Noteworthy Recordings of 2011
Feature Article Written By NY Co-Editor, Tomas Peña
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GREGOR HUEBNER – EL VIOLIN LATINO (TIMBA) Gregor Huebner’s latest CD is not so much an album as a travel narrative. On, "El Violin Latino" the German violinist and composer, who makes his home in Harlem, retraces the evolution of a repertoire that spans continents and centuries even as it remains in the shadow of the European canon. By turns sexy and sly, impassioned and dreamy, his collection of well-known tunes, unexpected arrangements and original compositions brings together far-flung members of the fiddle diaspora. In some ways, it’s the story of the prodigal violin: of how the most aristocratic of instruments crossed the Atlantic and found itself in the rhythm section of a Cuban charanga band, or in a brothel in Buenos Aires. Review by journalist Corinna da Fonseca-Wollheim of the Wall Street Journal. |
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MARACA AND HIS LATIN JAZZ ALL STARS – REENCUENTROS, LIVE AT THE GRAND THEATER OF HAVANA (DESCARGA SARL- CD/DVD) 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 (and viewer) on a musical journey through the history of traditional and contemporary Cuban music. The repertoire includes such classics as “Camerata en Guaguancó” (a Guido López-Gavilán composition), “Serenata Cubana” (an Ignacio Cervantes piece), Chano Pozo and Dizzy Gillespie’s, “Manteca” and a number of original compositions, including “Afro,” “Danzón Siglo XXI,” and “Nueva Era.” “Reencuentros” is a showcase for Maraca and his distinguished guests and in this writer’s opinion, his finest recording to date. TP. |
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JOSE RIZO’S MONGORAMA (SAUNGU RECORDINGS) “Mongorama” is no ordinary band. Its self-mandate of paying tribute to the charanga/jazz musical period extensively explored by Mongo Santamaría and his band mates, saxophonist Chombo Silva and flautist Rolando Lozano, involves revitalizing Mongo’s music and the charanga tradition he helped to develop. Rizo, as producer and bandleader and musical director Danilo Lozano incorporate new arrangements and orchestrations, modern variations of the themes without losing the essence of the rhythm and the infectious “danceability” of the music. The hip, jazzy feel exudes throughout the vocal and instrumental deliveries on this recording. Engaging and enjoyable at the same time, “Mongorama” equally pleases the listeners (jazz and Latin music fans) and the dancers. Great job accomplished by pianist Oscar Hernández with his arrangements and Francisco Torres as well. This is an album recorded live-in-studio over a two days fantastic musical journey. The music on this CD has is fresh, spontaneous and has those improvisational elements inherent to Jazz and Afro-Cuban descargas. This approach works perfectly well for these seasoned, highly-trained cats, who proudly follow in the footsteps of Maestro Mongo Santamaría. Review by Danilo Navas, Editor and contributing writer for Latin Jazz Network. |
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CACHAO – THE LAST MAMBO (EVENTUS ENTERTAINMENT/LATINUM MUSIC) This historic and heartfelt 2 CD set documents the final performance by bassist and mambo legend Israel “Cachao” Lopez leading a 24-piece orchestra. The concert, which celebrated the bassist’s 80 years in music, was held at the Ziff Opera House at the Adrienne Arsht Center in Miami Florida in 2007. At one point in the recording Cachao becomes reflective, “Tonight I am feeling very emotional” says Cachao, “80 years in the music business. Do you know what that is? It’s no joke.” The Last Mambo transports the listener to the legendary master’s final performance and it’s the next best thing to being there. TP |
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CHARITO – HEAL THE WORLD (ZOHO RECORDS) This jazzy tribute to Michael Jackson is a refreshing and pleasant surprise. Vocalist, Charito, who is obviously a huge fan of Jackson, handles the material with passion, intimacy and swing. Moreover, she breathes new life into Jackson’s hits: “Rock with You,” “Human Nature” and “Never Can Say Goodbye” among others. The recording was produced by West Coast percussionist Harvey Mason, who has worked with Dionne Warwick and Whitney Houston. Mason has assembled a distinguished group of musicians and the arrangements are familiar yet fresh. Heal the World is a heartfelt and uplifting tribute to the King of Pop. It’s the feel good album of the year. TP. |
