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Dave Valentín is considered one of the most important Latin jazz flautists in history, thanks to his technique and rhythm

Valentín: The Master of the Flute in Latin Jazz.

Dave Valentín is considered one of the most important flutists in the history of Latin jazz, thanks to his technique, rhythm, and vast musical knowledge.

Dave Valentín is considered one of the most important Latin jazz flutists in history, thanks to his technique and rhythm

Born in the Bronx, New York, on April 29, 1952, to Puerto Rican parents from Mayagüez, Valentín grew up in a home filled with music. From the sounds of Tito Rodríguez and Tito Puente to Machito, the musical culture that surrounded him as a child was a major influence. Although he loved the bongos and congas, he joined a Latin group as a timbalero during his teenage years. He played in the “cuchifrito” circuit and in working-class dance halls in New York.

Dave Valentín’s life largely reflects the story of the children of Puerto Rican immigrants in New York who forged their own destiny through hard work, dedication, talent, and family support. In fact, the musician, composer, and arranger himself liked to say that “each person creates their own reality.”

A Legacy-Filled Career

GRP Records Pioneer: Valentín was the first artist to sign with the influential GRP record label, which allowed him to consolidate his career and spread jazz fusion and Latin jazz to a wider audience. He recorded 16 albums with the label, including titles like Legends, The Hawk, Land of the Third Eye, Pied Piper, In Love’s Time, Flute Juice, Kalahari, and Red Sun, among others. These works combine the intensity of Latin cadences with influences from pop, R&B, Brazilian music, and smooth jazz. For the musician, being signed by this multinational company represented “the opportunity of a lifetime.”
Notable Collaborations: Throughout his career, he worked with major figures in jazz and Latin music such as Tito Puente, Manny Oquendo, Cano Estremera, Eddie Palmieri, Ricardo Marrero, Dave Grusin, and Patti Austin.
Awards and Recognitions:
- He earned a Grammy nomination in 1985.
- He won a Grammy Award in 2003 for his work on the album Caribbean Jazz Project, alongside vibraphonist Dave Samuels.
- He was chosen as the top jazz flutist by readers of Jazziz magazine for seven consecutive years.

Come Fly with Me (2006)

Dave Valentin - Come Fly With Me — Dave Valentin – Come Fly With Me

Dave Valentín always moved in the realm of fusion. His incorporation of smooth jazz elements, Latin influences, and the sensitivity of modern jazz made him a difficult artist to pigeonhole. Come Fly with Me is one of his most notable albums, as it focuses on a direct approach to Latin jazz. The majority of the songs are Afro-Cuban with a New York flair, without including funk or samba rhythms.

Driven by a formidable rhythm section that includes Robert Ameen on drums, Milton Cardona and Richie Flores on percussion, Luques Curtis on bass, and his friend Bill O’Connell on piano, the album overflows with power and elegance. Trombonist and arranger Papo Vázquez also participates on several tracks. The group’s rhythm is profound and the solos are filled with inspiration. Despite some less successful moments, Valentín’s innate sense of taste and melody shines brightly.

Album Credits

Musicians:

Dave Valentín (Flute)
Bill O’Connell (Piano)
Luques Curtis (Acoustic Bass)
Papo Vázquez (Trombone)
Chris Barretto (Tenor Sax #1)
Robert Ameen (Drums)
Milton Cardona (Percussion)
Richie Flores (Percussion)

Tracks:

Come Fly with Me
Twinkle Toes
Enciendido
Mind Games
If You Could See Me Now
Easy Street
Tu Pañuelo
House of the Sun
Song for My Brothers

Sadly, Dave Valentín suffered a stroke in 2012 that forced him to step away from music. He passed away in 2017. Despite his passing, his musical legacy remains a fundamental reference for flutists and lovers of Latin jazz.

Valentín El maestro de la flauta en el jazz latino

By:

L’Òstia Latin Jazz

Rafael Vega Curry for the National Foundation for Popular Culture

Dj. Augusto Felibertt

Also Read: Pamir Guánchez, brilliant Venezuelan singer, flutist, saxophonist and arranger.

