Onda Carolina

Road Trip: Poncho Sanchez in Roanoke SATURDAY (1/28)

2012-01-27T03:07:00.005-05:00

Nobody throws a mid-winter Latin party like The Jefferson Center, a reclaimed school turned multi-use arts complex in Roanoke, Virginia.

This Saturday (1/28), the annual event starts in the Shaftman Performance Hall, with an 8 pm concert of conguero Poncho Sanchez and trumpeter Terence Blanchard. Long-time collaborators, the two recently teamed up to make Chano y Dizzy, an homage to Latin jazz' ancestors Chano Pozo and Dizzy Gillespie, released on the Concord label last fall.

According to my email exchange with Poncho's manager, the tour personnel will be as follows:

Poncho Sanchez Congas/Band Leader
Francisco Torres Trombone/Musical Director
Ron Blake Trumpet
Joseph De Leon Jr Timbales
Robert Hardt Sax
Andy Langham Piano
Rene Camacho Bass
Angel Rodriguez Bongos

Special Guest: Terence Blanchard Trumpet

Larry Sanchez Production/Sound Engineer

As an after party, some of our friends from Winston-Salem, Greensboro, and the Triangle will perform, as West End Mambo lights up Fitzpatrick Hall. There's a cash bar and gorgeous parquet wood floor for dancers to enjoy in this ballroom, which is right next door to Shaftman in the Jefferson Center.

Same party last year: Dancers dig Fitzpatrick Hall, 2011

Salsa dancers from 'Noke and the surrounding college towns usually turn out for this Latin Dance Party, now in its 9th year; past afterparty bands have included Richmond's Bio Ritmo and D.C.'s Sin Miedo. Poncho Sanchez/Terence Blanchard concert ticket holders get discounted admission to the Latin Dance Party, but they are separate admissions so folks can attend either or both.

West End Mambo is led by husband-and-wife team Cesar Oviedo (pianist) and vocalist Maria Vasquez. She has the range to cover some Celia Cruz tunes, among the band's strong Fania and Latin American fare. I got up with Cesar a few days ago for an updated band lineup, and it is heavy with local Triangle favorites:

Alberto Carrasquillo (trumpet)
Ricardo James (trumpet)
Steve Blake (sax)
Andres Leon (bass)
Atiba Rorie (congas/vocals)
Billy Marrero (timbales)
Maria Vasquez (lead vocals)
Cesar Oviedo (piano/vocals)

Kudos to the Jefferson Center's programmers for pairing these two signature events, honoring both the concert experience and the dance imperative of "our Latin thing." It's going to get heated.

LINKS:

Jefferson Center website

Bomba & Plena Evening in Cary SATURDAY (11/19)

2011-11-19T15:34:00.006-05:00

This last-minute add to the calendar:

The Triangle's first-ever festival of bomba and plena, distinctive music and dance styles native to Puerto Rico, takes place TONIGHT, Saturday (11/19), from 6:30-10:30 pm at the Herbert C. Young Community Center in Cary.

The evening, celebrating "The Discovery of Puerto Rico," is sponsored by the Associación de Puertorriqueños Unidos de NC.

Bomba dancers led by Miriam Rivas at a 2009 rehearsal.

Featured performers include Baile Boricua NC, the graceful and energetic dance troupe led by Miriam Rivas, folkloric drumming by Kuumba Arts, and live music by Caribe Vibe, the sextet ensemble of Andres Leon and Billy Marrero, with special guests Jaime Roman and Lou Ramos.

I didin't find a schedule online, but Caribe Vibe says their first set will start at 8 pm. The guys say they will be playing "a little bit of everything!" so expect a wide tropical mix. Here's a video of Caribe Vibe I made back in October:

The early evening event (6:30-10:30 pm) is family friendly, with admission $6 for adults, $4 children under 12, and free for children 6 and under.

LINKS:

Assoc. of PR Unidos NC - calendar page

FREE CONCERT: Ilan Bar-Lavi Trio Saturday (11/19)

2011-11-18T16:23:00.004-05:00

The young, unusual Latin jazz trio of Ilan Bar-Lavi plays a free concert in Chapel Hill this Saturday (11/19) at 5 pm in the FedEx UNC Global Education Center's Nelson Mandela Auditorium. The concert will close out this year's NC Latin American Film Festival.

This video by Martin Cohen at Congahead.com opens with a Bar-Lavi guitar solo:

The Israeli-Mexican guitarist is a 20-something graduate of Berklee School of Music; his own brand of avant-garde jazz blends his Latin and Middle Eastern roots.

LINKS:

Berklee Podcast: Ilan Bar-Lavi '09
UNC Global Event Calendar page
Presenter Event page

Bon Voyage, Kairaba: Last Show of 2011 THIS FRIDAY (11/18)

2011-11-18T15:15:00.006-05:00

Diali Cissokho & Kairaba's show at Tallula's tonight, 9:30 pm - midnight, is noteworthy for a couple of reasons:

A.
This hot West African dance band, based in Carrboro, has been in the studio recently recording its FIRST CD. Door proceeds tonight ($5) go directly toward production costs to release it in early 2012.

B.
In a few weeks, the entire band heads to Senegal and Mali, where they will spend the next couple of months touring, studying, and generally getting in touch with the Motherland. So, this will be their LAST NORTH CAROLINA SHOW of 2011.

C.
Talulla's, with it's warm wood interior, is a SWEET VENUE for grooving, acoustic music. Located at 456 W. Franklin, next to the Carolina Brewery.

LINKS:

Facebook event page: Kairaba at Talulla's Friday (11/18), 9:30 pm - midnight, $5

Desert Blues: TINARIWEN This Sunday (11/13)

2011-11-11T02:03:00.010-05:00

Tinariwen means "deserts" in Tomashek, the language of the Tuareg, a nomadic people who inhabit the Sahel regions of Northern and West Africa. It's also the name of a Tuareg band from Mali that makes hypnotic, guitar-driven "desert blues" their calling card. They play this Sunday (11/13) at The Cat's Cradle; intoxicating, Swiss singer/songwriter Sophie Hunger opens the 8 pm show.

Tinariwen on tour last month in Los Angeles. Photo (c) Timothy Norris.

Formed originally in 1979, Tinariwen broke out as an international touring band ten years ago, and has since produced five albums. Their latest, Tassili, takes its name from an Algerian region of spare beauty where they recorded outdoors and an impromptu tent studio. As that method suggests, they are returning to acoustic roots on this album. Here's a documentary about the process:

A bit more plugged in, here's a nice little rocker from their last album Imidiwan: Companions (2008):

Sit around the virtual campfire this Sunday (11/13) at Cat's Cradle; advance tix $22, day of show $25.

LINKS:

Cat's Cradle, Sunday, November 13, 8 pm TINARIWEN
Tinariwen artist website
Sophie Hunger artist myspace (opener)

Live Salsa at The Depot SATURDAY 11/5

2011-11-04T17:46:00.006-04:00

A new dance space in Hillsborough opens its doors to salsa dancers this Saturday (11/5): The Depot, at 246 Nash Street, hosts a Latin Dance Party with Saludos Compay from 7:30 pm on. Jack Wolf reports there is a nice wood dance floor and plenty of space.

This dance is FREE, NO COVER; a hat will be passed for the musicians.

DJ Wolfy Jack gives the free dance lesson at 7:45; the band will play two sets starting around 8:30.

Saludos Compay @ Museum of Natural Science, 2009

LINKS:

Triangle Salsa Meetup event page: Saturday, Nov. 5 - Saludos Compay
Saludos Compay artist website
The Depot in Hillsborough venue website

Ivory Coast's Dobet Gnahore FRIDAY (11/4)

2011-11-03T15:07:00.006-04:00

Dobet Gnahore. Photo (c) Michel De Bock courtesy of Rock Paper Scissors.

Seriously...have I just never noticed before, or is the Triangle awash in opportunities to hear African music right now?

NEXT on the roster: Ivory Coasts's Dobet Gnahore. She's strikingly gorgeous, an experienced professional dancer, singer and musician, and she speaks French (so therefore, local interviews and press coverage have been limited). Music style is contemporary, with influences from Ivory Coast, Cameroon, Ghana, Congo, etc. She's the daughter of Ivorian percussionist Boni Gnahore, and has three solo albums to her credit. Musically and personally, she has paired up with French guitarist Colin Laroche de Félin.

ARTIST WEBSITE in English HERE

WHEN/WHERE: This FRIDAY (11/4) at Stewart Theater, 8 pm.

Indypick blurb here.

EVENT LINK: http://www.ncsu.edu/centerstage/currentseason/dobet.html

Tickets run $24-28 at Stewart Theater (NCSU still has the lowest precios populares among the area's elite arts series). Discounts apply if you are faculty, staff, or student at NCSU.

PARKING NOTE: because of some construction/campus street closings, Cates Ave. is blocked for about one block between Talley Student Center and the parking deck, but do not be deterred. You can access the usual FREE parking deck via PULLEN ROAD.

Coming soon: Touareg desert bluesmen, Tinariwen, at the Cat's Cradle, Sunday, Nov.13.

Lost and Found: Sudanese Rapper Emmanuel Jal @ Duke TODAY

2011-11-01T15:02:00.010-04:00

Emmanuel Jal. Photo (c) Mike Tsang.

Some of you may have heard in the news recently that the United States has sent 100 military advisors to Uganda to take on the Lord's Resistance Army, a notorious group that has massacred thousands and displaced millions in Eastern and Central Africa since the 1980s. Forcing children to commit heinous crimes as 'child soldiers' is among the LRA's most warped, and well-known atrocities.

Emmanuel Jal, one of these former "Lost Boys" of Southern Sudan, escaped the LRA and is now a musician/activist spreading a message of peace to the world. The rapper and spoken word artist will participate in a FREE performance and discussion today at Duke, in the Reynolds Theater in the Bryan Center: Tuesday, Nov. 1, 7:30-9:30 pm. Doors open at 6:30; free parking and dessert reception. This event is free and open to the public.

Jal has released ten hip hop albums, with tracks in Arabic, English, Swahili, Dinka and Nuer languages. Here's the video single from his upcoming See Me Mama album, introduced by Alicia Keyes:

The event is part of a Kenan Institute for Ethics series entitled, "Uprooted, Rerouted: Stories of African Refugees Losing and Finding Home."

LINKS:

Event page at Duke
Facebook event page
Emmanuel Jal artist myspace

Halloween Treat: West African/Jazz FREE SHOW TONIGHT (10/31) by The Brand New Life

2011-10-31T15:17:00.013-04:00

The Brand New Life is blend of jazz improvisation and West African mbalax and Afrobeat. For a Halloween treat, the Greensboro band plays a FREE SHOW TONIGHT (10/31) at 11 pm at The Station in Carrboro.

To learn more about how this band got together, read my profile in The Independent earlier this year. The last time I saw them, at Shakori Hills in October, they were seriously on fire, with heavy mbalax grooves by their Senegalese talking drummer, Mamadou Mbengue, following on the heels of jazz tunes with crazy meters. Mamadou takes a solo at the end of this clip of the BNL live at 2011 Floydfest:

LINKS:

Facebook event page: Halloween (10/31) with The Brand New Life
Venue calendar: The Station in Carrboro

Bio Ritmo Rises with new CD, "La Verdad"

2011-10-28T16:23:00.008-04:00

Bio Ritmo gave a fresh first set at the joint party with Orquesta GarDel on October 14 at Durham's Motorco. I didn't take a lot of video, but here's a look at pretty much the whole band, during "Seguiras Criticando," a salsa tune with a heavy afrobeat coda from their last album Biónico:

Of course, we were here to celebrate the CD release of La Verdad, which has been gaining tons of favorable press at the national level. This month, Bio Ritmo is featured in vinyl collectors' mag Wax Poetics (in an issue with Eddie Palmieri on the cover), on the radio on PRI's The World, garnered a great album review on PopMatters.com, and is currently charting #4 on CMJ's World Music Chart.

I'm writing my own story now on the band's undulating 20-year career curve, and what makes these Richmond heroes so special. Stay tuned....

Durham Academy Fiesta Latina FRIDAY (10/28)

2011-10-25T13:44:00.010-04:00

UNC Charanga Carolina and Colombian harpist Pavelid Castañeda will headline once again this year at Durham Academy's Fiesta Latina. The PUBLIC IS INVITED to attend this free festival in honor of Hispanic Heritage month. Live music and dance program runs from 7:30-10:00 pm, and food trucks will be selling food out front from 6:30 pm on. Location: Brumley Performing Arts Building at Durham Academy Lower School, 3501 Ridge Rd (corner of Pickett), Durham. Admission: FREE.

Charanga Carolina has exciting news; its studio album La Familia has hit the streets. The CD represents a milestone for the collaborative student/community ensemble, founded c. 2003 by Dr. David F. García. The 11 tracks, which include homages to Los Van Van, Arsenio Rodriguez, La Sonora Ponceña, Eddie Palmieri, Ray Barretto and Tito Puente, can be sampled at the Charanga's revernation page. To purchase the CD, for a $12 donation to UNC's Department of Music, send your check and return address to: David Garcia, UNC Department of Music, Hill Hall CB#3320, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599-3320.

Charanga Carolina at this time last year--October 2010

This year, Charanga alum Andy Kleindienst has taken over direction of the group. The ensemble's first public performance was a few weeks ago, so this semester's new recruits should be pretty warmed up for the DA concert.

Andy Kleindienst playing trombone with Orquesta GarDel in August

I last saw Pavelid Castañeda a few weeks ago at a private concert at UNC for the university's Board of Visitors. He was part of a very exciting program, put together by Lisa Beavers at the Center for the Study of the American South, which brought together 3 local masters of ancient stringed instruments from three distinct global traditions: Pavelid on Latin American folk harp, Naji Hilal on oud, and Diali Cissokho on kora. For the artists, presenters and myself, it was an intense exchange of music and information; future collaborations are already being planned, so keep on the lookout for that!

Pavelid Castañeda @ The ArtsCenter in June 2010

Pavelid always wows audiences with his percussive, rhythmic style and unusual arrangements for harp, ranging from traditional folk music to salsa and rock, and his own fiery compositions. He is about to release an original solo album, currently in co-production with his son, the prominent jazz harpist Edmar Castaneda.

The Durham Academy Fiesta Latina is coordinated annually by Bela Kussin, and realized with the help of many volunteers at the school. It's not only meant for the cultural enrichment of students and staff, but also as a gift for the community at large. Brumley is a beautiful new arts facility, with great auditorium seating as well as room for dancing, which will be encouraged during Charanga's sets. Come out and celebrate Latino culture and the arts in our community!

BREAKING: La Bruja @ Duke TONIGHT (10/24)

2011-10-24T13:38:00.005-04:00

BREAKING: Just learned that Nuyorican spoken word artist and rapper La Bruja, aka Caridad de la Luz, performs at a student-sponsored event on the Duke campus tonight. It's FREE and OPEN to the public, and there has been a last minute venue change. The following information was confirmed for me by the artist today at 3 pm:

La Bruja performs tonight, Monday (10/24) from 6-7 pm, followed by discussion until 8 pm, in the McLendon Tower, 5th floor media room. This building is part of the new Keohane Quad on Duke's West Campus (see map here).

Here's a 2009 article about La Bruja in the New York Times. She's performed at the Nuyorican Poets Cafe and on HBO's Def Poetry Jam.

ADDITIONAL LINKS:

La Bruja artist webpage
La Bruja on Facebook

Goran Bregovic @ Duke CONCERT REVIEW

2011-10-22T17:29:00.017-04:00

Goran Bregovic BLEW THE ROOF off Page Auditorium Friday night (10/14). My reflections boiled down to this, a review essay which I originally wrote for another blog, but which finds its home here instead:

Goran Bregovic: Unplugged, and All Together Now

by Sylvia Pfeiffenberger

The name of Goran Bregovic’ “Wedding and Funeral Orchestra” is part satirical—a grand joke on the part of the perfectionist, prankster, film composer and former rock star—but it also promises a return to our unamplified, tribal human past, a time when social rituals were marked with big gatherings and live music, and individuals were suspended, not in ethereal social networks, but in the gelatinous broth of clan, nation, and religion.

