In a time where things should by in sync with all the technological tools we have at our exposure to be in touch with the world it is sad to say that as far as the proper presentation and representation of Afro Caribbean & Latin Jazz music is concerned we are in a horrible state of disarray. The Grammy’s can’t get it right while music streaming sites like Music Choice, on our TV’s, and commercial radio are at their worst ever.
For the past months starting with the end of 2019 Music Choice, part of Direct TV, has been airing, on the Latin Jazz channel, on an hourly basis (remember its 24/7 programming) the same artists: Chucho Valdes, Danilo Perez, Gato Barbieri, Bebo Valdes, Antonio Carlos Jobim, Dave Valentin, the Carribean Jazz Project as if they were the only artists on the map of music. Add to this the JAZZ music of Art Pepper, Dizzy Gillespie, Horace Silver, Stan Getz, Howard Rumsey’s Lighthouse All Stars, Charlie Haden and dozens more mostly from the 60’s and 70’s on a music channel that says ‘THESE ARE THE LATEST LATIN JAZZ SONG OF RIGHT NOW’. It’s a complete joke that insults the entire Latin Jazz community totally excluding hundreds of great acts from the past decade alone.
The Grammy’s nominated in the Latin Jazz category several JAZZ recordings (David Sanchez, Miguel Zenon) that should be nominated in a JAZZ category not Latin Jazz simply because artists have Latino names plus one Salsa recording by Jazz at the Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis featuring Ruben Blades “Una Noche Con Ruben Blades” doing all his Salsa hits….no Jazz of any kind.
The Academy says the category is for “Vocal or instrumental albums containing at least 51% playing time of newly recorded material. The intent of this category is to recognize recordings that represent the blending of jazz with Latin, Iberian-American, Brazilian and Argentine tango music”. I guess there lies the problem. The winner was the Chick Corea & The Spanish Heart Band that at least had Latinos playing percussion.
There is so much music being produced from all corners of the world that is getting no recognition or airplay with the exception of some great non-commercial DJ’s and radio stations worldwide that support some of this fantastic music being released.
On a brighter note lots of great music is coming out soon by Eddie Montalvo, Little Johnny Rivero, Sonora Ponceña, Orquesta de Dean Morel Campos, the debut of SHO vocalist Marcos Bermudez, and Spanish Harlem Orchestra doing Latin Jazz.
YouTube has introduced so many bands that I discovered while searching for one particular band or recording. That’s how I discovered the Klazz Brothers & Cuba Percussion created by the German musicians Tobias Forster on piano and Kilian Forster on bass when they travelled to Cuba and after meeting members of Compay Segundo’s band left with the knowledge that they could blend the usual classical music they perform with Afro Cuban Jazz. And that is exactly what they did by putting a group of Cuban musicians together they named Cuba Percussion (Alexis Herrera Estevez, Elio Rodriguez, Tim Hahn). The results were the CD’s “Classic Meets Cuba Volume 1” in 2020 followed by “Mozart Meets Cuba”, “Jazz Meets Cuba”, “Christmas Meets Cuba”, “Classic Meets Cuba Volume 2”, “Beethoven Meets Cuba” plus others.
Guerrero Jazz is a band that is celebrating 20 years in 2020 and their last release was in 2015, “Mi Sentimiento Guerrerense”. The band consists of six musicians from Chipancingo and Mexico City but located in Chipancingo that includes Emmanuel Nieves – piano, Raul Olvera-bass, Oscar Aburto-congas, Martin Urquidi-drums, Pablo Hidalgo Wong-flute and Grancisco Nieves-saxophone.
Pianist Rayko Leon from Las Islas Canarias in Spain has several Jazz recordings under his belt but the masterful “Vendaval” from 2014, with five swinging musicians Rayko Leon-piano, timbal, bass, bongo and conga) is truly fantastic.
Los Orientales de Paramonga from Barramca, Peru were students that got together to play instrumental cumbias. The band members included Maximiliano Chavez Saavedra on guitar, composer & arranger, Jose ‘Huachito’ Castillo- electric bass, Daniel Guillen- timbales, Manuel Chiriboga- percussion, and ‘Cote’ Duplex Dextre-congas. What elevated them was when they incorporated the wah wah pedal effects in again what they call Peruvian ‘cumbia’ but I hear slammin’ Latin Jazz. Their recordings that began in 1970 are classics that go for big bucks in the internet. Their first big hit was “Lobos Al Escape” that is available today on the 1974 re-release of “Fiesta En Oriente” that includes some astounding performances by Chavez and the percussionists.
