Editor’s Picks – Best CDs of 2011

Some of my Favorite Recordings of 2011

by Danilo Navas – Editor

	Afro Bop Alliance – Una Más OA2 Records – USA “I must confess That when I received the call from Joe McCarthy (leader of Afro Bop) to perform as guest pianist for un upcoming show, featuring Una Más, I had not heard their music, although I was familiar with them… Needless to say, after listening to the music, I was extremely impressed with the choice and the complexity of the charts…” Luis Perdomo, Pianist/Composer
	Poncho Sanchez & Terence Blanchard Chano y Dizzy (Concord Picante – USA) The drum and the horn, an inspired duet that played a vital role in the birth of Cubop. Poncho Sanchez and Terence Blanchard, two Living Masters in their own right, pay a heartfelt tribute to Chano Pozo and Dizzy Gillespie, two Masters whose legacy continues to expand in the ample vocabulary of Jazz music. Their musical spirits are more present than ever on Chano Y Dizzy!
	Chilcano – Madera Corazón Saponegro Records – USA/Peru Led by Afro-Peruvian jazz innovator Gabriel Alegria, Chilcano has made long strides since its conception in September of 2010. Consisting of trumpet (Alegria), baritone saxophone (Wood), bass (Da Silva), keys (Prado), guitar (Fisher) and drums (Doing), Chilcano performs weekly on Saturdays at Tutuma Social Club, and went on a concert tour in Peru last summer, 2011.
	Daniel López Infanzón Quinteto 8 Momentos, 8 Fotografías Self produced – Mexico In his early thirties, Daniel López Infanzón is an accomplished pianist and bandleader whose compositions are impregnated with the culture of his native Mexico, where he resides and evolves as an artist. Firmly planted on his roots, Daniel mixes in a delightful concoction of international musical flavors and rhythms.
	David Murray Cuban Ensemble Plays Nat King Cole en Español (Motéma Music – USA) Nat King Cole’s Latin influenced recordings of 1958 and 1962 were performed in both Spanish and Portuguese. Cole spoke neither, but sang the lyrics phonetically, maintaining his signature phrasing style. Although it sounded odd to native Spanish and Portuguese speakers, his obvious affection for the songs beloved world-wide by Latinos was accepted as it opened the door to a new audience.
	Jovino Santos Neto – Currents Adventure Music – USA/Brazil Jovino Santos Neto, more than any Brazilian musician, with the possible exceptions of Egberto Gismonti, Nana Vasconcelos, Sergio Santos—vastly different artists from each other as they are from Santos Neto—yet who revel in the deep roots of African, native as much as they do on European sources. These artists are in the forefront of a neo-Brazilian revolution that is setting the world on fire.
	Mario Adnet – More Jobim Jazz Adventure Music – USA/Brazil Mario Adnet may well be one of the finest living orchestrators in contemporary musical idioms… He combines the skill of Gil Evans in his use of woodwinds and brass, with a stylish use of strings and percussion and although he has not written much for truly large ensembles he is easily the peer of the Duke, or at least the Duke Ellington of small and medium sized Brazilian ensembles.
	Miguel Zenón – Alma Adentro: The Puerto Rican Songbook (Marsalis Music – USA) Being a recipient of the coveted MacArthur Fellowship has given Miguel Zenón the freedom to pursue great projects. Alma Adentro is an extraordinary exploration of the Puerto Rican Songbook. The true soul of a nation reflected in its musical creations. The result has invaluable quality. Variations on a theme that are rooted in the tradition, elevating the standards to new musical heights.
	Paquito D’Rivera & The Madrid Big Band – Clazz, Continental Latin Jazz (WEA – Spain) Todo esto ocurría en Febrero de 2011 de forma simultánea en Madrid y Barcelona. En el escenario uno de los más grandes músicos del mundo. Paquito D’Rivera, un genial saxofonista y clarinetista que nos encandiló a todos con su impresionante directo acompañado por La Madrid Big Band de 18 músicos que sonó con la espectacularidad que requería el momento… chumanceralatinjazz.blogspot.com
	Sebastian Schunke – Life and Death Connector Records – Germany On “Life and Death, the newest CD of German pianist and composer Sebastian Schunke, he presents a more mature, accomplished vision of his musical work. The eternal dichotomy of Human existence. His classical training exudes throughout his compositions, melding with Jazz and just the necessary Latin tinge to present refined arrangements that defy any genre.

Poncho Sanchez, Terence Blanchard: Chano Y Dizzy!

For more than three decades as both a leader and a sideman, conguero Poncho Sanchez has stirred up a fiery stew of straightahead jazz, gritty soul music, and infectious melodies and rhythms from a variety of Latin American and South American sources. His influences are numerous, but among the more prominent figures that inform his music are two of the primary architects of Latin jazz – conga drummer and composer Chano Pozo and trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie. Sanchez pays tribute to these two titans on his new album, Chano y Dizzy!, his 25th recording as a bandleader on Concord Picante, set for release on September 27, 2011. For the first time, Sanchez and Francisco Torres, long time band member (trombone/vocals), join forces to produce the new album.

