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Contemporary Afro-Cuban Jazz—Irakere
by Roy Strassman
Irakere Jazz Alley Seattle, WA October 31, 2000 Last night Irakere, the cutting-edge Havana based group which pioneered both the fusion of classical Cuban music and jazz and the melding of the culture's traditional instruments with electric ones, opened for a week's stint at Seattle's Jazz Alley. Absent their gifted pianist, leader and primary composer/arranger, “Chucho" Valdes and all but one of the original stellar members, the current incarnation of Irakere still managed ...
read moreIrakere featuring Chucho Valdes: Yemay
by Jim Santella
Taking its name from a forest region in Africa where percussionists formed the basis for Cuban music two hundred years ago, Irakere blends timbales, congas, drum set and the heavily percussive piano of Chucho Valdés with its tight horn section. Vocal chorus, call & response melodic patterns, traditional rhythms, and exciting improvised instrumental solos mark their performances. Valdés, son of pianist and composer Ramon “Bebo" Valdés, was “discovered" by Dave Brubeck and Gerry Mulligan at the 1970 Jazz Jamboree in ...
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