Of course, there’s a dark side to this sort of nostalgia: tribalism and nationalism have exacted a high price from human societies, and none have paid more dearly or more regularly than the Balkan region, and former Yugoslav republics, from whence Bregovic hails. Sarajevo, at the borderline between Catholics and Muslims, Jews and Gypsies, Eastern Europe and the Mediterranean, is “a place where nothing is really pure. It’s always a mix,” says Bregovic in an interview with his publicist. Centuries of war have shaped the “small” regional culture of the Balkans into a sort of “Frankenstein,” he says. In the 1990s, war again forced the retired rocker into Parisian exile, which proved a stepping stone to creating his own global form of folk music, attuned to the large and small screens of the IT age.

The listening experience we had in Page Auditorium Friday night (10/14/11) was unlike anything you can hear outside of a church, a classical concert hall, or a movie theater nowadays. Who’s got the budget to commission composers and produce large ensembles of live instrumental and vocal musicians anymore? Only institutions that run on charity donations, and Hollywood. Bregovic’s orchestra was actually a multicultural collective, made up of four sections: a string quartet, an all-male choir, the Bulgarian vocal duo the Radkova sisters, and a Gypsy vocalist with brass band. Each unit operated independently at times but cooperated as a seamless unit, like a four-chambered, polyphonic heart. The some-time soundtrack composer ‘conducted’ while facing the audience, from his guitarist’s chair, one hand frequently aloft to signal timing, entrances and phrasing. It was like hearing a miniature Mahler symphony, blown through Surround Sound.

Photo (c) by Andrew Shpak; courtesy of Pomegranate Arts.

Bregovic built up the evening’s set like a cinematic-depressive fairy tale, an episodic ride that vacillated between drunken exhilaration and island-of-the-damned sobriety. Capturing our attention from the get go, Bregovic mumbled a few introductory words, then let single narrators (guitar, clarinet, violin) lock in our attention. Just as we were getting comfortable in our seats, the Gypsy brass band announced itself from the back of the hall and marched down the aisles, horns blazing, waking our senses in a visceral rush. Suddenly, in that moment, we became one audience: the polyphonic heart had found a body. For the rest of the night, waves of sound flooded us with animal joy, and uneven folk meters jogged our human jelly like a friendly reminder of mortality.

Bregovic clearly relished the role of conductor, and ultimately his instrument was us, the kinetic collective that responded to his every direction, be it to clap and rally to our feet, or to hush and listen to his next bit of storytelling. The ruckus was loudest in the cheap seats, but firm fan footholds were scattered throughout the room, as bodies swayed and hands danced in the air, Mediterranean-style. Shouts in Slavic languages rang out occasionally; next to me, a Turkish couple mouthed the words to Bregovic’ Emir Kuristica soundtracks. Did they understand the words? “Not really--it’s close to us,” they shrugged, electric grins lighting up their faces. On the other side of me, a couple of Duke alums, here simply because they had bought $5 tickets to every show of the season right before they graduated, radiated the same ecstasy.

They say that conductors have one of the highest job satisfaction ratings, but that role is typically dictatorial. Yet, while directing sound with hairline precision, Bregovic brings something fundamentally rebellious to the role. This goes back to his roots as a teenage bass player in the band “Bijelo Dugme” (“White Button”). Under Communist rule in the former Yugoslavia, just playing rock music at all was an act of rebellion, and Bregovic learned how to walk the line of cultural resistance without getting thrown in jail. Back then, backed by a rock band, he might have parodied Marshal Tito’s uniform on stage; now, in a silky cream suit and backed by his ethnically diverse orchestra, he delivered impure rants about sex and dying, and antifascist ditties such as the Italian partisan hymn “Bella Ciao.” Bregovic rejected classical music training as a child, when he was forced to take violin; today, he says, he chooses to play with folk musicians out of the same sense of rebellion against formal high culture. With rock star excess, Bregovic kept one-upping his encores, announcing, “it would be a shame to go to bed after that.”

Through the aperture of the Balkans’ “small culture,” where impurities are a virtue, Bregovic has created a sense of global belonging out of his own exile and displacement, genetically modifying folk music so that it feels like our pop and movie music. It’s not even a metaphor at times, such as when Bregovic plays zydeco covers and tunes he wrote for Iggy Pop. Is that breakneck Balkan number smuggling a ska beat, ‘50s rock and roll, or a Mexican quebradita? It’s a question that doesn’t really need answering, because Bregovic has hit the folk/pop dancebeat button in a way that feels universal, or rather: in a way that feels local, in every language and cultural tradition. With the vision of a film director, Bregovic reconnects us with the unamplified roots of his particular folk cultures, making space for us to feel social connection through “big,” live music in an increasingly digital world.

As it turns out, the musicians on stage had been only intermediaries in Bregovic' raucous ode to sex and death; the human orchestra was us.

“You’re a beautiful audience. Good night.”

Photo (c) by Mikhail Ognev; courtesy of Pomegranate Arts.

Regina Carter in Raleigh TONIGHT (10/22)

2011-10-22T15:05:00.009-04:00

Is there any Triangle stage that features black women artists more regularly, and in greater proportion to their overall programming, than Arts NC State? In recent memory, they've presented Buika, Esperanza Spalding and Emeline Michel; already this season, they introduced me to the exquisite blueswoman Ruthie Foster. Yet to come in November: Ivorienne singer/dancer Dobet Gnahore (11/4), and local cellist/singer Shana Tucker (11/11).

TONIGHT (10/22): Jazz violinist and MacArthur "Genius" grant winner Regina Carter performs at Stewart Theatre. Her latest album, Reverse Thread, integrates African folk tunes with jazz, in a band featuring kora and accordion. Tickets run $28-32 for general public, with NCSU staff and student discounts available.

Our good friend John Brown, director of Duke's jazz program, leads a pre-show discussion at 7 pm. The discussion is free and open to the public in the Walnut Room, in Talley Student Center.

LINKS:

Saturday, October 22, 8 pm: Regina Carter @ Stewart Theatre
Regina Carter artist website

Africa Calling: Angelique Kidjo SUNDAY (10/16)

2011-10-16T01:01:00.008-04:00

Afropop Amazon: Angelique Kidjo (photo: Andrzej Pilarczyk)

There's been such a wealth of great African music in town this month. Although I had to miss Bassekou Kouyate at Duke this Friday, I did this preview for dP's blog The Thread.

I did get a chance to see most of the Mau a Malawi: Stories of AIDS project at UNC that same evening. What a dedicated group of musicians, student actors, and volunteers. To mention only some is to slight all, but the vocalists in particular are so wonderful; I'm now a huge Lizzy Ross fan. To read more about the Mau a Malawi concept album, see my Indy story about it here. To visit the Stories of AIDS webpage, go here, where you can download the album for a donation to the arts-based charity Talents of the Malawian Child. It's for a good cause, yes; but just as importantly, it's great original music that deserves to be widely heard.

As a preview to that evening, Peter Mawanga, the Malawian co-producer of Mau of Malawi, gave a sweet, free show at The Station on Wednesday prior. Some of the guys from Kairaba backed him up, as well as others from the show. I got to get a good look and listen to Peter's "Jozi," his custom-made South African guitar. He and Mau a Malawi collaborator Andrew Finn Magill are still actively songwriting, and they played one song that they had written only 2 days before, dedicated to "those women who go through so much," in Peter's words, "before being forced to sell their bodies on the streets in a country that is ravaged by HIV and AIDS. This song is for those ladies." How rare and moving it was to hear a man speak about sex workers with such compassion; I felt like I was understanding the song, although the lyrics were in Chichewa. That IS the univeral power of music to communicate beyond language, a gift Peter has in great measure.

Kairaba played an opening set, intense as usual; one hears them growing in confidence, as they are about to head into the studio this week to record a first album. Kairaba's spiritual head, Diali Cissokho, always wins a crowd. His euphoric moment in the show this time came when he (somehow) balanced his kora upside down, and still managed to played it. I didn't have the stamina to take in Kairaba and Toubab Krewe out at Shakori Hills last weekend, but from what I hear, Diali did a surprise, walk-on vocal with one of Toubab Krewe's songs--the instrumental just happened to be a song he knew from Senegal. I wish I could have been there to see THAT. Lesson learned--always expect the unexpected from this charismatic griot of Carrboro.

The African music streak ain't over. Beninese singer Angelique Kidjo hits UNC's Memorial Hall this Sunday (10/16). Here's my Indy pick writeup about her. I saw Kidjo a few years back, touring with Santana at Walnut Creek. The global pop diva still commands respect as a strong voice from, and for, Africa. I was really stunned by this bare, unplugged duo performance that shows just how strong that voice is:

LINK:

Angelique Kidjo @ UNC Memorial Hall, Sunday (10/16) at 7: 30 pm; tickets $10 (student) to $39 price range.

MORE INFORMATION ON AFRICAN MUSIC:

Listen to Bonjour Africa, Sundays 4-6 PM on WNCU 90.7 FM with host Bouna Ndiaye

Shakori Fall Preview: Oct 6-9

2011-10-04T01:51:00.003-04:00

Where to begin? This fall's Shakori Hills Grassroots Festival lineup is fitting to blow my mind: Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings, Toubab Krewe, Rosie Ledet, Bela Fleck, Hobex, Kairaba, Peter Lamb & The Wolves, The Brand New Life, Saludos Compay, Locos Por Juana, Preston Frank--just when you thought I'd be jaded, I've got Shakori fever like never before.

Two artists back-to-back at the Cabaret Tent on Saturday that I haven't heard, but hope to catch this time around:

Lakota John, a young, dobro bottleneck slide guitarist (he's 14) from Robeson County, who is half-Lumbee and half-Lakota. He is one of MusicMaker's Next Generation blues artists. I met him and his father down in Pembroke when I was researching this recent tale for the Indy about Dark Water Rising.

Leyla McCalla, a banjoist/cellist from New Orleans who is also a MusicMaker Next Gen artist. She reportedly plays jazz standards, originals, and the occasional Haitian folk song.

As often happens at Shakori Hills, musicians from different genres get together and mix it up. At the last Shakori festival in April, members of Orquesta GarDel gave a salsa workshop on the porch, and some oldtime fiddlers came up and jammed. Here's that video, to whet your appetite for whatever may happen this weekend (Thurs.-Sun., October 6-9):

SEE THE FULL FESTIVAL SCHEDULE, ADMISSION INFO, DIRECTIONS, etc. HERE

Kairaba @ Haw River Ballroom (9/14)

2011-10-03T13:27:00.003-04:00

Kairaba's September 14 show at Haw River Ballroom in Saxapahaw was a benefit for women's farm coops in the Central African Republic. If you're looking for backstory, my feature about Diali Cissokho & Kairaba appeared in the Indy recently.

Diali Cissokho and Austin McCall

It was a great show and event, with other presentations by artists and community organizers. This was one of my favorite moments, when Diali and John Westmoreland exchanged musical dialogue between the kora and guitar:

Jonathan Henderson and Will Ridenour

Here's a montage of two more song clips from the concert:

It's great to see this band continue to thrive, I can't even keep up with all their gigs lately. Good news: they plan to visit Diali's home in Senegal and play some shows there in December.

Catching Up With The Beast (10/1)

2011-10-03T03:19:00.009-04:00

The Beast and Chit Nasty played a birthday party at Kings last Saturday (10/1). Chit Nasty is loud and funky as hell, with a Rick James meets Little Richard vibe.

That must've set the tone, because The Beast was a little raunchier than usual. Here's one of their newer songs, "Just Do It":

Beast fans with The Bieb @ Kings

FLASHBACK

Remember the earthquake? That night (8/23), The Beast did this live improv with special guests, a biweekly affair that happens second and fourth Tuesdays at Jack Sprat in Chapel Hill. The next "aLive Tuesday" happens 10/10, with special guest TBA.

SAMPLE OF THE WEEK: Astor Piazzola meets an earthquake theme.

Sitting in: The Brand New Life's Seth Barden (bass) and Walter Fancourt (saxophone).

Stephen Coffman on drums, Pierce Freelon on the mic, Eric Hirsh on piano/ keyboard/ samples.

Shana Tucker @ NCMA (9/2)

2011-10-03T02:55:00.007-04:00

Shana Tucker gave a gift to the North Carolina Museum of Art on September 2: a free concert to lure visitors in for the last day of the exhibition, "30 Americans." Attendance that night broke records, according to Museum program director George Holt.

Her quartet featured Mark Wells, Peter Kimosh, and Stephen Coffman. Here is her lovely take on Nora Jones' "Wish I Could":

Young people were especially delighted with Shana's big finish: a New Orleans version of "You Are My Sunshine." Here's a montage of the dancing that ensued.

COUNTERPOINT

Here's Shana with a trio, performing the same tune, in a different style. With Mark Wells, piano, and Brevan Hampden, percussion, here's her Latin version of "You Are My Sunshine" one recent evening at Brasa Brasilian Steakhouse:

Raleigh Rally: Hopscotch

2011-10-03T00:46:00.011-04:00

This was the first year I really applied myself to delve into Hopscotch, which transformed Raleigh into a downtown funzone the second weekend of September. It was really fun to walk the distance between venues and to see a ton of people on the streets, popping in and out of clubs. I'd definitely say (as a Durhamite) that there's been an uptick since in my comfort levels with going out in Raleigh; Spark.con's freebies the following weekend served as a booster shot.

FRIDAY NIGHT @ LINCOLN THEATER: Coming soon--a little footage of The Foreign Exchange goes here.

SATURDAY NIGHT @ POUR HOUSE: With an all-club wristband, I milled about for awhile seeing various indie phenoms, and slowly figured out (DUH) that I probably needed to go to the Pour House, where it was all horn bands. I didn't manage to see that full lineup, but heard fantastic things about Fight The Big Bull (out of Richmond), and my good pals Peter Lamb and The Wolves. I arrived during the set of D-town Brass, a band with quite a few guys in it I know from thar and yonder, but had somehow never heard before. It was experimental and groove-based, kind of nerd-funky, and reminded me of movie scores. The sheer size of that horn-line is devastating, both as an audio and a visual. Orchestral in scope, the front line was like a Noah's ark of trombones, trumpets, saxophones, and clarinets. I'm not sure what all percussion they had back there, but congas for sure, marimbas maybe. Sonorous and intense.

D-town Brass

Budos Band

It started to really fill up as the clouds gathered for Budos Band. These guys brought an unrelenting Latin fusion groove all night. Hopscotchers pitched glowsticks on stage--landing right in the bell of the bari sax player's horn at some points--and instead of getting pissed, they seemed revved by the friendly dose of aggression. They rained glowsticks, and powerful Latin funk beats, right back at us. I really liked Bobby the conga/bongo player's setup and slap style, idiosyncratic and well adapted. "We're the black sheep [of the Daptone label]," these guys told me later, "but people like us, so they can't get rid of us."

Raleighites raise a beer to Hopscotch

CMF: The Remix

2011-10-02T20:11:00.007-04:00

Carrboro Music Festival, you are always so beautiful. My review comes a week late, but I've spent all that time soaking in the good energy that overflowed into the streets last Sunday (9/27).

Celtic Tim Smith

Reggae Tim Smith

Everyone has their own CMF, whether one targets bands to see, or just wanders the 25 in- and outdoor venues for hours without a plan. I did a little of both; saw both Tim Smiths get together (that could have ruptured space/time, but we were lucky), and found myself strangely attracted to bluegrass and oldtime music. It's all that fingerpicking and harmony.

Rough Cut

The Gravy Boys

The Gravy Boys are high on that list. They practice something that old-time salsa and Latin bands used to do, a phenomenon I call "three men on a mic." There's something sweet about that ear-tuned harmony and close attention to group dynamic. Sing it for me, Gravy Boys:

Looking at their calendar, I see The Gravy Boys are coming to The Blue Note Grill on Bus. 15-501 in Durham, this Thursday, Oct. 6--a free show, from 7-9 pm.

These two videos capture that freewheeling, Weaver Street spirit. I am informed that the hula hooper accompanying Tim's band is Julia Hartsell Crews:

Tim Smith Band

Climb Jacob's Ladder

It was my first time seeing Climb Jacob's Ladder, a band I've never been able to figure out how it sounds just from reading descriptions. I can see why: extremely eclectic and socially conscious, the band alludes to Stevie Wonder, Bob Marley, and other 70s landmarks, but never stays in one place for very long.