Joining Sanchez on the 11-song set is multi-GRAMMY winning trumpeter Terence Blanchard. It makes sense that, for this project, Sanchez recruited fellow label mate Blanchard, a New Orleans native who literally grew up amid the Cuban and Latin jazz scene and a longtime fan of the music’s multicultural underpinnings. Blanchard has established himself as one of the most innovative and influential jazz musicians and film score masters of his generation. As a film composer, Blanchard has more than 50 feature film scores to his credit. Currently at work on the score for George Lucas’s long-awaited upcoming movie, “Red Tails,” the Golden Globe nominee and four-time Grammy winner’s music was recently featured on Broadway in Chris Rock’s Tony-nominated play, “The Mother****** With Hat.” Blanchard is currently at work on the music for the Broadway remake of A Streetcar Named Desire and has also been commissioned by the Opera St. Louis for a project that will premiere in 2012. His latest CD, Choices, was released by Concord Jazz in 2009 to widespread critical acclaim.

“These two musicians were the pioneers of what is now known as Latin jazz,” says Sanchez. “Chano Pozo was a genius. He’s considered the godfather of conga drummers, and he’s someone whom I respect a great deal. And of course, Dizzy Gillespie was an iconic artist in American jazz. I had the honor and pleasure of working with him on several occasions. These guys were the first musicians to bring elements of Latin music to American jazz – which has resulted in some of the greatest music of the last 50 or 60 years. I felt that it was time to pay tribute to them and their accomplishments.”

While the album includes songs originally written and performed by the two legends, it also showcases compositions crafted by other writers that capture the flavor of traditional Latin jazz. Sanchez’s touring band assists with the songwriting and arranging. The studio ranks include: pianist David Torres, saxophonist Rob Hardt, trumpeter Ron Blake, trombonist/vocalist Francisco Torres, bassist Tony Banda, timbalist George Ortiz, and percussionist Joey De Leon, Jr.

“The great thing about this band is that they take a very traditional approach to Latin music,’ says Blanchard. “They pay a lot of attention to the detail of the specific rhythms they’re playing, and they understand the historical significance of keeping that heritage alive.”

Although born in Laredo, Texas, in 1951 to a large Mexican-American family, Sanchez grew up in a suburb of L.A., where he was raised on an unusual cross section of sounds that included straightahead jazz, Latin jazz and American soul. By his teen years, his musical consciousness had been solidified by the likes of John Coltrane, Miles Davis, Cal Tjader, Mongo Santamaria, Wilson Pickett and James Brown. Along the way, he taught himself to play guitar, flute, drums and timbales, but eventually settled on the congas.

At 24, after working his way around the local club scene for several years, he landed a permanent spot in Cal Tjader’s band in 1975. “I learned a great deal from Cal,” says Sanchez, “but it wasn’t as though he sat me down and taught me lessons like a schoolteacher. Mostly it was just a matter of being around such a great guy. It was the way he conducted himself, the way he talked to people, the way he presented himself onstage. He was very elegant, very dignified, and when he played, he played beautifully. The touch that he had on the vibes – nobody has that sound. To me, he was – and is, and always will be – the world’s greatest vibe player.”

Sanchez remained with Tjader until the bandleader’s death in 1982. That same year, he signed with Concord for the release of Sonando, an album that marked the beginning of a musical partnership that has spanned more than 25 years and has yielded more than two dozen recordings. Chano y Dizzy! is the latest installment in that ongoing partnership.

Sanchez, Blanchard and company set the tone early with an opening medley of lively Pozo tunes: “Tin Tin Deo,” “Manteca” and “Guachi Guaro.” Blanchard delivers down some sultry trumpet lines over Sanchez’s percussion and vocals, while the rest of the band lays down a solid and spicy rhythmic bed throughout.

The followup track is a simmering rendition of Dizzy’s “Con Alma,” with numerous tempo changes that give Blanchard room to flex his muscles in varying rhythmic contexts within a single song.

Further in, “Siboney” is an old Cuban song by Ernesto Lecuona that’s consistent enough with the overall vibe of the record to make the cut. “Ron Bake called me and said, ‘Poncho, I’ve always liked this tune, but Chano didn’t write it and neither did Dizzy.’ I said, ‘It’s alright. It fits. It’ll be fine.’ I’ve always liked the tune myself, so I was glad that we finally got a chance to record it. I think it complements the artists and the period we’re paying tribute to.”

The light-hearted “Groovin’ High” is a Gillespie composition originally conceived as a swing tune, but Sanchez and company rearranged it here to fit more of a mambo vibe. The funky “Harris’s Walk,” another song penned by Blake, was written in the style of Eddie Harris, “but I liked it so much at rehearsal that I said, ‘We gotta put this on the record,’” says Sanchez.

“Jack’s Dilemma,” written by Francisco Torres, came together on the fly with a stripped down rhythm section consisting of Sanchez on conga and Joey De Leon on trap drums. “There are no timbales, no bongos,” says Sanchez. “The engineers in the studio sort of slapped together a drum set. Joey tuned them the way he wanted, and man, ten minutes later we were recording. In the end, I think it sounded great.”

The album ends just as it starts, with a staccato and highly rhythmic Pozo tune called “Ariñañara.” Recorded by several artists through the years, the song is what Sanchez calls “straight-up hardcore salsa music.” It serves close to a recording that celebrates some of the most innovative music to emerge from the 20th century.

