A Bite From The Apple

Latin Beat Magazine, Dec, 2000 by Vicki Solá

As Old Man Winter rolls into town, city-dwellers are busy marking their 2001 calendars. The induction ceremonies of the third annual International Latin Music Hall of Fame (ILMHF) are slated to take place at Hostos Center for the Arts & Culture, on Wednesday, April 4, 2001, at 7 p.m. ILMIIF President Joe Hernández has announced the names of the inductees and honorees for the year 2001. ILMHF Lifetime Achievement Awards will be presented to Hall of Famers Johnny Albino and Graciela. The Benny Moré Memorial Award will be bestowed upon Hall of Famer Joe Cuba. A number of artists will be posthumously inducted: Julio Jaramillo, Astor Piazzolla, José Mangual, Sr., Sylvia Rexach, Felipe Pirela, Toña La Negra, Pedro Vargas, Javier Solis, Antonio Mesa, Don Azpiazu, Alfredo Valdés, Sr., Cal Tjader, Luis Carlos Meyer, Xavier Cugat, Antonio Carlos Jobim, Joao Gilberto, Juan Morel Campos, Pedro Infante, Antonio Machín, and Rita Montaner.

Also receiving ILMHF Induction Awards will be Libertad Lamarque, Lucho Gatica, Pete "El Conde" Rodríguez, Héctor Casanova, Maso Rivera, Ruth Fernández, Tite Curet Alonso, Rubén Blades, Wilfredo Vargas, Rafael Solano, Tata Güines, Cándido, Patato Valdés, Armando Peraza, Francisco Aguabella, Olga Guillot, Buena Vista Social Club, Little Ray Romero, Yayo "El Indio", Vitín Avilés, and Andy Montañez.

ILMHF Special Recognition Awards are presented to individuals who have made substantial and lasting contributions to Latin music. Recipients named for the year 2001 are Latin Beat Magazine's Rudy Mangual, Cristobal Díaz-Ayala, Chata Gutierrez, and (99.5 FM) WBM's Chico Alvarez, LP Music Group's Martin Cohen, collector/archivist Ernie Ensley, actress Rita Moreno, and the writer of this column. Further information concerning the ILMHF and its upcoming induction ceremony is available at (212) 726-3800, and at latinfame.com.

Something beautiful was born in the Bronx on a recent Wednesday night in October. When I asked flautist extraordinaire Dave Valentín to describe the happening for our Latin Beat readers, he replied, "A very special event occurred at Willie's Steakhouse in the Bronx, with the support of Kenny Giordano, and a wonderful idea by Paul González. The "Magnificent Seven" were born! That night, we rocked the house with wonderfully experienced musicians like Jimmy Sabater on vocals and timbal, Andy González playing bass, Willie Rodríguez at the piano, Bobby Rodríguez on sax and flute, Chocolate on trumpet, Angel Rodríguez on conga, and myself playing flute.

"With no rehearsal and no egos, wonderful music was played that night," Valentín continued, adding, "We all explored our own possibilities -- when we walked out of there, we felt absolutely great! When the public walked out of there, they also felt much better! And, immediately after the gig, people were calling, asking for the "Magnificent Seven" to continue. We have all agreed to continue with this concept. The next gig you see, bring a fire extinguisher -- we're gonna burn you up!" Valentín was equally excited about his November gig with McCoy Tyner at the Blue Note as he prepared to fly off to Montana to perform with Hilton Ruiz. Stay tuned!

Speaking of traveling flutes, Típica Novel will be in Los Angeles to play the Grand Avenue Night Club during the month of February. When I asked Mambo Express's Tony Cruz about Novel's pending production, he would divulge only that the charanga will be adding two trombones, and that promotional copies of the CD would most likely be available by the first week of February. The rest, said the smiling Cruz, was "top secret." Vocalist Rafael Rodríguez leads Típica Novel, which was founded in 1976 by his late uncle, Cuban pianist Willie Ellis. The band was among the first charangas to utilize trombones, and will be adding new vocalists for this upcoming release.

Speaking of traveling, Pucho & his Latin Soul Brothers continue to pack and unpack suitcases all over the globe. Henry Lee "Pucho" Brown, who celebrated his 62nd birthday this past November, reported to me that he and the guys just returned from playing Istanbul, Turkey's Club Babylon and Dallas, Texas's Simmons Jazz Festival. Next, these poor guys have to board the Queen Elizabeth II to go on a cruise to South America, where they'll entertain fans in Perú, Ecuador, Chile, and Colombia. Tough job...

Speaking of busy, that describes drummer/percussionist Bobby Sanabria these days. Besides performing with his own ensembles Cuarteto Aché, Ascensión, and his Afro-Cuban Jazz Big Band, he has been working with Larry Harlow and the Latin Legends Band, Larry Harlow's Latin Jazz Encounter, and David González's musical Sofrito. The South Bronx native (who had been hailed by the late Tito Puente as "a sensational player and educator") has performed with the orchestras of Puente, Mario Bauzá, and Dizzy Gillespie, and recently participated in a soon to be released live session at Birdland with Larry Harlow's Latin Jazz Encounter. He has also recorded with Panamanian alto saxophonist Jorge Sylvester, Mexican singer Eugenia Leon, and poet Sekou Sundiata. Shanachie Records has included Sanabria and his bands NYC Aché! and Afro-Cuban Dreams Live & In Clave!!! on its two new compilations: Salsa, Sweat, and Soul and Luna Latina.