Creator of Afro-Rican Jazz William Cepeda talks about this subgenre

When we talk about the best characteristics of Puerto Rican artists, innovation is definitely one of them, and our guest is an excellent example of this. Grammy nominee and composer William Cepeda was born and raised in Loiza, known as the heart of “Little Africa” in Puerto Rico, so we can sense that this had much to do with his later artistic inclinations. We will talk about this and other things in the next paragraphs of this gripping story.

Musician William Cepeda — This is Puerto Rican Grammy nominee, composer, and musician William Cepeda

What got William interested in music

The environment in which William grew up had everything to do with his interest in music as a serious profession. In Loiza, Puerto Rican bomba was one of the most listened genres by the community, and cultural events based on it were passed down through generations. It was there that a very young William began attending the colloquially known as “bombazos” and connecting with this music from an early age.

Practically the whole town was involved in these traditions, including his family, so he could not escape all these activities carried out year after year. In fact, his grandparents and some of his uncles and cousins were musicians, so it was common for the young boy to see them play their instruments and know what that was about.

When he turned 14, he finally began seriously studying music, especially the theory part. Although one of his options to study was accounting, this career would never overcome his enormous taste for music, so he never materialized this interest.

How William got started professionally in music

While still an inexperienced teenage musician, William started playing percussion with some local groups, one of them being La Orquesta Zodiac, composed of a group of salsa veterans with more than 50 years of professional experience. Although these gigs were already paid, the young man still saw music as a side hobby.

However, long time later, he would completely change his mind after noticing that his skills and opportunities could take him further than he thought possible.

William Cepeda at the festival — William Cepeda at the Luminato Festival in Toronto

Afro-Rican Jazz

Having already a more or less consolidated career, William was part of the invention of Afro-Rican Jazz, which can be defined as a concept that celebrates Puerto Rico’s heritage and its African roots while offering a new version of the jazz that everyone knew, giving it a touch of modern flavor that was absolutely innovative for the time.

Growing up in an environment where traditional Puerto Rican music was so present and having experience only with local groups, he still had a long way to go as an artist. His outlook started to broaden by going to study at Berklee in Boston and then to do a master’s degree in New York, which in turn led him to play with American groups and musicians such as Dizzy Gillespie, James Brown, Miriam Makeba, and many other famous jazz musicians.

Gillespie became one of his biggest mentors when playing with him and his group The United Nations Orchestra, which included Cuban, Colombian, Dominican, Panamanian, and Brazilian musicians. It was precisely because of this great diversity of nationalities and influences that the orchestra received this name. However, there were no Puerto Rican musicians or music, so Gillespie gave William the opportunity to become the youngest member and create a subgenre product of a mixture of jazz and some styles from his place of origin.

William told us that many Boricuan musicians used to play Latin jazz based on Cuban music, but none of them had ever ventured to create a subgenre of jazz with a Puerto Rican base. That was when the artist realized that something had to be done about it, so he chose to fuse jazz with Puerto Rican music and later named his group Afro-Rican Jazz.

He also continued to experiment with genres until he found something he called “Plena jazz,” the name he used for one of his albums and the result of mixing plena, another traditional genre born in the neighborhoods of Puerto Rico, and jazz. He also made a symphonic rumba album at the time.

William Cepeda and his doctorate — William Cepeda receiving his honorary doctorate from Berklee College of Music

Dizzy Gillespie’s protégé

Although William was influenced by a number of artists, when we check out his story his history, there is no denying that the South Carolinian trumpeter was the greatest influence and role model for the young man.

With respect to this stage of his life, William recalls with affection that Dizzy was always very attentive to his development within the group, to the point that he came to see him as an artistic father. As we said before, he knew nothing about jazz or American music when he left Puerto Rico, but Dizzy and his musicians were “a second university” where he learned what no educational institution could teach him, something he thanks to them.

“Dizzy saw talent in me, so he always pushed me to be better every day. He encouraged me, protected me, and guided me in my development as a musician,” he said of his teacher.

Artists he has collaborated with

William has collaborated with countless great Latin artists such as Celia Cruz, Rubén Blades, Eddie Palmieri, Tito Puente, Marc Anthony, Oscar D’León, and many others. Most of these contacts came about thanks to references of acquaintances, combined with the percussionist becoming known to the public for some time, which generated many recommendations.