“To me, Latin jazz is the world’s greatest music,” says Sanchez. “It has the melodic and harmonic sophistication of jazz and American standards, and the flavor and energy of Latin American music. What I’m most proud of is that this music – while it may sound exotic at times – is from America. It was born in New York City, when Chano Pozo met Dizzy Gillespie for the first time in the mid-1940s. They created something that didn’t exist before in this country. I’m very proud to take this music all over the world all the time.”

New CDs – September 2011 – Part 1

		CD: Chano Y Dizzy Artist: Poncho Sanchez and Terence Blanchard Label: Concord Picante Country: USA Track: Chano Pozo Medley: Tin Tin Deo / Manteca / Guachi Guaro Author: Chano Pozo, Dizzy Gillespie 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. The drum and the horn, an inspired duet that played a vital role in the birth of Cubop. Poncho Sanchez and Terence Blanchard, two Living Masters in their own right, pay a heartfelt tribute to Chano Pozo and Dizzy Gillespie, two Masters whose legacy continues to expand in the ample vocabulary of Jazz music. Their musical spirits are more present than ever on Chano Y Dizzy!
		CD: 8 Momentos, 8 Fotografías Artist: Daniel López Infanzón Quintet Label: Independent Country: Mexico Track: Torito Author: Daniel López Infanzón 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. In his early thirties, Daniel López Infanzón is an accomplished pianist and bandleader whose compositions are impregnated with the culture of his native Mexico, where he resides and evolves as an artist. Firmly planted on his roots, Daniel mixes in a delightful concoction of international musical flavors and rhythms. "Torito" is a lively, forceful track, full of creative energy.
		CD: Purpose Artist: John Benítez Label: Seed Music Country: USA/Puerto Rico Track: Purpose Author: John Benítez 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. Bassist extraordinaire and proud Boricua, John Benítez, has an only purpose on this new recording: to expand the vocabulary of Latin jazz with the richness of his compositions. He combines a diversity of latin derived styles; rumba, son, bomba, cumbia, chande (a less known Colombian rhythm) meld with jazz harmonies to present a fresh sound that also revitalizes fusion.
		CD: Mexico Azul Artist: Magos Herrera Label: Sunnyside Records Country: USA/Mexico Track: Tres Palabras Author: Osvaldo Farrés 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. Mexican-born Magos Herrera (now living in New York) possesses a voice that at the same time delivers melodic lines with finesse and earthly roughness. Her jazzy treatment of classic pieces from the great Latinamerican Songbook is gracious and respectful of the spirit of these widely revered boleros. Truly, a magnificent celebration of Mexico’s golden age of cinema and television.
		CD: Alma Adentro: The Puerto Rican Songbook Artist: Miguel Zenón Label: Marsalis Music Country: USA/Puerto Rico Track: Juguete Author: Bobby Capó 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. Being a recipient of the coveted MacArthur Fellowship has given Miguel Zenón the freedom to pursue great projects like this one. Alma Adentro is an extraordinary exploration of the Puerto Rican Songbook. The true soul of a nation reflected in its musical creations. The result has invaluable quality. Variations on a theme that are rooted in the tradition, elevating the standards to new musical heights.

Presenting José Rizo’s Mongorama

José Rizo’s Mongorama picks up where the Jazz on the Latin Side All Stars left off. After a decade of fruitful existence, performing and recording four terrific CDs (Jazz on the Latin Side All Stars 1 and 2, The Last Bullfighter and Tambolero), the veteran KJazz radio host, producer, composer and bandleader takes a new direction and moves on to a new project, which is actually a continuation of the original Latin jazz all stars band concept, but now focused on a specific period of the creative evolvement of Cuban Master Conguero, Mongo Santamaría.

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Mongorama is no ordinary band. Its self-mandate of paying tribute to the charanga/jazz musical period extensively explored by Mongo Santamaría and his bandmates, saxophonist Chombo Silva and flautist Rolando Lozano, involves revitalizing Mongo’s music and the charanga tradition he helped to develop in his moment. 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. That means the music on this CD has that fresh, spontaneous and improvisational elements inherent to Jazz and Afro-Cuban descargas. This approach works perfectly well for these seasoned, highly-trained cats who proudly follow on the steps of Maestro Mongo Santamaría.

A nine-piece members ensemble, Mongorama brings to the stage great musicianship and sophisticated interpretations. It introduces a magnificent sound to a new generation of listeners who will surely be interested in finding out more about the music of Mongo Santamaría and his “La Sabrosa” charanga ensemble during the sixties and seventies.

