Search Results for: Pianist

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”

Nicaraguan composer and pianist Donald Vega’s hard-luck story

The character’s story we are going to talk about today is extremely fascinating, since the challenges he has had to endure did not prevent him from becoming the great musician he is now. We are talking about Donald Vega and the inspiration he is for those who believe their dreams and goals impossible to achieve.

Donald and his piano — Nicaraguan composer and pianist Donald Vega and his piano

Donald Vega and his interesting story

Donald Vega is a composer and jazz pianist born in Masaya, Nicaragua, whose family has had musicians for several generations. His grandfather, Don Alberto Gutiérrez Laguna was a composer and multi-instrumentalist and had a love for music that was passed down through his children as they grew older. This was the case of his uncle, Tránsito Gutiérrez, who was honored in 2022 at the Rubén Dario National Theater for his great artistic career.

Tránsito was one of the great inspirations for his nephew to become interested in music and play the piano at the tender age of three, guided only by his ear. His grandfather Alberto, seeing this, wanted to teach his grandson Donald to read music and prepare him as well as possible for the future. As part of this preparation, he attended the conservatory to study the greatest exponents of classical music such as Beethoven, Chopin and Mozart.

Unfortunately, his parents quickly understood that the country was not safe for their son to pursue his dreams.

Challenges of adolescence

At that time, 15- and 16-year-olds were forced to join the Nicaraguan army, so his mother left the Central American country to find a way to get him and his siblings out of there and give them a better future far from armed conflict. Something that struck him at that time was that there were many wakes in his neighborhood where the body was not even present, but some parts of the military uniform such as the helmet or boots. This led his mother to want to get her son out of the country, so she got him a visa to go to Mexico so he could cross the land border into the United States with his godmother.

Donald and Poncho — Donald Vega when playing with Poncho Sanchez some years ago

His first stop was Los Angeles, where he joined his mother and applied for political asylum. At that moment, he did not have any resources to buy instruments, but he received a scholarship at a conservatory where he got much support to train properly despite the want of money.

While in school, a music teacher heard him play the piano and invited him to participate in a national music competition in Los Angeles where he won first place and was given 5000 dollars and a piano as a gift. It can be said that this was his official start in the world of music, so he is very grateful to have participated in the competition.

Sometime later, he received a scholarship to study at the Manhattan School of Music in New York and the Juilliard School of Music, of which he is now a music teacher.

Golden Striker Trio

The opportunity to belong to the Golden Striker Trio is described by Donald as incredible, since it has been a fascinating experience with an interesting beginning.

It all started when a Ron Carter’s student at Juilliard, with whom Donald made a recording together in New Orleans to be shown to Professor Carter to determine what aspects needed to be improved. Carter was so fascinated with Donald that he asked to meet him and talk with him to learn more about his work.

When they met, the professor proposed the artist to watch him live in one of his performances. After that, he had him come to his home to tell him that he was giving him the opportunity to participate in his Golden Striker Trio as a pianist, since the previous one wanted to dedicate more time to his own group. Donald has been working with Carter and his group for more than 15 years and is very grateful for what he has achieved and learned.

Donald, Ron, and Russell — Donald Vega, maestro Ron Carter, and guitarist Russell Malone from Golder Striker Trio

Backcountry Jazz

Backcountry Jazz is a non-profit organization that seeks to support talented youngsters with limited resources to achieve their dreams in the music industry. Donald has become part of this noble initiative motivated by the teachings of his parents, who have always told him to be generous and give of his time to others. It is for this same reason that he also teaches at the Juilliard School of Music, since sharing his time and knowledge with others gives him an incredible satisfaction.

Due to the situation he himself experienced with lack of money and instruments in order to get ahead in his passion, he understands perfectly how children and young people who do not have the resources to be successful with music feel, so he seeks to give them a hand through this organization and his mentoring.

Grammy Nomination for As I Travel

Donald talks about ”As I Travel” as a description of the path he had to pass to become the musician he is today. He was also inspired by his journey across more than 44 countries he has visited with different musicians including, of course, Ron Carter.

The whole album is inspired by his experiences. An example of that is ”Baila! Dance Like No One’s Watching”, which is inspired by the happiness of those around him, especially his son, his biggest inspiration for writing the song. It is a celebration of life, family and his countrymen in Nicaragua.