Saludos Compay at Tyler's Parking Lot has become an 8 pm tradition. I don't have any photos or videos (it was dark by then) but a good time was had, as always.

REVIEW: Caribe Vibe @ Cantina South 10/1

2011-10-02T13:20:00.009-04:00

Two things I've noticed about the "international" party scene lately: a) it seems to be migrating more and more to Raleigh, and b) the names for some of the new parties sound like new brands in Trojan's expanding product line (i.e., "Latinsations," "Latinvibe," etc.).

New local sextet Caribe Vibe, co-led by Billy Marrero and Andres Leon, seems like the perfect band for this newer, "hotter" Raleigh scene. On just their third gig out in public last night, they brought an agile and unique sound to the newly remodeled Cantina South on Glenwood. Breaking away from either "salsa" or "Latin jazz" formulas, the creative ensemble is making pure dance music that is relaxed, sophisticated and just a little outside the box. Also, absolutely perfect for relatively intimate club spaces. When a sextet doesn't feel like a logistical compromise, but an opportunity for musical creativity, you know you have something special.

So, what's different? For a half-Boricua band--Alberto Carrasquillo (trumpet), Nelson Delgado (vocal/ bongo), and Billy Marrero (congas)--it also sports a heavy Venezuelan angle: co-leader Andres Leon on the piano, and his Maracaibo cohort Josue Bracho on drumset. American Paul Dobelstein plays electric bass.

That drumset (in place of timbales) sets Caribe Vibe apart from other salsa bands, giving it a jazzy versatility and a rock-heavy downbeat reminiscent of Cuban timba. Yet unlike most Latin jazz combos, Caribe Vibe keeps vocals and dancefloor appeal always foregrounded. Nelson Delgado, also a lead vocalist with Charanga Carolina and Orquesta GarDel, as well as a percussionist for many years in Carnavalito, maximizes both talents in the sextet--as sonero and bongocero.

In repertoire, they have a similar range to Billy and Andres's large ensemble, Orquesta K'Che: salsas, son/cha cha chas, merengues and cumbias. But even on well-worn standards, Caribe Vibe isn't treading water; with drumset and electric bass on hand, "Oye Como Va" can really plunge off the deep end toward rock. On "Moliendo Cafe," a classic pianist's showcase, Andres played a solo which is one of his best I've heard:

Caribe Vibe showed its own personality with two boleros that the group adapted into exciting salsa arrangements. This one, "La Barca" (Luis Miguel) got my blood up, with instrumental soloing on piano and trumpet:

Dancers loved this show; the sound (mixing and volume) was excellent. The venue has mixed bar- and restaurant-style seating, and a moderately sized wood dancefloor. Door cover was $5. I would definitely hit this band/venue up again.

LINKS: Joan Soriano Review & Interview

2011-09-28T14:38:00.002-04:00

Bachatero Joan Soriano was at Motorco on 9/23--but rather then tell you all about it here, I'm going to save my breath and repost this live review I wrote for dP's blog, The Thread.

Photo by Lisa B.

There's this interview too, which I did by phone with Joan in the Dominican Republic.

Durham Latino Festival SATURDAY (9/24)

2011-09-20T13:26:00.006-04:00

***
BREAKING: LOCATION CHANGE

Parks & Rec has announced on Friday that the festival will be MOVED INDOORS to Edison Johnson Recreation Center, 500 W. Murray Ave, due to rainy conditions at Rock Quarry Park.
****

Durham's Latino Festival, which was postponed back on August 6 due to Hurricane Irene, is rescheduled for this Saturday (9/24) from 1 - 6 pm, at Edison Johnson Recreation Center, 500 W. Murray Ave.

Band bookings have changed, so here's the latest schedule which I received today from Parks and Recreation officials:

Main Stage Schedule

1:00 – 1:10 Welcome/Introductions - DPR Director - Rhonda Parker

Mayor Bill Bell, Felipe Cabrera, Consul of Mexico Rep.

1:10 – 1:50 Rey Norteño (BAND) (1st half)

1:50 – 2:05 Host/announcement of MAJOR SPONSORS

2:05 – 2:25 Rey Norteño (BAND) (2nd half)

2:25 – 2:40 Host/announcement of all sponsors – gifts/raffle & introduction of next “entertainment”.

2:40 – 3:30 Guillo Carias Trio (1st half)

3:30 – 3:45 Host/announcement of all sponsors – gifts/raffle & introduction of next “entertainment”.

3:45 – 4:00 Guillo Carias Trio (2nd half)

4:00 – 4:10 Host/announcement of all sponsors – gifts/raffle & introduction of next “entertainment”.

4:10 – 4:30 ZUMBA

4:30 – 5:00 Realeza de la Sierra (BAND) (1st half)

5:00 – 5:20 Host/Soccer Championship Awards/announcement of all sponsors – gifts & introduction of next “entertainment”.

5:20 – 6:00 Realeza de la Sierra (BAND) (2nd half)

Please feel free to contact me with any last minute questions or concerns.
Rosalie Bocelli (919) 560-4355 X 27235 or (919) 452-3476 cell

Latino Festival is FREE and OPEN to the public; Rain or Shine.

SI: blankets, lawn chairs, kids
NO: coolers, booze, pets.

Guillo Carias Trio

ABOUT THE BANDS:

A couple of my favorites are playing, namely the Dominican jazz trio of Guillo Carias, and Rey Norteño, whose norteña song "Raleigh" was a hit on Mexican Regional radio a few years back. I haven't seen them perform in ages, so I'm curious to see what singer/songwriter Fred Huerta, et al., is up to these days. Here's a neat little rehearsal video posted about a year ago:

La Realeza de la Sierra has kind of a technobanda style, and one member who appears to be a young girl playing keyboards, according to videos on YouTube. Here's their demo:

Bull City Leans Forward for Shana Tucker, Peter Lamb @ Casbah (8/20 Review)

2011-08-29T04:30:00.010-04:00

forward-leaning jazz: Peter Lamb & The Wolves

If you were at Casbah on August 20th, you know that Shana Tucker's double bill with Peter Lamb and The Wolves was remarkable. People came to this show with a certain hunger for a serious listening experience, and they got it: two of the Triangle's most innovative acoustic jazz groups, together in one night for the first time ever.

chambersoul: Shana Tucker Quartet

The chambersoul songstress and her cello opened, backed by Stephen Coffman (drumset), Mark Wells (piano) and Darion Alexander (acoustic bass). Shana's banter between songs, rambling, funny, and animated, brought the receptive crowd in even closer. It was a pretty ravishing set; highlights included Roberta Flack's "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face," and Bill Withers' "Who Is (S)he and what Is (S)he To You?" both of which featured strong interplay (musical and satirical) with her bass player.

She burned down the house, at least among all the ladies present, with a new original tune about a certain type of annoying phone call and/or text message (it may not have an official title yet, but she jokingly called it "The Booty Call Song"). Wolves Peter Lamb (sax) and Al Strong (trumpet/flugel) came out early to solo on "Bye Bye Blackbird" while Shana sang. Here's one of Shana's originals from her album Shine, a song called "November" that hits me every time:

After an intermission, Peter, Al, Mark and Stephen returned, joined by George Knott (double bass/bass saxophone) and guest Brevan Hampden (congas), to play The Wolves' set. I've never heard the horns sound better, in fact sound overall at Casbah (Sound by Evan) was peachy. If one had a request, for the artists' sake as well as the audience, it would be the installation of central A/C in this important venue. Near the stage, and especially on it, the heat from lights, etc. made for trying conditions. That said, nothing was going to stop this from being a glorious, expansive night of music. Here's "Mona Lisa," veritably busting with incredible solos by Mark Wells on piano, Peter Lamb on sax, and Al Strong with the melody on flugelhorn:

The Wolves did their usual powerranger-morphing through Astor Piazzola, Ray Charles, Nat Cole, et al. A lot of older, jazz/pop standards have cryptic Latin cover versions, or vice versa, and sitting at the bar, one popped out at me that night that, for some reason, I had never noticed before: "Boulevard of Broken Dreams" and "Veinte Años," the latter best known in a version by the Buena Vista Social Club. The former is credited to songwriters Harry Warren/Al Dubin, the latter to Maria Teresa Vera.

I'm not sure who deserves the first credit, and they differ enough past the distinctive opening bars to probably legally qualify as different songs. But my instincts lean toward Maria Teresa Vera, who was born in 1895, and wrote "Veinte Años" as a habanera (the Cuban style of contradanza, whence tango got its bassline). Nat King Cole did "Boulevard of Broken Dreams" with a Latin percussionist (Jack Costanzo), and the English lyrics not only treat a similar theme (broken dreams/long lost loves), but also mention an "old Cathedral town," which seems like an allusion to Latin America.

In any case, the really important question is this: Has anyone merged these songs? How breathtaking would that be? Wolves, you have your mission...

Danke schön, in the meantime, for restyling my brain to take in this German drinking song, "Du, Du Liegst Mir Im Herzen," sung by with Mark Wells as if he were Jeff Buckley at an Oktoberfest. This was a juicy encore:

If you missed it, you missed it.

Peter Lamb and The Wolves and Shana Tucker both have new albums; listen and learn more at their websites.

Enchanted Ballroom: GarDel on the Haw

2011-08-27T23:59:00.012-04:00

Drive west out Highway 54, way out, past the Cane Creek Reservoir. Just when you think you've gone too far, turn left at the sign for "Saxapahaw." Keep driving south, down the Saxapahaw-Bethlehem Church Road, until you enter this rural dell. There, rising on your left, is not the moon, but a glowing, propped-open, industrial dye kettle--it doubles as the sign for the Haw River Ballroom.

A ballroom, in the wilderness? Surely, this is a fantasy only Hollywood could have dreamed up, right?

Wrong: Walk inside the former Dye House to a cotton mill, over a grate lit up from below, and you step into a ballroom in the truest sense, fit for Tito Puente--or Orquesta GarDel, who performed at the Ballroom last Friday (8/26). Two levels--wooden dancefloor below, balcony-like seating area above--and a complete stage with beautiful lighting and sound. This may be the most perfect Piedmont venue to book a salsa band.

Dancers and GarDel stalwarts did turn out in pretty good numbers, though it's hard to say if Irene fears might have kept some home. It really didn't hurt the party any, which had critical mass and then some. Taking advantage of ideal filming conditions, GarDel had its own videographers there, so hopefully some pro video of the show will eventually emerge. Paso gave a dance lesson before the opening set, and Felix Padilla led some social dancing in the casino rueda style. (It was particularly fun dancing rueda to one of GarDel's timba tunes.)

Some recent changes in the orchestra: former conguero Jose Sanchez is officially no longer with the band; the Winston-Salem resident performs all over the Carolinas with a host of Latin groups, and had to pull back his energies somewhere in order to keep his family a priority. We wish him all the best! Looks like Atiba Rorie, a local leader in African percussion, will be filling the gap. Atiba has gigged in a number of Latin bands in the Triangle, and his powerful playing and cool presence are a welcome addition to GarDel.

The dance energy was pretty explosive. Here's the last jam of set 2 (except for an encore descarga). The tune is Ray Barretto's "Indestructible"; Brevan Hampden (timbales) and Atiba Rorie (congas) both solo:

On the GarDel event horizon:

Friday, October 14 - a long-awaited double bill with Bio Ritmo, celebrating Ritmo's 20th anniversary release party, at Motorco in Durham.

LINKS:

Worth the drive: Haw River Ballroom

CONJUNTO BREVE debut in Chapel Hill TONIGHT (8/17)

2011-08-17T13:17:00.010-04:00

Brevan Hampden leads a new Latin ensemble tonight at Cinco de Mayo, a Chapel Hill restaurant at 1502 E. Franklin Street, near Estes Dr., located across from the Sienna Hotel. Cover is $7.

Percussionist Brevan Hampden

Sources have been tight-lipped about the new dance organ, dubbed Conjunto Breve. Rumor has it that Hampden will be joined by members of Orquesta GarDel, Eric Hirsh, Atiba Rorie, Alberto Carrasquillo, Pete Kimosh and Jaime Roman, to perform charts unknown.

Salsa Xtreme is a fairly new Latin party, bringing salsa, merengue, bachata, et al., back to Wednesday nights. Empresario Cesar Merlos, dancer, DJ and former club manager, goes back far enough to remember this longtime Chapel Hill tradition.

Dance lesson at 9:30 pm; invite says "dress to impress." Party rolls at 10.

Review: Isti & the Mysti Experience; Mysti Mayhem TONIGHT (8/9) @ The Cave

2011-08-09T13:07:00.007-04:00

My friend Isti Kaldor did a new painting on Friday night, at the trendy, rococo-themed wine bar Six Plates in Durham. Mysti Mayhem, a soulful singer/songwriter with a powerful voice, played guitar and sang.

Let me explain. Isti only paints to live music, in front of a live audience. His bio and artist statement can be found here, on his website. His paintings capture an evanescent moment, in which we are all involved.

This became literally true that night, as some of the avatar-blue paint Isti loaded in hefty dollops onto the canvas mysteriously spread itself around the room, via hugs, handshakes and kisses perhaps, transferred from skin to black marble countertops, to the insides of elbows, under chins, and onto cheeks. I unwittingly imprinted myself in this manner, hilariously so. A tactful barman pointed this out as I sipped samples of their xtakoli and cidre.

Luckily, a little soap, hot water, and scrubbing with the red, cloth handtowels provided in the ladies' bathroom, removed all the physical paint from my skin and possessions. But it was a tangible reminder that one doesn't so much watch Isti create, as become implicated in an infectious act of group creation. I love what this says about art, and the way it pulls the isolated visual artist into a communal relationship with music and with an audience.

I didn't take video, but you can hear Mayhem's music and see her calendar here. She performs again TONIGHT, Tuesday, August 9, at The Cave, 9 pm, opening for Jordan & The Sphinx. The cover is $5.

LINKS:

Isti Kaldor artist website

Mysti Mayhem artist website

Completed canvas by Isti Kaldor, up for raffle.

Griselle Ponce, Orquesta GarDel @ COPA NIGHT Aug 13

2011-08-08T15:14:00.006-04:00

"Mambo princess" Griselle Ponce will give a dance performance and workshop in the Triangle on Saturday, August 13. That evening's Copa Night party, hosted by the Cobo Brothers at Mint Restaurant in Raleigh, features live music by the Triangle's elite salsa orchestra, Orquesta GarDel.

Note: The dress theme for the party is no longer "Black and White," as originally advertised, but a dress code of NO JEANS or athletic wear still applies. Please consult the web for full details.

Ms. Ponce, who frequently partners with mambo legend Eddie Torres, will offer a Ladies Styling workshop at the Triangle Dance Studio on Saturday afternoon. Limited advance and package discounts are being offered on the Cobo Brothers' webpage.

Orquesta GarDel @ Mint in December, 2010

EVENT LINKS:

Cobo Brothers event webpage (for tickets and information)
Facebook Event page
Griselle Ponce artist webpage
Orquesta GarDel artist webpage

Tercer Divisa Nacional @ Ritmo Latino Fest

2011-08-08T03:44:00.009-04:00

Raleigh rockeros Tercer Divisa Nacional had a lonely 12:30 spot atop the program at Cary's Festival Ritmo Latino this year. Nonetheless, they rocked it out for the first few festival goers huddled in the heat at the Sertoma bandshell in Bond Park.

Now a quartet, Tercer Divisa Nacional has changed its membership in recent times, but not its m.o.: politically conscious, blues and metal-influenced, Mexico City-style rock. They label themselves "rock 'n' roll urbano," a reference to the Distrito Federal origins of half its members, but "rock en español" also fits--depending on what that says to you. The band follows much more in the tradition of nationally known Mexican rock bands like Maldita Vecindad and El Tri, rather than the internationalized pop sounds of a Juanes or a Carlos Santana.

So what's new? As recently as 2009, the band had swollen to 7 members, all male. Now, its four-member core is halfsies damas y caballeros. That's no coincidence: Cyndra, a trained jazz singer, is married to drummer and co-founder Luis "El Italiano," while bassist/ co-founder David is romantic partners with lead guitarist Meagan. While they are all flamboyant salsa dancers in the street-flavored DF style (which one rarely sees anymore amid the flush of mambo and rueda schools), you won't hear any of that in Divisa Nacional; what they play is more like a form of immigration blues, empowered by joyous rock energy.