Mongorama recreates previously recorded material by Santamaría: Bacoso (one of Mongo’s signature tunes featuring Hubert Laws on a superb solo flute, Dayren Santamaría on violin and Joey De Leon on congas); Las Guajiras (an overcharged electric guajira reminiscent of the hypnotic Cachao’s descargas, featuring Poncho Sanchez on congas, Danilo Lozano on flute and Adonis Puentes on vocals); Bluchanga (a popular Latin jazz composition by Mongo’s pianist Joao Donato, featuring Justo Almario on tenor sax, Oscar Hernández on piano and Joey De Leon on congas); Palo Mayombe (a composition by Mongo’s singer, the late Rudy Calzado, featuring Justo Almario on tenor sax and Adonis Puentes on vocals); Siempre en Tí (an arousing bolero by master flautist Rolando Lozano, featuring Hubert Laws on flute, Justo Almario on tenor sax and Adonis Puentes on vocals); Que Maravilloso (another composition by Rudy Calzado, featuring Oscar Hernández on piano, Ramón Banda on timbales and Adonis Puentes on vocals); Cruzan (a beautiful, serene composition by former Santamaría’s pianist Armen Donelian, features Oscar Hernández on piano and Justo Almario on tenor sax) and Guajira at the Blackhawk (one of Mongo’s earliest pieces dedicated to the legendary San Francisco club, features Danilo Lozano on flute, Poncho Sanchez on congas, Justo Almario on tenor sax and Adonis Puentes on vocals). José Rizo contributes two of his own compositions: Así es la Vida (where Adonis Puentes shines on vocals, Poncho Sanchez is featured on congas and Danilo Lozano on flute) and Bubba Boogaloo, a joyful theme that gets a special treatment on the soulful voice of the gracious Destani Wolf. Both tracks are masterfully arranged and co-composed by Francisco Torres. No Molestes Mas, found its way in through an early Ray Barreto’s recording. This swinging tune is a true delicacy for the dancers, making your feet move at the first notes. The album closes with Tin Marín, a traditional tune inspired by the Cachao Cuban Jam Sessions in Miniature legendary recordings (featuring René Camacho on bass, Freddie Crespo on vocals, Ramón Banda on timbales and Danilo Lozano on flute).

Kudos to Rizo for an impecable, very professional presentation. Avid readers and serious listeners are always looking for liner notes that are at the same time informative and educational. That’s exactly the case with this album.

Track listing: 1. Bacoso; 2. Asi Es La Vida; 3. Las Guajiras; 4. Bluchanga; 5. No Molestes Mas; 6. Bubba Boogaloo; 7. Palo Mayombe; 8. Siempre En Ti; 9. Que Maravilloso; 10. Cruzan; 11. Guajira At the Blackhawk; 12. Tin Marin.

Personnel: Alfredo Ortiz (vocals, guiro); Adonis Puentes, Freddie Crespo, Destani Wolf (vocals); Dayren Santamaria (violin); Danilo Lozano, Hubert Laws (flute); Justo Almario (tenor saxophone); Alberto Salas, Oscar Hernandez (piano); Joey de Leon, Poncho Sanchez (congas); Ramon Banda (timbales).

Mongorama on the web: http://jazzonthelatinsideallstars.com/index1.html

Feature/Review written by: Danilo Navas

Latin Jazz Network Radio – Jukebox – December 2010 Playlist

Click here to launch our audio player. See our playlist below.

# Song Artist Album Label 01 Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas Poncho Sanchez World Christmas Party Putumayo 02 Frevo Santa Quarteto Impressons O Desague Four Quarters Ent 03 Ojos Azules Bernal Eckroth Ennis La Voz de Tres Independent 04 Send Eggs Chicago Afro Latin Jazz Ensemble Blueprints Chicago Sessions 05 Con Alma Paquito D’Rivera Panamericana Suite MCG Jazz 06 Boca De Siri Chico Pinheiro There’s a Storm Inside Sunny Side Records 07 Galactic Panama Danilo Perez Providencia Mack Avenue 08 Señor del Pozo Darwin Noguera Evolution Quintet The Gardener Chicago Sessions 09 June 26th, 07 David Bixler & Arturo O’Farrill The Auction Project Zoho Music 10 Mazacote Glenda Del E Q-ban Mixology Glenda Del E Records 11 Rubio Iguazu Acoustic Trio with Alex Acuña Rubio RAI Trade Videoradio 12 Aquelas Coisas Todas Jovino Santos Neto Veja o Som Adventure Music 13 Choices Latineo Two Ways Walboomers 14 Bebe Mauricio de Souza Group Bossa Brazil Pulsa Music 15 Um Abraço Seu Domingos Mike Marshall An Adventure Adventure Music 16 Tanguajira Paquito D’Rivera with the Pablo Aslan Ensemble Tango Jazz Live Sunny Side Records 17 We-re Off To See The Wizard Peter MacDonough The Woo Self-Produced 18 The Big Idea Phil Hawkins Sugarcane Suite P. Note Music 19 La Peleona Yolanda Duke with the Tito Puente Orchestra Many Moods White Eagle/Ctrl 20 Eye of the Hurricane Tony Succar Live at the Wertheim Performing Arts Center Tony Succar Live Mixtura Productions

Master Conguero, Percussionist and Bandleader Poncho Sanchez

A Conversation with Percussionist/Bandleader Poncho Sanchez

Interview conducted by: Tomas Peña

Speaking with someone you have idolized for years is never an easy task. So it was with some trepidation that I dialed Poncho Sanchez’s telephone number and held my breath. When he answered the telephone we exchanged pleasantries and he quickly informed that he could only give me 15 minutes of his time. Somewhat disappointed, I pressed on and lo and behold, an hour and a half later we were still on the telephone! In my career as a music journalist I have interviewed over 100 artists in the worlds of jazz and Latin music. Read on as Poncho speaks candidly about his life, career, music and the artists he has worked with during his long and illustrious career. Particularly interesting are his insights on the lives and careers of Cal Tjader and Willie Bobo. Suffice it to say, Poncho ranks high on my list of favorite interviewee’s.

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Tomas Peña: Hola Poncho! It’s an honor and a pleasure to speak with you. I have been a fan of your music for more years than I care to mention.

