AJAZZGO 2011 – XI Encounter in Cali City
AJAZZGO 2011 – XI Encounter of Jazz Fusion and Experimental Creators in Cali City
For seven days Cali city will enjoy more than eighty jazz artists integrated in twelve bands (four national and eight international). The festival will offer the spectators twenty-six educational and artistic activities on eight different stages; there will be eleven free concerts and workshops and fifteen shows with discount prices for students and seniors.
Report by Oscar Montagut – From Bogotá, Colombia – August 28th, 2011
Cali City will be the place to meet a variety of extraordinary composers, musicians and interpreters of jazz music because this warm Colombian city will celebrate the eleventh edition of the Ajazzgo Festival from September 5th to 11th, 2011. International artists like John Scofield, Bobby Carcassés, Harold López-Nussa, Deborah Carter, Diego “El Cigala”, Karlos Rotsen, and Luigi Cinque will part of the schedule during this jazz week. This year the spectators will watch Colombian artists like Ensamble El Colectivo, Third Level, Andrés Ortíz, the Cali Philharmonic Orquestra, Samuel Torres and Ricardo Jaramillo.
The Name of the Festival is a Discovery
In a Latinamerican context the word “Ajazzgo” to name a jazz festival is very interesting because it sounds the same as the word “hallazgo” which means in Spanish “discovery”. At the same time in English the word “Ajazzgo” could be read like A – JAZZ – GO, in other words “Mr. Jazz, go ahead, just be you”. This festival has a title that invites the spectator to let the music be and this is shown by the commitment that the Ajazzgo directors and staff have to their city, spectators and music.
Latino Artists
The invited artists from the magical island Cuba are Bobby Carcassés and Harold López-Nussa. Mr. Carcassés, called by the Cuban people “the Afrocuban Jazz Guru”, is a recognized Jamaican painter and musician who lives in Cuba (his adopted country). Another Cuban musician is Mr. López-Nussa who comes from a musical dynasty and has won many prestigious awards like the Montreux Festival Revelation Pianist award. He currently is the pianist of the well-known singer Omara Portuondo. He will play with Ruy Adrian López Nussa (drumes), Gastón Joya (bass) and Mayquel Gonzales (trumpet).
European Artists
From the old continent the audience will have the chance to watch Karlos Rotsen, Diego “EL Cigala”, and Luigi Cinque. Mr. Rotsen is a West Indian composer and pianist who will bring his work full of different elements like afro, funk, soul and gospel. Rotsen’s band includes Irving Acao (sax), Arnaud Dolmen (drums) and Damian Nueva Cortes (double-bass). El Cigala, the famous flamenco singer, will bewitch the audience with his feeling and energy singing the typical Spanish folklore music accompanied by the guitarist Diego del Morao. Mr. Cinque, representing Italy, has done interesting work in different fields like poetry, music, literature and cinema. All this background shows that Mr. Cinque is an integral artist who is able to compose music from almost any human art. This time he will play the sax, clarinet, gaita and piano with his partner Bonafede who will play the keyboard.
American Artists
From the United States music lovers will listen to two well-known musicians; Deborah Carter and John Scofield. Mrs. Carter is a singer who will visit to show her experience living as an artist in Europe. Originally from Texas, United States, Deborah Carter has devoted her life to jazz singing in different countries like Japan, Holland and Europe. This beautiful singer will play with Mark Zandveld (bass), Coen Molenaar (piano) and Enrique Firpi (drums). John Scofield is the other American musician who will be playing at the Enrique Buenaventura Theater on the last day of the festival. Mr. Scofield is one of the principal innovators of modern jazz guitar. He has played with legends like Gary Burton and Miles Davis, and his work has been acclaimed by critics and jazz lovers around the world. Mr. Scofield will play with his band (Ben Street, bass; Bill Stewart, drums; and Michael Eckroth, piano).