I had something else to do midday, but arrived back at the festival around 6ish see what headliner Tropic Orchestra has been up to these days. There have been some changes to the lineup; "new" was Cesar Oviedo on piano, Cesar Cordero on congas, and Abdala Saghir on timbales. The repertoire was pretty much unchanged; there was a merengue I don't recall hearing before (but might have), and a 'stone soup' cha cha chá, throwing together progressions and coros from a bunch of familiar danzones and boogaloos. Their usual salsa standards included "Rebelion," "La Murga," and "Todo Tieno Su Final." There was an initial delay for soundcheck, pushing the dance over until 7 pm; the PA system was a bit loud and distorting, but salsa dancers had their usual good time.

Tropic Orchestra

Check out these adorable little kids, dressed up and ready to perform with one of the folkloric dance ensembles at the Festival. Preciosura!

Ritmo Latino Fest in Cary TODAY (8/7)

2011-08-07T01:18:00.007-04:00

From 12 noon - 6:30pm this Sunday (8/7), Diamante's 7th annual Festival Ritmo Latino comes to Bond Park, 801 High House Road in Cary. Rain or shine, the festival is FREE and open to the public:

Here are times and highlights from the Main Stage music lineup in Sertoma Amphitheatre:

12:30 - 1:30 Tercer Divisa Nacional (rock & roll urbano)
2:00 - 3:00 Mickey Mills & Steel (reggae)
4:00 - 5:00 La Tropa de Tierra Caliente (regional mex)
5:30 - 6:30 Tropic Orchestra (salsa)

The "Ritmo Lounge" will feature various folkloric dance groups, the Christian rock band Sin Reservas at 3 pm, and Franco Gallardo Mariachi at 5 pm. Other attractions include food vendors, an opening ceremony and color guard, and children's activities. A free kids' soccer clinic with the Carolina Railhawks takes place from 2 - 4 pm.

EVENT LINK:

http://www.diamanteinc.org/Ritmo_Latino_2011.php

Everybody loves mariachis!

2011-08-03T13:28:00.002-04:00

I love this video of Mariachi Connecticut serenading a beluga whale at Mystic Marinelife Aquarium. The whale obviously enjoys the performance. Who wouldn't?

Sierra Maestra on US Tour: DC Concert

2011-07-21T18:25:00.005-04:00

It still feels close to miraculous to see Cuban bands touring again in the US. Sierra Maestra performed at the Artisphere ballroom (near Washington, DC) Tuesday night (7/19), with all the simple, rural majesty of the mountain range itself.

Los cantantes: Jesus Bello, Alberto Valdes, and Luis Barzaga

In person, they sound exactly like their records, which are also notable for a distinct, steadfast sound over the years. There are many son bands, but you would never mix up any other with Sierra Maestra. Due in part, I think, to their signature vocalists, but also their arrangements that feel both classic and fresh. With very little effort, they seem to be getting every ounce of vibration out of the ensemble, as if sounding all the seeds in the maraca. There's something about the amplified acoustic son band, vs. a salsa band or big band or timba band, that retains a very organic energy: skins, wood, gourd, seeds, strings, and a little metal; it's a very lively, pleasing texture. Instantly transcultural, maybe because we were all close to the land once, at some point in our history.

They played two beautiful sets, in this huge ballroom (4,000 sq. ft.) that feels intimate because of its wide orientation and low, thrust stage. There's also a viewing balcony; I'll bet the sound would have been great up there, but I stayed near the dancefloor. Nice crowd for a Tuesday night, a lot of couples and families as well as DC casineros, dancers and deejays representing.

I talked briefly to tresero Emilio Ramos, and happened to catch video of a couple of his solos. Cool style, and an interesting pickup on the instrument. In the background of these photos, you can see the two percussionists switching off on bongos; I didn't talk to them but I think they are founding member Alejandro Suarez (above) and Eduardo Rico (below). I don't know if hand drummers work harder in a son ensemble, or if you can just hear them better than you would in a salsa band, with all the horns and timbales. I wouldn't doubt it. These guys percolated hard all night, and traded hot solos on a few tunes.

After the show, Jesus Bello (above) and Luis Barzaga were nice enough to record WXDU station IDs for me on my audio recorder. Jesus was very friendly with fans and stayed in the hall during the break, and post-show, to chat and take pictures.

The youngest member, I'm sure, must be 28-year-old trompetista Yelfris Valdes. The band is known an incubator for Cuba's top trumpet talent, keeping the traditional style of son playing alive. Its former horn players include Jesus Alemañy and Julito Padron.

In back, in the rhythm section, there's a dedicated guiro player (I love that), Carlos Puisseaux, and leaning in close to the drummers, bass guitarist Eduardo Himely. Both are founding members who've been with the band since its founding in the 1970s.

The genres they played included son (fast); son (slow), which is not cha cha cha, but hardly recognized as such by dancers outside of Cuba anymore; sucu sucu ("Felipe Blanco"), a genre someone from La Isla de la Juventud once told me is native to that island; changui, from Guantanamo; and even a conga santiaguera (marking the first time in my life I actually joined in a conga line--and enjoyed it).

These rumberos, who are active in the Afro-Cuban cultural scene in DC, were taking advantage of the last exuberant song of the night. Dancers: Oscar Rousseaux (white pants), and Adrian Valdivia:

Note to local arts presenters: Sierra Maestra would be a fantastic Cuban band to build in to your next arts season, whenever they may be touring again. I guess we have to go back to Buena Vista and start from ground zero, in terms of building audience recognition for Cuban music again, but that is what makes this group a perfect segue. And, if possible, make it a DANCE and find a venue that will welcome those of us who love and honor this cultural tradition as our own, not just your high-end concert series subscribers.

For example:

COMING UP:

Duke Performances has booked Joan Soriano, "El Duque de la Bachata," into Motorco this coming September 23. Bachata, a Dominican folk form that is a direct spin-off of son, is best presented where it can be danced, as well as listened to, so kudos goes to Aaron Greenwald and his staff at DP for getting it right. Looking foward to that show.

Sierra Maestra @ Artisphere in Virginia TUESDAY (7/19)

2011-07-18T12:10:00.010-04:00

Before Buena Vista, there was Sierra Maestra. Since the '70s, it's been Cuba's flagship son band, with a traditional formation that still includes clave, maracas, trompeta, bongo, y tres. But, this is no music for oldtimers: Sierra Maestra plays modern son, hard and fast, infused with the rocking, relaxed groove native to Cuba's eastern province of Oriente.

On tour in the U.S. from July 14 through 26, Sierra Maestra plays a dance in the Artisphere ballroom in Arlington, VA (Metro DC) this Tuesday (7/19). It will be the venerable soneros' only tour stop in the Southeast. Tickets are $22 and $25, with a dance lesson at 7:30 pm, and dancing from 8:30 to 11 pm. Artisphere Communications and Marketing Director Annalisa Meyer says the ballroom space comprises 4000 sq. ft., with a stage that still offers an intimate concert experience. Dancers, if you're anywhere near D.C., seize this chance to see one of Cuba's legendary performers in IDEAL ballroom conditions!

Former members of Sierra Maestra include tresero Juan de Marcos (who masterminded Buena Vista Social Club), and some of Cuba's top trumpeters such as Jesus Alemañy (who went on to form Cubanismo) and Julito Padron (who has toured with Afro Cuban All Stars).

Here's the active lineup:*

First Name / Family Names / Instrument / Founding Member (1976)

Luis Manuel BARZAGA SOSA - Vocals , claves / YES
Eduardo Idelfonso HIMELY PINO - Bass guitar / YES
Carlos Antonio PUISSEAUX MANSFARROLL - Güiro / YES
Emilio José RAMOS BATISTA - Tres
Eduardo Manuel RICO MENENDEZ - Congas, bongo, cowbell
Jesus Eusebio BELLO DIAZ - Vocals, guitar
Alejandro SUAREZ GALARRAGA - Claves, cowbell / YES
Alberto Virgilio VALDES DECALO - Vocals, maracas / YES
Yelfris Carlos VALDES ESPINOSA - Trumpet

*thanks to Annalisa Meyer of Artisphere for providing advance information and publicity photo.

EVENT LINK:

Sierra Maestra live at Artisphere, Arlington, VA - July 19, 2011

Heat and Harmony: GarDel @ Eno Fest

2011-07-05T13:52:00.005-04:00

Eno festival-goers didn't battle the 99-degree heat and humidity Monday, July 4, so much as give in to it: bikinis, shorts and sunscreen were the order of the afternoon, as Orquesta GarDel threw down a secure, relaxed set. Members of the African American Dance Ensemble, who performed just before GarDel at the Meadow Stage, stayed and rallied for the big salsa party that developed on the lawn.

Down one percussionist (regular conguero Jose Sanchez), GarDel just shuffled a few cards in the rhythm section, moving Julio Correa from his regular position on bongos, to congas, as backing vocalist Ramon Ortiz took the bongo chair. Some fun and new solos caught my ears, from pianist Eric Hirsh and saxophonist Tim Smith, among others.

Horn blower Blu Thompson, Bassist-of-the-sky Pete Kimosh

GarDel's recent Motorco show (still haven't blogged that, but some coverage will be coming soon, I promise) was a turning point, post-EP-release, in terms of live performance. Picking up confidence from the sold-out release party, GarDel seemed to have exhaled and come back revitalized at the June show, rewriting arrangements to provide more elbow room. Mining the tropical momentum of the rhythm itself, they are starting to understand that relaxing tempos can actually expand the energy.

Switching gears comfortably, the Eno set sounded tight, from a fast-clipping descarga, to wide-awake salsas, and the slower "Gracias Te Doy," Nelson Delgado's beautiful cha cha chá to his mother. Undeterred by the heat, GarDel's cadre of dance followers was the strongest its been at Eno, leaping into motion as soon as the band hit the stage.

Many great moments slipped by my camera, but here is the timba I like most of all, "Lo Que Tu Querias," which closed the set:

Not long after GarDel finished, quenching rain cut the festival short, now in its 32nd year of raising funds to preserve the local watershed. I was sorry not to hear closer Peter Lamb & The Wolves, but the sound of rain drumming on the tree canopies at West Point on the Eno Park was fair recompense. It was a great day for music and community in Durham.

Happy 4th, everybody!

Eno festival goers showing their colors

Fantasma at the Casbah, Wednesday (6/22)

2011-06-21T12:33:00.007-04:00

Grupo Fantasma stops in at Casbah in Durham this Wednesday (6/22) for a Latin funkstravaganza. From Austin, Tex., its southwestern sound embraces cumbia, horn-driven funk, L.A. Latin rock, and classic New York salsa. (There's even a little Cuban chaos in there: its fourth album, the Grammy-nominated Sonidos Gold, features an Irakere cover.) Fantasma's funk credentials are in order: In 2007, Prince handpicked the band to headline his Vegas club.

Its fifth--and most recent--CD, El Existential, was recorded in a home-built studio in Austin, and features guests from the Meatpuppets as well as the Fania All Stars--Larry Harlow plays electric piano on a gangster cha-cha.

I will be there on Wednesday, wearing headphones: DJ Santa Salsera spins old school salsa from 7 pm until showtime, and again after the live set. It's been awhile since I've deejayed a live party for dancers, and I'm really looking forward to it.

Tickets are $12 in advance, $15 door. To be compliant with NC state law, Casbah has a membership policy which involves a one-time, $5 fee; the door is CASH ONLY, so come prepared. You can buy drinks with credit at the bar.

Event link:

GRUPO FANTASMA with DJ Santa Salsera @ Casbah, June 22

Electric Rhapsody: GarDel + Greg Humphreys @ Shakori Hills

2011-05-31T13:41:00.006-04:00

Greg Humphreys is leaving us soon to spend the summer in Prague, so here (at last) is my going away present: Greg making musical history with Orquesta GarDel, back in April, sitting in on their salsa set at Shakori Hills with this electric guitar solo:

The early 70s tune, "Que Se Sepa," is a Los Van Van classic, heard in this arrangement made famous by Roberto Roena.

Greg really captured the flavor of the Roena version while making it his own. I got goosebumps hearing them connect the dots from Cuba 1972 --> to Puerto Rico 1974 --> Shakori Hills 2011.

GarDel, by the way, performs live at Motorco in a couple of weeks on Saturday, June 11.

Mr. Humphreys, bon voyage and enjoy a summer of bohemia! May you travel light, troubadour, and come back with a suitcase full of songs.

Kairaba @ Talullas; World Beat Fest TONIGHT (5/27)

2011-05-27T16:40:00.009-04:00

Diali Cissokho & Kairaba @ Shakori Hills in April

The sensation I am recommending to everyone these days is Kairaba, a newly formed African band from the 'boros--Pittsboro, Carrboro, and Mbouror, Senegal. Diali Keba Cissokho is the griot to watch on the local music scene, having assembled a soulful trailblazer in Kairaba.

Kora, vocal, electric guitar, bass, drumset, djembe, dun dun and talking drum form the basis of this experimental sextet, whose members include Diali's nephew Sidya Cissokho, Midtown Dickens' Jonathan Henderson, jazz guitarist John Westmoreland, and longtime students of African rhythm Austin McCall and Will Ridenour.

The band name means "peace and love," a powerful, one-word concept in Manding. Will dissected it grammatically for me Thursday night:

Kaira = peace
-ba = a suffix meaning "big, great," therefore,
Kairaba = the big peace, or "peace to every living thing on earth."

Whoa.

The no-cover show was Kairaba's second at Talulla's, an event slated to repeat itself, for the time being, every other Thursday at 10 pm.

Andrew Magill, a fiddle player and former member of Charanga Carolina, joined the band last night for a few numbers. Here's audio capture of Andrew sitting on the last tune of the evening:

Catch KAIRABA again TONIGHT, Friday (5/27) at The Cat's Cradle's World Beat Fest, opening at 9:15 pm for DIFFERENT DRUM and DUB ADDIS.

Shakori Memories: Part One

2011-05-07T00:57:00.008-04:00

Take me back to Shakori Hills...

April showers resulted in the muddiest Shakori in recent memory, making one appreciate anew such modern inventions as the gravel road. I saw cars and SUVs do mudwheelies in the artists' parking lot, sliding downhill into rows of parked cars as they tried to get traction on the once-grassy lanes.

But the music goes on, and on and on, all day and long into the Shakori night. I arrived around 11 am Saturday morning, and caught half of a belly dance class in the Healing Arts area, before wandering over to the Meadow Stage where Greg Humphreys was playing a brunch set. Sol Roots, Pura Fe, Tim Smith, Eric Hirsh, Robert Cantrell and other pals helped out for a song or two.

Greg Humphreys

Tim Smith, Robert Cantrell and Sol Roots

The mix'n'match jam sessions and artist exchanges that evolve are always among the best Shakori moments.

The Beast was at the same stage soon after...

Stephen Coffman and Pierce Freelon of The Beast

shake that tambourine...The Beast's Eric Hirsh

Umalali, the Garifuna Women's Project, was way more folkloric than I expected. I don't know much about these specific musical styles they played except that they are Central American with a strong African component. Of note: the maracas technique (way different from the Caribbean/salsa thing), and these big skin-covered barrel drums. Sometimes they played a clave recognizable as "Latin," sometimes not.

What's wonderful about this clip is the dancing, including audience participation (!):

Umalali

My Shakori Saturday stretched out 14 hours in total, so I can't tell it all. But I did make it through killer sets in the Dance Tent by Kairaba, Diali Cissokho's exciting new African band out of Pittsboro, and Orquesta GarDel's midnight salsa excursion.

Jonathan Henderson and Diali Cissokho of Kairaba

More posts on those bands SOON TO COME, including footage of a neat little salsa workshop by members of GarDel, with old time fiddle players sitting in!

Only at Shakori Hills...

Replay: Bomba Estereo Tour Through Carrboro

2011-05-06T17:42:00.005-04:00

In case you missed it:

Bomba Estereo live at the Cat's Cradle on Wednesday:

Big Enchilada: K'Che Takes Over Cinco de Mayo

2011-05-06T14:16:00.008-04:00

Orquesta K'Che ["kah-CHAY"] is now vying for the title of the Triangle's Latin Party Band. The legendary Cinco de Mayo party at Dos Taquitos in Raleigh is hardly a level playing field, though; the supply of Coronas never outlasts the partiers at this redoubtable outdoor fiesta. It was K'Che's first year playing at this event, which has been held down in the past by Carnavalito.

