Barbarísimo

Latin Beat Magazine, Sept, 1997 by Luis Tamargo

FRANK EMILIO FLYNN Y SUS AMIGOS

(Milan Latino)

Although his influential career can be traced back to the pioneering Loquibambia days of the 1940s, it is unfortunate that Cuban pianist/composer/arranger Frank Emilio Flynn has not received sufficient recognition abroad. Said lack of recognition is truly ironic in view of his historical prominence in a variety of genres and styles, from homegrown jazz and filinto danzón and descarga. Upon the politically-motivated, permanent departure of various native descarga experts (Bebo Valdés, Cachao, Chico O'FarrilI, Walfredo de los Reyes, El Negro Vivar, Chombo Silva, Gustavo Más, José Fajardo, Papito Hernández, and others), the Cuban George Shearing played an important role, along with the late Guillermo "El Loro" Barreto, in preserving the vital descarga tradition--the foundation of Cuban jazz--through the Quinteto Cubano de Música Moderna, which later evolved into Los Amigos, an all-star group specialized in both descarga and danzón.

Frank Emilio's saga continues with a new, intergenerational cast of amigos. Amazingly, the oldtimers (Barreto, Tata Güines, Cachaíto, Miguel O'Farrill and Gustavo Tamayo) have been replaced by equally proficient artists--Changuito, Angá, Carlitos del Puerto, Maraca and Enrique Lazaga. This incomparable lineup is reinforced with a pair of special guests--the promising flautist Mareli Flynn Verdecia (listen to her joint efforts with Orlando "Valle" Maraca, Cuba's number one jazz flautist) and the wonderful descarga vocalist Eugenio "El Raspa" Rodríguez.

In addition to some fantastic descarga gems previously recorded by Frank Emilio's former groups (such as the rumba Gandinga, mondongo y sandunga and the chachachá Scherezada), the repertoire combines standards and originals that cover a wide range of Cuban genres and instrumental formats, from a trio adaptation of the rural, Andalusian-derived (and almost extinct) Cuban zapateo and the refreshing rehabilitation of the worn-out classic El Manicero to the beautiful classical structure of the ballad ¿Hacia dónde? and the percussive tour-de-force of Leungó, where the traditional Cuban drums collide with an exotic campanólogo and a couple of deboukas. And how about the fiddle-less interpretation of Macho's immortal danzón Club Social Buena Vista? Or Lazaga's unprecedented güiro solo on the mambo Los amigos? (Hey, we are not going to endure anymore "güiro player" jokes from now on)...In summary, I must predict that Barbarísimo is destined to be hailed as the best Latín recording to arrive on these shores in 1997, unless something better comes up (which is rather unlikely).