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OMAR SOSA – CALMA (OTA) Calma is Omar Sosa’s fifth solo piano recording and perhaps his finest. The CD is comprised of 13 solo piano improvisations, fusing stylistic elements of jazz, classical music, ambient and electronica. As the title implies, the overall feeling is relaxed and introspective. According to Sosa, “Each song is an inspiration for the next, and improvisation is the basis of musical expression. I wanted to play from beginning to end without thinking – just feeling where each note would take me, following the voice of my soul.” Rhythmically, the feeling of the CD is unhurried and meditative. Sensations of floating and suspension of time prevail. Review: Otá Records. |
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JERRY GONZALEZ Y EL COMANDO DE LA CLAVE (SUNNYSIDE) “González is as brilliant an improviser as he is a melodist. He is like a master-weaver when he plays, weaving color and subtle shades into a musical tapestry that is beautiful and rare. His phrasing flutters airily across this artifact that becomes the trumpeter’s playing field. The album is truly flawless from end to end, but several performances are monumental. The turning of “Love for Sale” into a personal statement is one. González leads the ensemble in what must surely be one of the finest versions of this piece. It is no more a lovelorn ballad that it is purported to be. But while still retaining its balladry, González turns it into a sensuous melody full of ebullient twists and turns between trumpet and percussion. Then on Duke Ellington’s “In a Sentimental Mood” the ponderous quietude of the song is transposed, with a voluptuous Latin tinge into a dramatic contrapuntal excursion between voice and trumpet, presided over by some miraculous-sounding triplets on bass. And, of course, the duende of Diego El Cigala’s voice drives the music of “Avisale a mi Contrario”. That and González’s molten, brassy lines make a magic so rare and powerful that the sound of the song—and the album—lingers a lot longer than the last single note played by the trumpeter, thus confirming that Jerry González is everything that a great virtuoso is cracked up to be.” Excerpts from review by Raul da Gama, contributing writer for Latin Jazz Network. |
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MICHEL CAMILO – MANO A MANO (EMARCY) In Mano a Mano, Michel Camilo, returns to one of his most effective settings, the trio, but with a twist, using congas and small percussion, instead of trap drums. Featuring longtime friends, master conguero Giovanni Hidalgo and bassist Charles Flores, Michel’s trio creates a lighter, more open sound, still powerful, yet also with a certain sweet mango-flavored lyricism that proves to be a perfect vehicle for a wide ranging repertoire that includes eight original compositions and three standards. The group represents not only a “meeting of the minds, each with his own rhythmical baggage and rhythmic notions but also considering Michel hails from the Dominican Republic, Giovanni hails from Puerto Rico, and Charles is Cuban, the coming together of three potent Afro-Caribbean musical traditions. Review: www.michelcamilo.com |
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HAROLD LOPEZ-NUSSA – EL PARAISO DE LAS MARAVILLAS (IMPORT) Upstart pianist, Harold Lopez-Nussa hails from a musical dynasty – his uncle is the pianist Ernan Lopez-Nussa and he is the son of drummer Ruy Lopez-Nussa. Nussa came to my attention through his work with the Ninety Miles Project and Maraca’s Latin Jazz All-Stars, where he steals every scene in which he appears. Nussa is probably best known for his work with the legendary Cuban vocalist Omara Portuondo and his group, Herencia. The Montreal Gazette describes Nussa as, “A virtuosic pianist brimming with passion and tempered by self-knowledge and sensitivity… there’s keyboard mastery and a rich rhythmic vocabulary combined with heart-and-soul harmonies.” You are going to be hearing a lot from this dynamic, young pianist in the future. TP |
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PABLO ASLAN – PIAZZOLLA IN BROOKLYN (SOUNDBRUSH RECORDS) During the late 1950s Astor Piazzolla made a recording titled, “Take Me Dancing,” strictly for U.S. consumption (the recording is currently out-of-print). Suffice it to say, it was not one of Piazzolla’s most inspired recordings (Piazzolla called it a ‘disaster’). Fast forward to present day where Pablo Aslan reexamined the material, discovered a “rhythmic approach that was obscured by the writing” and took the material on as an artistic challenge. “Piazzolla in Brooklyn” includes re-arranged and expanded versions of Piazzolla originals such as “La Calle 92,” “Triunfal,” “Counterpoint,” and “Show Off” as well as “Laura” and “Lullaby in Birdland.” Aslan’s quintet features the top young veterans of Buenos Aires jazz and tango scene including Astor Piazzolla’s grandson, drummer Daniel "Pipi" Piazzolla. A fitting tribute to Astor Piazzolla on what would have been his 90th birthday. TP |
