Jazz Articles

Amanda Ruzza: This Is What Happened

by Edward Blanco
June 12, 2012

Brazilian-born Amanda Ruzza began playing bass guitar when she was 12 years old, developing a mastery for the instrument, moving to New York City and, since then, playing a variety of styles of music with such groups as Global Noize and the Chris Stover's Caetano Veloso Project. This Is What Happened is the young artist's debut, featuring original compositions infused with elements of hard funk, jazz, Brazilian and other South American rhythms. The result is a very modern and upbeat ...

Michael Phillip Mossman: The Orisha Suite

by Javier AQ Ortiz
July 13, 2004

The Orisha Suite is inspired by some of the Afro-Cuban deities--or orishas--from Lucumí religious lore, with the exception of the soulful, funky, danceable and exquisite opening cut, which is dedicated to--and inspired by--the daughter of the date's leader. As such, nonetheless, the recording is a sonic interpretation of some of the theological tenets associated with this particular religious phenomenon so richly endowed with musical potential.

Michael Phillip Mossman has had the opportunity to learn from seminal musical practitioners ...

Horacio "El Negro" Hernandez: Italuba

by Dan McClenaghan
July 1, 2004

Drummer Horacio “El Negro" Hernandez arrived in New York from his native Cuba (via Italy) and slipped into the percussion driver's seat on recordings by pianists Michael Camilo and Chucho Valdes, trumpeter Roy Hargrove and guitar legend Carlos Santana, helping those artists snag a bunch of Grammy Awards. Italuba “"the title a melding of the names of his native land and that of the country that welcomed him on his initial expatriation""marks his overdue debut as a leader.

Paquito D'Rivera with the WDR Big Band: Big Band Time

by Javier AQ Ortiz
October 9, 2003

Quick and to the Point: WDR’s Latin Big Band offering with D’Rivera, Roditi and others. Big Band Time is yet another showcase for the first-rate WDR Big Band (WDR), featuring Paquito D’Rivera and Claudio Roditi. Conducted and rearranged by Bill Dobbins, the material is familiar, although its treatment isn’t. The reconceptualizations of compositions mostly associated with the career of the Cuban saxophonist are ingenious and the WDR eats them up. All soloists do the same, as this is ...

Elio Villafranca: Incantations Encantaciones

by Javier AQ Ortiz
October 9, 2003

Yet another Cuban loss is Philadelphia's gain. Enter Elio Villafranca. Incantations Encantaciones, produced alongside Larry Cramer, is his sortie into winning leadership. Sorting out the pianist's musicality, brute force, effervescence, topicality, virtuostic independence (just pay attention in “You Spoke Too Soon" on this regard), patience, candor, and brazen delicacy is not that difficult. This is one of those records that recommend themselves with scant need for analysis or justification.

First off, the session is greatly enhanced by guitarist ...

Paquito D'Rivera with the WDR Big Band: Big Band Time

by Jack Bowers
September 25, 2003

This is one of those good old-fashioned power-laden big-band albums that begs the listener to crank up the volume and let 'er rip. Great songs and wonderful charts, essentially in a buoyant Latin groove, played to a fare-thee-well by Germany's superlative WDR Big Band, with electifying solos by Paquito D'Rivera, Claudio Roditi, other guest artists and members of the ensemble. D'Rivera and Roditi, who performed together in mentor Dizzy Gillespie's United Nation Orchestra and have continued to do ...

Paquito D'Rivera with the WDR Big Band: Big Band Time

by Dr. Judith Schlesinger
June 25, 2003

As much as I love the intimacy of trios, there's nothing like a big band--especially one with Latin rhythms, great charts and masterful soloists. Big Band Time has all of these, together with ample proof that D'Rivera is a fine writer as well as player (six of the ten tunes are his). The German WDR Big Band is tight, the arrangements are crisp, and the CD crackles with energy from that first flugelhorn blast from Claudio Roditi. As ...