Mostrando postagens com marcador Cuban Jazz. Mostrar todas as postagens
Mostrando postagens com marcador Cuban Jazz. Mostrar todas as postagens

8.4.20

IRAKERE - Misa Negra (1987-1991) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless


Irakere has been heralded as one of the best big bands in the world. Propelled by a driving rhythm section and potent horn section, this Cuban band won the Latin Grammy Awards in 1979 and 1980. On this 1986 recording, the band sinks its collective teeth into a few originals, including the 17-minute, four-part title track, as well as a cover of Dave Brubeck's "El Duke." In his liner notes, Luis Tamargo states: "The vigor of Irakere lies within each individual performer, and there are no weak loops in the band's musical chain." by Roundup Newsletter
Tracklist:
1 Concierto para Metales 8:47
2 Misa Negra 17:05
3 Samba para Enrique 6:08
4 El Duke 8:54
Credits:
Bass – Carlos del Puerto
Congas – Jorge Alfonso
Drums – Enrique Plá
Guitar – Carlos Emilio Morales
Percussion – Oscar Valdes
Piano, Keyboards – Chucho Valdés
Saxophone, Flute – Carlos Averhoff, Germán Velazco, José Luis Cortés
Strings – Stuttgarter Symphoniker (tracks: 2)
Trumpet – Jorge Varona, Juan Mungula

JESUS CHUCHO VALDÉS - Lucumi (1988-2006) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless


Lecumi is an often-thoughtful solo recital by pianist Chucho Valdes. Part of the time he comes across as a Latin Ray Bryant, displaying his two-handed style and a tie to the swing tradition; at other times the pianist recalls McCoy Tyner. Valdes' nine originals are full of rich melodies, are often wistful, and are explored with taste and subtle creativity. A tasteful effort. by Scott Yanow
Tracklist:
1 Jica 5:22
2 Dembo 6:21
3 Moane 5:12
4 Mambo Influenciado 6:16
5 Jessica 1:49
6 Osun 7:43
7 Adiva 3:20
8 Oyambo 7:47
9 Amanecer 3:29
Written-By – Chucho Valdés

BUENA VISTA SOCIAL CLUB PRESENTS (1997-2004) 4CD / APE / FLAC (image+tracks+.cue), lossless


Buena Vista Social Club Less a band than an assemblage of some of Cuba's most renowned musical forces, Buena Vista Social Club's origins lie with noted American guitarist Ry Cooder, who in 1996 traveled to Havana to seek out a number of legendary local musicians whose performing careers had largely ended decades earlier with the rise of Fidel Castro. Recruiting the long-forgotten likes of singer Ibrahim Ferrer, guitarists/singers Compay Segundo and Eliades Ochoa, and pianist Rubén González, Cooder entered Havana's Egrem Studios to record the album Buena Vista Social Club; the project was an unexpected commercial and critical smash, earning a Grammy and becoming the best-selling release of Cooder's long career. In 1998 he returned to Havana with his son, percussionist Joachim, to record a solo LP with Ferrer; the sessions were captured on film by director Wim Wenders, who also documented sell-out Buena Vista Social Club live performances in Amsterdam and New York City. (Wenders' film, also titled Buena Vista Social Club, earned an Academy Award nomination in 2000.) The public's continued interest in Cuban music subsequently generated solo efforts from Segundo and González, as well as a series of international live performances promoted under the Buena Vista Social Club aegis. A concert CD, At Carnegie Hall, drawn from the same triumphant show that Wenders featured in his documentary, was released in 2008 -- a few years after the deaths of Segundo, Ferrer, and González. In the spring of 2015, Nonesuch/World Circuit released Lost and Found, a collection of unreleased tracks from the 1996 Egrem and 2000 recording sessions, as well as live tracks. A group containing some of the original members called Orquesta Buena Vista Social Club continued to tour, and their farewell tour took place that year.   by Jason Ankeny