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TITO PUENTE MASTERWORKS LIVE! – MANHATTAN SCHOOL OF MUSIC AFRO CUBAN JAZZ ORCHESTRA BY BOBBY SANABRIA (Jazzheads) “Masterworks Live” is a passionate and spirited tribute to El Maestro, Tito Puente. Under the direction of drummer, educator Bobby Sanabria, the Orchestra breathes new life into a variety of Tito Puente classics. Some time ago I had the pleasure of seeing the orchestra in action and I am happy to report that “Masterworks Live” does an excellent job of transporting the listener to a ringside seat at the Manhattan School of Music. Taking on the repertoire of legendary figure in Latin music is an audacious task but Sanabria and the orchestra rise to every challenge and then some. “Masterworks Live” is a recording that would have made Tito Puente very proud. Long live the King! TP |
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MARK WEINSTEIN AND ARUAN ORTIZ – EL CUMBANCHERO (Jazzheads) Flutist Mark Weinstein is a daring and innovative artist who is never content to rest on his laurels and “El Cumbanchero” is living proof. Here, Weinstein and co-conspirator, pianist Aruan Ortiz explore charanga, a style of Cuban music that was popular from the late 19th century to the mid-20th century and recasts the form in contemporary terms. Essentially, Ortiz’s arrangements open up the melodic and harmonic possibilities and Weinstein explores the rhythmic complexity within each newly arranged composition. According to Weinstein, “El Cumbanchero” might be the best album I have ever recorded. Aruan Ortiz who wrote the arrangements for string quartet and contributed three original compositions has written one of the most amazing pieces of music I have ever had the pleasure of playing. The fact that he gave this music to me and permitted me to respond with complete freedom is one of the greatest gifts I have ever received.” Suffice it to say, “El Cumbanchero” is yet another feather in Mark Weinstein’s and another addition to his impressive body of work. TP |
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ARTURO O’ FARRILL AND THE AFRO LATIN JAZZ ORCHESTRA – 40 ACRES AND A BURRO (ZOHO) Earlier this year I had the pleasure of speaking with pianist, musical director Arturo O’ Farrill and he made the statement with regard to creating new music” “Lord, I want to be on unsure footing, I want to be challenged, I want to feel like I am always and every day, not comfortable, not retreading. It’s really important to me that every time I play the piano that it is a new experience. If I walk away from writing a piece and I don’t feel that I have done something new, I feel guilty! I feel like I have shucked and “jived” my responsibility.” On “40 Acres and a Mule” O’ Farrrll finds inspiration in music from Brazil (Pixinguinha’s "Um A Zero" and Hermeto Pascoal’s "Bebê"), Peru (Gabriel Alegria’s "El Sur"), Argentina (Astor Piazzolla’s "Tanguango") Cuba ("Ruminaciones Sobre Cuba") and beyond. Furthermore, he uses his large ensemble like an artist uses a palette, creating different musical scenarios from piece to piece. O’ Farrill describes “40 Acres and a Burro” as “pure unabashed jazz and 100% unabashed Latin (music) and it melds them beautifully, and does it from the perspective of Peru, Argentina, Puerto Rico, Cuban and Ireland.” TP. |
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Omar Sosa – Calma: Solo Piano &… (Otá Records – 2011)
If anything, Omar Sosa has always been a spiritual artist. Connected for generations with the practice of Santería, Sosa was surrounded by the worship together with a communion of saints, but in a truly Afro-centric manner. The particularly molten staccato of the batá drums has held sway in the melodic rhythms of his music. In fact, some of his finest earlier work has burst forth as out of a spiritual vortex shuffling with forthright swagger, churning in the thick, nervous rigors of Afro-Cuban song and worship. Though the majestic African rhythms have always characterized his music, Sosa also has a remarkable gift for lyricism and his music dances with diaphanous melodious grace melded into the grunting rhythms and warbling spiritual cries. But while this earthmoving spiritualism has driven Sosa’s compositions for years a side of him has remained almost bashfully hidden for a length of time. And this aspect of his music is now in flood in Calma, a sensational suite of loosely connected songs that seem to flow not from his fingers, but from somewhere deep within his soul.