I came in for the last two sets, and by then, things were loose and lubricated. In the front row, sonero Jaime Roman was stoking the attention of a cadre of ladies in giant straw hats. Finding a safe cul-de-sac, I got busy dancing to the salsas, cumbias, merengues, and occasional son. Some casino rueda dancers were making space to dance their Cuban formations in the parking lot. At one point, a conga line snaked through the tiny dance tent, which was an endless traffic jam of jubilating bodies.

It was a party that just wouldn't quit, and this young band was drinking it in. Pushing their time an extra 30 minutes, they kept jamming even as the percussionists were packing up, and friends like Brevan Hampden and Cristian Cañaveral jumped in for a swan song.

The only video I took (because I was too busy dancing) was this one, a juiced descarga very close to the end of the night:

K'Che's official lineup: Andres Leon (piano, musical director), Billy Marrero (percussion, leader), Julio Correa and Pako Santiago (percussion), Levy Vargas (electric bass), Jaime Roman (vocals/hand percussion), Nelson Rodriguez (vocals/hand percussion/tres?), Channing McCullough (sax), William Villalba (trumpet), Mathew Parunak (trombone).

LINK: Orquesta K'Che on Facebook

Shakori Hills Festival OPENS TODAY

2011-04-21T15:17:00.009-04:00

The biannual grassroots fest at Shakori Hills near Pittsboro, NC, gets underway today, running Thursday through Sunday, April 21-24.

FULL SCHEDULE and TICKET INFO: Shakori Hills Website

Diali Cissokho & Kairaba performing at Nightlight in February

The beauty of Shakori is there is music going on on four stages all the time, so there's always something to do. Performers include The Lizzy Ross Band, Mount Moriah, Birds and Arrows, Greg Humphreys, John Howie Jr, Dave McCracken, Pura Fe, Deer Clan Singers, Kooley High, Big Fat Gap, The Travelin' McCourys, Tift Merritt, Midtown Dickens, The Beast and Dark Water Rising. With that wealth of entertainment in mind, here's a targeted selection of my personal picks:

THURSDAY: Cool John Ferguson and Arrested Development this evening. 7:30 - on...

FRIDAY: Umalali, the Garifuna women's collective from Central America. Meadow Stage, 10 pm. Repeats again on SATURDAY.

SATURDAY: Diali Cissokho and Kairaba. My strongest recommendation for a must-see new band on the rise. Led by Pittsboro-resident Cissokho, a Jimi Hendrix of the kora, with his nephew talking drummer Sidya Cissokho, plus an American-style backing band of drumset, congas, bass and electric guitar. The West African harp-lute may be dreamy and poetic solo, but Cissokho uses it to stoke a bluelight basement party in Kairaba, a word which means "love and peace" in Manding. Diali's natural charisma as a vocal performer may come from his centuries-old griot heritage, but he will also put you in mind of Marvin Gaye, James Brown, and other griots of New World soul. Dance Tent, 4:15-5:30.

ALSO SATURDAY: Orquesta GarDel promises special guests and '80s nostalgia during their salsa set at the dance tent, starting just after midnight.

SUNDAY: Shake it all out with zydeco guru Preston Frank in the Dance Tent, 4:15-6:15. An earlier dance with Frank's band happens FRIDAY around 3 pm.

But don't take it from me. Mix and match your own agenda at www.shakorihills.org.

Tony Allen Afrobeat Orchestra @ UNC TUESDAY (4/19)

2011-04-19T11:50:00.006-04:00

Nigerian drummer Tony Allen, a pioneer of the Afrobeat genre, brings his Afrobeat Orchestra to UNC tonight (Tuesday, 4/19).

Fela Kuti's musical director and drummer in the 1970s, Allen is still going strong and updating Afrofunk/Afrobeat with contemporary sounds.

It's an early show starting at 7:30 in Memorial Hall, tickets range from $20-$40; UNC students pay $10.

CONCERT LINK: Tony Allen's Afrobeat Orchestra at UNC, 4/19

Down-To-Earth Diva: Emeline Michel @ Stewart Theatre SAT (4/16)

2011-04-16T11:52:00.003-04:00

I had the privilege to interview Haitian singer Emeline Michel, as well as her guest violinist Daniel Bernard Roumain (DBR), for this story in the INDY this week:

"Reluctant Queen: Emeline Michel's rich Haitian fusion"

See her in concert tonight (4/16) in Raleigh at NCSU's Haitian Celebration: 8 pm, Stewart Theatre. DBR gives a free, Pre-Concert Talk at 7 pm.

BAMP Fundraiser Tonight (4/16)

2011-04-16T11:32:00.002-04:00

The Bonjour Africa Malaria Project annual fundraiser takes place tonight, Saturday (4/16) at the Freelon Group in Durham. $25 admission for the dinner dance and silent auction; proceeds go to purchase mosquito nets to prevent malaria in Senegal.

Can't attend? Make an online donation at the Bonjour Africa website.

The project is spearheaded by WNCU deejay Bouna Ndiaye, host of the weekly African music show "Bonjour Africa," Sundays 4-6 pm on WNCU 90.7 FM-Durham.

¡La Batalla!

2011-04-02T21:48:00.000-04:00

Last night was round 1 of La Ley's "La Batalla," a battle of the bands designed to promote the musical talent of Central and Eastern North Carolina and provide up-and-coming artists with guidance and the opportunity for exposure.

Four bands competed in the first round:

Revelación Sevilla, a Raleigh-based Cumbia Tropical group comprising four brothers and a cousin originally from Hidalgo, MX;

SDO Musical, A familial, Raleigh-based Tierra Caliente ensemble

Positivo Show, a Tierra Caliente ensemble from Goldsboro

Rubén y su Potencia, a Raleigh-based Tierra Caliente group.

And the winner was ...

Positivo Show!

And here's a bonus vid of Rubén Y Su Potencia:

Positivo Show will advance to the final round along with the winners of the next two primimary rounds (dates and venues TBA). The winner of La Batalla will receive an 8 hour recording session and demo produced by a recognized music recording studio and $1,000 cash, in addition to airplay on LA LEY 96.9 FM.

Salsa & Charanga @ UNC THIS WEEKEND

2011-03-25T13:02:00.006-04:00

POST UPDATED 3/26: check out this excellent short documentary about Charanga Carolina by Samantha Lapinsky. The documentary starts at minute 1:16:

_________________

Charanga Carolina, harpist Pavelid Castañeda and Orquesta GarDel are all making appearances at UNC this weekend, at two different concerts happening Friday (3/25) and Saturday (3/26). Both events take place at 7 pm in the Kenan Music Building Rehearsal Hall.

Friday's concert features two sets of dance music by the Charanga, and a solo set by Colombian harpist Pavelid. This benefit for the Scholars' Latino Initiative program has a $7 door.

Saturday's show is a double-bill salsa dance party with Charanga and Orquesta GarDel. Co-sponsor Mambo Dinamico celebrates its 9th anniversary with live dance performances. Door price is $10.

MORE INFO On Facebook, "Charanga Carolina"

As a warmup, here's video of Charanga Carolina's last concert in February. The group combined with the UNC jazz band here, and features special guest Conrad Herwig on trombone:

El Centro Hispano Benefit @ Casbah FRIDAY (3/25)

2011-03-25T11:10:00.003-04:00

Casbah hosts a benefit for Durham's El Centro Hispano today starting this afternoon at 3:30 pm, with live capoeira dancers, a crafts bazaar, salsa lessons and DJ'ed dance party extending into the evening until 2 am:

DJ Steven Feinberg and DJ Alvaro, Grupo Capoeira Brasil are featured.

All proceeds benefit El Centro; $15 door.

El Centro Hispano is currently the largest grassroots Latino organization in the state with an active membership base of more than 600 dues-paying members. Founded in 1992, the independent non-profit provides programs and services to more than 5,000 community members annually.

MORE INFO: Casbah event link here

Soul Rebels Brass Band...in Durham 6/3

2011-03-25T10:26:00.007-04:00

Scenes from last fall, never posted...the first annual African American Cultural Festival of Raleigh and Wake County was a big hit with me, and about 15,000 other people, according to their website; featured performers included Chuck Brown, godfather of DC gogo, and Sierra Leone Refugee All Stars. Look for this festival again on Labor Day weekend, 2011.

This Soul Rebels Brass Band footage is making me wish I could attend New Orleans Jazzfest coming up in late April-early May.

Next best thing: Soul Rebels play Papa Mojo's Roadhouse on June 3 [ReverbNation event link].

Sacred Steel Conference Starts THURSDAY (3/17)

2011-03-16T13:47:00.008-04:00

The Southern Sacred Steel Conference kicks off this Thursday (3/17) with a free front porch concert at UNC's Center for the Study of the American South. The Allen Boys perform between 5-7 pm. The free, public concert includes an audience conversation moderated by folklorist Robert Stone.

Facebook event page: The Allen Boys, Music on the Porch Series

Ticketed events get going on Friday (3/18) the Artscenter, which is hosting the conference exploring steel-guitar-based Black gospel music, with strongholds in Florida and Western NC. Folklorist Stone, who has documented the genre in photographs currently on exhibition at the Artscenter, will give several lectures. On Saturday, headlining artists will give steel guitar master classes. The conference ends Sunday morning with a worship service.

The Lee Boys

Evening concert headliners include The Lee Boys and Aubrey Ghent; see The Artscenter website for details and ticket info!

Artscenter: Link to all Sacred Steel Conference events

Conference Weekend Pass Pricing Here

Indy article by Spencer Griffith: "Southern Sacred Steel Conference Debuts"

Substitutions: Bio Ritmo 3.12.11

2011-03-14T20:25:00.019-04:00

It's 11 pm on Saturday night in downtown Richmond, and this town is getting its salsa on: Bio Ritmo is about to take the stage at Balliceaux, a restaurant near the VCU campus.

Stylish and a little chaotic, this crowd has a casual, anything-goes approach to dance culture. People are here to socialize and dance to live music, not negotiate the breaking beats.

SUBSTITUTIONS

Bio Ritmo has been coping with some turnover lately. It's been breaking in new timbaleros since Giustino (Justin) Riccio went on hiatus to pursue his acoustic artrock duo Fuzzy Baby full-time. Some of the new players have been amazing, but I still miss Justin for his quirky, hardass playing and solid backing vocals.

On this gig, Cuban, D.C.-born-and-raised percussionist Rene Ibañez filled in on timbales. He plays with Sin Miedo every Thursday at Bossa in Adams Morgan. Love what Rene is doing with the solo on this fiery descarga "Sombras"; coming in on his heels are "Bobalu" Miller and Mark Ingraham locked in a heated trumpet/coronet battle, followed by Mike Montañez on congas:

NOTE: Balliceaux doesn't have stage lighting, so for best results, go to FULL SCREEN and turn up your BRIGHTNESS to max.

In the brass section, I've really been enjoying what newer members Mark Ingraham and JC Kuhl bring to the band. JC was out on another gig Saturday, so John Lilley played sax. On "Seguiras" John stepped up to the plate with sax solos in the Afrobeat section, while Eddie Prendergast supplied dubby basslines, and Mark doubled on tambourine. Mark's own band, a funk outfit called Beast Wellington, has standing gig on Wednesdays at Bogart's in Richmond.

SKINS

Gabo Tomasini manages the band from Brooklyn now, where he moved a few years back; he still plays congas on NYC gigs. But in the Southeast, Hector "Coco" Barez is now the first-call conguero. The fully endorsed LP percussionist's main gig is backing Grammy-winning, Puerto Rican hiphop duo Calle 13.

On Saturday, however, it was Mike Montañez' turn to shine. Mike has filled various positions in Bio Ritmo for 7 years, but only recorded on one of their albums: the EP Salsa System. Not a bad album to be on, engineered by Fania legend Jon Fausty, and featuring the still frequently performed "Tu No Sabes," as well as the seldom-heard "Madrugador" and "Orgullo," two great salsa tunes for my money.

SIGHTREADING: Setlist 3.12.11

SECOND SET

A couple songs after the break, pianist Marlysse Simmons started soloing on "Muchacho" and my spidey sense tingled. Sure enough, her solo was on fire. I missed videoing that one, but didn't make the same mistake twice. When "Atrevete" rolled around as an encore, I was in position to record:

PIANO SOLO starts at min. 3:50

SLEEPOVER

The next morning, the overnighters got together at The Cookie Monster Cafe for a brunch of corned beef hash, lake trout, dumplings, pancakes and fried apples.

Back at Marlysse's home studio, I got to hear some fabulous unreleased extras: her Brazilian project Os Magrelos, an amazing Bio Ritmo arrangement of "Danny Boy," and masters for the upcoming album, La Verdad. They are considering their options for how the release will come about, but expect it in 2011.

The 45 rpm vinyl single is already out now; A-side "Dina's Mambo," a Persian-sounding instrumental using farfisa organ, named for the "mambo" in the step of Marlysse's cat, which once had a broken leg; and B-side "La Muralla," another dark salsa from long-time trombonist Toby Whitaker, with sonero Rei Alvarez' lyrics.

Review: Orquesta K'Che Premieres at Carmens

2011-03-12T12:01:00.007-05:00

K'Che's first performance was a party to remember. That's a good thing, since the memory stick in my camera failed last night. I have no photos or video from the show, but since professional cameraman Gustavo De Los Rios was there videoing the event, I trust some interesting documentation will survive. I'll just have to rely on words.

The stage was set when I arrived, around 11 pm, as band members hunted down the last music stand they needed. "Todo listo," musical director Andres Leon told me with a smile. Organizing and rehearsing since last fall, the band exuded the kind of calm that comes from months-long preparation. Carmen's was as packed I've ever seen it, so anticipation on the dancefloor was great.

K'Che's repertoire is well-chosen and eclectic, from NG La Banda/Issac Delgado's "Necesito Una Amiga," to Ismael Rivera's spiritually deep "El Nazareno," Pete El Conde and Johnny Pacheco's tipico son classic "Catalina La O," and Grupo Niche's biting anthem "Sin Sentimiento."

Jaime Roman and Nelson Rodriguez shared vocal duties, with Jaime sounding strong on the salsa covers, including a nice salsa romantica. Meanwhile, Nelson's electric tres wasn't just there for show; he sang and played a long, tasty tres solo on "Catalina La O," taking me and my dance partner back to Salsa Carolina days. Sabroso! Nelson's more tipico style on the son, cumbia and merengue is a great foil to Jaime's smooth, romantic lead, giving the band a winning vocal combination.

I had the pleasure of meeting newcomers to the Latin scene, Channing McCullough and Matthew Parunak. Channing deployed both alto and tenor saxes; her guajeos added authenticity to the merengue. Matthew has a great trombone tone for playing Latin. The section played well, hitting a lot of tricky entrances, aided and abetted by trumpeter William Villalba; I see only great things in this brass section's future as they pick up speed.

Right from the start, you could feel that the band's rhythm section was on solid footing, thanks to the percussion tripod of Billy Marrero on timbales, Julio Correa on congas, and Pako Santiago on bongos. All three are talented multi-percussionists, but that's probably my favorite instrument to hear each one play individually. Whether they are playing at a dance-friendly mid-tempo, or exhilarating breakneck speed (like on Larry Harlow's "Señor Sereno"), the sweet trio kept its sealegs, as expected. No surprises there. The rhythm section held its own with completing members Levy Vargas, electric bass, and Andres Leon, piano/keyboards.

Playing classy, disciplined arrangements, not aimless descargas, with tasteful soloing but no overplaying, K'Che isn't trying to reinvent the wheel; but it is trying to build a smoother ride. So far, so good; I like its professional approach and elbow grease. K'Che has definitely arrived. As it continues to polish and expand its repertoire, expect this band to invigorate competition in the local salsa scene.

SIGHTREADING: A View From the Bongo Chair

In light of my camera mishap, I did pick up one souvenir to document the night--Pako's setlist. The bongocero and backing vocalist doesn't typically use charts, but with these handwritten notes, he keeps track of a lot of information like set order, coros, solos, breaks, and which bell to play.

Bongocero's setlist, A-side

Bongocero's setlist, B-side

Salsa Debut: Orquesta K'Che THIS FRIDAY (3/11)

2011-03-10T11:54:00.005-05:00

The Triangle's newest Latin dance band makes its debut this weekend: Orquesta K'Che is the brainchild of percussionist/leader Billy Marrero, and Andres Leon, pianist and musical director.