Once in a while you find an old vintage album from a Salsa band from the 80’s and 70’s and a wealth of Exotica music (late 50’sand early 60’s music mostly with bongos from the Caribbean, Hawaii, etc.) that will be part of a future article I am working on.
Over forty of the artists on this new playlist are new acts from the past year!
El Condado de La Salsa y Jazz Latino Top Hits -February 2020
1-Sonora Ponceña- Jubileo 65
2-Ruben Blades- Como El Dia No Esta Para Morir
3-Pacific Mambo Orchestra- Mr. B’s Mambo
4-Vibra Son- Riete
5-Roberto Roena y su Apollo Sound Ft. San Juan Habana- Fiesta (holiday song)
6-Johnny Blas- Boranda
7-Edwin Perez- La Salsa Que Me Crio
8-Nathan Rodriguez y su Conjunto Borinken- Pa’ Que Tu Lo Sepas
9-Orquesta De La Luz- La Cosa Buena
10-La Excelencia- Salsa Na’ Ma
11-Bailatino- Salsero Soy
12-Nino Segarra Ft. Gilberto Santa Rosa, Kenny Cruz, Lefty Perez- Al Maestro Elias Lopes
13-La Maxima 79- El Son Guaguanco
14-Oscar D’Leon- Vamo A Bailar
15-Joe Collado- The Rumba Over The Rainbow
17-Grupomania Ft. Hermanos Rosario- RosarioMania
16-Santiago All Stars- La Piragua
18-La Verdad- Descarga
19-La Picante Orquesta- Dr. Sarava
20-Andrea Brachfeld- Espaco Aberto
21-Alfredo De La Fe Ft. Zafra Orquesta- Los Reyes Del Mundo
22-Johnny El Bravo- Pa’ Mellita
23-India- Propiedad Privada
24-Doug Lawrence- Sabor
25-David Bloom- For Eddie Palmieri
26-Manolito Rodriguez- Gracias Doy a Cristo
27-Edwin Bonilla- Descarga Con Son
28-Joe McCarthy & New York Afro Bop Alliance- Upwards
29-Lusito Ayala & Puerto Rican Power- Loco Pero Te Amo
30-Oscar D’Leon Ft. Dimension Latina & Porfi Baloa- Mi Tierra
31-Orquesta Del Rey de Puerto Rico- Boricua Levanta Tu Bandera
32-Orquesta Yembeque- Descarga Yembeque
33-Tommy Olivencia Jr. Y La Primerisima- Evelio Por 4ta Vez
34-NG La Banda- Los Barrios De La Habana (Live)
35-Kayvan Vega- Esa Mulata
36-Orquesta Aseil- Somo Hechura Suya
37-Conjunto Colores- De Colorado Pa’l Mundo
38-Ray Gonzales- Coco y Bongo
39-Pirulo y La Tribu- El Tumbaito
40-Rossi Lopez- Homenaje a Celia Cruz- Celia Vive En Mi
41-Chris Trinidad y Con Todo- La Escencia De La Intencion
42-Manteca Blue & The Latin Corner Ft. Alexis Play- Aqui Naci
43-Don Goro- Con El Swing De Ayer
44-The Cintron Band all Stars- Your Love Keeps Lifting Higher & Higher
45-Avenida B- Cali
46-Madera Fina Ft. NG2- Con Mi Contentura
47-Ivan Montero- Yo La Enamore Con Salsa
48-Araye Orquesta- Pa’Que Me Criticas
49-Carlos Calle- Mambo 20
50-Eric German- Salao
51-Jorge T. Cuevas & The Caribe Jazz- Steve’s Salsa
52-Avenida 7 Latin Salsa- Agua
53-Josean Rivera- Mi Salsa Es Mi Cura
54-Malamanya- La Tormenta
55-Gerardo Rosales Ft. Frankie Vazquez- Echandole (Live)
56-Felix Manuel- Que Me Toquen Salsa
57-Orquesta Mulata Son- Ven A Bailar
