• Jazz,  Latin

    Tjader’s Cuban Fantasy

    Here’s some mokin’ hot latin jazz from a virtuoso of the vibes, Cal Tjader. I wasn’t familiar with Tjader until I heard his live Cuban Fantasy album sometime last year, but the man was a vital component of the Bay Area jazz scene in the 50’s and 60’s, starting out in the Dave Brubeck Octet.

    Hooking up with George Shearing’s popular quintet in the early 50’s, coupled with the mambo craze of that time, turned Tjader on to the Latin jazz sound, which he would perform straight through to his death in 1982. Carlos Santana counts Tjader as one of his biggest influences.

    I’m no jazz aficionado, but this album, like I said, smokes. Here’s a hot one…

    Cal TjaderGuachi Guara (mp3)

    [audio:guachi.mp3]

    Buy Cuban Fantasy

    Cal Tjader’s AllMusic profile.

  • Latin,  Roots Rock

    Review: In Tucson with David Hidalgo and Louie Perez

    This past Sunday, I jumped on I-10 East and headed down to Tucson for a Dave & Louie show. Dave & Louie being David Hidalgo and Louie Perez, two members (and the main songwriters) of Los Lobos. The atmosphere and show format could not have been cooler: two 45 minute sets of music followed by a Q&A session – where audience members could step to the microphone and ask questions. Did I step to the mic? But of course! More on that later.

    Sunday’s Tucson show was the final stop on a short seven city tour of the West, celebrating almost 40 years of writing songs together.

  • Funk,  Latin,  Soul

    Go Go Music: Chuck Brown (DC’s Best Kept Secret)

    Pete and I must have had a cross country mind meld, as I swear the post you are about to read was started on my laptop late Friday night.

    “The Godfather of Go-Go”

    My first exposure to Chuck Brown came earlier this year in the way of an interview with Mike Scott (Prince, Justin Timberlake) in Guitar Player magazine. While the good Rev. Scott gave utmost props to his former band leader he also spoke in great detail about “The Godfather of Go-Go” and how he shaped his sound growing up in D.C. I ran out and picked up “The Best of Chuck Brown” and immediately understood how. Take equal parts funk and Latin music, mix in a dash of soul and new jack swing (way before it’s time) and you’ve got the recipe for yet more break-filled music to move your rump.

    Check out a handful of tracks, and if you don’t tap your foot, nod your head and wiggle in your chair upon listening, check your pulse!

    Chuck Brown & The Soul SearchersIt Don’t Mean A Thing (If It Ain’t Got That Swing) (mp3)

    Chuck BrownThe Love Theme From “The Godfather” (mp3)

    Bonus Video!!

    Here’s Chuck’s performance (With his band The Soul Searchers) of “We Need Some Money” from the 1986 movie Good To Go.

    [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qBpO2_gRYSE 336 278]

    Buy: We’re About the Business | The Best of Chuck Brown

    Links: Official Site | MySpace

  • Latin,  Prince

    Prince y Grupo Fantasma

    Prince with Grupo Fantasma
    AP Photo / Mark J. Terrill

    This past weekend in Pasadena, the National Council of La Raza’s ALMA Awards took place. Our very active little purple man was there, performing with 11-man Latin juggernaut Grupo Fantasma from Austin, Texas. Things seems to be falling into place for GF. They played with Prince at a Golden Globes aftershow party earlier this year, and had a weekday gig at Prince’s 3121 Club at the Rio in Vegas. This past weekend, not only did they back up Prince at the awards show, and play an aftershow with him in the lobby of the Roosevelt Hotel, but Prince also flew down to Austin to join them at a private party. There’s money well spent. Pay for Grupo Fantasma and get Prince thrown in for free? Not a bad deal.

    I’m trying to figure out why Prince is crossing the country at the last minute to play with an 11-man Latin band. I’m convinced that he’s banging one of their sisters or cousins. If there’s one thing we know, it’s that Prince will move mountains for a little poonanny! I mean, didn’t he spend like 6 months in a studio with Kim Basinger convincing her she could sing?

    The ALMA Awards will air Tuesday night on ABC at 8pm East / 7 Central (check your local listings, yada yada).

    Grupo FantasmaSaca la Basura (mp3) – from Comes Alive

    Grupo Fantasma’s Official Site | MySpace

    grupo fantasma

  • Jazz,  Latin

    Airto and Flora in Telluride

    telluride

    I just returned from a much needed vacation in one of the most beautiful spots on earth: Telluride, Colorado. That pic above is the view from my parents’ place. Not bad, eh? I timed my trip to coincide with the Telluride Jazz Celebration; three days of fun in the sun rain featuring Herbie Hancock, Soulive, Terence Blanchard, Ernie Watts, and Regina Carter, among many others. Of those others were the guests of honor, Brazilian jazz legends, percussionist Airto Moreira and his wife, singer Flora Purim.

    airto and flora

    Airto met Flora in Rio de Janeiro in 1965. A couple years later, he followed her to New York City, where he met up with bassist Walter Booker, who introduced Airto to jazz greats like Cannonball Adderly, Lee Morgan, Paul Desmond, and Joe Zawinul. It was Zawinul who recommended Airto to Miles Davis for the Bitches Brew sessions in 1970. Airto and Zawinul also went on to form Weather Report with Wayne Shorter, Miroslav Vitous, and Alphonse Mouzon.

