognizable shape, but still maintaining its folkloric
character.
There is not a gap between the first two compositions. A musical collage made out of percussion (bird calls, rain sticks, seeds, etc.) and samples (birds, rivers and storms from the Costa Rican rain forest) act as transition. A marimba 6/8 groove, a combination of son jarochoVeracruzano and Venezuelan joropo mark the beginning of “Verde Mundo Infinito”, an ode to the rain forest and nature in general. Once again, David Binney is the main catalyst, with a
powerful alto solo, backed up by horn section punches and a multitude of percussion.
“La Semilla” is the closest thing to “Latin Jazz” in the entire CD. The performances of three different musicians should be highlighted: Ramses Araya in the congas and timbales, trombonist Ira Nepus, who has performed and recorded with just about everyone in the jazz world, from Benny Carter to Quincy Jones, Ray Charles, Ella, Aretha, Diana Krall, etc., and Adolfo Acosta in the trumpet (both, playing parts and soloing). Adolfo is also an old friend of mine, ex member of my group, and for years, part of one of the greatest horn sections in the world, that of the group “Tower of Power”.
“Al Silencio” is a Jazz ballad inspired by the work of Charlie Haden. Ron Kalina not only states the melody to perfection, but he also plays one of the most beautiful solos that I have ever heard. His choice of notes, inner play and dynamics are just superb. George Friedenthal played the piano and Tom Etchart the acoustic bass, and both also did beautifully. We cut it in the first take. I could not ask for anything better!
“Luz del Sur” is another good example of folk influenced Jazz. It is a short piece, less than two minutes. The marimba and guitar again take center stage, with one surprising element, pedal steel guitar. I remember seeing Nigerian super star King Sunny Adé in concert for the very first time in the 80’s and being mesmerized by his use of the pedal steel guitar in an unexpected setting, which is Jujú music. I had used pedal steel on my previous CD “VIDA”, to
very satisfying results, so I decided to call Bill Flores again. He gave me, once again, exactly what I was looking for. I feel his part worked perfectly, giving the piece an entirely different and unique character. Thanks Bill!
“La Verdad” is an old tune, written over 20 years ago. I thought it still relevant to the times, in its own naiveté and innocence. It is the only vocal track of the project. A straight-ahead merengue with a montuno at the end that serves as background for my only solo
of the project (timbales). Andy Zúñiga sings the lead.
“Más Allá” The title is borrowed from a Pablo Neruda poem (Más Allá de la Nostalgia…). It is a bolero, and my wife’s favorite tune, to whom it is dedicated. A beautiful melody (if I may say so myself :) ), and once again, Ron Kalina blowing on the chromatic harmonica gives the piece that sense of romance, of desire, longing… nostalgia!
‘El Vedado”is an Afro Cuban little danceable ditty. Ramses is again superb in the percussion, and so is Bill Flores, this time away from the pedal steel, playing the tres. I named it “El Vedado” after the name of the street where I live. I only found out after the fact that it is also the name of a very vibrant neighborhood in La Habana.
‘Paz” Inspired by Gustav Mahler’s Adagietto for Harp and Strings from Symphony # 5. Written with Ron Kalina in mind, it consists of a series of changes that move in a circular motion, doing the same thing through several keys, until it comes back full circle to the first tonality. I wanted to offer Ron the opportunity to just blow over these changes and do his magic, and he did just that. I remember pushing the red button and being driven to tears after just listening to the first 8 bars of his solo. He has that special quality that we were talking about before, to be able to transmit emotion at the deepest level through his playing. It just sounds straight from the heart!
“Adam’s Dream” The song refers, in dedication, to my son Adam Gabriel, who turned 18 during the recording sessions. As a matter of fact, the entire CD is dedicated to him, as he embraces adulthood. Rite of Passage! Another short piece for today’s standards (3 minutes), it features Tom Etchart on the Fretless bass (Is it possible to do anything with the fretless without thinking about Jaco? Don’t think so…). Recorded at my home studio (except for the Bata drums), it is a song of hope, belief and optimism, and the perfect closer for a project very dear to my heart.
DN: After "Of Soul and Shadow" what's next Luis?
LM: Next is more of the same, but different! And by that I mean that I will continue writing music that hopefully evolves as I evolve and grow, reflecting those changes happening in my personal inner world and in the world around me. There is a deep desire in my soul to write, a need to express myself artistically and creatively. I did my first recording when I was 13 years old, and wrote my first composition over 30 years ago. That is my road to follow. Beyond the "Songs of Peace and Transformation" concert series I mentioned earlier, we will be going to Latin America this year. We will also be performing at Jazz festivals in the summer, in the US and abroad. We'll be filming many of those performances for a DVD release that will accompany our next CD. As a matter of fact, I am half way through writing the material for that next CD. Other than that, I will continue being a mirror, for the listener to find their reflection in my sounds. I will continue being a storyteller until someone turns off the lights so to speak. That is my job in the world, that is how my existence makes more sense, that is how I find joy in my heart, for me to share with everyone else. |