58-Calle Loiza Jazz Project- Stolen Moments
59-Orquesta Sonoridad- Cuidadano Salsero
60-La Pregonera Orquesta- En Clave
61-Lengaia Salsa Brava- Caminantes
62-Victor Manuelle y Wisin- Boogaloo Supreme
63-Charanga Joven- Homenaje A Pacheco y Massuci
64-The Afro Caribbean Jazz Collective- Love For Sale
65-Frank Marquez- Homenaje A Los Grandes
66-Gianni DJ- Gianny’s Descarga
67-La D.C. Charanga- El Pito
68-Wilo Piano y La Sonora Del Sabor- El Tigre
69-Richard Saoco Rodriguez- Sone Lo Que Soy
70-Jose Alberto ‘El Riseñor’- Que Sabrosura
71-Jimmy Cruz- Estamos De Fiesta
72-Freddy Kenton- Siempre Contigo
73-Jose Torres- Mentira
74-Jose Madera Nino Jr. Y 3er Mundo- Canta Sonero
75-Adaly Plaza- Con La Punta De Pie
76-A Latin Movement- El NoTe Va A Querer
77-Soneros de Fe- Tumbao y Sabor
78-Adrenalina Latina- Buscando (A Mi Tierra)
79-Cuto Soto y Orquesta Isla Bonita- Soy Yo
80-Willy Garcia- Mi Choco
81-La Mambanegra- Somos Mas
82-Bengie y Los Mulatos- Comenzando Con Sabor
83-Richie Valdes- La Salsa y La Alegria
84-Doris Lavin- El Son No Mirara
85-The Nuñez Project- Lares
86-Luis Enrique Valencia- Ciego No Soy
87-Orquesta Failde- Havana
88-El Tambor De Ricor X Ft. NG2- El Sombrero
89-Oscar Ledesma- El Sitio
90-Los Beethoveanos- El Manisero
91-Calle Real- La Cencienta
92-NG2 Ft. Luisito Carrion- No Es Pa’ Tanto
93-Ritmo Caliente El Conjunto- Mi Social
94-Remembaramba- Que Te Han Dicho
95-Mimi Ibarra- Tu No Me Mandas
96-Son De Sofa- Vintage Sound Montuno
97-Maynor Vargas y su Orquesta Bonko-
98-Mark Towns- Guajira Del Viento
99-Gordon Goodwin’s Big Phat Band- Garaje Gato
100-Rosaleen- If I Could Fly
101-Yeri Ogan- Cambia De Vida
102-Sandunga Orquesta- Soy Sandunga
103-David Virelles- El Rayaero
104-Izis La Enfermera De La Salsa- Mi Alma Ya No Llora
105-Jimmy Bonilla- Son Setenta y Ocho
106-Kadencia- Al Mal Tiempo Buena Cara
107-Cosa Nostra Orquesta- Cali Es Salsa
108-Johnny Blas- El Conguero
109-Danny Frank y Charly Mendoza- Por Ella
110- Eric Pabon- Madre Querida
111- Jesus Pagan Ft. Damaris- Dia De Boda
112-La Orquesta Del Solar Internacional- Aquí No Se Vacuna
113-Combinacion De La Habana- Tusa y Hola
114- La Orquesta La Puntualidad- El Puente
115-Allguez Son- Acercate
116-Rafi Marrero y su Orquesta- Definitivamente
117-Gregori Hollis- Mi Cancion
118-Pete Perignon Ft. Gaby Zambrano- Contigo
119-Pachapo y su Comparsa Latin All Stars- El Gran Joe
120-Son Del Bronx- Lindo Yambu
121-Miguel Angel- Todo Pasa
122-Charlie Cruz- Pa’ Que Enamorarme
123-Salsahall Collective- Rising Sun
124-Loz Speyer’s Time Zone- Clave Sin Embargo
125-Mulato En Rumba Orquesta Canta Yori Pacheco- No Te Queda
126-La Formula Salsera- Son Para Mi Pueblito
127-Tamayo-Sin Limite
128-23 Collective- Sin Ella
129-Los Mulatos De La Salsa- Avisale
130-Wiwi Buznego- Atiendeme