Latin Beat Reviews - Reseña

Latin Beat Magazine, March, 2001 by Luis Tamargo, Jesse Varela, Elmer Gonzalez, Rudy Mangual, Gil Rivera

* Los comentarios de Varela que aparecen en esta crónica, encerrados entre comillas y paréntesis, fueron tomados precisamente de dicha entrevista.

LAURA VALLE

City Lights

(Song-o-sau'rus)

Produced and arranged by her compatible homeboy and compositional associate, producer/arranger/guitarist Richie Zellón, the solo debut of the trilingual Rio-based vocalist and lyricist Laura Valle confirms their mutual ability to combine North American jazz elements with a wide range of Antillean and South American references (chachachá, bolero, son, cumbia, bossa nova, baiao, samba, choro, festejo, etc.) through a repertoire comprised mostly of Zellón/Valle originals, including the syncopated pulse of the best track, the jazz-influenced landó Negra sombra. The versatile Peruvian songstress and her main accomplice were accompanied by an efficient and cosmopolitan Floridian rhythm section, as well as several distinguished guest artists, such as the Peruvian cajón master Alex Acuña and the late Brazilian pianist Manfredo Fest (properly described by the limeña-carioca protagonist as "a beautiful person and a gifted musician"). (LT)

CLAVE TRES -- VOL. 3

Kokobalé

(FDAM)

This third and latest production from the experimental Puerto Rican ensemble Cave Tres Vol. 3, Kokobalé, continues the work of the "Fundación Para el Desarrollo Del Arte Musical" (Foundation for the Development of the Art of Music) on the island of Puerto Rico. Established in 1984 by percussionist and professor of music Raul Berrios, FDAM is dedicated to the enrichment and development of Latin music and the music of the Caribbean. Embracing the music of Africa, Europe and the Americas, Clave Tres produces a fresh concept and approach to playing many of the rhythms and genres native to these great musical continents. Kokobalé features a total of 12 selections, the majority of which are cover tunes of popular classics such as Lalo Schifrin's Mission Impossible, Luis Bonfa's Mahna Do Carnaval, Wayne Shorter's Footprints, and Rafael Hernández's Campanitas de Cristal Completing the repertoire are two original compositions by Raul Berrios, Mwari Mwazi and Jíbaro Negro, both expressing innovative Afro-Caribbean tendencies in their arrangements. (RM)

VARIOUS ARTISTS

The Jazz on the Latin Side Allstars: Vol.2

(Cubop)

José Rizo is a renaissance man of Southern California's Latin jazz community. The talented host of the radio program, "Jazz On The Latin Side" (KLON-Long Beach) has done much to advance the scene with his "Latin Jazz Caravans" as well as with concerts and festival promotions for the station. On this follow up disc to his celebrated 10th anniversary bash at B.B.King's Club in Universal City on January 7, 2000, Rizo not only spins great music he also writes it! The CD features friends like Poncho Sánchez (and most of his band), Juan Carlos Quintero, Justo Almario, Danilo Lozano, Alex Acuña, Al McKibbon, Francisco Aguabella, Susie Hansen and others; the members vary from selection to selection. From hard-hitting descarga jam session originals to charanga classics, the seven tracks presented are a varied palate of rhythms and ensemble sounds.