Poncho Sanchez: Thank you. I have been making music for a long, long time! (Laughs)

TP: You grew up in Norwalk, a suburb of Los Angeles during the 1950s. At the time Cuban music was rarely heard and recordings were difficult to come by, yet somehow your sisters got swept up in the Mambo craze. How did that happen?

PS: My family moved from Laredo, Texas to Norwalk in 1954. There were eleven of us, five brother and six sisters. My sisters used to listen to the radio a lot. They were big fans of DJ Chico Sesma, who had a one hour show on KOWL in Santa Monica. Chico was a trombone player, radio show host, and the promoter who organized the Latin dances at the Hollywood Palladium. He booked Tito Puente, Machito and Tito Rodriguez from New York, Cal Tjader from the West Coast and a lot of other big names.

(Interviewer’s notes: From 1949 to 1957, Lionel Sesma, better known as Chico Sesma featured an innovative, bilingual broadcast on KWOL in Santa Monica, California).

TP: So Chico was the culprit! Whatever became of him?

PS: Radio show host Jose Rizo and I paid Chico a visit about three years ago. I think he is about 80 years old now. He’s moving a little slow but he perked right up during our visit. During lunch Chico pulled out about 300 professional black & white photos that were taken at the Hollywood Palladium during the 1950s and 60s. When Jose and I saw the photos we flipped! At one point Chico handed them to me and asked me to look for my sisters. So there we were, going through the photos and looking for my sisters in the crowd. It was really great to hang with Chico.

TP: As I understand it there is a connection between Chico Sesma and the tune “Con Sabor Latino.”

PS: “Con Sabor Latino” was Chico‘s theme song. The tune, which dates back to 1961 or 1962 was composed by pianist Rene Touzet. It hasn’t been touched since then.

(Interviewer’s notes: “Con Sabor Latino” appears on Rene Touzet’s recording, titled “Too Much – Mr. Cha Cha Cha – Rene Touzet” on Capitol Records).

PS: It was through Chico’s show that my sister’s first heard the Mambo and the Pachanga.

TP: The Pachanga took New York by storm during the late 50s and early 60s.

PS: Over here too. My sisters used to dance the Pachanga every night. During that time they didn’t call Latin music “Salsa.” It was called Mambo, Cha Cha, etc. It wasn’t until later that the word “Salsa” became popular.

TP: If you think about it, what are the odds that a group of Chicana’s would become enamored with Cuban music and it would have such a tremendous impact on you?

PS: Pretty slim. We are Mexican American. Chicanos from Texas. We are not Cuban or Puerto Rican. When I grew up Acid Rock and groups like the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, Jimi Hendrix and Cream were popular. Personally, I didn’t care much for rock music. My preference was rhythm and blues and black music. I listened to rock because my friends liked it but when they visited my garage, which is where we hung out, I played Horace Silver, Joe Cuba and Tito Rodriguez. My friends used to say, “Hey man that’s old people’s music, take that shit off!”

TP: Obviously you were ahead of your time.

PS: Many of them are still my best friends and that’s exactly what they tell me.

TP: Was there something, or someone that influenced you to start playing the drums?

PS: I started playing the congas in my garage.

TP: And you have never taken a formal lesson?

PS: No, I have never taken a formal lesson.

TP: You came up the old fashioned way. Playing with records, jamming on street corners, parks and rumbas.

PS: Ramon Banda and I used to hang out a lot and someone told us that the best drummers jammed at Griffith Park in Santa Monica on Sunday afternoons. So we went on a Sunday and saw a bunch of “Americanos” sitting underneath a big oak tree drinking, smoking pot and playing some weird stuff. We jammed with them for awhile and got tired of it. Then someone told us that the best drummers played at the top of a hill so we went there and there were a bunch of Cubans and Puerto Ricans chanting and playing rumba. When I asked if I could sit in they said “No!” Then one of the guys asked me if I was Cuban or Puerto Rican. When I told him I was a Chicano the first thing that came out of his mouth was, “You can’t play!” Ramon and I stood under the hot sun watching them play for about an hour, then the guy who was playing the quinto (lead drum) jumped up … I think he went to get a beer or something … and I took the opportunity to jump behind the drum and started playing (imitates the sound of the lead drum with his voice). Anyway, they let me sit in for about five or ten minutes. Finally one of them said, “Oye suena bien!” (Hey, you sound good). Then he asked me if my mother was Puerto Rican or my father was Cuban! They just couldn’t accept the fact that a Mexican-American could play the drums.

TP: I have been to quite a few rumbas in my day. One of the things that I have observed is that there is a strict hierarchy amongst Rumberos. They take their drumming very seriously and don’t appreciate “outsiders.” What happened after that?

PS: After about three years I started playing with local bands in my area. At the time none of the local bands were playing Salsa. Eventually I hooked up with a band called “Sabor,” who played mostly Top 40 stuff – music by Chicago, Blood, Sweat & Tears and Chicago. In addition to playing the congas I was also singing. Eventually I started bringing in tunes by Mongo Santamaria, Ray Barretto and Joe Bataan. Tunes like “Para Puerto Rico Voy,“ “I Wish You Love,” “Come Candela” and “Besame Mama.”

TP: When did you play with “Sabor?”

