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Who likes LATIN JAZZ?

NOT ME, at least not for a long time now (other than JOBIM- i am referring more to cuban, afro-cuban, etc. material) but rather suddenly (within the last month or so) i started to enjoy the upbeat nature of alot of the tunes as well as the sophisticated rhythms and the exceptionally talented players. plus it so happens that a bass player named CACHAO just passed away (last week), and there were numerous musical tributes on the radio (miami). the more tracks they played, the more i appreciated the musicianship of this extremely talented player, allegedly the composer of 3000 songs. in addition, Cal Cjader, Tito Puente, Paquito D'Rivera, even Mongo Santamaria, and many others got my anglo foot tapping. i don't dance particularly well, and am not going to take mambo lessions; but the music is interesting enough even when seated. the only thing that sometimes turns me off is if the percussion, particularly too many bongos doing a "how fast and loud can you play" segment, dominates a particular song. but it doesn't happen all that often (thank goodness!), and i can go back to listening to alot of other instruments interpreting the music such as fiddles, marimbas, bari saxes, etc. SO, who shares my new-found interests in this medium, and does anybody here have any recommendations if i wanted to put together a collection of cd's representing "the best of the best"? for starters, i would have to say
CACHAO'S master sessions #1 and #2 would definitely be on my list, along with Cjader... can anyone name some cd titles for me? thanks!
french_fries
newbee
4,794 posts
 
French fries, FWIW I find very little wrong with you stating your preferences in Latin jazz, any jazz, pop or classical! We all have them. I'm not entranced by long showy congo drums solo's either (but I've got some African drumming that just lights my fire). Nor am, I entranced by either Miles Davis, or for the most part trumpet as a principle jazz instrument. I prefex sax or piano, so what! Its only important to folks who think they have a conner on intelligence, information, or 'good' tastes. 'Latin Jazz' covers a lot of ground as a quick read of the term in Wikipedia will reveal to any curious enuf to pursue it.

Chazro, your very first post set the tone - now you have taken the second bite. You should (also) consider toning down the arrogance.

This forum should be a place to come and discuss music in a constructive way. Do you disagree? IMHO :-(

BTW, speaking of Latin jazz pianists, this one is Cuban, for someone up to some really laid back Mexican romantic music by a jazz group should hear Charlie Haden's Land of the Sun with Gonzalo Rubalcaba on Verve. Late nite stuff! If it wasn't so goood it would put you to sleep.

mpignone
16 posts
 
I swear I posted a response to this thread a few days ago but I don't see it now.

You should try Tito Puente's Night Beat, some old Chico O'Farrill, Bebo Valdess Big Band album El Manisero (wonderful!), and for better sound quality, The Latin Train by Arturo Sandoval.

Then, go to New York and catch Arturo O'Farrill's Latin Jazz Orchestra on a Sunday night at Birdland. Amazing! If you can see that band and not like Latin Jazz then I can't help you.
oregon
831 posts
 
French Frie
Just messing with you, man.
check out Tito Puente- El Rey!
audiomax
166 posts
 
Yes El Rey! I have that old fantastic LP. Got to go and spin it now...
french_fries OP
815 posts
 
i would suggest that this discussion belongs to anyone who loves american jazz in all of its virtually countless forms, and then turns a corner one day and really starts to dig something that, at first listen, seems to sound mainly like dance music. i've always liked calypso, reggae, socca (sp?) that my friends from trinidad, jamaica, and the bahamas have introduced me to, but the salsa/mambo stuff didn't hook me until fairly recently. now i'm putting the bill evans and milt jackson cd's aside for a bit while i explore this new material, and i'm really getting into it. so much so that i wanted to get as much feedback as possible about the who's who in this music. once the names of some of the records
are out there i can integrate them alphabetically between j. coltrane, joni mitchell, hank mobley, planxty, and bob wills. so thanks again, and i'm glad to see many others here that listen to latin jazz as well as mainstream jazz and classical music. (and folk, and rock, metal, electronica...)
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