Blog, Latin Jazz, Puerto Rico, Video
This week, we’ll be paying special attention to Eddie Palmieri who is entering his 80th year this year.
An ardent student of Afro-Cuban music, his career in music extends over 60 years.
Here’s the story of one of his many masterpieces – Harlem River Drive.
Harlem River Drive Revisited – Live in New York (2016)
– Ken McCarthy
Jazz on the Tube
P.S. Our unique programming is made possible by help from people like you. Learn how you can contribute to our efforts here: Support Jazz on the Tube
Thanks.
Afro-Cuban culture, Blog, Cuba, Cuban Jazz, Latin Jazz, Puerto Rico, The Cuba-US connection, Video
Cándido de Guerra Camero was born April 21, 1921 in Havana, Cuba, which makes him 96 and half years old (and one day) on the day of this recording.
Cándido is the most recorded conga player in the history of jazz having appeared on well over 1,000 albums.
Perhaps even more remarkable – and this is something many people have trouble wrapping their minds around – he is the first person to perform with multiple congas at the same time.
It may seem like an “obvious” idea, but as for all obvious ideas, someone had to go first and that somebody was Cándido de Guerra Camero.
Here’s the story straight from the Maestro’s mouth…
When Cándido first visited the US in 1946, in addition to being a percussionist, he also was a master on the bass, guitar and tres.
The rabbit hole goes even deeper…
Everyone is aware that Afro-Caribbean music was created from elements of African music. What fewer people are aware of is that the creative contributions have flowed both ways.
The practice of a single drummer performing with three or more drums first appeared in Senegal in the 1970s.
According to the liner notes of “Bougarabou: Solo Drumming of Casamance” (Village Pulse Records) the Jola of Senegal played just one drum, adding two later, then finally graduating to three or four in the late ’70s.
What stimulated this sudden innovation in an already well developed musical tradition?
Believe it or not, the evidence points to the influx and popularity of salsa records in the region.
Yes, salsa.
So we come full circle…From Africa to the Caribbean to New York City and back to Africa.
And who was on those records that changed the way the Jola of Senegal approached the drums? Almost certainly Puertorriquenos
Hanging around at home, Bacary Olé Diedhiou, Senegalese master of Bougarabou, gives an informal demo.
OK, we’ve informed you and hopefully entertained you.
Over forty musicians donated their time and talents to create the material we’ve shared with you in this series.
Over $10,000 in donated video production and post-production and web services were donated to bring you these highlights.
If you haven’t given yet, now’s the time. Thanks.
– Ken McCarthy
Jazz on the Tube
P.S. Our unique programming is made possible by help from people like you. Learn how you can contribute to our efforts here: Support Jazz on the Tube
Thanks.
Blog, Latin Jazz, Puerto Rico, Video and audio
“El Cumbanchero” was composed by Rafael Hernández Marín, born in Aguadilla, Puerto Rico in 1892. He was a member of the “The Harlem Hell Fighters” which fought with such distinction during World War I.
He was recruited along with his brother Jesus by James Reese Europe. He and the rest of his group, the 369th Infantry Regiment, were awarded the French Croix de guerre by the President of France for their heroism in battle.
About these videos
When you watch these videos, you’re seeing the contributions of dozens of people to the cause of raising money for the people of Puerto Rico in their time of great difficulty.
Bobby Sanabria, all the members of his Multiverse Big Band, all the guest artists, and all the camera people and post production people who brought this video to you donated their time for the effort.
Randy Brecker, who is featured in this clip, flew home a day early from China – a 15 hour flight – just to make it in time for this performance.
None of the interactions the guest artists had with the Big Band were rehearsed. There was no time. In these clips, you’re seeing jazz at its finest. “Here’s the tune. Go!” – and out comes artistry.
Now it’s time for little artistry from viewers who have not yet contributed.
It’s time to help
Please share these clips widely and write the people you know who write about jazz and let them know these clips exist. Every jazz fan should be aware of them. Thanks.