All the above artists also influenced him to a certain extent, but he also says that he liked and still likes other genres such as classical music, jazz, the folklore of other countries, and many others.

Eduardo Tancredi is a renowned Uruguayan pianist and composer specializing in Latin Jazz

Eduardo was a distinguished student at Berklee College of Music in Boston.

Eduardo was an outstanding student at the Berklee College of Music in Boston.

Musical Style: His music fuses a wide variety of Afro-Latin rhythms (such as Uruguayan candombe, Brazilian samba, Cuban son, Peruvian landó, and Venezuelan joropo) with the harmonies and melodies of modern jazz.

Accolades: He has recorded several CDs with his own compositions and has received awards for his outstanding performance in the Latin jazz scene. His album “Ongoing Dreams” was chosen as the best album in its category in 2002 by “The Boston Globe.”

Teaching Experience: During his time in the United States, he was a piano and harmony professor at Berklee College of Music. Since 2003, he has resided in Barcelona and teaches at ESMUC (Escola Superior de Música de Catalunya).

Collaborations: He has collaborated with numerous musical groups as a pianist and is a significant figure in the jazz scene in Spain.

Eduardo Tancredi is a prominent figure in Latin Jazz, known for his ability to integrate diverse Latin American rhythmic influences with the harmonic sophistication of modern jazz.

Latin accents took some time to establish themselves in jazz music. Very few composers ventured into that genre in the early decades of the last century, to the point that their timid attempts were considered exotic and trivial.

Initially, one recalls passages from William C. Handy’s “St. Louis Blues,” some Scott Joplin ragtimes, Jelly Roll Morton’s references to the “Spanish tinge,” or, shortly after, the themes performed by Duke Ellington’s orchestra.

It was in the 1940s that the Latin touch gained relevance. Cuban Mario Bauzá, who had played trumpet in Chick Webb’s and Cab Calloway’s orchestras, propelled the success of Machito’s band and convinced Dizzy Gillespie to hire conga player Chano Pozo.

Afro-Cuban influence became powerful in the following decades through sones, charangas, rumba, mambo, and salsa. Names like Chico O’Farrill, Tito Puente, Mongo Santamaría, Ray Barretto, and Chucho Valdés became highly regarded, and their works inspired a legion of jazz musicians.

Eduardo Tancredi es un reconocido pianista y compositor uruguayo, especializado en Jazz Latino

Latin jazz today has a strong presence in popular music, and Uruguayan Eduardo “Edú” Tancredi is a brilliant exponent of that style. He was an outstanding student at Berklee College of Music in Boston, where he won awards such as the Quincy Jones Award and the Outstanding Latin Act Award.

After his acclaimed “Ongoing Dreams” from 2002, this CD, “Venimos Tumbando,” recorded in 2007, now arrives with ten formidable compositions and his own arrangements. His background in Latin American folklore plus his jazz studies have achieved a splendid confluence that is enjoyed from beginning to end on this album.

His versatility as a composer is evident in candombes (“La mama vieja” and “Montevideo”), a baião (“Baialona”), a chorinho (“El germen”), a zamba (“Zamba del aire”), and the obvious references to Afro-Caribbean rhythms that unite their exciting cadences with jazz elements. Edú’s works are incisive, stimulating, possess an overflowing swing, and it’s easy to imagine the musicians’ pleasure during their performance.

The arrangements contrast the different orchestral sections, highlighting their diverse sound textures, suggestive harmonizations, and enhancing the dynamics and fiery percussion instruments. Three saxophones, piano, guitar, bass, and drums alternate with ten other guest musicians (vocals, sax, harmonica, two basses, two drum sets, and three percussionists), generating a sonic turbine that captivates the listener from the first note.

This doesn’t mean that all tracks propose an overwhelming rhythm. There are passages of beautiful lyricism, as in the two versions sung by Ana Finger, or the pleasant harmonica of Antonio Serrano, or the director’s piano in “Como un blues.”