Donald and Ruben — Rubén Blades and Donald Vega posing for the camera

Another example worthy of mention is ”I Know I can Fly”, which was inspired by the host of challenges he faced upon arrival to the United States and the whole process of adapting to the country, its lifestyle, its climate and its language. It was also inspired by his determination to succeed despite all the challenges he faced along the way.

Cuban pianist Daniel Amat achieves his dream abroad

Historically, Cuba has been a tremendous source of talent and keeps on proving it to this very day. Through our great friend, Cuban tres player Ivan Camblor, we have been able to make contact with talented pianist Daniel Amat, who has revealed some of the most interesting facts about his life and career both in his native country and worldwide.

How Daniel got into music

Daniel was fortunate to have been born into a musical family, starting with his father, who was known as ”El Pancho Amat” and had a great talent with the Cuban tres. On his mother’s side, there were also several musicians, so as a child Daniel always had contact with this fascinating world, to which he would belong a few years later.

By learning to play, he started with percussion, but little by little, he experimented with the trumpet and ended up playing the piano at the age of 13, since he saw it as a mixture between the sound world of the trumpet and the rhythmic world of percussion. This is the instrument that would finally hook him and for which he would later become known.

Havana National School of Music

Daniel was a native of a small village in the country, where music could be studied at a basic level. However, anyone who wanted to attain an average level had to go to Havana if or if, but first those interested had to take some entrance exams in order to study in the aforementioned city.

After passing those tests, you went to the National School of Art (ENA), which was especially for the people from the Cuban provinces. In the case of Havanans, there was a music school exclusive for them. At the ENA, I met people from all over the country who played all kinds of genres, which helped me a lot. I studied with Ulises Hernández, who was an excellent teacher and one of the best concert pianists in Cuba” said Daniel on the issue.

Daniel playing — Daniel Amat playing his piano live

He also told us that the school prepared him for many things, although he assures us that teaching is never complete, since a professional in any field must always look for a complement to add to that knowledge, which is given by practical professional experiences. The same happens with music and he is a great example of this.

In the same way, he pointed out that what he learned in the conservatory could not be learned on the street and what he learned on the street could not be learned in the conservatory, so the study and practice complement each other and are not mutually exclusive.

Daniel’s professional start in Cuba

In addition to his studies at the conservatory in Cuba, he also began to pursue music in a much more professional way by playing charanga and danzones at the national hotel. He assures that this experience was very enriching, since he had the opportunity to learn what he could from older musicians with an immense trajectory.

Of that time, Daniel highlights his enormous will to know everything, so he always paid close attention to the anecdotes and stories that his colleagues told each other. Additionally, he was given a lot of advice on how to play or not, so he learned a lot during those years.

He also played with some Cuban popular music and danzón orchestras until he found his own style and released his first album ”El Piano Que Llevo Dentro” in 2003, which is when he formally started his solo career. It is since then that the piano started to be a fundamental part of his repertoire, although he never abandoned danzón, son and changüi. He also adds a bit of Latin jazz to his songs, which was always to his liking and he relied on what Chucho Valdez was doing with Iraquere to find the style he wanted to follow.

the album by Daniel — Cover of the album ”El Piano Que Llevo Dentro” by Daniel Amat

Moving out of Cuba

When Daniel turned 24 years old, he decided to leave Cuba and look for opportunities in other latitudes after marrying his current wife. It is there where his career obviously takes a new direction and many more growth opportunities for the young artist seemed to be surfacing.

While very far away from his homeland, he began collaborating with big bands and symphonic orchestras, but always playing and experimenting with the Cuban genres with which he started his career in the first place.

Since he had already traveled with his father to other countries in previous years due to his work, he developed many friendships and contacts with many people outside of Cuba, so he was able to get to work on his own stuff quickly and without delay. This led him to be called to perform at festivals and events in the United States, Spain and other parts of Europe.

Thanks to the above, Daniel has been fortunate to be able to work in the music branch without the need to look for other jobs as is the case of many other musicians when they emigrate from their respective countries. This has allowed him to focus one hundred percent on his musical projects and to start teaching jazz, Latin jazz, phrasing and many other areas.

Daniel’s current projects

The pianist is very happy because he will soon release a compilation of his first two albums called ”Una Parte de Mi” in vinyl format. For the same, he had the collaboration of his father ”Pancho” Amat, musician Orlando Valle ”Maraca”, maestro Chucho Valdéz, Sixto Llorente ”El Indio”, his piano teacher Ulises Hernández, percussionist Changuito and many more.

