Giraldo Piloto Klimax & friends

Latin Beat Magazine, March, 2003 by Jesse Varela

(Cuba Chevere)

Drummer-bandleader Giraldo Piloto offers a refreshing cross-pollination of Afro-Cuban pop with jazz-fusion on Klimax & friends. Some of the pieces reflect the inspiration of Chick Corea and Irakere, others the commercialized sounds reminiscent of Grover Washington Jr. But the grooves of songo, guaguancó and other popular rhythms are played in new and compelling ways. The compositions, orchestrations and solos are high caliber works complimented by special guests Germán Velazco (soprano sax), Chucho Valdés (piano), José Luis Quintana "Changuito" (timbal) and Julio Padrón (trumpet). Melena Obbatalá features Los Ibellys on batá drums on a Piloto original that peppers folkloric rhythms with funk. Klimax pianist José Marcos Crego contributes the superb Café Casino, a medium tempo guaguancó where both he and Velazco take impressive solos. Torre de Cali is from the pen of Orlando Sánchez, the gifted tenor sax player from Mezcla, and highlights Piloto on traps. Here, Giraldo demonstrates his well-honed independence and technique in a beautiful exchange with young tenorist Irving Acao. Throughout the production, the drums are projected prominently but tastefully in the recording mix. The bolero Debí Llorar, authored by his father Giraldo Piloto Sr. (of the famed songwriting team Piloto y Vera), highlights Valdés in a pensive, laid back mood. Contraste is a drum orgy with Changuito and Los Ibellys. Sinfonía de Metales highlights Padrón. And Klimax does its pop thing on 24 x 24. Overall, Klimax & friends is an orchestral effort where dancehall virtuosity and seasoned improvisational skills meet to create new millennium timba jazz. (JV)