Some fresh faces, and familiar echoes from bands of yore, fill out K'Che's ranks. The band is guitar-heavy with bassist Levy Vargas (of Latin rock band Razpa) playing an electric axe, and backing vocalist Nelson Rodriguez, of long-lost son band La Sexta Clave, sporting his tres in band photos. Horns include newcomers Channing McCullough (sax) and Matthew Parunak (trombone), as well as Samecumba veteran William Villalba (trumpet). Jaime Roman (Charanga Carolina, Orquesta GarDel) sings lead, and the rhythm section includes Pako Santiago (Carnavalito, Charanga Carolina). Countries of origin represented include Venezuela, Puerto Rico, Colombia and Dominican Republic.

The band's strategy for building their own niche in the salsa scene is twofold, says musical director Leon. First and foremost: they aim to be an all-purpose dance band. That means rocking the cumbia, merengue, cha cha chá, etc. AND salsa, rather than specializing in one genre. Second: by selecting classic charts to cover that no other band in the area is doing, they bring variety to the scene.

First night to catch them live is this Friday (3/11) at Carmen's Cuban Cafe in Morrisville; doors open at 10, band at 11:30, admission $10.

Facebook Event Page: Salsa Brava with Live Performance by Orquesta K'Che, Friday March 11

aLive Tuesdays: The Beast + Greg Humphreys 3.8.11

2011-03-09T02:41:00.012-05:00

Chemistry, timing, and musical diversity have always contributed to the magic of The Beast, Durham's live hip hop/jazz dynamo. Now those qualities get showcased every other week at Jack Sprat, at a free live show from 9-11 pm called aLive Tuesdays with The Beast.

What makes these evenings so much more than a live rehearsal is the way the sets are structured: the two hours are subdivided into four, gem-like sets, covering three or more genres, and featuring one invited guest.

This week began with instrumental jazz by The Beast Trio (minus Pierce). Then singer/songwriter Greg Humphreys did a solo set of his originals. Greg really kills it on the mic in a warm, intimate setting like this, expertly modulating his tone from jazz to soul to country. The full Beast convened next, doing 2 or 3 new songs. (Pierce said they are getting ready to record again this month.)

This headliner set always leads off with The Beast's "Sample of the Week," a live-composed jam based on a sample chosen by a different member of the band. This time, pianist Eric Hirsh went with a classical riff from "Venus," from Gustav Holst's orchestral suite "The Planets." Here's the beautiful, spontaneous result:

Finally, Greg joined The Beast for a closing set. Greg did this classy, witty ballad, "Must Be The Moon," already recorded with The Beast Trio, to be released on Greg's next album in 2011. Here's part of it, with a nice little piano solo by Eric:

"Must be the Moon" (Greg Humphreys/Nancy Armstrong), (c) Phrex Music BMI.

The set (and show) ended with this slamming collaborative version of Curtis Mayfield's "Move On Up," which Greg often performs with his band Hobex. It featured an added rap by Pierce and a guitar solo by Greg:

So many pretty, cross-pollinated performances in one night...can't think of the last time I got so many kicks in two hours, for the price of a beer.

The next aLive Tuesdays with The Beast will be March 22, featuring "ChamberSoul" cellist/vocalist Shana Tucker.

Photo Credit: Tiona Fuller

Shana's debut CD Shine was just released a few weeks ago, give a listen on her website.

Hobex Redux + Fat Tuesday Alert

2011-03-08T08:42:00.010-05:00

Video of Hobex from Saturday night (3/5), at the Pittsboro Mardi Gras Festival at Chatham Mill:

Peter Holsapple (organ), Cyril Lance (guitar), Andy Ware (bass), Rob Ladd (drums), Tim Smith (sax), and frontman Greg Humphreys (vocals, guitar). Greg had his table steel standing by, but did not deploy. Still it was a grand and festive evening. Some of my favorite Hobex originals, a tune from Greg's recent solo release, and some zydeco and soul covers kept the costumed pirates and merrymakers of Chatham County dancing.

FAT TUESDAY ALERT:

See Greg Humphreys tonight (3/8) at 9-11 pm @ Jack Sprat as a special guest at The Beast's "aLive Tuesdays." Raaaawwwwr!

4 short sets:
1) jazz set with The Beast Trio (Eric Hirsh, Peter Kimosh, Stephen Coffman)
2) solo acoustic set with Greg Humphreys
3) hip hop set with full cast of The Beast
4) The Beast + Greg Humphreys as special guest.

Review: Los Amigos Bring the Sexy to Carrboro (2/25)

2011-02-26T14:40:00.006-05:00

Although the Cradle wasn't completely sold out, the front of the house was jammed tight with pogo-ing, flagwaving fans by the time I got to Los Amigos Invisibles, about half an hour in to their show. Caught the tail end of this salsa tune on my way in:

A local Venezuelan delegation had brought them a cake that afternoon in honor of the band's twentieth anniversary. All the Amigos were there, except Jose Torres (whom I interviewed for their 2004 Zinga Son record); he had to go home to Spain unexpectedly, so a good pal of DJ Afro's was filling in on bass. Like Los Lobos, another idiosyncratic Latin fusion band, Los Amigos have kept the same close-knit core all these years.

LAI live is like a blender mixing música popular, from the hip to the corny, into a psychedelic milkshake. Before you've fully processed that snippet of an old bolero, they're off to quoting familiar funk hooks, bouncey Europop choruses and organ riffs from sporting events, all swirling in and around their own songs in a non-stop flow.

I got some facetime with DJ Afro after the show, and we talked about vinyl collecting and Venezuelan salsa rarities. He still does a podcast, DJ Afro y su rumba barata, which is broadcast in Caracas, Panama and Mexico City. We agreed that there should be a wiki database for music, similar to the IMDb for movies. Fellow music nerds, any ideas on how to make that happen?

This is my longest clip, a merengue marathon including the song "El Baile del Sobón" from Arepa 3000:

Charanga & Jazz SATURDAY (2/19) @ UNC Memorial

2011-02-19T13:04:00.013-05:00

If you missed out on Eddie Palmieri yesterday--from his student masterclass, to the Memorial Hall concert, to a jam session on Franklin Street--you can still look forward to a great evening of Latin jazz tonight at UNC: a joint concert of Charanga Carolina and the UNC Jazz Band, with guests Joe Chambers (drums) and Conrad Herwig (trombone). Rumor has it there will be some special guests on vibes as well.

Palmieri was so stoked upon hearing the Charanga Carolina yesterday, that he placed cell phone calls during the rehearsal to share the live sound with two very important people: his wife ("she's a charanguera!" says Eddie), and trumpeter/music historian Rene Lopez.

"This is a rocking band! You better give them a good write-up," Palmieri told me afterwards.

He gave some playing tips to the group's pianists, current and former, who huddled around the keyboard on the Hill Hall stage, where yesterday's masterclass took place.

Palmieri's trombonist, Conrad Herwig has been in residency all week, playing lip-busting concerts with UNC faculty, the NC Jazz Rep Orchestra, as well as his boss. He told me Wednesday that he is looking forward to playing with the Charanga tonight.

Tonight's concert will be in UNC Memorial Hall at a cost of $15 general admission. An after hours jam session is planned at 10:30 pm at West End Wine Bar (cover: $4)

This intense burst of concerts continues next weekend, as part of UNC's 34th Carolina Jazz Festival. Trumpeter Marcus Printup of the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra returns to campus for a residency Thursday (2/24)-Saturday (2/26).

I never did a full review of Charanga Carolina's show at Talulla's a few weeks ago, but it was a barnburner. Although the intimate setting puts dance space at a premium, the warm acoustics and family-run atmosphere at Talulla's are a perfect home for Charanga.

Here's a video from last time to get you in the mood for tonight:

Extended Interview: Eddie Palmieri

2011-02-17T18:15:00.022-05:00

A few weeks ago I had the delight of interviewing Eddie Palmieri for what I think is the 4th time in my career as a Latin music nerd. Each conversation has been memorable, and “exciting” in Eddie’s words, due to his particular way with language, incredible memory and storytelling verve.

I’ve observed that, each time I’ve spoken with him, or read or heard any interview with him, he finds a way to slip in a mention of his older brother Charlie Palmieri, the keyboard giant who left us too soon in 1988. This example of brotherly love always touches me, as Eddie uses his own fame to remind us of Charlie’s equally prodigious contribution to the genre. It’s as if Charlie had just gone to El Monte, and continues to live on, in and through Eddie. Que Vivan Los Palmieri!

In about 30 minutes, Eddie managed to cover a lot of territory—a lot more than would fit in my 600-word Indy spotlight—so, here’s an edited transcript going into some deeper detail on areas of interest for the hardcore fan, from Eddie's Palladium days to his take on today's global salsa scene.

FOR CONCERT INFO: Eddie Palmieri performs Friday (2/18) at UNC-Memorial Hall at 8 pm.

Sylvia Pfeiffenberger: Hi Eddie. What’s new with you these days?

Eddie Palmieri: What’s been exciting is I was home for the holidays. I haven’t done that in many years. Our whole year [2010] was quite a lot of travelling, [except] for the month of my birthday, December, right from the end of Thanksgiving until now [mid January, 2011]. I start touring tomorrow in Washington, DC in a place called Blues Alley. But we had all the holidays off and it was great being home.

SP: I’m so glad you had that opportunity to rest up and treat yourself right. It’s a pretty tough job taking care of all your fans around the world, really, I would think it’s a full-time job.

EP: Laughs

SP: I was wondering if you’re still composing at all?

EP: Oh yeah, we’re going to be doing some new work. We’re going to be working also with a quartet and that’s a definite change. That’s with Brian Lynch on trumpet, a bass player called Boris Kozlov from Russia, and a Cuban drummer called Dafnis Prieto. We’ve been doing some new work along those lines, and we also have a DVD celebrating my 50 years on the bandstand. That should be coming out within 30 days, around there. Things are going to be good starting with the new year.

SP: So the 50-year mark, when does that formally fall?

EP: Well, it passed, it was 50 years that we did that concert right around that time, about 4 or 5 years ago. We had a big concert in Connecticut, but it was filmed. Finally they started working on the film, and it will be out, it ought to be exciting. It’s a big band and vocals so it should be great.

SP: You say you’re working on a quartet. I was there when you were working in the trio [with David Sanchez and Luques Curtis, at the Iridium in 2007], and I wondered if you want to say anything else about these other configurations you’ve been working with in the last few years, using these smaller ensembles.

EP: What happens is we have the octet, a septet and a sextet. That’s what I travel with when I do the Latin jazz presentation, and that’s with the whole rhythm section in that. But we brought down also for certain presentations the quartet. I’ve also done the duo, with Brian Lynch and David Sanchez, and we’ve done that. But this quartet is quite exciting because these gentlemen are very talented, Boris Kozlov is a great bass player, and Dafnis is also a very talented drummer, composer and arranger from Cuba, and Brian Lynch who has been together with me for two centuries now. It’s an exciting quartet to hear and to listen to.

SP: So tell me about the group you’re bringing to North Carolina. It’s going to be the jazz formation I understand.

EP: Yeah well there we’re going to have the seven musicians there. We’re going to have Brian Lynch, we’ll have Conrad Herwig on trombone, we have a gentleman called Louis Fouché, a young man on the alto sax who is incredibly talented, Luques Curtis on bass, then we have Little Johnny Rivero on conga and Jose Claussell on timbales, and Orlando Vega on bongo. So it’s really a little powerhouse that we’ll be presenting on stage there in North Carolina.

SP: Looking forward to that. For dance obsessives, who are a lot of my friends who are fans of yours around here, what would you say to those people about your jazz concert? How will this music be different? Is it going to be dance repertoire or a broader palette?

EP: You mean when I present, is it danceable, you mean?

SP: Well, that’s one way to put it.

EP: Well what happens is the arrangements that I perform, they’re very danceable. They follow the structure of what we used to call the Latin mambo instrumentals. Instrumental mambos were very very exciting, they were usually either an original composition, or they used to use some from like Broadway shows, hits that you convert into dance music. And they were very exciting, you know, to dance to. They had to be because they would be used in the mambo shows, like for instance in the Palladium Ballroom. But that’s what they were called then. But that structure is the one that I dedicate my Latin jazz to, which means that in the beginning of the composition the chordal change will be satisfying to the jazz musician, and then, within that same composition, I’m able to turn it around and make it more suitable for the percussion to solo, and it becomes very exciting, like if it was a dance composition with vocals….It’s very exciting, and what I mean by that is if you’re sitting down you probably want to get up and dance in the aisle.

SP: It seems like you’re very inspired by collaborating with younger artists. I notice you’re bringing younger people in to your ensembles.

EP: It’s something like the Art Blakey Jazz Messengers, that you know Brian Lynch and Donald Harrison were in that, and Brian brought Donald Harrison, the alto man from New Orleans, and he also recorded these CDs with me and they were excellent CDs. That brought us in to the genre of Latin jazz. But the young players, it’s usually by word of mouth, you know, and they hear from the other musicians, “Wow, the Eddie Palmieri presentation is very exciting, you got to through that band so you know what’s happening.” And you know eventually they come through the band. And then for me it’s enjoyable to see them go [on to] their individual career situations, but I know they came through the orchestra, and I know that when they leave the orchestra, they know much more more about the Latin music and about the Latin rhythmical patterns. Whoever they may be whether they are jazz musicians or if they’re percussionists.

Usually we’re keeping the same percussion, but the bass players have changed, and we have a very young bass player who in my opinion is one of the most exciting bass players who has come along for a long time, that’s Luques Curtis. He comes from a very talented family, also, two brothers that play piano. And he’s just amazing, because he’s into the jazz genre, but he also knows his, what we call the tumbaos, the bass patterns for Latin music. And he’s a very exciting player, so that stimulates the rhythm section you know, and it certainly helps the underlying principle of the rhythm attack. The horns can really lay into something that’s swinging underneath, you know what I mean? That can only deliver excitement to the audience…each individual is featured during the concert. You have that talent and I want to show it to the audience.

SP: It sounds like you see it as a responsibility to nurture young talents, but it’s also just stimulating for you artistically to work with them?

EP: Oh yeah yeah yeah, of course, it works both ways. They gain a great deal of experience working with the band and being with the veterans that are in the orchestra, I enjoy hearing the young talent and it excites me to see them play, and we got a great rapport together, you know. That only enhances the presentation.

SP: You were one of the younger guys back when you were starting out [in the 50s and 60s], you were one of the younger band leaders in that scene, do you feel like you sort of represent a connection to that era, or that you represent that generation?

EP: Yeah, because I caught the major part of that beginning era, so I was very fortunate. When the orchestras started, like they had the great Machito Orchestra, that was the Afro-Cubans, and Tito Puente, Tito Rodriguez, they started like in ’49. The one that caught that was my brother Charlie Palmieri on piano, that was his era, you know. And he performed with all of them at one time or another, and with Tito Puente he stood a couple of years and they recorded a lot together and they were friends until my brother’s passing. I got in around 1955, ’56 is when I joined and finally played in the Palladium Ballroom, and that was with one of the orchestras called Vicentico Valdes.

SP: I loved him.

EP: Yeah, because he used to be the vocalist for Tito Puente. By ’54 he made his own orchestra, or conjunto as they called it, with trumpets and rhythm and singing, and I joined that orchestra in 1956 and that helped me, with the experience, and to know the music that was coming out of Cuba.

I knew some of the music that was coming out of Cuba, but not all the orchestras, there were so many great orchestras and great pianists that played with those orchestras, and to hear everybody’s different takes, like the Sonora Matancera that had a young Celia Cruz at 18, Orquesta Aragon the charanga band, a gentleman called Benny More, a big band with a great singer. So all these orchestras I was able to listen to and learn by them and it certainly helped me. And then from there, I went with Tito Rodriguez for 2 years. So I was really the youngest that caught those orchestras. And then by 1961 I formed my first band, La Perfecta. That was with the two trombones and the wooden flute. The wood flute was very complementary at that time because the dance that was popular at that time was called the pachanga. You remember that?

SP: No!