Sosa’s mysticism seems to burn like a fire on a high mountain in what appears to be a continuous meditation towards attaining a Holy Grail. The dictates of his soul drive the languid flow of the music. The shuffle and jerk and tremulous shivers of the body are replaced by the rhythm of the heart, and this is a direct consequence of the consummation of rhythm with the nirvana of ecstatic melody. Even when, deep into the suite, the soft and sultry voices of what appear to be children make an intrusive entry into the meandering melodies and this is accompanied by the gentle rocking of gourds and shells, and the tapping of a batá, it is quiet, almost like a heated scalpel making swift cuts into burning flesh revealing some kind of ancient blood sacrifice. Mostly, however, it is the spontaneity of Sosa’s quiet mystical approach that provides the overriding joy of this album.
Throughout, Sosa is also singularly true to his rare gift of musicality and his flawless technique that the notes sing, pianissimo. This result is an unbroken line of music that dances both vertically as well as horizontally into a miraculous holistic piece that echoes with devotion to Sosa’s communion of saints, but in a new manner that fuses the intensity of Santería into a perfect melody of prayerful musical meditation. The power of “Esperanza” wrapping its arms in “Reposo” from “Sunrise” to “Sunset” as Sosa’s immaculate suite proceeds via all the things that he loves on earth as he proceeds on a solemn quest to attain the everlasting peace on the other side of life through music.
Track Listing:
1. Sunrise
2. Absence
3. Walking Together
4. Esperanza
5. Innocence
6. Oasis
7. Aguas
8. Looking Within
9. Dance of Reflection
10. Autumn Flowers
12. Reposo
13. Madre
14. Sunset
Personnel:
Omar Sosa: piano.
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Omar Sosa on the web: www.omarsosa.com/
Review written by: Raul da Gama
Encuentro! at NJPAC: Omar Sosa, Jerry Gonzalez
Pianist and composer Omar Sosa, a leading ambassador of the new Cuban sound, is known for his intoxicating, impressionistic approach to Latin jazz, one that fuses a wide range of musical traditions, encompassing everything from cha-cha grooves and yoruba chants to hip hop beats and rhapsodic melodies. This exclusive Alternate Routes double-bill also welcomes Jerry Gonzalez and the Fort Apache Band, an ensemble dedicated to playing uncompromised Afro-Caribbean jazz, lending the flexibility of jazz to a hot Latin Rhythm section.
Encuentro! Latin Music Festival
Omar Sosa’s Afreecanos
Jerry Gonzalez and the Fort Apache Band
OMAR SOSA AFREECANOS QUARTET AND JERRY GONZALEZ AND THE FORT APACHE BAND SHARE THE STAGE AT THE NEW JERSEY PERFORMING ARTS CENTER’S VICTORIA THEATER ON OCTOBER 29, 2011.
EVENT: ENCUENTRO! LATIN MUSIC FESTIVAL FEATURING OMAR SOSA’S AFREECANOS QUARTET AND JERRY GONZALEZ AND THE FORT APACHE BAND.
LOCATION: THE VICTORIA THEATER AT THE NEW JERSEY PERFORMING ARTS CENTER, ONE CENTER STREET, NEWARK, NJ 07102.
WHEN: SATURDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2011 AT 7:30 PM
CONTACT INFO: TO PURCHASE TICKETS ONLINE, GET DIRECTIONS, OR FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION VISIT: WWW.NJAPC.ORG. OR, CALL 1-888-466-5722.
ADDITIONAL INFO: THIS EXCLUSIVE AND HISTORIC ALTERNATE ROUTES DOUBLE-BILL WELCOMES PIANIST, COMPOSER OMAR SOSA, A LEADING AMBASSADOR OF THE NEW CUBAN SOUND AND A RARE APPEARANCE BY JERRY GONZALEZ AND THE FORT APACHE BAND.
