Latin Beat music update

Latin Beat Magazine, Sept, 2003 by Nelson Rodriguez

It was a hot summer in most parts of the world for festivals, concerts and music releases, while the major labels continue to cry the blues.

One of the summer's hottest CDs is Los Soneros Del Barrio's Siguiendo La Tradición, which came out like gang busters with the tracks Ahi Na' Má and Noche Como Boca E Lobo. DJs have done justice to the new versions of Típica 73's Canuto, Willie Colón's Juana Peña, and Tommy Olivencia's Evelio y La Rumba.

Two other hot dance discs come from the Discos Fuentes stable: Frako y Sus Tesos' Pa' Gozar Con Fruko, with the smash hits Salsero Mayor, Pura Candela, Rumba Brava, Pa' Gozar Con Fruko, Ave Maria, Qué Rumbón and Fruko's Boogaloo; plus La Sonora Carruseles' La Salsa La Traigo Yo, featuring Cocinando La Salsa, Rumba De Mulatos, Repica El Tambó, Me Gocé El Bongó, Vengo Caliente and Coquetona. All this good music will take you straight through the holidays.

Septuagenarian Guillermo Rubalcaba's Pasado y Presente is a wonderful combination of danzones from the past with an intense modern sound from the present that males this disc one of my top picks. La Mulata Del Cha-Cha-Chá is my favorite track.

One of Latin music's lesser-known drummers is Willie Rodriguez, a who's who of the jazz world during the fifties and sixties who recorded the classic Flatjacks in 1963. The music of his quartet is memorable and now available on compact disc for the first time.

One of the Bay Area's best musicians is percussionist/vocalist Jesús Díaz, whose latest production, Jardinero, has bit written all over it. The heavy Cuban timba combined with jazz, songo, rap and funk competes with anything being produced in Cuba.

Bassist Johnny Torres produced the CD Conquistando Al Bailador, by Rigo y su Obra Maestra.

Orquesta Sensación, led by producer Orlando Batista (featuring vocalists Israel "Kantor" Sardiñas, Rogelio Rente and Danny Rojo) is a dancer's paradise, as the first track, Pa' Puerto Rico, quickly demonstrates.

Africando's new CD Martina is by far their best to date, with an all-star lineup that includes Luis Quintero, Ray Martínez, Bobby Allende, Papo Pepin, "El Chino" Núñez, Eddy Zervigón, Andrea Brachfeld, Ozzie Meléndez, Mario Rivera, Luis Bonilla, Nelson Hernández, Ite Jerez, Piro Rodríguez, Pablo Santaella, Lewis Kahn, Adalberto Santiago, Héctor Casanova, Luis Daniel, Raúl Agraz, Enrique Orengo and David Rimelis. Add the special Africando vocal flavors of Amadou Balake, Ronnie Baró, Medoune Diallo, Gnonmas Pedro, Eugene Shoubou and Sekouba Bambino and you have a winner.

Veteran Joe Qaijano's new disc, Salsa-Natra in Clave, is his concept of what a recording that never saw the light of day between Frank Sinatra and Tito Puente might have sounded like. It features Dave Valentín and classic standards such as I Get A Kick Out of You, I've Got You Under My Skin, New York, New York and Fly Me to the Moon.

Johnny Ventura and Willy Chirino have joined forces on the salsa track Allá Se Quedó, on the MP label.

Vocalist Lázaro Galarraga and percussionist Guiliermo Céspedes joined forces to form Odara and record Original Afro Cuban Music. Performing throughout Los Angeles, the ensemble includes Humberto "Nengue" Hernández, trumpeter Jiovani Valdés and bassist Rahsaan Fredericks. Sigue El Son and Soy, Sonero are club favorites.

Mambo Negro is a seven-piece Latín jazz band with guitarist Charles Alletto as the Ley composer and veteran Joe Mannozzi on keyboard. Their debut CD (First Impressions) also combines vibes and flute and traditional trap drums for a unique and refreshing sound.

Cuban pianist/composer Manuel Valera Jr. (son of saxophonist Manuel Valera St.) and his quartet have produced Prey to Indulgence, which displays his vocal creativity in jazz and Latin jazz.

L.A. Mambo Combo Latin Jazz Ensemble, a new Latin jazz band led by percussionist/conguero Martín Beijer, delivers a delightful sound on El Robo.

Mario Feliciano, a young vocalist who paid his dues with Tito Rojas and others, debuts with Rompiendo Barreras and dance tracks Remolino and ¿Qué Hago Contigo?

Putumayo's Salsa around The World packs ah array of salsa from different parts of the world including Greece (Apurimac), Scotland (Salsa Céltica), Curagao (Arneli i su Orkesta), Finland (El Septeto) and Senegal (Toure Kunda/Babacar y Sabor Internacional).

Paradise in Trouble, the much-anticipated disc by trombonist Chris Washburne, has hit after hit with Jazzy, On Whatever Day of the Week Saturday Happens to Fall and Nuyorican Son.

Vocalists Daniel Somaroo, Carlos Puchi and José Alfonso Quiñones front Jarana, whose self-titled debut comes from South America via Miami on the Hecho a Mano label.

Via San Diego comes the sextet Agua Dulce, who has prepared a demo CD with cover versions of Eddie Palmieri's La Malanga and Muñeca, Rafael Cortijo's La Jicotea, Willie Colón's La Murga and Willie Rosario's Watussi Boogaloo.

Pianist Joel Uriola y Su Banda's debut, Desde El Principio, has the track ¿Por Qué Adoré? receiving major airplay in Venezuela.

Andrea Brachfeld has hit the streets with her smash charanga-jazz production titled Back With Sweet Passion.