EP: People jumping around, and they looked like madmen, you know. The music came from the charanga, the charanga is with violins, and rhythm and piano bass, and then the wooden flute player and vocalist. It was very popular, my brother had one called Orquesta Duboney. Johnny Pacheco had one here in New York and they were very very successful, very in demand in the years of ’59-’60, ’61. So when I started La Perfecta with the two trombones that nobody had, nobody had trombones up front, they never were used that way, because of the great player called Mr. Barry Rogers and his co-partner Jose Rodrigues, eventually, a Brazilian trombonist. We had used other trombonists before but when Jose arrived from Santo Domingo, he was Brazilian and he was living in Santo Domingo, and then he came in and eventually went back during the revolution and picked up his family and brought them back to New York you know, which was a very dangerous trip at that time. But anyway those two trombones up front and the wooden flute that was played by a gentleman called George Castro made La Perfecta a very potent presentation of an orchestra with 8 musicians, but boy they could let you have it. And with the trombones the sound is like so heavy, and the way that Barry Rogers and Jose, those two trombones sounded like it was more. You wouldn’t believe it was 8 that delivered that power. So that was the most exciting band I would say that I’ve ever had. To watch, to listen to and to dance to. At that time we were primarily just a dance orchestra, really heavy core, during the Palladium. We went into the Palladium around 1964, and spent 2 and a half years playing the Palladium because they closed in 1966.

Barry Rogers (1935-1991)

SP: I heard you were the last band to play there before they closed.

EP: I was the last band to play there, right, right. Laughs. I closed the Palladium. It was sad, because the owner loved the place so much. And the reason that they closed was because they had a lot of problems there earlier, but they had lost their liquor license. Without their liquor license, it just wasn’t going to go. He held it as long as he could, but it was just sad to see because it was the great dance ballroom. That was the only one that was the maximum dance ballroom. Because you saw there the greatest dancers in the world. I mean just unbelievable, the great dancers. And you came there to dance, you know. [It was] the first time you ever saw mingling between races. I mean a Black would be dancing with a Jewish young lady, an Italian with a Puerto Rican, etc...I mean it was just insane. And they all just came to dance. And on Sunday night it was all black, it was a black audience. It was amazing. The only problem that we had in the Palladium was what they didn’t pay. Because the scale was $18 a night which was cirminal, and that meant that you played four sets, so in four days you worked 16 sets for $72 and then they took out tax. And if you came out with $58 dollars, you were lucky. But the gasoline, at that time, it was only 14 or 18 cents a gallon. Things made up for it.

SP: Did you know we have a Charanga orchestra at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, where you will be playing? There’s a student ensemble that David Garcia, the Arsenio biographer, has put together.

EP: In North Carolina? You have a Charanga band, eh? Maybe they can bring them in there, that would be a great night.

SP: I know that your former vocalist, Pat [Ismael] Quintana is not in music anymore, but how is he doing, do you hear from him?

EP: Oh Ismael. He’s really more like on the retired side, because he underwent a very delicate operation. He did some presentations, but after the Fania company really faded away, the orchestras that he travelled with throughout the end of his career really, that fell apart when the owner passed away. But Ismael lives in Colorado. Once in awhile we say hello. The last time I saw him he already was recovering, every day he worked out with his younger son, they live up there, and he’s in great hands, because he has a family that loves him very much, and he’s really a family man. But he’s doing great, and with that cold weather in Colorado, he’s looking younger and younger.

He was with me until 1974, he sang on that Sentido album, and then he sang again with me in 1980, the B-side of an album the we did with Fania, and one side with Cheo Feliciano, a white album, which is a great album. It’s called just Eddie Palmieri, it’s a white album with a blue piano on it. It was recorded around ’80, ’81 it came out I believe. It’s a great, great album. And one of the most important albums recorded in our genre in my opinion.

SP: Is that right?

EP: The execution of that, with big band, you have 5 saxes 4 trumpets, on side A, and …cellos and woodwinds, it was just amazing what was done there. Ismael was the first one that started singing with me, you know, I saw him doing an audition once, and that night he came with the band, and stood until…he had a run from ’61 to ’74. Almost 15 years.

SP: Beautiful material. On the spur of the moment, what else would be on your list of most important recordings?

EP: The Library of Congress just took Azucar Pa’ Ti [into the National Recording Registry]…

SP: Oh I saw that on your website! That’s pretty awesome!

EP: Yeah, pretty awesome. We’re very proud of that. That would certainly be one of my favorites of a recording in our genre for sure. You had to record [one track in] 2 minutes and 45 seconds, that was the standard, you had to get 12 compositions on an LP at one time. And when we came to do “Azucar,” that’s the way we used to call it, the concerts at night or the Palladium or wherever we were, that ran for 8 [actually: 9] minutes and 30 seconds on the recording. And the reason we were able to do that was a gentleman called Teddy Reig, who was the manager of Count Basie. He was my A&R man and in jazz certainly they recorded longer, if it needed to. I tell him, you know Teddy, this is not going to be [2 minutes and 45 seconds]…and he said, Eddie, you record it the way it is, man. Don’t worry about it, just do it. And it came out to [9] minutes 30 seconds, and became really one of our biggest hits that we ever had.

SP: Oh really.

EP: Because it just took everybody by storm. See, it was very typical, but within that composition it led to what we call now Latin jazz. In the middle of that composition, after the piano solo, that turns into Latin jazz, what Barry Rogers is doing, it sounds like a Mack truck coming at you.

SP: That’s so great.

EP: Sun of Latin Music, that’s another one. After Ismael Quintana we found another young man from Puerto Rico, Lalo Rodriguez. And we recorded for a new company, and that wins the first Grammy. It was the first year they put us in category. One Grammy for all the Latin artists in the world and for all the Latin music genre in the world.

SP: You had to accept a lot on your shoulders there.

EP: Yeah that was something. And I accepted it also in the name of Tito Rodriguez, who had passed two years earlier. Imagine if the Grammys would have been in their time, they would have had so many of them. Just like my brother Charlie Palmieri, and Tito Puente, even though Tito Puente was able to, he really won Grammys later, but imagine if in those ealier years there would have been a Grammy in the early 50s, that’s what I mean.

SP: That’s so true. Do you think we’ve come a long way in recognizing those achievements now?

EP: We were instrumental in getting the Latin jazz category, because I knew that we needed it. If we recorded a composition they were putting it in Jazz category which was an honor. But that was a problem because if you’re playing piano and you’re going to go against Herbie Hancock, Chick Corea, Keith Jarrett, Bill Evans, Thelonious Monk, I mean, McCoy Tyner, you just keep going on and on, these great pianists, no Latin player would have really won a Grammy, you know , the way they were able to win where we opened up our own category. And then the most incredible thing is, now you have jazz players in our category, we’re trying to get them out.

SP: Laughs

EP: Yeah because they’re all recording the Latin jazz, with the Latin rhythm, you know, and they’re ruining our category. Laughs There are a lot of great jazz players, and they’re intrigued by Latin rhythms, and they get into the category, you know. But anyway the main thing is we have our own category. I performed for the host committee of LARAS, I was a governor at that time. And they saw the importance. So then we established the Latin jazz category.

SP: One more person I wanted to ask you about is another pianist whose style I always feel is influenced by you. That’s Alfredo Rodriguez the Cuban pianist. The one that passed away.

EP: Yeah, he lived in Paris. He was very talented and he could play some piano too. He even sang. He was Cuban and he had that natural swing in him. But he passed away in Paris. When we used to go there he would come visit us. We would say hello, and that. And then unfortunately he passed away. But he was very talented and a wonderful human being.

SP: Oh that’s good to know. He also put batá [drums] on his albums.

EP: Oh yeah, he put batá, he could play, he knew his genre. And he knew his music from Cuba. The only difference was he moved to Florida and he made a stand there and that helped him to be recognized in Europe at that time, but he took a great chance to go there and he had to be [congratulated] on that. It was a great move on him and his family’s part.

SP: How about this band from Ukraine, Dislocados, have you heard of them?

EP: No I haven’t.

SP: They have a very good pianist, his name is Ilya Yeresko. I was really impressed, Andy Harlow sent me the record.

EP: Yeah, there’s a lot of bands coming out of Europe. There’s a young man also that comes out of Switzerland, he’s Colombian, and he can play some piano.

What happened was, with the bands that were going there and a lot of the Cuban orchestras that were going to Europe, a lot of them have stood there and married there and live in the coldest part of the world, after leaving Cuba I think they were crazy. But you know what I mean. They met, and they married and they put roots in Europe. And there’s a lot of young bands and young players that are coming out of there now that can play, man. And they see us go out there. I’ve done more than maybe 500 presentations in Europe. My wife and I, because my wife is a great dancer, we saw the dancers that we couldn’t believe, and we saw them in Finland. That’s because the Cuban orchestras have come through there, and little by little throughout the years, they picked up on the genre and a lot of them have gone to Cuba. Just like Japan, in Japan you see a lot of Japanese players that live there, have gone to Cuba and they can speak Spanish. Unbelievable.

SP: Well, Eddie it sounds like you’re doing great and feeling great…

EP: Thank you for calling, and great questions, Sylvia, you know…All the questions you ask, when [the music] started out it was Afro-Cuban, Afro-Caribbean, then Puerto Rico, then it was influenced by New York, and the rest of the Caribbean and South America. And now it’s Afro-World. It’s all over, it’s all over, wherever we go in Latin music or Latin jazz. And it’s very exciting to see and to hear that that’s happening.

SP: Thank you and we’ll look forward to seeing you here. All the best.

EP: Bye.

Copyright Sylvia Pfeiffenberger © 2011. Brief quotes citing author, source and URL link are allowed, but written permission is required to reprint or post this interview, either in part or in its entirety.

Eddie Palmieri at UNC-Memorial Friday (2/18)

2011-02-17T06:23:00.005-05:00

Read my Indy story, P'Adelante: Eddie Palmieri Continues to Reinvent his Pioneering Latin Jazz, here. The concert is Friday at UNC-Memorial at 8 pm.

A TRANSCRIPT containing more of this interview will be available here LATER TODAY. Check back later on Thursday.

I just had a chat last night with Conrad Herwig, Eddie Palmieri's trombonist, in the green room after he played a lip-blistering concert with Jim Ketch in Hill Hall. This was a free concert, lots of other events (some paid/ticketed, some not) taking place over the next two weeks at UNC, part of the Carolina Jazz Festival. Conrad is doing a residency and will also perform in Memorial with the UNC Jazz Band and Charanga Carolina on Saturday. I will post more info later!

Faceoff in Fayetteville

2011-02-03T15:03:00.012-05:00

UPDATE 2/4: Tickets For GARDEL AT THE SPEAKEASY are now $10 at the door. REFUNDS for the difference will be issued if you purchased an advance ticket at higher price. --Info Source: Speakeasy Management, via Andy Kleindienst

**************
I'm not sure what star alignment is responsible for this, but two Triangle salsa bands will go head to head in Fayetteville this Friday (2/4) night:

Orquesta GarDel, entering phase 2 of its CD release party at The Speakeasy:

vs.

Tropic Orchestra, billed as Ricardo Diquez y su Orquesta Tropical, at Congo's Latin Club:

Ricardo Diquez says Tropic's lineup is largely unchanged, with Ramon "Chino" Casiano on congas/backing vocals and Jonah Vincent on second trumpet for this gig.

Congo's announces a cash-prize Salsa Contest on Facebook.

The Speakeasy is a "cigar bar," but also/and (?) a "nightclub"--no word on whether the smoker-friendly bar is physically separated from the dancefloor.

See calendar (right sidebar) for details.

LINKS:

Orquesta GarDel artist website
Tropic Orchestra on ReverbNation

GarDel at the Oasis: CD Release Party @ Motorco

2011-01-30T05:49:00.007-05:00

Capacity crowd last night at Motorco for Orquesta GarDel's CD release party; David Garcia gave a nice introduction, and GarDel took no prisoners as they launced into the first track from their EP, "Para El Mundo Entero":

Two new songs on the EP, never before performed in public, came out last night. I danced during "Gracias Te Doy," a cha cha chá with great solos by Al Strong and Andy Kleindienst. Already lush, I expect that one will really open up over time. Nelson thanked his wife Cookie for the idea to dedicate the lyrics to his mother, who passed in 2010.

The other was originally penned as a song about bad relationships, but sonero Jaime Ramon didn't want to sing it that way. He rewrote the lyrics of "Esta Situacion" to be about one bad relationship we are all in right now--with the economy:

I feel blessed to have one lyric of this remarkable song, "Lo Que Tu Querias," dedicated to me, by sonero/lyricist Nelson Delgado:

It was quite a sight to see all those people dancing to timba in Durham, something that never would have happened 5 years ago. This tune started out with the provisional title "Eric's Timba," and in all honesty, it took awhile for the horns to really master Hirsh's heavy "metal" bamboleo. They punched it out last night pretty comfortably. It feels like it has been a long journey to this oasis, and an even longer road (of touring?) beckons.

NEXT GIG: Friday, Feb. 4 at The Speakeasy in Fayetteville

CODA:

This was one of my favorite songs by opener Dark Water Rising:

They just won a "Nammy," the 2010 Native American Music Award, for "Debut Duo or Group of the year."

Lincoln Center Jam @ Talulla's

2011-01-29T18:24:00.009-05:00

Following their concert last night at UNC-Memorial Hall, members of the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra turned up to jam last night at Talulla's, a regular Friday night jazz jam featuring Al Strong & Trio-tet.

I am rushing to get this up, since the show goes on tonight (JLCO again at Memorial Hall, and Orquesta GarDel at Motorco), but this was a descarga to remember. Among the JLCO visitors: Marcus Printup (trumpet), Vincent Gardner and Chris Crenshaw (trombones), and Ali Jackson (drums). Local musicians lined up to go shoulder to shoulder with their heroes. It was a very warm gathering and one rapt jazz fans and players beheld with a sense of wonder.

Talulla's is so dark that my videos are hard to make out, but here's one the sums up the energy of the night. Chris Crenshaw, a master with the plunger who at one point played just his slide and a water glass, a la Jack Teagarden, opens the solos; local legend Brian Miller takes over on saxophone, followed by Richmond's elite James "Saxsmo" Gates. I believe that the core players at this point in the evening are Brevan Hampden, drumset, Paul Creel, bass, and Ernest Turner, piano:

Also present in the jam were trumpeters Angel Rodgers and Kadir Muhammad, saxophonists Andy Paolantonio and Aaron Hill, and trombonist Reggie Greenlee. That's a non-inclusive list. Many others were there just to bear witness. This video features Aaron as second soloist, and Marcus Printup who returns to Chapel Hill and Asheville for engagements in February:

Later, Brevan moved to congas, making way for some fine drumming by Aaron Tucker, and to top off the night, JLCO's Ali Jackson. Brevan played a great, long conga solo (uncaptured on video), but I did grab a dark snippet of Brevan and Ali exchanging some percussion dialogue. Use your imagination for the visuals:

What You Wanted: GarDel's CD Release Party Looms (1/29)

2011-01-24T23:44:00.015-05:00

Triangle salseros are abuzz about Orquesta GarDel's much anticipated CD release party this Saturday (1/29) at Motorco. Many contributed to the realization of the EP, Lo Que Tú Querías, via public donations at GarDel's Kickstarter site. So is it any wonder we feel invested?

Read my review of the album here, in this week's Indy.

According to Orquesta GarDel's website, the physical EP is for sale now for $6 at Bull City Records in Durham, and CD Alley in Chapel Hill. You can buy the digital album online here for only $4.

I'm not sure why Motorco booked an opening band--the place is going to be jammed with normally single-minded salseros, making unprecedented use of the spacious, polished dancefloor. That said, I'm kinda stoked to hear Dark Water Rising open, a band of young Lumbees singing and playing their own brand of Southern rock from Robeson County. I hope that the salsa world shows them some hospitality. What's great for both bands is it will bring a diverse audience together.

Sample Dark Water Rising on Reverbnation here.

Dark Water Rising

Facebook Event page: GarDel @ Motorco, w/ Dark Water Rising, Saturday (1/29)

Salsa 'Noke: Bio Ritmo @ Jefferson Center

2011-01-24T17:12:00.007-05:00

On the coldest night of the year, I decided to jump on the road to Roanoke to warm myself at the Jefferson Center's annual Latin dance party, with headliner Bio Ritmo. The tradition has been so successful, the Center's programmer told me, that we should expect a few repeats of this event throughout the year. Additional beats (and a dance or two) were provided by Greensboro's DJ Diego, and dance promoter Salsa Noke cosponsored.

