Diego Urcola Quartet – Appreciation (CAM Jazz/Sunnyside – 2011)
Diego Urcola’s is a voice that remained somewhat hidden—certainly tucked away—for two decades in Paquito D’Rivera’s quintet. And then there was the subdued role he played in Los Guachos, the fabulous larger ensemble. However the graceful candour of his voice is irrepressible and it was only a matter of time when he would be heard for what he really is and plays. Urcola is distinct and a singular artist in the manner of his more famous countryman Leandro “Gato” Barbieri. The trumpeter plays with sensuous swagger and digs deep into his own soul for even the slightest note. This mortal risk-talking is something Barbieri is well-known for and with his own immaculate sense of grace, absolutely bereft of inhibition Urcola begs favourable comparisons with the much older tenor saxophonist.
The trumpet resides in a cluttered world and not even its softer relative, the flugelhorn, can serve to set horn men who favour this burnished brass instrument apart from the pack that always seems to advance like the frontline of an ancient army. Still, someone like Charles Mingus was able to pick Thad Jones, and more significantly, the mysterious, Clarence Shaw from out of the clutter. Jones he called Bartok with valves and Shaw’s language and phrasing left him breathless. Then there is Wallace Rooney, and Arturo Sandoval. To these must be added the name of Diego Urcola. To understand why this is so, it pays to peruse Urcola’s most recent solo date Appreciation.
Here is an example of a gargantuan challenge, one where the artist has chosen to pay homage to a host of his peers and mentors: wholly different characters that have pursued widely divergent paths. And yet Urcola brings it all together, to fruition, so to speak with a mighty effort that defines each musician—from Freddie Hubbard to Hermeto Pascoal, Guillermo Klein to John Coltrane and Astor Piazzolla. In doing so, Urcola traverses the soundscape of Lydian modes, bebop, the Brasilian “partita alto” and the wildly inventive metres of Klein using what the Guachos did—7+7+7+3. The tribute to Woody Shaw and Dizzy Gillespie, “Woody ‘n Diz” offers a masterful use of the flatted fifth, while “El Brujo” sings of the fire and irrepressible creativity of Pascoal in that rarely used Brasilian rhythm. Urcola’s tribute to his long-term employer, D’Rivera is an astounding “Milonga” song-style in the manner of Astor Piazzolla.
Urcola is blessed to have the artistry of pianist, Luis Perdomo, a master of that elusive Latin rhythm that actually resides hidden in the melody and is only brought forth by superlative “tumbao” something few pianists possess. Drummer, Eric McPherson is truly a revelation in the deft manner in which he negotiates the maddeningly complex rhythms, especially that invented by Guillermo Klein in a 7+7+7+3 part. He is no doubt aided on “The Natural” by Yosvany Terry on chekere, but then there is the “partita alto” and all the other tantalizing modes that follow. And of course Hans Glawischnig too makes up the wondrous quintet recording.
Tracks: 1. The Natural (to Freddie Hubbard); 2. El Brujo (to Hermeto Pascoal); 3. Milonga para Paquito (to Paquito D’Rivera); 4. Super Mario Forever (to Mario Rivera); 5. Guachos (to Guillermo Klein & Los Guachos); 6. Deep (to Astor Piazzolla & Miles Davis); 7. Senhor Wayne; 8. Woody ‘n Diz (to Woody Shaw & Dizzy Gillespie); 9. Camilla (to John Coltrane).
Personnel: Diego Urcola: trumpet, flugelhorn, valve trombone, vocals; Luis Perdomo: piano, Fender Rhodes; Hans Glawischnig: bass; Eric McPherson: drums; Yosvany Terry: chekere (1, 8).