Latin Jazz Network Radio – Jukebox – July 2011 Playlist
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Latin Jazz Network Radio – Top Ten Recordings of 2010
January 23, 2011 by danavas
Filed under Top Ten CDs
Tomas Peña’s Best Recordings of 2010 (In no particular order)
The Black Butterflies – 1 De Mayo (Independent)
Tomas Martin Lopez – On the Beat Path (bongotoms music, LLC)
Chucho Valdés and the Afro-Cuban Jazz Messengers – Chucho’s Steps (Four Quarters Entertainment)
Omar Sosa – Ceremony (Otá Records)
Mulatu Astatke – Steps Ahead (Strut Records)
Lucas Van Merwijk and the Cubop City Big Band – Que Sensacion! (Tam Tam Records)
Paquito D’ Rivera – Panamericana (MCG Jazz Records)
Jerry Gonzalez y Los Comandos de La Clave – Avisale A Mi Contrario Que Aqui Estoy Yo (Cigala Music)
Buika and Chucho Valdés – El Ultimo Trago (WEA International)
Benito Gonzalez – Circles (Furthermore Recordings)
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Latin Jazz Network Radio – Jukebox – August 2010 Playlist
Click here to launch our audio player. See our playlist below.
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Omar Sosa & NDR Big Band – Ceremony (Otá Records – 2010)
Omar Sosa inhabits two worlds. One in which all humans live and the other is the spirit world. On Ceremony (Music arranged by Jaques Morelenbaum) a record that he made with the NDR Big Band, he has opened the door to both worlds. Moreover, with Jaques Morelenbaum’s masterful arrangements of his (Sosa’s) music these worlds are that much closer. Sosa has been crossing the threshold between this world and the spirit one for as long as he has been making music, probably longer. No matter. Omar Sosa’s music has always been at the heart of the séance, the medium that reaches through the threshold to the spirit world, beckoning the Orishas.
Of all the musicians performing in modern music—except perhaps the great Pharoah Sanders—Sosa appears to be the most powerful spiritual aura. His “red and black” is worn with grace, humility and the deepest sense of devotion, like John Coltrane, before him. Sosa was a herald for Elegba on Bembón (Otá, 2000), and many others including two of his strongest recordings, Sentir (Otá, 2002) and Tales from the Earth (Otá, 2009). In fact that last recording, with flutist, Mark Weinstein and guitarist, Jean Paul Bourelly appears to herald the performances on Ceremony to a certain extent. Although the music is scripted to a certain extent, for the benefit of the NDR Big Band, the unscripted solos are towering flights of fancy, especially on the part of the pianist, the percussionists, Morelenbaum, the brass, reeds and woodwinds. This is especially evident on “Monkurú” in the remarkable solo of alto saxophonist, Peter Bolte and in Sosa’s solo. There is also the amazing cello work by Morelenbaum on “Llegada Con Elegba” and Salida Con Elegba”.
However, unlike Sentir and Tales from the Earth, which are spiritual adventures, completely improvised, this new album, Ceremony appears to almost parallel a renaissance prayer book and elevate the practice of Santeria to a mostly scripted, almost papal affair. The score is majestic, almost heroic in parts like the music that characterized the Romantic era of two hundred years ago. This does not make it retrograde. On the other hand, Sosa’s music appears to inhabit a musical majesterium and it emerges from this lofty pulpit as if it were a fourth gospel, a score mapping the road to salvation through the resurrected Santeria worship.
In this respect the music transcends time, becoming instead a kind of ancient future that exists in its sonic moments that burst out of the proverbial door to the spirit world to which Sosa hold the key. Happily he will make more crossings bringing with him the peace of Elegba, or perhaps—if the inner ear is no longer in tune—the other nature of the Orishas, that which bring more strife, to this already grief-torn world. But if the message of Sosa’s music is anything to go by, it will be gentleness and peace.
Tracks: Llegada Con Elegba; Changó En Esmeraldas; Danzón De Tus Ojos; Yemaya En Agua Larga; Luz En El Cielo; Cha Con Marimba; Mi Tradición; Carambabá Monkurú Salida Con Elegba.
