Track Listing

1. Anabis
2. Son XXI (Para Pia)
3. Punto Cubano
4. My Funny Valentine
5. To Bud Powell
6. Drume Negrita
7. Como Traigo la Yuca
8. Ponle la Clave
9. Encore-Lorraine's Habanera

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #127186 in Music
• Released on: 2000-04-11
• Number of discs: 1
• Format: Live

Amazon.com
Put the force of McCoy Tyner, the superhuman keyboard agility of Art Tatum, and the delicacy of Erroll Garner into a 6-foot-4 Cuban-born frame, and you'll get Jesus "Chucho" Valdes, one of the greatest piano players on the planet. For three decades, Valdes led the Cuban superband Irakere, with Paquito D'Rivera and Arturo Sandoval. But in the last few years, Valdes has been spotlighting his pianistic prowess in small combos such as the quartet he led during a spirited stint at the legendary Village Vanguard in 1999. Backed by a young group of Cuban musicians--drummer Raul Pineda Roque, percussionist Roberto Vizcaino Guillot, and bassist Franciso Rubio Pampin--Valdes turns the piano into a hurricane of melody, harmony, and rhythm. Valdes's masterful manipulations of African American jazz and Afro-Cuban rhythms ring through on the supersonic tempo of "Anabis," the frenetic bebop licks on the tribute "To Bud Powell," and the Thelonious Monk-like block chords on the midtempo "Son XXI (Para Pia)." As an arranger, Valdes ingeniously reworks old Cuban standards such as "The Peanut Vendor" and "Que Bueno Baila Usted" into his own Caribbean-charged compositions, "Punto Cubano" and "Como Traigo La Yuca." Another island gem, "Drume Negrita," is redone with a funky swing capped by the vibrant vocals of the leader's sister, Mayra Caridad Valdes. The climax of this stirring set is "Ponle La Clave," Valdes's atmospheric African drum celebration that percussively points to the motherland that birthed Cuba's folkloric fusions. Valdes's tender "Encore-- Lorraine's Habanera," named for the Village Vanguard's owner--gently brings the eager and amazed audience back to Earth. --Eugene Holley Jr.

From Rhythm Magazine
This beautifully mixed sampling from the Cuban pianist's celebrated 1999 New York engagement with his quartet displays both Valdis' keyboard virtuosity and his mastery of Latin jazz. Each song is a universe, spanning the entire range of human emotions. On the jazzy "Ponle La Clave," Valdis and percussionist Robert Vizcaino Guillst vie gracefully for harmonic control. "Como Traigo La Yuca" stays loyal to the Cuban son, with Valdis mamboing over the keyboard as his right hand evanesces into chromatic doodles. "Punto Cubano" is constructed like a symphony, welding two main themes together with bluesy intermezzos. The standard "My Funny Valentine" is reconfigured as a sweetly poignant danzsn, with Francisco Rubio Pampin playing a lyrical bass. The slinky, Arabic-flavored "Son XXI" ripples so richly that it sounds as if Valdis is playing two pianos at once, while the languorous "Drume Negrita" is sung with enormous soul by Chucho's sister, the throaty alto Mayra Caridad Valdis.

Customer Reviews

Pay attention to the Music, not the Sound Quality!
I have to agree with the previous reviewer: I am a bit disappointed in the overall sound quality, especially that the piano is too low and the percussion is much too high. But maybe that's the way Chucho wanted it, since the percussion figures so strongly in his music... But whatever the reason, this cd deserves much more than the score given by the previous reviewer. I listened to this cd in Tower Records one day, and I was so blown away that I could not have walked out of the store without picking it up. Chucho and his group are simply amazing on each one of these tracks. His swirling, rapid-fire lines and incredibly powerful chords will have you shaking your head in disbelief. The selection of tunes is very good too, from traditional latin tunes to a great version of my funny valentine, to the mind-blowing and funky "To Bud Powell" with classic bebop quotes left and right, and there's even a cool vocal. If you're a fan of Chucho then you know that this is a great disc, and if you're just a fan of great piano playing and great music in general, this is one that you'll listen to over and over. If you actually care about music you will thoroughly enjoy this cd and not even notice the poor sound mix.

Awesome CD from a non-jazz fan.....
I'm not a huge jazz fan. I own almost none and don't go out of my way to listen. So when my brother gave me this CD I was surprised at how quickly I came to love it.

I know absolutely nothing about Chucho but apparently he is one of the "heavy hitters" of jazz. Most of songs are piano driven and there is a great mix of slow smooth songs and frantic piano playing. Some of the songs sound like salsa and none are ever boring which is usually the problem for me with jazz. There is some singing but it's mostly instrumental.

I would recommend this CD to the non-jazz fan looking for something different. This CD is great anywhere and also makes good background music. It's the type of thing you might hear and enjoy (but not recognize) in a coffee house or bookstore.

Bottom Line: A good intro and some serious genre transcending jazz.

Upbeat and exciting
Firstly, I can't understand why some reviewers are complaining about the sound quality. I think the sound is amazing, on both my little portable cd player as well as my big surround sound system. This is my first introduction to Chucho, and I simply love it. The wonderful latin percussion and rythmn, as well as the fire and energy emanating from Chucho's brilliant piano playing. Track 6 "Drume Negrita", Chucho's sister, Mayra Caridad Valdes, joins in with a stunning vocal. I really cannot say enough good things about this album. Highly recommended!