Colombian Artists
The remarkable Samuel Torres and Andrés Ortíz will be some of the local artists for this edition of the festival. Mr. Torres is a virtuous percussionist who won the second place in the prestigious Thelonious Monk International Jazz Competition for Hand percussion. He has performed with jazz artists including Tito Puente, Chick Corea, Poncho Sanchez and Michael Brecker among other great musicians. Mr. Torres will play with the Cali Philharmonic Orquestra.
Another talented Colombian musician in this festival is Andres Ortíz. After studying in the Aula del Conservatori del Liceu, and taking classes with Bebo Valdes, Chick Corea and Bobby McFerrin, Andrés Ortíz won the Diversons Competition in Europe which allowed him to tour Spain and Portugal. Mr. Ortíz will play in Ajazzgo with the bass player Antonio Cervellino and drummer Brian Quinn.
Ajazzgo Festival Schedule
September 5th.
- Bobby Carcassés & Afrojazz - Septet (Cuba)
- Ensamble El Colectivo (Colombia)
Place: Los Cristales Outdoor Theater. 6:00 pm.
September 6th.
Harold López-Nussa - Quartet (Cuba)
Place: Comfandi Cultural Centre. 8:00 PM.
September 7th.
- Daniela Chabarría – Solo danza fusión jazz (Cuba)
- Deborah Carter - Quartet (Holland)
Place: Enrique Buenaventura Theater. 8:00 pm
September 8th.
Third Level. Director José Gallegos (Colombia)
Place: Salamandra Theater. 8:00 pm
September 9th.
Andrés Ortíz – Trío (Switzerland – Colombia)
Place: Comfandi Cultural Centre. 6:00 pm.
September 9th.
- Cali Philarmonic Orquestra – Invited Soloist: Samuel Torres – Invited director: Ricardo Jaramillo (Colombia).
Place: Enrique Buenaventura Theater. 8:00 pm.
September 10th.
- Karlos Rotsen Quartet (French Antilles)
Place: Comfandi Cultural Centre. 6:00 pm.
September 10th.
- Cigala & Tango – Sextet (Spain)
Place: Enrique Buenaventura Theater. 8:00 pm.
September 11th.
Luigi Cinque Ópera Duet (Italy)
Place: Comfandi Cultural Centre. 6:00 pm.
Septiembre 11.
John Scofield – Quartet (Usa)
Place: Enrique Buenaventura Theater. 8:00 pm.
Website: www.ajazzgofestival.com
Celebrating Emiliano Salvador and his Musical Legacy
Latin Jazz Network Radio – Jukebox – August 2010 Playlist
Click here to launch our audio player. See our playlist below.
|
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.
So it is with the wonderful “Blues Guaguancó” the musicians open the proceedings with incredible melodic invention—one firing graceful depth bombs on the tumba, another tapping out a staccato counter melody playing cross-clave and striking up a counter rhythm, setting up the third—a quinto—to run riot as Carcassés mimics both melody and rhythm before the saxophone cuts in. This is not uncommon in a rumba derivative of this nature, but the one tapped out by Bobby Carcassé is stunning. The high level of energy; the inventive twists and turns in Carcassés phrasing and intonation; his soprano overtones simultaneously and magically overlaid upon his husky, breathless voice as it careens madly swerving around the melody as he turns music into the high art of creativity.
Even when he sings in a language patently foreign to him, when he sings Youmans’ fabulous song, “Sometimes I’m Happy” rolling his “R’s”and elongating his “ou’s” he conjures up memories of Jimmy Durante and Victor Borge. Yet Carcassés is being himself, the Cuban anomaly, born of the same genius that created Benny Moré, Arsenio Rodriguez and Chano Pozo, Emiliano Salvador and Chocolate. Just As wonderfully and impossibly, he turns George Gershwin’s “Summertime” into an a capella classic filled with such unheard of magic that for once, it appears someone has outdone every singer and scat artist in town—including, improbably, Bobby McFerrin, in the twisted and breathtaking ending of the song.
