Noticias de Latin Beat - TT: Latin Beat Music Update

Latin Beat Magazine, March, 2000 by Nelson Rodriguez

For the Grammys, Latin jazz acts led by veterans such as Ray Vega, the Bronx Horns (Mitch Frohman, Ray Vega, Bobby Porcelli), Papo Vásquez, Humberto Ramírez, and Chico O'Farrill, etc. need more consideration. Acts like Danilo Pérez and Gonzalo Rubalcaba belong in straight-ahead jazz categories. It is not Latin jazz just because you're Latin. Let's also get real about the Cuban music. While the Buena Vista Social Club projects were a surprise a few years ago it is simply authentic Cuban music from 50 years ago. If you want to look at what is happening in Cuba look to today's bands or projects being done by Cubanismo, Tata Güines, Maraca, etc.

Frank Emilio is one of those legends who deserves more recognition and the proof is in his CD Ancestral Reflections with the tracks Guerra De Flautas, Rumba Elegante, Rico Melao, La Mulata Rumbera and Reflejos Ancestrales. A great production by René López and Chucho Valdés.

Two new projects highlighting drummers and folkloric music are Deep Rumba's This Night Becomes A Rumba and Milton Cardona's Cambucha, both on the Justin Time label (American Clave). Both include Milton and Kip Hanraham as producer and executive producer, respectively.

Deep Rumba has a all-star line-up of Andy & Jerry González, Cardona, Horacio "El Negro" Hernández, Puntilla, Robby Ameen, Richie Flores, Rubén Blades, Paoli Mejias, Amadito Valdés, Hanraham and more. The CD includes Andy González's first original composition in the Bronx with Palm Trees and a great exchange between Andy and Horacio "El Negro" on Negro and Andy Run This Very Night Into The Rumba. I also loved I Wish You Love Cambucha (Carmen) has a line-up that includes Michael Brecker, Papo Vásquez, Andy González, Bill O'Connell, José Mangual Jr., Robby Ameen, Joe Santiago and Professor Joe Torres. Loved the acapella doo wop A Kiss.

I recently caught the Tito Puente Latin Jazz Ensemble at the Sun Theater in Anaheim, California and what a show it was. All the soloists excelled and the standouts were Mambo Inn and Complicación. While the book "Tito Puente and the Making of Latin Music" by Steve Loza is an outstanding book, we need more books on T.P. and a well filmed documentary done by Latinos.

I spoke to vocalist Frankie Morales about a project he's putting together bit by bit for Humberto Corredor's Caiman label. Thus far, Frankie has gathered arrangements by Sonny Bravo and Isidro Infante.

The Tumbao Cuban Classic Series has four new releases in Sexteto Nacional's Cubaneo featuring the band's first recordings from 1927-28; Guillermo Portables Promesas De Un Campesino; Los Compadres Asi Es El Son (Lorenzo & Reynaldo Hierrezuelo) from 1959-60; and Orquesta Melodias de los 40s Montuno Favorito.

The word on the street is that Sergio George has recommended to Huey Dunbar of DLG to go solo. Auditions for a new DLG have begun. The question remains what label will record them and can Huey do it without James and Fragancia? What happens to them?

Gizelle D'Coles Come Baby Come has done very well at the club level.

Kudos to my good friend Eddie Arroyo who has been busy doing remix work for Ricky Martin's Shake Your Bon Bon, Christina Aguilera's Genie In The Bottle; Kevon Edmonds 24/7 and Savage Garden's I knew I Loved You, making him a scorching hot remixer.

From Hollywood comes the news that Little Louie Vega and Kenny "Dope" González wrote the music for Rosie Pérez's movie The 24 Hour Woman.

Raul Carbonell Jr., has taken over the role of Héctor Lavoe in Quien Mató A Hector Lavoe? in New York. Domingo Quiñones' version of La Fama has being doing very well and his new CD, Poeta y Guerrero, is due out soon.

One of 1999's hottest acts, Son Boricua, is recording a tribute to Ismael Rivera and Cortijo.

The new Celia Cruz & Friends CD, A Night of Salsa, is the live set recently seen on PBS. It also features Johnny Pacheco, Tito Puente and India, and the video will be available later this year.

Willie Amadeo is one of the east coast's most underrated vocalists and you can now appreciate his talent on the Mambo City CD A Mi Manera, a very good effort. My pick, Amor De Temporada.

Do any of you remember what vinyl 12" records are? Well if you have them and they are in good condition they can be worth something. You can get some good dollars for rare recordings, vinyl from the 1950s, 1960s and '70s from smaller labels, debut releases (particularly in Latin jazz). Remember that some releases had only 1,000 copies in print. Original artwork is also important. Many of the releases from the '80s will become more valuable within the next decade.

Let me know about your collection and I can tell you its approximate value.

Cal Tjader's classic Primo, with Charlie Palmieri, has been reissued on Fantasy Records. A must for Latin jazz fans.

David Sánchez guests on pianist Kenny Barron's new Verve CD, Spirit Song.

Isa is a new young salsera promoting her first single, La Gordita from the debut CD La Gordita Del Sabor. Recorded in Puerto Rico, the CD includes salsa versions of the boleros Te Odio y Te Quiero and Costumbres (this last one a huge hit for India). Helping her out on chorus are Tony Vega, Tito Allen and Wichy Camacho.