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Diego Urcola on the web: www.diegourcola.com
Review written by: Raul da Gama
Paoli Mejias – Jazzambia – Recording Session
On this earthy and emotionally charged record, Jazzambia (2008), percussionist Paoli Mejias may appear to be showcasing his skills, but in actual fact, he is doing much more than that. He is actually setting out to draw a not-so-tenuous rhythmic line between the music of Africa and of Puerto Rico. In his own very personal vision of Puerto Rico the glue that binds this is European programmatic music and, of course, the African-American idiom of jazz.- Raul da Gama
Jazzambia is independently produced by Paoli Mejías. Featuring internationally acclaimed musicians: Miguel Zenón – Sax; Jaleel Shaw – Sax; Antonio Sánchez – Drums; Tony Escapa – Drums; Luis Perdomo – Piano; Hans Glawischnig – Bass; Paoli Mejías – Percussion & Chris Cheek – Sax; Christian Nieves – Cuatro / Puerto Rican Guitar; Rafael “Tito” De Gracia – Timbales; Ricardo Pons – Sax and Yan Carlos Artime – Chorus.
Photographs by Sarah Vogel
Paoli Mejias – Jazzambia (Paoli Mejias Records 2008)
On this earthy and emotionally charged record, Jazzambia (2008), percussionist Paoli Mejias may appear to be showcasing his skills, but in actual fact, he is doing much more than that. He is actually setting out to draw a not-so-tenuous rhythmic line between the music of Africa and of Puerto Rico. In his own very personal vision of Puerto Rico the glue that binds this is European programmatic music and, of course, the African-American idiom of jazz.
This is established right in the first track, “Diaspora,” which opens in a purely derivative Latin American context. Then as soon as he solos, the music breaks down into a richly crafted narrative meandering from African roots, through a fine European sensibility. Finally the music flows back into the Latin American metaphor, before a re-statement of the theme, but this time more robust and melodic, yet featuring a resolution of the African and the Latin American. Miguel Zenon states the European in an alto saxophone tone; Mejias rediscovers the African roots and then the wonderfully sensitive piano meandering of Luis Perdomo brings the song home to Puerto Pico in smart rhythm. And this is very much the case, only more traditional, on Nestor Toro’s track “Jibarology,” which features the electrifyingly colored cuatro work of Christian Nieves.
However there is much more to this record than the first two extraordinary tracks and Mejias takes the listener through them with a wonderful array of percussion from the African and the Brazilian to the Puerto Rican and also the American.
There is the beautiful ‘singing’ track, “Logos” and the oblique tribute to he bebop masters – “Fragment,” which features a rising star, Jaleel Shaw on one of the most lyrical alto saxophone excursions imaginable. Shaw returns to wax lyrical on “Sentimental Cha,” a swinging cha cha shuffle. And then there is the dynamic attack throughout, of Luis Perdomo, a direct musical descendent of the great Eddie Palmieri. Perdomo – true to his penchant for a percussive Latin attack creates an enormous swathe of rhythm around the melodic elements of his Latin signature and defines the musical thrust of the record.
And there are also some fine challenging rhythmic excursions where the musicians employ complex time signatures. Bassist Glawischnig’s “El Tintero” is a classic case in point, where this very mode can be seen in the energetic introduction of the song and then throughout the song.
Mejias also states in his dedication that he wanted to pay tribute to the powerful ancestors in his musical family. And if his intention was to praise the griot tradition, which he was born into then this record, with its rhythmic heart that beats around a rich tapestry of melodic and harmonic journeys, then Mejias has truly succeeded in creating a magnificent testament to his heritage.
Tracks: 1. Diaspora; 2. Jibarology; 3. Logos; 4. Fragment; 5. El Tintero; 6. Sentimental Cha; 7. Links; 8. Lo Cierto que es lo incierto; 9. Seres.
Personnel: Hans Glawischnig: bass; Luis Perdomo: piano; Antonio Sanchez: drums (1 & 2, 5 & 6 & 7, 9); Tony Escapa: drums (3, 4, 8); Miguel Zenon: alto saxophone (1 – 3); Jaleel Shaw: alto saxophone (5 & 6), soprano saxophone (7); Ricardo Pons: alto saxophone (8); Chris Cheek: soprano saxophones (9); Christian Nieves: cuatro/Puerto Rican guitar (2), guiro (2, 8); Rafael (Tito) De Gracia: timbal (4, 8); Yan Carlos Artime: chorus (4, 5); Paoli Mejias: all percussion and all percussion solos on all tracks.
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Paoli Mejias on the web: www.paolimejias.com
Review written by: Raul da Gama