The emotion he is able to squeeze out of his voice in the Afro-centric, “Babalú” as he chases Andrea‘s Brachfeld’s flute and Yosvany Terry’s alto saxophone, stirring up a quiet frenzy with his scat singing as the chorus of Magilé Alvarez and Descemer Bueno keep things anchored in the son montuno is a thing of beauty and unforgettable. That must be a peak? But no, now there is more as the ensemble launches into “Blues for Chano” with Osmany Paredes’ expansive piano followed by Carcassés’ mystical call to the conjure up the spirit of his percussionist friend. Then a muted, charged flugelhorn solo marks the walking lines of the blues segment of the song before he comes back to the Afro-Cuban rumbero tribute again. Here Carcassés is majestic—a shaman communing with the spirits, a king chanting a royal pronouncement and a mad rumbero himself, goaded on by superb drumming from the prodigiously talented drummer, Dafnis Prieto.
“Veronica,” a wonderful ballad to his wife, shows the elegiac side to Bobby Carcassés and also recalls his softer side. His flugelhorn break following the first half chorus is also worthy of a virtuoso horn player, which he certainly is. Here too his intonation and phrasing is exceptional in its understatement. And finally there is “De Habana á Nueva York, a track that melds danzon with guaguancó, guaracha, bolero, mambo and the blues, via a muted, yet charged solo by Carcassés as he traces his colourful life from child to manhood, from Cuba to the United States.
This album is definitive Bobby Carcassés. It is the high point of his artistry, an honest, emotional and devastatingly beautiful album by an artist who joins several of his peers as one who defines a culture, a whole way of life that is boundless in its creativity, humility and spirituality.
Tracks: Blues Guaguancó Sometimes I’m Happy; No Seras de Mi; Green Dolphin Street; Babalu; Summertime; Blues Para Chano; Veronica; De La Habana a Nueva York.
Personnel: Bobby Carcassés: vocals, flugelhorn, percussion, piano, arrangements; Dafnis Prieto: drums; Osmany Paredes: piano; Yunior Terry: bass; Yosvany Terry: saxophones, chekere; Marvin Diz: percussion; Andrea Brachfeld: flute (5); Magilé Alvarez: chorus; Descemer Bueno: chorus.
Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
Bobby Carcassés on the web: www.bobbycarcasses.com
Review written by: Raul da Gama
Bobby Carcassés en Jazz Gallery – Nueva York
Bobby Carcassés: Luna de Miel en Nueva York
Un eterno romance entre lo cubano y el jazz demuestra que la cosa va en serio
Reseña por Chico Alvarez Peraza
Fotografías por Verónica Carcassés
El pasado jueves 11 de marzo, se presentó por segunda vez en el Jazz Gallery de la calle Hudson en el bajo Manhattan el improvisador de jazz, cantante, trompetista, pianista, percusionista y dibujante cubano Bobby Carcassés. Su música ha sido categorizada como “jazz cubano” y el propio Bobby ocupa hoy un lugar importantísimo en la historia de este género.
Como lo había hecho ya en otras ocasiones, Bobby le brindó a sus admiradores alma y corazón; les presentó un repertorio original envuelto en sus propios arreglos; mezclados con adaptaciones de varios temas que pertenecen tanto al repertorio clásico y variado del jazz como al cancionero americano. Junto a Bobby, un elenco de musicos cubanos desterrados: el destacado alto saxofonista y percusionista Yosvany Terry; su hermano, el inquieto Yunior Terry en el bajo acústico; el pianista por excelencia Manuel Valera; el ritmo contagioso de Marvin Diz, haciendo de lo suyo con tres tumbaboras mientras el formidable Dafnis Prieto le daba el toque final al asunto con una batería americana (drum set). Y para ñapa, la agresiva combinación cubana se unió para descargar en dos temas con la flautista americana Andrea Brachfeld, a quien Bobby había invitado a participar. Así, de forma contundente y con cierto aire “libre” (free form), Carcassés fundió ambos generos en forma muy peculiar, y por supuesto “a lo cubano”. A mi entender, esa es su frase favorita… Lea la reseña completa
Vea el slideshow: Bobby Carcassés: Luna de Miel en Nueva York (este enlace abrirá en una ventana nueva)