PS: Let’s see, I started playing with Cal Tjader in 1975, so it must have been around 1972. What happened is I was playing with a local band, going to Griffith Park on Sundays and playing with “Sabor.” We were playing at the International Press Club and this guy walked in who stuck out like a sore thumb. Between sets I walked over to the bar to get a beer and he shook my hand and said, “Hey man, you sound really good. “ Then he offered to buy me a drink and told me that he was a personal friend of Cal Tjader and I thought to myself, “Yeah right, this guy is full of shit.” As I was leaving I said to the guy, his name is Ernie, he is still alive today, “Don’t forget to tell your friend Cal Tjader about me.” When I went back to the bandstand I said to the guys, “See that guy over there? He’s a personal friend of  Cal Tjader” and they all laughed. Two weeks later Cal Tjader came to town and played at Howard Rumsey’s Concerts by the Sea. I used to go there to see everybody that came into town – Mongo, Willie Bobo, Ray Barretto. When we got there I was walking down the stairs and that very same guy was talking to Cal Tjader. When he saw me he said, “Hey Cal, there he is, Poncho Sanchez” and he introduced me to Cal. So Cal says, “My good friend Ernie tells me that you are a good conga player, would you like to sit in with my band?”

TP: You must have been a nervous wreck. Do you remember the name of the tune?

PS: I think it was “Manteca.” When I got on stage Cal asked me to lay out during the breaks and come in with the rhythm section. So the band started up and I came in on the breaks and took a solo and the crowd reacted. Later Cal said, “Man, you sound great, how did you know the breaks? We haven’t recorded that tune yet.” I told him that I had seen his band play six months earlier and that I remembered the breaks. He was amazed by the fact that I remembered everything after seeing him perform once. Anyway, Cal let me sit in for the rest of the set and afterwards he asked me for my name and phone number and told me that he might be able to use me the next time he comes to L.A. Afterwards, I had a few drinks to celebrate the occasion and calm down.

Two weeks later Cal called me and asked me to play with his band for five nights at the Coconut Grove at the Ambassador Hotel, opposite Carmen Mc Rae. So New Years Eve came and we get there and I am lugging my congas through the lobby like an idiot. I wore my best shirt and my best slacks (Laughs). After the first set, Cal gave me big hug and said, “You know man, you sound great, the gig is yours.” At first I thought he was talking about playing with him every once in awhile but then he said, “No man, the gig is yours.” Meaning, he wanted me to be a permanent member of his band. At the time I was working at an aluminum foundry during the day. To make matters worse I had just been laid off and my unemployment was about to run out. So Cal asked me, “Is $300.00 a week okay?” and I said, “300 bucks a week?” I was lucky if I made $150.00 a week and that was working forty long hours. From that day I was with Cal’s band for 7 ½ years. I toured the world with him, made 14 recordings, won a Grammy for “La Onda Va Bien” and I was with him in Manila when he died of a heart attack 27 years ago.

TP: You were there when Cal passed away?

PS: I was in the same room.

TP: His death must have come as a terrible shock to you.

PS: Cal Tjader was my musical father. Most people don’t know that Cal had a previous heart attack one year earlier. After that he laid us for six months. When he was well enough he returned to the music scene and went on tour. Cal wanted to go to the Philippines (Manila) more than any of us because he was a medic in the Navy during World War 2. He told me that he wanted to go back to visit a particular beach where a battle had taken place. Interestingly enough, Cal Tjader’s wife and daughter rarely traveled with us, but thank God they decided to join us on this trip.

The minute we got to Manila Cal told his wife that he wanted to go to a beach where they have a statue of General Douglas Mac Arthur. He and his wife went there and when he arrived he cried like a baby. We hung out that night at the hotel and his wife told me that Cal got very little sleep and was very nervous. The next day Cal was examined by a woman doctor who was President Ferdinand Marcos’s personal physician. She examined him for five minutes and had him admitted. As I was pushing Cal through the lobby on the way to the hospital he was cracking jokes. He was saying stuff like, “I would rather be playing “Guachi Guara” than be in this wheel chair.” He hated “Guachi Guara” because he was tired of playing it. When we arrived at the hospital he had yet another heart attack. The doctors were able to revive him briefly but eventually he went into a coma. The next day, which was Cinco de Mayo, he had a series of heart attacks and died. He was 56 years old.

TP: I understand that you went into a deep depression after he died.

PS: Yeah man, that was a long, sad trip. I was crying all the way home from Manila. I went into a deep depression for about two years. What pulled me out of it was the fact that Cal got me a contract with Concord Picante, which was a branch of Concord Jazz. The first album we recorded on the Concord label was “La Onda Va Bien,” which won a Grammy in 1980. About 8 months after Cal died I recorded “Sonando.” Since that time I have made 24 recordings with Concord Picante.

TP: That’s quite an accomplishment. It’s not often that an artist stays with a record label for that length of time. Unfortunately many of the artists that recorded for Concord Picante (Cal, Mongo, Tito Puente) are no longer with us, which puts the onus of keeping Latin Jazz alive squarely on your shoulders.

PS: Many people call me the “Keeper of the Flame.” I honestly never dreamed that I would be that.

TP: I can only think of a handful of musicians who are doing what you do at such a consistently high level.

PS: And I am going to keep doin’ it until I can’t do it no more! I grew up listening to jazz, Latin jazz and authentic salsa, rumba and black music. It’s what I love.