 Buena Vista Social Club (1997)
This album is named after a members-only club that was opened in Havana in pre-Castro times, a period of unbelievable musical activity in Cuba. While bandleader Desi Arnaz became a huge hit in the States, several equally talented musicians never saw success outside their native country, and have had nothing but their music to sustain them during the Castro reign. Ry Cooder went to Cuba to record a musical documentary of these performers. Many of the musicians on this album have been playing for more than a half century, and they sing and play with an obvious love for the material. Cooder could have recorded these songs without paying the musicians a cent; one can imagine them jumping up and grabbing for their instruments at the slightest opportunity, just to play. Most of the songs are a real treasure, traversing a lot of ground in Cuba's musical history. There's the opening tune, "Chan Chan," a composition by 89-year-old Compay Segundo, who was a bandleader in the '50s; the cover of the early-'50s tune "De Camino a la Verada," sung by the 72-year-old composer Ibrahim Ferrer, who interrupted his daily walk through Havana just long enough to record; or the amazing piano playing on "Pablo Nuevo" by 77-year-old Rubén González, who has a unique style that blends jazz, mambo, and a certain amount of playfulness. All of these songs were recorded live -- some of them in the musicians' small apartments -- and the sound is incredibly deep and rich, something that would have been lost in digital recording and overdubbing. Cooder brought just the right amount of reverence to this material, and it shows in his production, playing, and detailed liner notes. If you get one album of Cuban music, this should be the one. by Steve McMullen   
Tracklist
1 Chan Chan 4:18
2 De Camino A La Vereda 5:03
3 El Cuarto De Tula 7:25
4 Pueblo Nuevo 6:06
5 Dos Gardenias 3:04
6 ¿Y Tú Qué Has Hecho? 3:15
7 Veinte Años 3:31
8 El Carretero 3:30
9 Candela 5:29
10 Amor De Loca Juventud 3:23
11 Orgullecida 3:19
12 Murmullo 3:51
13 Buena Vista Social Club 4:52
14 La Bayames 2:54
Credits
Musician – Alberto "Virgilio" Valdés, Barbarito Torres, Benito Suarez Magana, Carlos González, Compay Segundo, Eliades Ochoa, Ibrahim Ferrer, Joachim Cooder, Juan de Marcos Gonzàlez, Julienne Oviedo Sanchez, Julio Alberto Fernandez, Luis Barzaga, Lázaro Villa, Mañuel 'Guajiro' Mirabal, Manuel 'Puntillita' Licea, Omara Portuondo, Orlando "Cachaíto" López, Rubén González, Salvador Repilado Labrada
Producer – Ry Cooder
FLAC (image+.cue), lossless


Buena Vista Social Club Presents : Ibrahim Ferrer (1999)
When the Buena Vista Social Club album was released to great acclaim in 1997, it revived the careers of quite a few incredibly talented aging Cuban musicians. Like Ibrahim Ferrer, most of those musicians (who had been legendary in the '40s through the '70s) hadn't been performing professionally in decades. With the success of the Buena Vista Social Club, everything changed; they toured the globe, and plans for follow-up albums followed. Ibrahim Ferrer's was the second of what became a line of Buena Vista releases, all hoping to cash in on the success of the first. Ferrer's album is pleasant, the kind of album you could put on during brunch on a sunny morning. The album features many classic Cuban compositions. Original arrangers, musicians, and bandleaders were involved whenever possible. One standout is "Mami Me Gusto," a rolling upbeat tune by the legendary Cuban composer/bandleader Arsenio Rodriguez. On that tune Ferrer is lively and loose, and he is joined by Rodriguez's original pianist, the masterful Ruben Gonzales. The rest of the album is nice, but rarely as inspired or joyous as the original Buena Vista release. This is a much more romantic sounding album and on the right tunes, like "Aquellos Ojos Verdes," they really hit the mark; Ferrer shines and Gonzales sends glistening piano lines cascading down the keys. At age 63-plus, Ferrer was long overdue for a debut album, and as a result the disc communicates a feel of easy satisfaction. If you're looking for classy cocktail party music that will hold the attention of music fans, and won't bother the uninterested, look no further.  by David Lavin   
Tracklist
1 Bruca Maniguá 4:44
2 Herido De Sombras 4:11
3 Marieta 5:51
4 Guateque Campesino 5:06
5 Mamí Me Gustó 5:04
6 Nuestra Ultima Cita 3:56
7 Cienfuegos Tiene Su Guaguancó 5:20
8 Silencio 4:35
9 Aquellos Ojos Verdes 4:51
10 Qué Bueno Baila Usted 4:35
11 Como Fue 3:33
Credits
Conductor – Juan De Marcos González
Featuring [With] – Babarito Torres, Eliades Ochoa, Ibrahim Ferrer Jr., Manuel 'Puntillita' Licea, Omara Portuondo, Orlando 'Cachaito' López, Pio Leyva, Rubén González, Ry Cooder, Teresa Garcia Cartula
Producer – Ry Cooder
APE (image+.cue), lossless



