The John Santos Sextet – Filosofía Caribeña, Vol. 1

John Santos wants to draw attention to the virtually institutionalized segregation between Afro-American and Afro-Caribbean communities. He has always been painfully aware of this and condemns it in more ways than one. The most damning condemnation of it is his daunting experiments to unify the two communities through the most extraordinary cultural collision: and that is through Filosofía Caribeña, Vol. 1. (Machete Records – 2011), a superb musical odyssey by the John Santos Sextet, one of several ensembles that have followed his erstwhile one, The Machete Ensemble. Born in California, but with a cultural heritage that cuts deep into the Afro-Caribbean Diaspora, Santos is eminently qualified to be both socio-politically aware of the ramifications of crying foul about cultural segregation as well as wielding the enormous palette from which this music is sprung.

This is an album with a sweeping concept that cuts across a wide swathe of music’s topography from Europe and Asia to the Americas. Much of the music of today makes attempts to recreate such an enormous cultural geography, but fails because it is not privy to the mystical secrets that the spirituality inherent in the music of each diaspora. However, Santos somehow manages to bring this together. In fact he does more than manage; he succeeds in being a force or conduit in the passage of this music. That is because he is hugely creative in himself and like a modern apothecary he presides over the music’s creation from behind his enormous battery of drums. That he extracts music from the second oldest instrument (the oldest being the human voice) has everything to do with his extraordinary achievement here. Then there is the fact that the music comes via one of the touchstones in the contemporary music of the Americas: New Orleans and the Creole environment that created the melting pot that made the music bubble and boil. But not only Creole… When the Sextet—especially Dr. John Calloway on flute and the saxophone virtuoso, Melecio Magdaluyo—interweave their contrapuntal harmonies in homage to the towering figure of Ron Stallings, Santos’ so-called Filosofía is spectacularly borne out: Music is an uttering from the depths of the artist’s soul and just a soul cannot, and does not distinguish by means of color, so also does the creation itself born of the sheer joy of human triumph over all adversity, especially that which keeps people apart.

Thus the importance of the true melding of the hot blues and soul of Afro-American and Afro-Caribbean music; of swing and shuffle in music that dances celebrates ALL human existence with pure joy. And few ensembles do it better than those led by Santos. This is how this suite of music ought to be enjoyed, for this is how it was written and played—as a tribute to living La Vida Loca through mystery, magic sheer joy.

Track Listing:

1. He Was One of Us
2. La Rumba Me Lleva
3. El Esqueleto Rumbero
4. No Soy Combatiente
5. Pop’s Brim
6. Resistensia
7. The Sense of Now
8. Refraneando
9. Siete Cuevas
10. Ponme A Gozar
11. Carnaval SF.

Personnel:

Dr. John Calloway: flute (1 – 5, 7 – 11), alto flute (2), piano (6, 11); Melecio Magdaluyo: tenor saxophone (1, 8, 9), soprano saxophone (3 – 5, 7), baritone saxophone (6, 10, 11), alto saxophone (11), flute (2); Saul Sierra: bass; Marco Diaz: piano (1 – 5, 7 – 10), trumpets (6, 11); David Flores: drum set (1 – 10), kata (2), kick and snare drums (11); Joey Deleon: tumbadoras (2 – intro, 6), segundo (2), quinto (6), Iyá batá (6), rebajador (11); Javier Navarette: cachimbo (2 – intro), clave (2), batás, chékere (6), quinto (11); John Santos: caxixis, tumbadoras, batá, chékere, gong, cymbals, caja, tumbadoras (intro), quinto, cajón, bomba, pailatas, güiro, ganza, tambourine, tumba, salidor, segundo, bells, snare, maruga, miscellaneous percussion, coro; Willie Ludwig: coro (8); Beatriz Muñiz: coro (8).

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John Santos on the web: www.johnsantos.com

Review written by: Raul da Gama

Coto Pincheira – The Sonido Moderno Project (Self Produced 2009)

Coto Pincheira, as he prefers being called, has made an enthusiastic impression with The Sonido Modern Project, literally, the Modern Sound Project. This virtuoso pianist, to whom clave comes naturally, has attempted to pour this rollicking backbeat into a cauldron set alight by the vast array of Afro-Caribbean metaphors and rhythms. The result is a molten mix that gathers momentum from Cuba and Chile into half a dozen other South American musical traditions. To these, Pincheira adds two fleet-fingered bassists: Gary Brown and Sam Bevan who bob and wobble around the Latin beats, creating a deeply modern and shape defying groove.

There is only one instance in the program when Carlos Santana is recast almost too obviously and that is on “Positive Influences” so that it appears by design that a pseudo mariachi start kicks the burning track into action. Guitarist Dave McNab has everything to do with this track, right out of The Swing of Delight. Otherwise, the music appears not to copy much of the grooves gone by. The project picks up strength right after the track, redeemed by wonderful work on batás by Silvestre Martinez. “Danzón For A Night,” for instance is a superb danzón, that mixes the tango and some upbeat son and cha-cha-chá as well. Pincheiro employs the talent of the legendary timbalero, Orestes Vilató here and this lifts the piece into the stratosphere.

“Tribute To A Generation” is a fine homage to the era of Irakere and actually recalls the historic contribution that the ensemble contributed to the language of Latin music with exquisite piano work from Pincheira. The artist even provides a generous, but sly reference to Hilario Durán in his bursts of piano con clave that dapple the song with virtuosic delight. “Original Steps” is yet another example of the influence of John Coltrane in the realm of Latin music. This one is actually a rather fine take on “Giant Steps” with inventive clave replacing Coltrane’s modal excursions.

Pincheira makes a memorable turn in “Modern Sound Project,” which puts a truly creative spin on a myriad of Latin rhythms from son and danzón to changüi. Here the pianist shows how cleverly he is able to construct traditional modes in a modern context and he uses his bassist just as well as he employs the percussionists and brass to turn on a dime. Once again, the band jumps up to the challenge. On “A Chilean in Havana,” Pincheira is able to twist nueva canción and cumbia into a knot of new rhythms that weave in and out of Hip-hop and charanga, guajira and guaracha -all traditional Cuban dance rhythms. The song provides an alluring cap to the staggeringly beautiful project.

Coto Pincheira has shown enormous promise with this musical excursion. He’s channeled the great Latin traditions into a modern context without compromising the integrity and enjoyment of old and new.

Tracks: 1. Suite 301; 2. Positive Influences; 3. Danzón For A Night; 4. Wendy’s Ballad; 5. Tribute To A Generation; 6. Original Steps; 7. Modern Sound Project; 8. A Chileno In Havana.

Personnel: Gary Brown: bass (1, 3 – 5, 7); Sam Bevan: bass (2, 6, 8); David Flores: drum set (3, 4, 7); Colin Douglas: drum set, batas (1, 2, 5, 6, 8); Dave McNab: guitar (2); Sheldon Brown: tenor and alto saxophones (1, 2, 5 – 8); Mike Olmos: trumpet (1, 5 – 8); Miguel Martinez: flute (3); Silvestre Martinez: congas, batas (1 – 3, 5 – 8); David Frazier: batas, percussion (1, 2, 5, 6); Orestes Vilato: timbal (3); Alfredo de la Fe: violin (3); Coto Pincheira: piano, keyboards.

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Coto Pincheira on the web: www.cotopincheira.com

Review written by: Raul da Gama