01.May Day
02.Hot Blood
03.Cachita
04.Nutville.
"One of the finest groups ever put together in Puerto Rico."
review
by Evan C. Gutierrez
Maybe it's the wild, manic conversation between the players on-stage, or maybe the cheering of their adoring audience. Perhaps it's the freedom and energy that can only be harnessed in live performance. Whatever the reason, concert recordings seem to be Batacumbele's forte. Their 1987 disc, Afro Caribbean Jazz, features four selections, in which these masters of the style offer their interpretation of some of Latin jazz's favorites. The sly 6/8 "May Day" shifts to a rollickingly quick mambo for an extensive solo section. Son standard "Cachita" gets a horn-rich facelift. Even compositions that did not originate from the Latin tradition, like Horace Silver's "Nutville," get worked over by this band of heavyweights. Though lacking the pristine production and fidelity of subsequent releases, this record acts as a precursor for 1988's In Concert: Live at the University of Puerto Rico, featuring much of the same material. Featuring greater stylistic diversity, sound quality, and superior performances overall, In Concert: Live at the University of Puerto Rico is unquestionably the better of the two. That said, any Batacumbele record, even one made redundant by a later recording, is among the best releases in the genre. The virtuosity of the players is awe-inspiring, and their performance as an ensemble puts most contemporary groups to shame.
Angel "Cachete" Maldonado Leader, timbales, percussion
ReplyDeleteGiovanni "Manenguito" Hidalgo Conga drums
Anthony Carrillo Bongo, cowbell
Jimmy Rivera Trap drums
Jose Ramirez Bata drums
Amuni Nacer Electric keyboard
Arturo Ortiz Electric keyboard
Eric Figueroa Acoustic piano
Eddie "Guagua" Rivera Bass
Hector Veneros Sax, flute
William Cepeda Trombone
Jerry Medina Trumpet, lead vocal on "Cachita"
Tommy Villarini Trumpet
Jose Luis Ramos Background vocals on "Cachita"
David Ramos Background vocals on "Cachita".
Maybe it's the wild, manic conversation between the players on-stage, or maybe the cheering of their adoring audience. Perhaps it's the freedom and energy that can only be harnessed in live performance. Whatever the reason, concert recordings seem to be Batacumbele's forte. Their 1987 disc, Afro Caribbean Jazz, features four selections, in which these masters of the style offer their interpretation of some of Latin jazz's favorites. The sly 6/8 "May Day" shifts to a rollickingly quick mambo for an extensive solo section. Son standard "Cachita" gets a horn-rich facelift. Even compositions that did not originate from the Latin tradition, like Horace Silver's "Nutville," get worked over by this band of heavyweights. Though lacking the pristine production and fidelity of subsequent releases, this record acts as a precursor for 1988's In Concert: Live at the University of Puerto Rico, featuring much of the same material. Featuring greater stylistic diversity, sound quality, and superior performances overall, In Concert: Live at the University of Puerto Rico is unquestionably the better of the two. That said, any Batacumbele record, even one made redundant by a later recording, is among the best releases in the genre. The virtuosity of the players is awe-inspiring, and their performance as an ensemble puts most contemporary groups to shame. ~ Evan C. Gutierrez, All Music Guide.
Afro Caribbean Jazz
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