Buena Vista Social Club Presents : Omara Portuondo (2000)
A beautifully executed and produced album by Omara Portuando, the only woman to appear on the original Buena Vista Social Club recordings. Portuando, who is one of Cuba's most acclaimed musicians and a featured performer at the Tropicana, has shown here that, at 70, she still possesses the qualities that helped develop her stardom on her native island. This recording, which covers a variety of traditional musical styles, from son to guajira to bolero, makes it easy to see why critics have called her the Edith Piaf of Cuba and "The Fiancée of Feeling." The style, especially on the second track, "He Perdido Contigo," evokes a nostalgic, old-fashioned sentiment, and the songwriting is classic. Featured performers include Rubén González on piano, Eliades Ochoa and Compay Segundo on guitar, and a full string section including Angel and Arelis Zaldivar. The performances are lively and tight, creating an album that feels nearly perfect. A full set of liner notes, including English translations of all of the lyrics, makes the album even more accessible.  by Stacia Proefrock
Tracklist  
1 La Sitiera
Guitar – Eliades Ochoa
Written-By – Rafael López
2 He Perdido Contigo
Guitar – Eliades Ochoa
Written-By – Luis Cardenas, María Teresa Vera
3 ¿Dónde Estabas Tú?
Written-By – Ernesto Duarte
4 Mariposita De Primavera
Claves – Alberto "Virgilio" Valdés
Written-By – Miguel Matamoros
5 Canta Lo Sentimental
Guitar, Arranged By [Co] – Manuel Galbán
Vibraphone – Roger Beaujolais
Written-By [Lyrics] – Y. De La Fuente
Written-By [Music] – Urbano Gómez Montiel
6 Ella Y Yo
Arranged By – Francisco Repilado
Clarinet – Haskell Armenteros, Rafael Lázaro Inciarte
Guitar – Benito Suárez, Compay Segundo
Vocals – Pío Leyva
Written-By – Oscar Hernández
7 No Me Vayas A Engañar
Written-By – Osvaldo Farrés
8 No Me Llores Más
Tres – Gilberto 'Papi' Oviedo
Vocals – Ibrahim Ferrer
Written-By – Arsenio Rodríguez
9 Veinte Años
Written-By [Lyrics] – Guillermina Aramburu
Written-By [Music] – María Teresa Vera
10 El Hombre Que Yo Amé (The Man I Love)
Translated By – Humberto Suárez
Written-By – George & Ira Gershwin
11 Siempre En Mi Corazón
Arranged By – Juan De Marcos González
Bongos – Carlos González
Written-By – Ernesto Lecuona
Credits
Alto Saxophone [Solo] – Panteleón Sánchez
Alto Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone – Javier Zalba
Backing Vocals – Dania Valdés, Teresita Garcia Caturla, Xiomara Valdés
Baritone Saxophone – Ventura Gutiérrez
Bongos – Filiberto Sánchez
Cello – Arelis Zaldivar, Roy Avila Serrano
Claves, Backing Vocals – Lázaro Villa
Congas – Angel Terry Domech
Double Bass – Orlando "Cachaíto" López
Guiro – Roberto García
Maracas – Alberto "Virgilio" Valdés
Tenor Saxophone – Antonio Jiménez, Carlos Fernández, Rafael "Jimmy" Jenks
Timbales – Amadito Valdés
Trombone – Antonio Leal
Trombone [Solo], Backing Vocals, Conductor – Jesús "Aguaje" Ramos
Trombone, Conductor, Arranged By [Strings & Horns] – Demetrio Muñiz
Trumpet – Alejandro Pichardo, Daniel Ramos, Yanko Pichardo
Trumpet [Solo] – Manuel 'Guajiro' Mirabal
Trumpet, Flugelhorn – Yaure Muñiz
Viola – Angel Zaldivar, José Marón, Rafael Cutiño, Roberto Herrera
Violin – Aeyoth Marichal, Ariel Sarduy, Augusto Diago, Gerardo Garcia , Hugo Cruz, Humberto Legat, Julián Corrales, Pedro Depestre González, Rogelio Martínez
Vocals – Omara Portuondo
FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless



 Buena Vista Social Club Presents : Manuel ''Guajiro'' Mirabal (2004)
The 1997 runaway smash BUENA VISTA SOCIAL CLUB is the gift that keeps on giving. In the wake of the album's success, a number of its key performers, including Ruben Gonzalez and Ibrahim Ferrer, released solo albums, and in 2005, trumpeter Manuel "Guajiro" Mirabal added his name to that distinguished list. Like his cohorts in the Buena Vista project, Mirabal embodies the musical traditions of Cuba, specializing in classic conjunto, with traces of mambo, rhumba, and bolero in the mix. At the time of this recording, Mirabal's first solo album, he was 71 years old.