The soloists perform at a high level, with special mention of Miguel Zenón’s alto sax, an improviser of fresh ideas, clean musicality, and great inspiration and fervor. The interventions of guitarist Alejandro Luzardo, trumpeter Matthew Simon, tenor saxophonist Eladio Reinón, and baritone saxophonist Xavi Figuerola are also noteworthy.

“Venimos Tumbando” confirms Tancredi’s talent as a composer and pianist and his skill as an orchestra conductor. Abilities he generously demonstrated during his acclaimed performance at the Teatro Solís last December. Thomas Werner

Edu Tancredi & Bandon 33 – Venimos Tumbando (2007)

Tracks:

El Subibaja
Hocus Pocus
Montevideo
El Germen
La Mama Vieja
Baialona
Mapa Del Mundo
Venimos Tumbando
Como Un Blues
Zamba Del Aire

Musicians: Edu Tancredi (Piano) Ana Finger (Vocals) Antonio Serrano (Harmonica) Mathew Simón (Trumpet) Pere Grau (Soprano sax, alto sax) Miguel Zenón (Alto sax) Eladio Reinón (Tenor sax) Juajo Arrom (Trombone) Xavi Figuerola (Baritone sax) Alejandro Luzardo (Guitar) Matías Migues, Paco Weht, Javier Gómez (Double Bass) Santiago Blanco, Salvador Toscano (Drums) Carlos Reyes “Compota”, Alejandro Luzardo, Santiago Blanco, Alexis Liden, Sandro Lustosa, Salvador Toscano (Percussion)

Edu Tancredi & Bandon 33 - Venimos Tumbando (2007) — Edu Tancredi & Bandon 33 – Venimos Tumbando (2007)

Information By:

Ostia Latin Jazz

DJ, Augusto Felibertt

Also Read: Arturo “Chico” O’Farrill. “The Architect of Afro-Cuban Jazz”

Claudia Acuña She is mainly known for singing jazz standards, ballads, and bossa nova

Claudia Acuña (Santiago de Chile, July 31, 1971) is a Chilean jazz singer considered the most successful Chilean jazz artist of all time. Since 1995 she has lived in New York, USA.

Photo by Hollis King dress by Anthony Manfredonia back stage at Carnegie Hall

She is known mainly for singing jazz standards, ballads, and bossa nova, as well as for developing and promoting Chilean folklore in the United States and the jazz world.

Abandoning the traditional jazz standards she covered in her two works for Verve, Chilean vocalist Claudia Acuña reveals a more contemporary Latin sound, with R&B influences, in her Maxjazz debut.

Undoubtedly Acuña’s most personal work to date, Luna once again displays her immense gift for delicately passionate vocals and interesting arrangements. While still using the smooth, sensitive Fender Rhodes keyboards of longtime collaborator Jason Lindner, Acuña sings more in Spanish on his third disc only Lindner’s “Yesterday You and I” is sung in English and eschews any straight-ahead jazz style for an almost fusion approach.

This is not to say it is jazz-pop, but the delicate melodies are reminiscent of 1970s Airto Moreira and the best Al Jarreau.

Claudia Acuña Se destaca principalmente por cantar jazz standards, baladas, y bossa nova

Although there are few jazz improvisations (most tracks are less than five minutes long), the music remains complex, cultured and sophisticated, with deep harmonies that should please jazz lovers and Latin music enthusiasts alike. Matt Collar.

Claudia Acuña, born in 1971 in Santiago, Chile, is one of the most representative voices of contemporary Latin American singing.

Her music, which fuses elements of jazz and Chilean folk music, has captured the attention of audiences both nationally and internationally.

Claudia has managed to position herself as a key figure in the diffusion of Chilean culture through her art.

Early years and formation

From a very young age, Acuña showed interest in music. She grew up in an environment where Chilean musical traditions were part of everyday life. In her childhood, she began to learn about the guitar and piano, which led her to develop her vocal talent. Claudia Acuña trained in the musical field in various institutions, where she cultivated her love for jazz, a genre that would profoundly influence her throughout her career.

Successes and trajectory

Claudia Acuña’s debut in the music world was well received, which opened the doors to a series of presentations in festivals and concerts in Chile and other Latin American countries.

Her debut album, which includes a fusion of traditional Chilean rhythms and rhythms from other cultures, was acclaimed by critics and audiences alike, propelling her career to new heights.