This was Bio Ritmo's first public performance with long-time bongocero Mike Montañez in the timbales position. Horn player Mark Ingraham was also getting his sea legs on backing vocals. Both were filling in for long-time timbalero Giustino Riccio, who is devoting some time to other projects at the moment. Mark plays a coronet, which he was telling me is heavier and more compact than a trumpet because it is actually a closer relative of the French horn.

Bringing power to the congas was Hector "Coco" Barez, whom I first met in Virginia Beach last July 4. Coco resides in Metro D.C., and had just flown in that morning from the Dominican Republic, where he toured with his main gig, hiphop duo Calle 13.

Toby hits low D.

It was a juicy night, as evidenced by this languorously undulating version of "Tu No Sabes," from the Jon Fausty-engineered EP Salsa System (2005). I was an excited witness the first time a raw version of this tune was heard in public, in March 2004 (and wrote about it here). It's an epicurean pleasure to be around as songs ripen and mature over time, like organic entities. JC Kuhl solos on tenor saxophone:

On the final tune of the evening, I snatched this video (below) of Mike and Coco battling it out in a percussion duel. The tune is an interesting one, "Locutor," stemming from Bio Ritmo's first full-length CD, Que Siga La Musica (1996). A regular part of their live show, the arrangement has morphed harmonically over the years, and also lends its name to the band's own Locutor record label.

James Gates Trio @ Beyu Caffe

2011-01-14T12:04:00.005-05:00

Durham is a great place to hear music these days, with a proliferation of new venues in and around downtown. Beyu Caffe has become a regular beacon for good jazz, and last night featured a jam session with the trio of saxophonist James Gates.

Richmond native James "Saxsmo" Gates attended Berklee undergrad back in the 80s, and was lured to Durham a year and half ago to attend NCCU's Masters program in Jazz Studies. Ernest Turner, who got his jazz degree at the University of New Orleans, played organ. I'm told the drummer filling in was Devon Fuller, but I have to confirm that. Meanwhile, two of our top horn players 'bilingual' in Latin and jazz idioms came out to the jam: Blu Thompson and Al Strong.

It was good to be stepping out again in the Bull City, after a pattern of frantic travel alternating with cozy hibernation over the winter holidays. Here are some videos from the night:

BONUS: Watch the first 10 minutes of "Night and Day," with solos by Saxsmo, Blu, Al, and Ernest--CLICK HERE FOR LINK to PT. 1

Guadalupan Procession 3 PM TODAY (12/12)

2010-12-12T13:01:00.004-05:00

On my way home from Orquesta GarDel last night, I stopped in at Durham's Immaculate Conception Church. It was just the right time to catch the last of the Mañanitas for the Virgin of Guadalupe, which went from midnight to 4 am. While I missed the mariachis (doh!), I was just in time to see a new addition to the celebration this year: banda, a thunderous brass, woodwind and percussion ensemble, derived from the tradition of military marching bands.

12.12. is a busy day for Mexican musicians, and Los Guanajuatenses told me they had already performed for a baptism earlier that day. After this 4 am set, they quickly departed the church by a side door, and headed home to Raleigh. Just enough time to rest up for the next gig--this afternoon, in Creedmoor.

Because the Virgin's day falls on a Sunday this year, the parade and procession today will be earlier than usual--3 pm--and will take a longer route through the Burch/Morehead Street neighborhoods. Anyone is welcome to come observe and/or walk with the procession, which is a mingling of parade floats, songs, dancers, and congregants from various folk traditions all over Mexico. It's a sight worth seeing. There's usually hot chocolate and sweet rolls or tamales at the church afterwards, and more indigenous dance groups. You'll find the church right at the Chapel Hill Road Exit 13, off Durham Freeway.

Pictures from 12.11. Black & White Party

2010-12-12T12:30:00.007-05:00

Some pictures from the Black and White Party at Mint, the new location for the Cobo Brothers' monthly Copa Night. It was Orquesta GarDel's last gig of 2010, and the first I've heard them since August.

Nelson, Andy, Tim, Blu, Alberto, Kyle and Jose

Cute as buttons: floor show dancers Eider and Luisa

Kitchen staff checks out Pete and Eric's irresistible tumbao

Brevan's eye view

It was too dark for me to take video last night, but GarDel's first CD, Lo Que Tu Querias, will be out in no time--sources say January.

Technicolor Salsa: Bio Ritmo hits Durham

2010-12-04T13:08:00.008-05:00

Life is always in technicolor when Bio Ritmo comes to town. They had a beautiful show at Casbah last night, with a nice turnout from the local salsa population. I met new member Mark Ingraham adding another trumpet to the horn section, making for a 1x sax, 1x bone, 2x trumpet lineup. Mike Montañez, who has gigged with them on and off for a long time, took the conga chair last night.

Here's some video of Marlysse messing with the keyboard settings on "Lisandra." Trombonist Toby wields maracas on this joint, and trumpet player "Mambo" Bob dips in to some programming near the end. This tune is from their 2008 release Biónico:

This kind of sparkling songwriting and innovative performance make Bio Ritmo Salsa Machine a great band: solid state yet always full of whimsy. You never hear a same-old cover of the usual Fania suspects. Formulaic salsa bands seem slogging and unimaginative after a hearty draught of Bio Ritmo.

Orquesta GarDel to Play Copa Night's New Raleigh Venue

2010-12-04T11:55:00.007-05:00

Late add to the party calendar: Orquesta GarDel has been booked to play Copa Night this month at its new Raleigh location: The Mint Restaurant on Fayetteville Street.

GarDel says this will be the last time to hear them in 2010 before the release party for their imminent CD.

Party hours: 11 pm - 2:30 am, with two live band sets at 11:45 pm and 1:15 am. Professional salsa and tango dancers Eider and Luisa and Cristian Oviedo will perform.

It's a Winter Black and White Party, so guests get a door discount for wearing all black and/or all white. Limited online tickets are available, which include a gift certificate to dine at Mint.

LINK:

Cobo Brothers' Winter Black and White Party

Bio Ritmo TONIGHT 8pm @ Casbah

2010-12-03T09:51:00.007-05:00

Richmond's Bio Ritmo plays tonight in Durham at the new live music venue, Casbah, 1007 W. Main St. $10 advance / $13 door; cash-only bar but there is an ATM on site.

I will be spinning old school salsa in the breaks, so this is a full evening for retro salsa fanatics. ATTENTION SALSEROS: Show to start promptly at 8 pm, or shortly thereafter. I'll be spinning from 7:30 on.

It's a big night for vinyl fans, too, as this is a Record Release Party for Bio Ritmo's newest 45 rpm 7". Hear it here.

Facebook event: Bio Ritmo @ Casbah w/ DJ Santa Salsera, Friday, Dec. 3

Official meetup event: Triangle Salsa Meetup

Trova's Redhead & The Latin Project: SATURDAY (12/4)

2010-12-01T08:14:00.012-05:00

Olguita Morales Serrano, "La Pelirroja de la Trova"

A special musical guest from Puerto Rico livens up the NC Assoc. de PR Unidos' Christmas Party this Saturday (12/4): Olguita Ramos, a direct descendent of one Puerto Rico's most esteemed musical families. Known artistically as "the redheaded troubadour" ("La Pelirroja de la Trova"), Olga is the niece of Ramito, and daughter of Luisito Morales Ramos, two of the island's most legendary singers of traditional highland poetry known as trova or música jibara.

In addition, salsa band The Latin Project, with members from The Triangle, Charlotte, and Columbia, SC, will keep the dancefloor jumping. Led by local trumpet virtuoso Alberto Carrasquillo, Latin Project is a band that we don't get to hear often enough, since their gigs tend to center in the Charlotte area.

In the holiday spirit, the PR Unidos Association is collecting donations of unwrapped toys at this event to benefit local children. Tickets are $20, available in advance online, and at the Havana Grill restaurant in Cary, and El Coqui restaurant in Holly Springs.

Olga Morales has performed extensively at festivals, private events, and on Puerto Rican radio and TV. She grew up singing with her father, Luisito, one of three musical brothers. Of the trio, Flor Morales Ramos, known simply as "Ramito," is without a doubt the island's most famous and beloved troubadour. A third brother, Juan, was known as "Moralito, and the three enjoyed solo careers as well as creating joint projects, well into their later years. Olga's father Luisito was the last survivor, until he passed away in June 2009.

Trovadores specialize in a declamatory singing style of improvised verses with strict formal rules, called décima. Its roots go back to Puerto Rico's agrarian origins, and the Andalucian farmers who settled there.

Here's Olga's father, Luisito, singing a tribute to his brother, Ramito, at a 2002 festival in his honor. The band is Joaquin Mouliert y sus Ecos de la Montaña:

Here is the same band again, playing live in Christmas parade. Trova music is especially associated with the holidays in Puerto Rico, and a distinct carolling tradition known as parranda. In this 1987 video, Luisito sings first (in the hat with heavy red-sequinned border), followed by his brother Ramito (wearing glasses). Check out these great views of Puerto Rico, as the band drives slowly down city streets accompanied by horsemen (caballistas):

It should be fascinating to witness the next generation of this revered lineage of Puerto Rican singers right here in Chapel Hill on Saturday.

LINKS:

Associacion de Puertorriqueños Unidos de NC - Events Calendar
History of Puerto Rican Trova (Spanish)
Olguita Morales artist webpage (Spanish)

Review: Alex Cuba in Raleigh

2010-11-26T00:37:00.009-05:00

I counted about 40 heads at Alex Cuba's live show at the Berkeley Cafe in Raleigh this past Tuesday, just about a week after he won "Best New Artist" category at the Latin Grammys.

Or course, this tour was booked long before. But what impressed me wasn't just Alex' clarion voice, his hot guitar pickin', or his adorable sneakers (the same shiny, silver hightops that he wore to the Latin Grammys). He played this show like he was earning our love, one listener at a time. With several Junos and a Latin Grammy in his pocket, Alex Cuba is still paying his dues. And he doesn't seem to mind at all.

Something of a perfectionist, Alex (whose first instrument is bass) plays almost all the parts on his solo albums; on tour, he doesn't like to go bigger than a trio. He seemed very disciplined about the whole touring thing, and very happy to be building his audience, one beerhall at a time. From Raleigh, next stop: Vienna, Virginia, on a 14-leg tour.

Re: The Alex Cuba trio band:

Bass player David Marion is a Paris native; his mother is from Guadeloupe. He has played some zouk, but mostly gospel back in Paris (who knew!). It figures; he has that light-from-within thing when he smiles. He's toured with Alex since 2006.

Drummer Max Senitt is based in Toronto, where he's involved with the Latin jazz scene, and gigs regularly with the exquisite Cuban pianist Hilario Duran. Hilario seems like a laid-back dude, I saw him live backing Jane Bunnett, but as Max says, he's a "madman" at the piano. I have been playing his recent solo disc Motion on WXDU (Azucar y Candela Wednesdays, 6-8 pm, wxdu.org). Max has toured with Alex for about two years.

There is only one word for the reception Alex Cuba + trio received in Raleigh: an embrace. Please come back soon, fellas.

For the home audience, here's video of Alex's first English lyric tune, which he graciously dedicated to Berkeley Cafe promoter Marianne Taylor:

Alex is dreamiest alone at the mic, with his guitar and hooky songwriting. Here's a snippet of the first encore we received, his lovely ballad "Solo Tu," from the newest, self-titled album Alex Cuba:

Alex Cuba TUESDAY @ Berkeley Cafe

2010-11-22T01:10:00.017-05:00

A really unusual Cuban-born touring artist will chase away the Thanksgiving week doldrums at the Berkeley Cafe: singer/songwriter Alex Cuba, just awarded Best New Artist Latin Grammy.

Here's the link to my writeup in the INDY for Alex Cuba's appearance at the Berkeley Cafe this Tuesday (11/23); see also the N&O feature on Alex Cuba.

I first came to know Alexis Puentes [aka "Alex Cuba"] via the Puentes Brothers' Morumba Cubana, a rootsy little album of Cuban son that turned up one day at the radio station WXDU around 2004. Canadian emigres, the brothers Alex and Adonis Puentes were doing fun, original material that draws not only on traditional Cuban son, but trova, the native Cuban and Latin American tradition of folk. I seem to recall some American swing mixed in there as well. This album fell into the "pleasant surprise" category.

It wasn't until recently that I realized that Alex and Adonis--now on quite different solo paths, are actually (fraternal) twins. There's enough difference in their look, sound, and personal style that this never hit me as obvious. Naturally, there's a great resonance between them, too.

Adonis blew me away with his shrewdly cynical, yet bumpin' dance tune "Commerciante" on his 2005 solo album Vida. With the coro, "yo no soy músico, soy comerciante (I'm not a musician, I'm a businessman)," the song is both a resignation to, and a protest of, the pressure on artists to produce "hits." Adonis' sound is much more traditionally Cuban, informed by newer dance grooves of timba and salsa but hewing close to the acoustic aesthetic of traditional son. His vocal style reminds me of elegant, jazzy sonero Issac Delgado. Adonis was tapped as a vocalist recently, along with Ruben Blades, for the Lincoln Center free revival concert of Larry Harlow's La Raza Latina: A Salsa Suite.

I would have pegged Alex for the younger brother, because his style, both audio and visual, is much more contemporary and fused with urban and pop fashion. Whereas the cleanshaven Adonis strikes me as a plainspoken craftsmen, Alex, with his trademark fro and arching sideburns, cuts the figure of a flamboyant hipster. Both of them have the songwriting knack and a strong, clear voice. Trova is generally written in a much more personal first-person voice than son, so in a way this is a good starting point for pop fusions, something Alex in his solo career has exploited well.

I really liked Alex's last album, Agua del Pozo, because it congenially strayed from Cuban tradition without falling into a generic Latin pop sound. The new one, self-titled, I've only heard on the website, and while it sounds a little poppier to me than the last one, I can't give it a full review yet. If it's any indication of which direction he's going musically, Alex also helped craft Nelly Furtado's first Spanish-language album, Mi Plan, which also one a Latin Grammy this year.

Alex plays a mean Gibson, and I'm curious to see what the touring band sounds like, and how much of the show will be acoustic vs. electric.

LINKS:

Alex Cuba @ Berkeley Cafe this Tuesday (venue link)

Alex Cuba (artist website)

Buzz: BIO RITMO & CHARANGA CAROLINA, Dec. 3-4

2010-11-18T16:34:00.012-05:00

Live music in the offing:

Bio Ritmo sets up shop at the new Durham venue Casbah on Friday, December 3 for a vinyl release party of their new 45rpm single. Yours truly, Santa Salsera, will be spinning dance music between sets.

LISTEN TO THE NEW BIO RITMO SINGLE HERE
Cover art by Rei Alvarez

A-side "Dinah's Mambo" displays that funky, experimental side of Bio Ritmo we know and love, while B-side "La Muralla" is the smokin', old school salsa we can count on.

And now, for an Onda Carolina EXCLUSIVE:

Charanga Carolina is poised to announce its next show, a Latin dance party at Talulla's, on Saturday, December 4. Thanks to director David Garcia for the scoop. Charanga will play one set from 11pm-12 midnight; cover is $5.

At their last show in October at UNC, vocalist/percussionist Nelson Delgado made his exciting vibraphone debut with the Charanga. He's joined here in a VIBES DUEL (! ! !) by Matt Thurtell, a UNC exchange student from the Royal Academy of Music in London, on the Tito Puente classic, "Cayuco":

Buika @ Stewart Theatre TONIGHT (11/6)

2010-11-16T05:47:00.006-05:00

Having spent a week trying to describe Buika, I don't have a lot of energy left except to say: see this indescribable songstress on Tuesday (11/16), 8 pm at NC State's Stewart Theatre, you won't regret it.

Oh, and yours truly will give the Pre-Concert Talk from 7:00-7:30 pm in Talley, Room 3118 (3rd floor, same building as the Stewart Theatre). There will be audio and video. Come on down!

LINKS:

--event listing I wrote for Indy

--Lovely interview I did with Buika by phone, on Indy blog scan

--NPR "50 Great Voices" Story on Concha Buika