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Jazz Articles about José Guzmán
The Afro-Caribbean Jazz Collective: Cortadito
by Jack Bowers
The Afro-Caribbean Collective is a high-energy nonet led by Puerto Rican-born guitarist Jose Guzman. On Cortadito, the ensemble's fourth album, the accent as always is on the lively rhythms and charming melodies of Guzman's home country and nearby equatorial locales. There is one immediate problem, as Guzman writes that his composition “Orchard Downs" is the opening number, whereas the album's jacket places his “Holande Pa Uste" in the lead-off spot and lists “Orchard Downs" as the finale. From ...
Continue ReadingAfro-Caribbean Jazz Collective: Fiesta at Caroga
by Jack Bowers
Whenever the word “Afro-Caribbean" appears in an album's title, there are sure to be plenty of bold and exciting rhythmic passages, and Fiesta at Caroga, recorded by the Afro-Caribbean Jazz Collective at the 2022 Caroga Lake (New York) Music Festival, is no exception to the rule. The Collective, founded by guitarist Jose Guzman, is comprised for the most part of music professors at several central Illinois universities. As for the music itself, it leans heavily on such ...
Continue ReadingMr. Chair: Better Days
by Geannine Reid
In the perpetually evolving landscape of fusion music, Madison, Wisconsin's own Mr. Chair introduces another compelling chapter with their latest album Better Days. A quintet with a diverse sound palette, Mr. Chair's idiosyncratic mix of jazz, classical and prog-rock opens up endless possibilities for musical genre blending. Before we dive into the heart of this auditory journey, let's take a moment to introduce the ensemble. On bass, we have Ben Ferris laying the rhythmic groundwork. José Guzmán is ...
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