Mezcla !Akimba!

Latin Beat Magazine, Nov, 2002 by Rudy Mangual

(Khaeon World Music)

Recorded live at La Zorra y El Cuervo jazz club in Havana, Cuba, in January 2002, ¡Akimba! is the latest production from one of the most influential fusion bands from the Caribbean, Mezcla (which means "mixture" in Spanish) was founded in 1985 by guitarist Pablo Menéndez. The group's music is a succulent fusion of Afro-Cuban rhythms with jazz, rock and other contemporary musical tendencies. According to the liner notes written by Leonardo Acosta (Cuban author, musicologist and journalist) this CD is Mezcla's first "jazz album." Aside from the fact that they cover the Charlie Parker classic Donna Lee and pay homage to the late trumpeter Woody Shaw on the track 4 Woody, the remaining songs on this CD are pure classic Mezcla. Hijos de la Mezcla (the opening track) is the best example of the sound and musical style of this unique ensemble. Complete with batá drums and chequere, Yoruba chants, bluesy guitars and free jazz tenor sounds, this track is heavy. Isaias 12 is another powerful composition in the traditional Mezcla style, suggestive of a colorful carnival of sounds. Also interesting are the tracks 2124 Derby (a short but exciting composition), Suzi's Mood (evocative of the Fort Apache Band's Afro-Caribbean sounds), and the Chucho Valdés classic composition Mambo Influenciado (an improvisational playground). Mezcla's members are: Octavio Rodríguez (percussion), Orlando Sánchez (saxophone), Julián Gutiérrez (piano and vocals), David Pimienta (drums), José Hermida (bass), and Roberto García and Mayquel González (trumpets).