Throughout her career, Claudia has collaborated with leading musicians and participated in important international festivals. Her ability to perform not only Latin American music, but also jazz standards, has made her versatility recognized by her peers and followers.

The albums she has released throughout her career reflect her love for music and her commitment to creating a unique sound that represents her cultural identity.

Cultural Impact

Claudia Acuña is not only a talented singer, but also a fervent advocate of Chilean culture. Through her music, she seeks to preserve and promote the traditions of her country, and often incorporates elements of folklore in her interpretations.

Her presence on international stages has allowed many people to discover and appreciate the richness of Chilean music.

In addition, she is known for her charisma and energy on stage, which makes her a memorable performer in each of her presentations.

Claudia has inspired generations of young musicians in Chile and abroad, encouraging others to explore their cultural roots and express themselves through music.

Recognitions and awards

Throughout her career, Claudia Acuña has been honored with several awards and recognitions, both nationally and internationally. These awards not only highlight her artistic ability, but also her impact on the music community. Claudia continues to work actively in the industry, collaborating with new artists and participating in musical projects that promote Chilean talent abroad.

Conclusions

Claudia Acuña is a Chilean singer who has left an indelible mark on Latin American music. Her music and her commitment to her country’s culture have established her as a unique artist in the contemporary music scene. As she continues her career, her influence is likely to continue to grow, bringing Chile’s rich musical heritage to new audiences around the world.

Claudia Acuna – Luna (2004)

Temas:

Esta Tarde Vi Llover (Armando Manzanero)
Yesterday You and I (Jason Lindner)
Tu, Mi Delirio (Cesar Portillo de la Luz)
Arrimate Mi Amor (Pedro Green & Jorge Diaz)
Historias (Claudia Acuña & Jason Lindner)
Chorado (Guinga)
A Meditation On Two Chords (Jason Lindner)
Oceano (Djavan)
Yo No Llevo La Razon (Antonio Restucci)
Lilas (Djavan)
Carita De Luna (Claudia Acuña & Jason Lindner)

Musicians:

Claudia Acuña (Vocals)

Jason Lindner (Acoustic Piano and Fender Rhodes)

John Benítez (Double Bass and Electric Bass)

Gene Jackson (Drums)

Luisito Quintero (Percussion)

Jimmy Greene (Soprano Sax)

By:

Dayhist

Dj. Augusto Felibertt

L’Òstia Latin Jazz

Also Read: From Chile Nairoby and La Casa del Ritmo with their project “Vinyl Plater Productions”

Charlie Haden was an extraordinary double bassist and composer who was a key figure in the history of modern jazz.

Double bassist and composer extraordinaire, Charlie Haden (Shenandoah, Iowa, August 6, 1937 – Los Angeles, California, July 11, 2014).

Charlie Haden began his professional activity in 1959 with Ornette Coleman’s quartet, a key figure in the history of modern jazz, and very soon began to investigate in that direction that Coleman initiated known as free jazz.

In that context, Charlie Haden participated in the recording baptism of that movement with the album recorded on May 22, 1959 for the Atlantic label and entitled: “The Shape of Jazz to Come” with the invaluable collaboration of Don Cherry, another incomparable musician and leader together with Coleman of that revolutionary musical movement that still lasts today.

Charlie Haden (August 6, 1937- July 11, 2014)

Charlie Haden in 1960 participated with another double bass player, Scott LaFaro in an operatic manifesto entitled: “Free Jazz” of whom both were distinguished representatives in their instrument.

In 1964 he worked with Denny Zeitin’s trio and in 1966 he returned with Ornette Coleman while expanding his performance area with collaborations left and right.

In these areas he stood out for his participation in the work, studio and recording meetings of the “Jazz Composer’s Orchestra” and in 1969 he was finally able to realize a wish he had been pursuing for years: to record his first album under his own name with the Liberation Music Orchestra.

With original arrangements by Carla Bley, the music of the Liberation also stood out for the political character of the songs, being the first time that, in that context, a jazz group echoed the popular songs alluding to the Republican side of the Spanish Civil War.