    Airto

    Watching Airto over the weekend was something to behold. I was a volunteer stagehand for the festival, and helped Airto and his band (Eyedentity) set up for a late night gig at the Telluride Conference Center. The man does absolutely amazing things with an assortment of latin percussion instruments, including his voice. Just really cool stuff. One of the songs that really hit me hard was “Tombo in 7/4”, an Airto original that really lets loose with the percussion. Every band member had percussion in hand, and away they went. The version here is a little faster paced than what I heard in Telluride. It’s one of those songs in which it’s humanly impossible to sit still (which I did see some people doing – they must have been dead).

    Airto Moreira: Tombo in 7/4 (mp3)

    Bonus: Miles Davis (with Airto on percussion): Sivad (mp3) – from Live/Evil

  • Acoustic,  Country Rock,  Latin

    Sunday Grab Bag 2

    Another random sampling of some music I’ve been particularly enjoying of late.

    Though a ton of artists have recorded this Boudleaux Bryant classic, I first heard Nazareth’s version as a kid, then the Everly Brothers (who did the original in 1961). It wasn’t until a few years ago that I finally heard Gram Parsons and Emmylou Harris do things to it that make me quite content to never hear another’s version again.

    Gram Parsons w/ Emmylou Harris: Love Hurts (mp3) from Grievous Angel (1973)

    A Cuban friend at work was kind enough to turn me on to legendary conguero Carlos “Patato” Valdes, thought by many to be the greatest Cuban conga player. This one comes from ‘The Legend of Cuban Percussion’, a 2000 release. With a flute, piano, bass, and Patato on the congas, it is most definitely headphone worthy.

    Carlos “Patato” Valdes: Luz (mp3)

  • Ambient,  Latin,  World

    Laswell’s Rhythmic Stew

    Tonight it’s all about atmospherics. I only own one Bill Laswell album: ‘Imaginary Cuba’. On top of that, Nick from Jazz and Conversation posted a great sample / podcast of his work a while back. So obviously I need to get on the ball and pick up some more of his stuff. From what I’ve heard, the man knows how to set a mood, and lay down some gorgeous and enchanting rhythms. You can find out all about the man at his All Music bio.

    For my little mini podcast / sample, I’ve put together the three “Habana Transmission” tracks that are spread throughout ‘Imaginary Cuba’. Like one review of the album says, what you’re hearing is a “rhythmic stew… complex and often dub-inflected sound collages that sound like no one but Laswell while still maintaining respect for the music’s origins.” So here you are, and – let it be noted – this is most definitely headphone-worthy.

    Bill Laswell: Habana Transmission #1 / Avisale a la Vecina Dub | Habana Transmission #2 / Cuban Evolution | Habana Transmission #3 / Shango Sound Scan (mp3)

  • Latin

    Mana’s Revolucion Starts Now

    Mana is a mega-popular Latin American rock band whose roots go back to Guadalajara, Mexico, where they started out in the 70’s and 80’s performing under the name Sombrero Verde. Their self-titled debut as Mana was released in 1987.

    My brother introduced me to this tune recently (okay, well, tonight), which comes from Mana’s 2002 release ‘Revolucion de Amor’ (the album cover reminds me of Steve Earle’s ‘El Corazon’). A nice laid back tune, eliciting thoughts of sunshine &, margaritas, though my brother tells me it’s the story of a prostitute. Maybe he can fill in the details in the comments below….

    Mana: Mariposa Traiconera (mp3)

  • Latin

    those green eyes

    A perfect song for a late Saturday night… the lights are low, there’s a few drops of wine left in the bottle, your eyes meet. You slowly walk closer to her. You sense excitement in the air as you approach her. Then…the unbearable wait is over as you say… “Wanna go for a walk?!… Outside??! WOOF WOOF!! Her tails wags uncontrollably as you step out into the moonlight. Now that’s a Saturday night…

    Ibrahim Ferrer: Aquellos Ojos Verdes (mp3) [Buy on Amazon]

    In all semi-seriousness, this song can help in your amorous pursuits…. Ibrahim is a golden-throated Cuban singer, now in his late seventies. He was one of the popular Cuban musicians of the 1950’s. By the 80’s he was back to shining shoes and living on a monthly pension. That was until the late 90’s, when Ry Cooder went to Cuba and located all of the great Cuban musicians of the day and assembled the Buena Vista Social Club. You can see it all in the 1999 documentary of the same name. The movie is powerful and moving beyond words, featuring such greats as Ruben Gonzales, Compay Segundo, and Eliades Ochoa. The shame is that these greats lay dormant for so long in Castro’s Cuba.

    I’ll go out on a limb and assume that if you’re reading this, you love music. If so, get a hold of this movie and watch it. Go to the video store, hit up Netflix, buy it on Amazon, whatever… just see it.