Personnel: Omar Sosa: piano, vibraphone, marimba, percussion; Jaques Morelenbaum: cello and all arrangements; Stephan Diez: guitar; Roland Cabezas: guitar; Lucas Lindbolm: bass; Childo Tomas: electric bass; Julio Barreto: drums; Marcio Doctor: percussion set; Marcos Hukán: batá drums, congas, cajón de rumba, guiro; Michael Spiro: batá drums, congas, chekere, timbal; NDR Big Band: Thorsten Benkenstein: trumpet; Ingolf Burkhardt: trumpet; Claus Stötter: trumpet; Reiner Winterschladen: trumpet; Stephan Meinberg: trumpets and flugelhorn (6, 7, 9); Torsten Maaß: trumpet and flugelhorn (6); Dan Gottschall: trombone; Klaus Heidenreich: trombone; Stefan Lottermann: trombone; Ingo Lahme: bass trombone, tuba; Günter Bollmann: trombone (2); Jon Welch: trombone (6, 7, 9); Fiete Felsch: soprano saxophone, flute, clarinet; Peter Bolte: alto saxophone, flute; Christof Lauer: soprano saxophone, clarinet; Lutz Büchner: tenor saxophone, soprano saxophone, clarinet; Frank Delle: baritone saxophone, bass clarinet.
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Omar Sosa on the web: www.omarsosa.com
Review written by: Raul da Gama
Mark Weinstein/Omar Sosa – Tales from the Earth (2009)
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Tales from the Earth (Otá Records) by flutist, Mark Weinstein and pianist and vibraphonist Omar Sosa is one of the most extraordinary musical expeditions in a long time. The need for a subscript is not necessary. The extraordinary depth and ethereal beauty of the music would suffice. Nevertheless, one that subscript becomes evident then the music touches parts of the body that much music might not. There is really no beginning and no end. To enter this musical continuum with eyes wide shut and to listen with the heart and soul and every pore of the being is essential.
Perhaps it is the result of a childhood epiphany, which Weinstein recalled years later. Like epic music that is worshipful and healing, profoundly hypnotic as an interminable dance, it simply skips and rushes, cartwheels and catapults. The notes and phrases are alive and breathe as they entwine into each other like gilded braid. One strain… an idea… then the voice of another world of music unfolding almost like an ocean tumbling in harness… Suddenly drums and kalimbas sing and with a rumble and thud quaking of the earth begin. Sadness flows as one of the darkest moments of human history is relived… then; not joy, but resignation—and peace. Such primeaval beauty in melody, harmonic and utterly exquisite polyrhythms… slicing through voices that meander in more melodic counterpoint.
Mark Weinstein probably imagined something like this all his life. However, it is pure chance brought the flutist together with guitarist extraordinaire, Jean Paul Bourelly and the piano wizard, Omar Sosa. The occasion was the Black Atlantic/Congo Square that Bourelly was organizing in Berlin in 2004. For Weinstein, the opportunity to play with these musicians as well as the bassist, Stan Michalak and the balaphon master Aly Keita was much the lure. Then the chilling subscript comes into play: The venue for the recording was the same building that was once the Ministry of Information during the Nazi era. For Mark Weinstein the project now must have been one by Divine design. The music reflects just that as none of the music was written. The music appears to have been dictated by a Divine muse and attendent spirits. Nothing else can explain the mesmerizing set that simply flows from track to track.
The heavenly suite opens with a brilliant, “Sunrise”—dawn aglow and alive with kalimba and brass percussion. The stage for the exorcism of pain is set by contrapuntal voices led by Aho Luc Nicaise and the musical healing begins. In this 14-part suite, unwritten yet unfolding with inspired beauty through each of its sections as it tracks the journey of the group—in a tale reminescent of the ancient Legend of Gilgamesh—until the musical expedition makes its Forest Journey” and River Crossing” there appears to be a real story unfolding here. It develops through “Praise” and the “Spirit Messenger,” who helps the musical travellers through the “Celebration” of lives lived… and pain left behind. This is Santeria… oxumare… soul sacrifice… worship… and finally true catharsis for Mark Weinstein and the whole Human Diaspora as the extraordinary improvised musical experience closes appropriately with “Gratitude.”
Tracks: Sunrise; Invocation; Walking Song; Tea Break; Forest Journey; River Crossing; Children at Play; Men’s Talk; Flirtation; Praise; Spirit Messenger; Celebration; Elders Speak; Gratitude.
Personnel: Mark Weinstein: concert alto and bass flutes; Omar Sosa: vibraphone, marimba, piano, percussion; Aly Keita: balafon; Jean Paul Bourelly: guitar; Stanislau Michalak: bass; Marque Gilmore: drums; Aho Luc Nicaise: lead vocals, percussion; Mathias Agbokou: vocals, percussion.
Mark Weinstein on the web: www.jazzfluteweinstein.com
Omar Sosa on the web: www.omarsosa.com
Review written by: Raul da Gama