TP: Speaking of black music, I was in New Mexico a few years ago, where I saw an exhibit titled “The African Presence in Mexico – From Yanga to the Present.” The exhibit focused on the little known history of enslaved Africans brought to Mexico in the 1500s and their contributions to Mexican culture. I wonder if you have seen the exhibit? And if so, would you consider incorporating Afro-Mexican rhythms into your music?

PS: I haven’t seen the exhibit but I know that black (African) music is a big part of the music in Venezuela, Brazil and many other Latin American countries. That’s a subject that I am definitely going to look into.

TP: Conversely, soul comes in all shapes and sizes.

PS: Look at Cal, he was a Swedish blue-eyed baby. Not only was he a vibe player, but before that he was a jazz drummer, and before that he was a tap dancer. Cal’s family was a vaudeville family and he and his brother and sisters were tap dancer’s. One day I was playing a gig and Buddy Ebsen (AKA Jed Clampett from the TV show, The Beverly Hill Billie’s) walked into the club and waved to Cal and I thought to myself, “What the hell is this?” Long story short he and Cal were friends. Buddy walked over to Cal and said, “Hey man, let’s do our old routine” and they started tap dancing in the back room. They tapped danced for a couple of minutes and laughed and had a few drinks. Cal was kind of rusty by then but you could tell that he knew how to tap dance.

TP: It has been said that Cal never hit a bad note.

PS: Cal had a lot of soul.

TP: Before we close, I wanted to ask you about Willie Bobo. I know that you knew one another, however I was wondering if you ever made any recordings together?

PS: Actually Willie appears on the Cal Tjader album, “Huracan.” After that I performed with Willie’s group on three separate occasions. Willie and I also recorded “Tribute to Cal Tjader” together.

TP: Willie was yet another great musician who left us all too soon.

PS: I was playing at a little club called “The Baked Potato” with (pianist) “Claire Fischer and Salsa Picante.” Willie came by one night to see us play and he had a big patch behind his ear. When I asked him about it he told me that he had just come from the doctor and had a malignant cyst removed. You know what? He died 6 months later. The last time I saw Willie was when me and a bunch of other musicians got together to raise money for his medical expenses. He was in a wheel chair and didn’t want anyone to see him in that condition so he came to the back door of the venue and asked me to thank everyone for what they were doing. Then he got into a van and drove off. That was the last time I saw him.

TP: “Psychedelic Blues” was inspired by Willie, correct?

PS: Correct. For the recording we brought in Andrew Synowiec, a young, local guitar player here in Los Angeles. I gave him a bunch of my CD’s so that he could start getting the idea of what the Willie Bobo sound and the music was all about. He listened to them and one month later we went into the studio and recorded. All for Willie Bobo man.

TP: On “Psychedelic Blues” you return to your Latin Jazz roots and pay tribute to Willie Bobo, Herbie Hancock, Horace Silver, Rene Touzet, Freddie Hubbard, John Hicks and others. How did you choose the material for this recording?

PS: The Vice President of Concord Records and my musical director’s David Torres and Francisco Torres and I got together. One of the reasons I am still with Concord is because they ask me, “Poncho, what would you like to do next?”

TP: I don’t know of too many record companies that do that!

PS: (Laughs) The Vice President of Concord Picante came to my house and suggested that I go back to my roots, my Latin Jazz stuff. He asked if we would record “Cantaloupe Island” and suggested that we include more songs like that. Basically, I went through my collection of CD’s, records and films and selected some of my favorite tunes – “Silver’s Serenade,” “Slowly But Surely,” “Crisis” and others. With respect to the tune, “Con Sabor Latino” nobody has recorded that except Rene Touzet and me. I like to draw from my childhood and listen to the music I grew up with. Stuff that Machito, Mongo, Tito Rodriguez, Joe Cuba and Cal Tjader did. We also write our own material but we always pay tribute to the masters.

TP: The album has been well received. It was on “Jazz Week’s” top ten list for weeks. What’s next for Poncho Sanchez?

PS: A couple of things that I am thinking about for my next project. We have been doing symphonies. Right before Tito Puente passed he called me and was all excited about the idea of our bands working together (on the same stage) with a symphony orchestra.

TP: Wow! That would have been amazing!

PS: He suggested that I get symphony charts of my music. It was a little expensive but now I have 8 or 9 charts. Thanks to Tito, my band has been performing with symphony orchestras for about five years.

TP: What kind of material do you perform?

PS: “Insight,” “Oyelo,” “Shiny Stockings,” “Afro Cuban Fantasy,” “Watermelon Man,” “Batiri Cha Cha” and “Cosas del Alma.” Someday I hope to film and record our band in performance with a symphony orchestra.

TP: Tito’s last concert (in Puerto Rico) was with a symphony orchestra.

PS: I haven’t seen that. Another thing I hope to do … I recently performed with bassist Christian Mc Bride in a jazz setting and it was a great experience. Afterwards, I told my manager that I want to make a recording with a jazz trio.

TP: I look forward to seeing those projects come to fruition. Poncho, thanks for speaking with me and more importantly, thank you for being part of the soundtrack of my life. As I said at the beginning of this interview, I have been listening to your music for more years than I care to mention.

PS: It was a pleasure speaking with you Tomas. It’s good to speak with someone who knows what’s up!

TP: Gracias!