Though Mirabal has played in countless orchestra and ensemble since the '40s, and has likely run through the entire Afro-Cuban repertoire in that time, this album is devoted almost exclusively to the music of pioneering Cuban visionary Arsenio Rodriguez. Rodriguez cast the die for modern salsa conjunto, and the instrumentation Mirabal chooses--three trumpets, piano, tres, guitar, percussion, and a rotating roster of lead and backing vocalists--is a classic conjunto configuration. Mirabal evokes the sound of a '40s Havana dancehall, and the playing is superb, with danceable polyrhythms, impassioned vocals, and plenty of dazzling brass work. This is another score for BUENA VISTA fans. by AllMusic 
Tracklist
1 El Rincón Caliente 4:46
2 Para Bailar El Montuno 4:17
3 Deuda 5:22
4 El Reloj De Pastora 3:49
5 Me Boté De Guaño 4:24
6 Mi Corazón No Tiene Quien Lo Llore 3:16
7 Tengo Que Olvidarte 4:37
8 Canta Montero 4:12
9 Chicharronero 4:09
10 No Vuelvo A Morón. Las Tres Marias. Apurrúñenme Mujeres Medley 5:03
11 Dombe Dombe 2:16
FLAC (tracks), lossless

30.12.18

CHUCHO VALDÉS - Bele Bele en La Habana (1998) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Issued just after his landmark two-week June 1998 gig at the Village Vanguard and subsequent U.S./Canada tour, Chucho Valdés' first album for Blue Note bears out a lot of the hype surrounding this hugely gifted Cuban pianist. Unlike many of today's younger Cuban keyboard hotshots, Valdés not only has great technical chops and musical erudition, he manages to stay closely tied to his Cuban rhythmic roots. Thus, he employs a Cuban percussionist Roberto Vizcaino Guillot along with the standard bass (Alain Pérez Rodriguez) and drums (Raúl Píñeda Roque), which dramatically increases the possibilities for rhythmic experiments. Valdés more often than not is all over the keyboard, comfortable with everything from Ravel-ian classical complexity to Bill Evans' introspection to Cecil Taylor-like crunches. But there are surprisingly few wasted motions; all of the notes fit. He creates tremendous excitement on "Con Poco Loco" (which ends with a sly steal from "Giant Steps"), and suddenly breaks into a cornucopia of European stream-of-consciousness fireworks before returning to Cuba on "Son Montuno." However, the best moments on Bele Bele en La Habana come when Valdés hooks his fire-eating technique into the groove and doesn't let go. "El Cumbanchero" contains some sudden rhythmic shifts that will have you leaping out of your chair, and "Tres Lindas Cubanas" gradually builds a great head of steam. This CD will give you a much better idea of Valdés' pianistic capabilities than any of his records with Irakere. On a political level, it is interesting and disheartening to note that Valdés recorded this album in Toronto under the auspices of EMI Music Canada; a direct signing with Blue Note would have exposed the American company to charges of trading with the enemy. Obviously, as of 1998, the Cold War was not completely over. by Richard S. Ginell  
Tracklist
1 Son Montuno 7:12  
Chucho Valdés
2 Lorraine 5:41 
Chucho Valdés
3 But Not for Me (Pero No Para Mi) 3:07 
George Gershwin / Ira Gershwin
4 Con Poco Coco (Without Much Thought) 8:35 
Chucho Valdés
5 El Cumbanchero (The Rumba Dancer) 6:54
Rafael Hernández
6 Tres Lindas Cubanas (Three Pretty Cuban Girls) 6:29  
Guillermo Castillo
7 La Sitiera (The Small Farm) 8:44
Chucho Valdés
8 Los Caminos (The Pathways) 9:30
Pablo Milanés
 

JOACHIM KÜHN — Europeana : Jazzphony No. 1 (Michael Gibbs) (1995) FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

Europeana won the Annual German Record Critics' Award upon its initial CD release in 1995. ACT Tracklist : 1    Castle In Heaven 4:16 Fr...