After the album recorded by Impulse in 1976 entitled: “Song for Che” in homage to Ernesto Che Guevara, Charlie Haden formed with Don Cherry, the quartet “Old and New Dreams” with which he toured throughout Europe, Asia and North America. At the end of the eighties, Charlie Haden elaborates a new musical discourse within the framework of his new formation entitled “Quartet West”.

The founding album of this new discourse was an extraordinary album generically entitled “Quartet West”, a musical manifesto of great beauty and one of the essential albums of contemporary jazz. From 1990 onwards, Charlie Haden explores more intimate jazz universes, introducing the duo format into his discourse.

In this context, the musician explores himself in the composition and his relaxation together with the other protagonist discovers us a music of great inventiveness, clean in the execution and approached from a purely instrumental point of view.

This is how on Thursday, November 14, 2002, Charlie Haden appears in Seville at the Central Theater with the master of the guitar, Jim Hall to offer a portentous concert, full of sensitivity, art and talent.

Fortunately Apoloybaco was present that magical night in Seville and Charlie Haden is still making music of the highest level. ~ (apoloybaco)

Charlie Haden teams up again with the young Cuban pianist Gonzalo Rubalcaba in this melancholic and relaxing album. Ignacio Berroa on drums and percussion completes the main trio.

Special guests include tenor saxophonists Joe Lovano and David Sánchez, violinist Federico Britos Ruiz and guitarist Pat Metheny (one track only).

Charlie Haden photo 1978 Roger Ressmeyer

Rubalcaba contributes orchestrations on two tracks, both of which omit drums and percussion. Haden’s intention is to explore the bolero, a distinctive Latin dance rhythm that Ignacio Berroa accentuates with a soft, subtle snare drum roll, played with brushes, that begins on the “y” of the first beat of the measure and ends on the second.

This rhythm is perfect for a slow dance and, in fact, the whole album is very romantic, with bittersweet melodies and lilting cadences.

The only problem is that Berroa’s bolero figure is present on almost every track, perhaps what you would expect from a bolero album, but there is no getting around the fact that the music sounds pretty much the same on every track.

(To be fair, Berroa is not the only one guilty of uniformity.) Most of the songs, except for two Haden originals and one by Rubalcaba, are Cuban and Mexican standards, and they are beauties. Haden’s reluctance to mess with them is understandable.

But the arrangements, always straightforward, fade too easily into the background.

Nocturne may be the best music for a candlelit dinner party, but Haden and his guests are capable of much more. David R. Adler.

Charlie Haden – Nocturne (2001)
Temas:
01. En La Orilla Del Mundo (At The Edge Of The World) (Martin Rojas)
02. Noche De Ronda (Night Of Wandering) (Maria Teresa Lara)
03. Nocturnal (Sabre Marroquin/José Mojica)
04. Moonlight (Claro De Luna) (Charlie Haden)
05. Yo Sin Ti (Me Without You) (Arturo Castro)
06. No Te Empeñes Mas (Don’t Try Anymore) (Marta Valdès)
07. Transparence (Gonzalo Rubalcaba)
08. El Ciego (The Blind) (Armando Manzanero)
09. Nightfall (Charlie Haden)
10. Tres Palabras (Three Words) (Osvaldo Farrès)
11. Contigo En La Distancia·En Nosotros (With You In The Distance·In Us) (Cèsar Portillo De La Luz/Tania Castellanos)

Músicos:
Charlie Haden (Bajo)
Gonzalo Rubalcaba (Piano, Orquestación)
Ignacio Berroa (Percusión, Batería)
Joe Lovano (Saxo tenor en temas #1, #4, #7, #11)
David Sánchez (Saxo tenor en temas #6, #10)
Pat Metheny (Guitarra acústica en tema #2)
Federico Ruiz (Violín en temas #1, #5, #8)

Grabado del 27 al 31 de agosto de 2000 en Criteria / The Hit Factory Studios, Miami, FL.

Charlie Haden - Nocturne (2001) — Charlie Haden – Nocturne (2001)

Research Sources:

L’Òstia Latin Jazz

Dj, Augusto Felibertt

Also Read: Andy Gonzalez started as a musician at the age of 13 in the Latin Jazz Quintet in New York