Latin Beat Music Update

Latin Beat Magazine, Oct, 2000 by Nelson Rodríguez

As we enter the final months of the year 2000 we'll look at the last releases that can qualify as the year's best.

Colombian vocalist Yuri Buenaventura went to Puerto Rico to form an all-star band that includes Luis Marín, Pichi Pérez, Sammy García, Pedro Pérez, Charlie Sierra, Wichi Camacho, Charlie Aponte, Jerry Rivas, Angel & Raphy Torres and Luis Aquino to record Yo Soy. Most of this CD is salsa with a few Latin jazz tracks.

Latin jazz fans of the flute will enjoy Remembered Dreams, Andrea Brachfeld's second solo effort since performing with Charanga 76 during their debut in 1976. This Phoenix Rising label release has a few veterans as guests: pianist Bob Quaranta, percussionist Louis Bauzo and bassist Lincoln Goines.

Bobby Valentin's latest, La Gran Reunion, unites some talented vocalists from his past (Luigi Texidor, Johnny Vásquez and Frankie Hernández) with Nestor Sánchez. Some of the other musicians on the recording include El Trio Borinquen, Charlie Sepúlveda, Johnny Pacheco, Jorge Laboy, José Rios and Angie Machado.

For many years, finding live music recorded by Benny Moré was a rarity but today you can own En Vivo (Max Records) with versions of his classics Que Bueno Baila Usted, Devuelveme El Coco, Cienfuegos and Guantanamera.

For more Cuban releases look for these CDs: Klimax's Oye Como Va, (led by Giraldo Piloto) featuring the tracks La Numero Cien, Yo No Quiero Que Mi Novia Sea Religiosa and Porque Jugamos Con El Tiempo; Septeto Matamoros' (now led by Emilio and Ruben Matamoros) Nuestra Herencia; Mayito Rivera's Tribute to Felix Chappottin, Pa' Bachatear, and finally a small group called Sonora Del Sol with their release A Mi Manera (My Way).

Some classic releases on CD now include Jack Costanzo and his Latin Combustion Band's Chicken and Rice, Alfredo De La Fe's Alfredo, which was his 1979 debut with the hits Toca Alfredo Toca and Canto Del Corazón, the Latin Percussion Jazz Ensemble's Just Like Magic featuring Tito Puente, Patato, Johnny Rodríguez, Jr., Eddy Martínez, Sal Cuevas, Steve Berrios and René López, and Joey Pastrana's Joey In P.R.

Since I know many people never picked up José Mangual Sr.'s only recording, Buyú (from 1977), now is your chance to get it on CD. This man was an incredible bongo player who is highlighted throughout this recording. My favorite tracks include Dreamy, Chinatown and Summit, where he goes toe to toe with Patato and Tito Puente.

Afro Salsa is a recording commissioned by the label Lusa Africa for José Luis Cortes and his NG La Banda featuring Tony Cala on vocals and the surprise of the CD, Jenisel Valdés. Fans of Amadou Balake and Africando will definitively enjoy this one.

The 12th Annual Hawaii International Latin Music Festival 2000 will be a tribute to Tito Puente on October 6 with Honolulu's own Rolando Sánchez & Salsa Hawaii and LA's own Orquesta La Palabra. The celebration will be held at the Hawaiian Regent Hotel in Honolulu.

Valentin Valdés is a very accomplished timbalero whose new CD on Shangai Music, El Principe Del Timbal y Los Salseros De La Mata, contains instrumentals and vocal tracks provided by Lalo Rodríguez, Tito Allen and Pedro Brull. Valdés also invited Roberto Roena, Luis Quevedo, Cachete Maldonado and Baby Serrano as guests. Valdés' talents as a timbalero are commendable in this recording.

Arturo Sandoval is releasing his ninth CD titled LA Meetings, on the Cubop label from California. Cubop also has the debut recording by conguero Ray Armando (Mallet Hands), produced by Bobby Matos. Armando is a veteran percussionist who played with Tito Puente for two years during the Palladium era and went on to travel the world with Stan Getz, Duke Ellington, Antonio Carlos Jobim, Freddie Hubbard, Donald Byrd and many others. Believe it or not, it's Ray Armando's first solo recording as a leader.

David Sánchez, one of today's leading Latin jazz saxophonists, is getting rave reviews for Melaza, his latest CD.

Adriel is a new salsero on the scene with a promising voice and CD, Esta Noche, produced by Cuto Soto. The production features arrangements by Soto, Eric Figueroa, Ramon Sánchez, Humberto Ramírez, Tommy Villarini and Chino Nuñez.

Tony Vega and Grupomania have signed with Universal Latino.

This year's San Francisco Jazz Festival will present Celia Cruz and Oscar D'Leon in a concert titled Living Legends on October 28 at the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium. On November 3, Las Caras de Cuba will feature Orquesta Aragón, Cubanismo and Eliades Ochoa at the Paramount Theatre in Oakland, California.

Eliades Ochoa's sister, Maria Ochoa, took 50 years to record her first solo release, Asi Quiero Vivir, and it was well worth the wait. Eliades makes a guest appearance on two tracks of the production. Hopefully she won't wait another fifty for the next one.

A recording I truly enjoyed is Norman Hedman's Tropique One Step Closer on Arabesque Records, an excellent recording featuring special guest Hilton Ruiz.

Vacationers to the island of Puerto Rico immediately take notice of the barrage of good and constant tropical music on the airwaves and I guarantee you that you have never heard such a variety in the States. To initiate the unitiated, you may want to check out the weekend radio programs starting with Los Gigantes de la Salsa on WEGA AM, hosted by Luis Figueroa, from 3-5 p.m. (Monday-Friday). On Fridays you can listen to Todo Jazz hosted by Latin Beat contributor Carlos A. Iramain, on WRTU FM from 10-12 p.m., and Salsa de la Mata with Richie Viera on WSAN FM from 6-10 p.m. On Saturdays you can listen to La Enciclopedia de la Salsa, with Rafael Viera on WSAN FM from 6-10 p.m.; Tardes Tropicales, hosted by Heriberto Sanabria on WEUC FM from 5-7 p.m.; Sabado de Bohemia with Rail Torres on WKAQ AM from 6-9:00 p.m., and the weekend wraps up with Sunday's lineup of Salsa con Clave hosted by Michael Mendez on WMDD AM from 12 noon to 5 p.m.; Tropicalisimo with composer Tire Curet Alonso on WRTU FM from 1-3 p.m., and Lo Mejor del Jazz Tropical with another Latin Beat contributor, Jaime Rodríguez on WZNT FM from 8-10 p.m. Enjoy the wonderful music as you lay on the beach, music soothes the soul.