– Ken McCarthy
Jazz on the Tube
P.S. Our unique programming is made possible by help from people like you. Learn how you can contribute to our efforts here: Support Jazz on the Tube
Thanks.
Blog, Chroniclers, Latin Jazz, Puerto Rico, Video, Video and audio
Interview
Download the mp3 here
Jazz on the Tube interviews music journalist Tomás Peña.
Peña is editor of JazzdelaPena.com and co-editor/contributing writer to the Latin Jazz Network. He also writes the monthly column “The Latin Side of Hot House” for Hot House Magazine.
In this call, we talk about the mostly unknown and little appreciated contributions of Puerto Rican musicians to the development of jazz from the art form’s very earliest days through its commercial peak and right through to our present era.
Here’s the tune that got Tomás started on Latin jazz.
Wes Montgomery – Bumpin’ on Sunset…
Other musical references
1919 recording of John Reese Europe & the 369th U.S. Infantry “Hell Fighters” Band: “The Darktown Strutters’ Ball.” The band included 18 musicians from Puerto Rico selected for their high level of musicianship
Juan Tizol performs his composition “Caravan” with the Duke Ellington Orchestra
Ray Barretto and band perform Thelonious Monk’s “I Mean You” at his induction ceremony as an NEA Jazz Master (2006)
– Ken McCarthy
Jazz on the Tube
P.S. Our unique programming is made possible by help from people like you. Learn how you can contribute to our efforts here: Support Jazz on the Tube
Thanks.
Music credit: The Jazz on the Tube podcast theme song is “Mambo Inferno” performed by The Manhattan School of Music Afro-Cuban Jazz Orchestra conducted by Bobby Sanabria from the CD ¡Que Viva Harlem!
Artist-Educators, Blog, Latin Jazz, Puerto Rico, Video, Video and audio
A excerpt of a talk and demonstration by John Santos presented at the National Museum of American History by the Smithsonian Latino Center for Jazz Appreciation Month. (To see the entire talk (well worthwhile!) search YouTube for “Latin Jazz Percussion Workshop with John Santos at the National Museum of American History”)
Santos is a seven-time Grammy-nominated percussionist, US Artists Fontanals Fellow, 2013-2014 SFJAZZ Resident Artistic Director, and one of the foremost exponents of Afro-Latin music in the world today.
Born in San Francisco, California, November 1, 1955, he was raised in the Puerto Rican and Cape Verdean traditions of his family, surrounded by music. The fertile musical environment of the San Francisco Bay Area shaped his career in a unique way. More information on Santos and his music here: http://johnsantos.com/
– Ken McCarthy
Jazz on the Tube
Blog, Latin Jazz, Puerto Rico, Video and audio
“Caravan”, the jazz standard composed by the Puerto Rican composer Juan Tizol and Duke Ellington, was first performed by the Ellington Orchestra in 1936.
This one-of-a-kind version starts off with Matthew Gonzalez on the pandereta, the frame drum from Puerto Rico used in plena.
Then National Endowment of the Arts Jazz Master Paquito D’Rivera delivers a hilarious – and virtuosic – “lecture” on the true origins of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Be prepared to be enlightened!
D’Rivera, born in Cuba in 1948, is the winner of fourteen Grammys and as you can see a true friend of Puerto Rico.
Thanks to Darren Hoffman, director of “Tradition is a Temple,” and his company Guava Records for collaborating with us on documenting this event and for contributing thousands of dollars worth of his services to bring this and other clips from this show to you. Additional footage provided by Alfie Alvarado. Also, thanks to all Jazz on the Tube supporters. Your support this year gave us the resources to underwrite this important project.
Please share this and other videos from the series widely and help the cause!
– Ken McCarthy
Jazz on the Tube
P.S. Our unique programming is made possible by help from people like you. Learn how you can contribute to our efforts here: Support Jazz on the Tube
Thanks.
Ella Fitzgerald