Poncho Sanchez on the web: www.ponchosanchez.com

Poncho Sanchez – Psychedelic Blues (Concord Records 2009)

Few Latin ensembles have continued to play with such elegance, swagger and irresistible sensuality as those put together by Poncho Sanchez for decades. The leader’s ability to wrap his chops around the blues, and keep swing and clave together with attractive simplicity is now quite legendary. At times Sanchez can also blend his bubbling Latin repertoire with forays into a soulful realm, lending his gravelly voice and puckish charm to vocalizing in the grand manner. On Psychedelic Blues, however, he struts in a decidedly Latin style with rhythms and synchopations like greased lightening. In addition, the results are staggering – this whether the music dallies langorously or when it revs up.

Herbie Hancock’s “Cantaloupe Island” is the perfect kick-start – crackling guiro and all – to this old-fashioned set. Yet it breathes life into the session with a wonderful new arrangement by David Torres. As always, the growl of Francisco Torres’ trombone and howling brass of Ron Blake slide in and around the sleek woodwinds – rapier sharp and on the money. “Crisis,” a wonderfully familiar melody from the late Freddie Hubbard burns in a low flame as Arturo Sandoval crackles on the trumpet in characteristic fashion. The “Willie Bobo Medley” is simply the finest example of molten harmonies, angular rhythms and streetwise fun that only this song could bring. Sanchez’s vocals soar like Ray Charles.

Coltrane’s “Grand Central” is somewhat familiar – almost a déjà vu in terms of its arrangement, but the bright reeds and woodwinds, playing counterpoint to brass – especially Torres’ trombone makes for a slightly more angular melody. The timbalero, George Ortiz always puts in a stellar turn everytime the spotlight is on him and his ability to play across Sanchez’s congas is almost ethereal. There is a master class from Sanchez on “Silver’s Serenade,” as he chops and slaps – open-handed and cupped palms – then slices and breaks the skins. All this in just a few seconds of conga solo that seems to last a lifetime as the notes hang in the air delightfully.

“The One Ways” and “Delifonse” showcase not just percussion, but also the work of the ensemble. Solos are somewhat short, but then this is classic showmanship. It is Poncho Sanchez’s way of showing majesterial leadership for his band to follow. Incidentally, his solo on “The One Ways” provides further evidence that there is a master at work. Francisco Torres is staggering and almost speech-like on “Delifonse.” And just when you thought you could not ask for more, it is the turn of the master trumpeter, Ron Blake to take flight with Sanchez, on “Con Sabor Latino.” Nevertheless, it is on “Psychedelic Blues” that the group truly shines. Sanchez leads from the front, ringing fast and surprising changes and when he is ‘on song’ – as he surely is here – there is no telling where his genius will lead him.

The set is relatively short, but then the group always maintains the excitement and swinging pulse at such a fever pitch, that elation lingers longer than the echoes of the last, dying notes. This is vintage Poncho Sanchez the kind that you do not want ever to end.

Tracks: Cantaloupe Island; Crisis; Psychedelic Blues; Willie Bobo Medley – I Don’t Know/Fried Neck Bones and Some Homefries/Spanish Grease; Grand Central; Slowly But Surely; Silver’s Serenade; The One Ways; Delifonse; Con Sabor Latino.

Personnel: Poncho Sanchez: congas, percussion, lead vocals; David Torres: piano, Hammond B-3 organ; Javier Vergara: tenor and alto saxophones; Ron Blake: trumpet, flugelhorn; Francisco A Torres: trombone; Tony Banda: bass, background vocals; George Ortiz: timbales; Joey de Leon Jr.: bongos, percussion, background vocals; Scott C Martin: baritone saxophone; Andrew Synowiec: guitar; Alfredo Ortiz: bongos, percussion. Special Guest: Arturo Sandoval: trumpet (2).

Poncho Sanchez on the web: www.ponchosanchez.com

Review written by: Raul da Gama

Latin Jazz Network Radio – Jukebox – October 2009 Playlist

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# Song Artist Album 01 Cantaloupe Island Poncho Sanchez Psychedelic Blues 02 Solid Wayne Wallace ¡Bien, Bien! 03 Desarraigo Afrodisian Orchestra Mediterraciones 04 Buena Gente Chembo Wilson Corniel Things I Wanted To Do 05 Você Esteve Com Meu Bem Ithamara Koorax & Juarez Moreira Bim Bom – The Complete Joao Gilberto Song 06 Old City Daniel Santiago Metropole 07 Gitana Amanda Martinez Amor 08 Delayed Tunes Emir Ersoy Cuban Portrait 09 Mi Bajo Rumbero Fito Garcia Mi Bajo Rumbero 10 Azul y Negro Gabriel Espinosa From Yucatan to Rio 11 Segura E Sai Antonio Valdetaro e Grupo Letícia 12 The Performer Kristina Offshore Echoes 13 Guajira Johnny Conga Breaking Skin 14 Pro Zeca Claudio Roditi Brazilliance x4 15 Homenaje a Ray Guaschará Influencias 16 Na Casa Do Seu Humberto Putumayo Compilation Various Artists Putumayo Presents Brazilian Cafe 17 Toro Mata Corina Bartra & Azu Project Afro Peruvian Jazz Celebration 18 Quinto’s Rhumba Samuel Quinto Trio Salsa’ N Jazz 19 Walking Song Mark Weinstein/Omar Sosa Tales From The Earth 20 Ping Pong Emilio Teubal and La Balteuband Un Monton de Notas