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New Big Band Music and Experimental Sounds
by Bob Osborne
On this show big ensembles dominate with the new albums on Greenleaf from Manuel Valera and Mike Fahie. There's also the experimental side of jazz with fresh sounds from Vintage Astronaut and Zing!. This is all balanced out with some fascinating improvised music from Cooper-Moore and Stephen Gauci and Kaze & Ikue Mori. Playlist Manuel Valera New Cuban Express Big Band “El Enemigo Brutal" from Jose Marti En Nueva York (Greenleaf) 00:00 Mike Fahie Jazz Orchestra “La fille ...
read moreManuel Valera: The Planets
by Mike Jurkovic
Cuban-born pianist Manuel Valera is not unknown to jazz-heads who make it their business to listen and champion. But, since his acclaimed 2004 debut Forma Nueva, a couple of Grammy nods, and last year's quietly brilliant The Seasons, Valera's name and exciting blend of culture, tradition, and progression has spread deservedly like wildfire through the larger audience. The Planets ramps up the forward rate of spread. Ranging fiercely across the 88s like peak McCoy Tyner--fanciful, fluid chromatic runs ...
read moreManuel Valera Trio: The Seasons
by Edward Blanco
Offering his twelfth recording as a leader, Grammy-nominated pianist Manuel Valera unveils a dynamic session of modern jazz on the vibrant The Seasons and follow up to Live at Firehouse 12 (MAVO Records, 2015). The album also happens to be the second date with his current working trio of jazz luminaries' bassist Hans Glawischnig and drummer E.J. Strickland providing one of the most powerful piano trios in the jazz world today. The main theme of the session is the four-part ...
read moreManuel Valera & Groove Square: Urban Landscape
by C. Michael Bailey
Cuban keyboardist and composer Manuel Valera presented last with a scorching trio set Live at Firehouse 12 (Mayo Records, 2015). Acoustic and organic, Valera demonstrated is bona fides with mainstream jazz performance. Bringing drummer E.J. Strickland from that and earlier bands, Valera moves into a new project with a new band, Groove Square. He adds the ubiquitous bassist John Benite to the mix making for a solid rhythm section for Valera to compose and perform over. Decidedly adult contemporary, Urban ...
read moreManuel Valera Trio: Live at Firehouse 12
by Edward Blanco
Leader of the Latin jazz-styled group New Cuban Express, New York-based, Cuban-born pianist Manuel Valera, unveils his 10th album as leader and his first recording in a live setting with the untypically non-Latin Live at Firehouse 12, his first trio format release in six years. This, very excellent trio features jazz luminaries Hans Glawischnig on bass and veteran EJ Strickland on the drums--all together forming one solid power threesome. Recorded at the renowned New Haven, CT club, Firehouse 12, a ...
read moreManuel Valera Trio: Live at Firehouse 12
by C. Michael Bailey
Cuban pianist Manuel Valera readily extends the jazz language of his predecessors Bebo and Chucho Valdes. He is comfortable leading all band formats from septets (In Motion (Criss Cross, 2014) to solo performance (Self Portrait (Self Produced, 2014). Valera may presently be found fronting an exceptional trio performing Live at Firehouse 12. Orchestral or symphonic best describes Valera's pianism. His command of the complete keyboard; his ability to effect emotive arrangements with cogent beginnings, middles, and ends; ...
read moreManuel Valera: Self Portrait
by Dan McClenaghan
On Self Portrait, Grammy-nominated pianist Manuel Valera's first solo piano outing, the artist displays a supple and exquisite touch on his instrument, reflecting the erudition and precision of his classical background. This is worth saying right off because Valera is best known for his vivacious Latin jazz ensemble outings, New Cuban Express (Mavo Records, 2012) and Expectivas (Mavo Records, 2013). On this introspective set, Valera explores his classical influences with nods to Eric Satie, George Gershwin and Nicoloas ...
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