Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Manuel Valera Sr.: Recuerdos
Manuel Valera Sr.: Recuerdos
ByOn Recuerdos, Valera touches on the work of eight Cuban composers, Mexico's Agustin Lara, and jazz's supreme royal figurethe great Duke Ellington. And regardless of whose work he's interpreting, he strikes a fine emotional and dynamic balance throughout, rarely falling prey to sentimentality and never acting out with needless aggression.
Valera possesses one of the most pure and open-throated soprano saxophone voices out there, completely avoiding the thin-and-nasal problems that plague so many who pick up the instrument, and his alto simply sings. His playing can be lyrical ("Si Me Comprendieras" and "Tres Palbras"), suave and sly ("La Rosa Roja"), and purely matter-of-fact ("Alma Con Alma"). He projects a sense of yearning when he's all by his lonesome for a spell ("Longina"), and he carries a hint of nostalgia with him during some of his travels ("Solamente Una Vez"), but this work isn't about the past; this music is in the here and now.
Valera's band mateshis son, pianist Manuel Valera, bassist Hans Glawischnig, drummer Ludwig Afonso, and percussionist Mauricio Herrerahelp to bring a modern sensibility to this project without clouding the songs with too much latter day jazz jargon. The younger Valera has lots of room to solo here, the drum-percussion team makes a splash on occasion ("Longina"), and Glawischnig is rock solid in every respect, whether soloing ("La Tarde") or providing interactive support ("Cancion De Un Festival"), but this remains Manuel Valera Sr.'s show. He makes that clear when he's nonchalantly tossing off an endearing melody, soloing in relaxed yet confident fashion, and daydreaming his way through an Ellington-ian environment ("Solitude") in a duo setting with his son. Some marriages between old songs and new sounds come off as forced, but this one is as natural as can be.
Track Listing
Si Me Comprendieras; La Rosa Roja; Alma Con Alma; La Tarde; Longina; Tres Palbras; Si Te Contara; Solamente Una Vez; Cancion De Un Festival; Solitude.
Personnel
Manuel Valera Sr.: alto saxophone, soprano saxophone; Manuel Valera: piano; Hans Glawischnig: bass; Ludwig Afonso: drums; Mauricio Herrera: percussion.
Album information
Title: Recuerdos | Year Released: 2014 | Record Label: Mavo Records