Chick Corea Pianist, composer, arranger, producer, teacher. Acoustic and Electric

Surrounded by music since childhood, Armando Anthony Corea walked a path in which he shone like few others, accompanied by musicians who make up an encyclopedia of jazz.

Pianist, composer, arranger, producer, teacher. Acoustic and electric. Chick Corea was one of the most influential musicians in the vast universe that is jazz and surely one of the most important figures in global music of this time. In addition to being artistically prolific, he was commercially successful. For this reason, it would also be impossible to explain the music of this time without the example of Chick Corea.

Chick Corea Pianist, composer, arranger, producer, teacher. Acoustic and Electric

Armando Anthony “Chick” Corea was born in Chelsea, Massachusetts, on June 12, 1941, to a family of Calabrian origin. At the age of four, he began to play the piano, encouraged by his father, a jazz trumpeter who led a Dixieland band in Boston in the 1930s and 1940s.

Surrounded by music, young Armando was soon introduced to the heroes of bebop. The music of Dizzy Gillespie, Charlie Parker, Bud Powell, Horace Silver, and Lester Young would leave a notable mark on his education. At the age of eight, he began studying classical piano with Salvatore Sullo, an Italian-born concert pianist who, in addition to his love of Mozart, opened up the world of composition to him.

Always tied to a confusing timeline, the first released recording of the original configuration of Return to Forever was actually its second session.

An initial ECM studio date made in February 1972 was not released until after the band had changed in 1975.

The Polydor/Verve recording from October 1972 is actually this 1973 release, which features the same band with Chick Corea, Stanley Clarke, Airto Moreira, Joe Farrell, and Flora Purim. There is no need to make distinctions, as both are five-star albums, showcasing many of the keyboardist’s enduring, instantly recognizable and highly melodic compositions.

Farrell’s joyous flute, Purim’s wordless vocals, Airto’s electrifying percussion and Clarke’s deft electric bass lines are wrapped up in a stew of Brazilian samba and Corea’s Fender Rhodes electric piano, and certainly set the tone and the highest bar for the music of the groups that will come after. “Captain Marvel,” the seed of the Farrell- and Purim-less band that expanded into a full concept album with Stan Getz, is here as a vaporous fusion samba with Corea dancing on the keys.

By now, the beautiful “500 Miles High” has become Purim’s signature song with Neville Potter lyrics and Corea’s stabbing chords, and unfortunately became a hippie anti-drug anthem.

Perhaps Corea’s definitive song of all time, and covered ad infinitum by professional and school bands, “Spain” retains the quirky melody, clapping interlude, up-and-down dynamics, exciting improvisational section and variation in time, tempo and colourations that always spark interest despite a length of close to ten minutes.

“You’re Everything” is a romantic classic that has surely been heard at many a wedding, with another Potter lyric sung to heaven by Purim, while the title track is Purim’s lyrics in a looser musical framework, with Clarke’s graphic merging with Corea and Farrell’s piercing flute work.

Chick Corea - John Patitucci - Dave Weckl — Chick Corea – John Patitucci – Dave Weckl

As much as the others have become icons, Farrell’s extraordinary sound on this date should never be trivialised or underestimated.

The final track, “Children’s Song,” was a springboard for several of Corea’s full-length album projects, and is heard here for the first time in trio format with a slow, Christmas motif.

The expanded version of this recording includes many alternate takes of four of these selections, but also includes “Matrix,” which was not on any RTF album, and there are four versions of “What Game Shall We Play Today?”, which was only available on the ECM release.

From a historical perspective, this is the most important work of Corea’s career, very different from his earlier progressive or improvisational efforts, and the pivotal beginning of his career as the most popular contemporary jazz keyboardist in history. Michael G. Nasto.

Chick Corea And Return To Forever – Light As A Feather (1973)

Tracks:

You’re Everything
Light As A Feather
Captain Marvel
500 Miles High
Children’s Song
Spain

Musicians:

Chick Corea (Fender Rhodes, electric piano)

Stanley Clarke (Double bass)

Joe Farrell (Tenor sax, soprano sax, flute)

Flora Purim (Voice, percussion)

Airto Moreira (Drums)

Chick Corea And Return To Forever - Light As A Feather (1973) — Chick Corea And Return To Forever – Light As A Feather (1973)

Information provided (February 21, 2009)

Sources:

L’Òstia Latin Jazz

Santiago Giordano: He is a musician, teacher and music critic

Also Read: Yilian Cañizares, an excellent Cuban musician, studied in her hometown in the strictest tradition of the Russian school of violin

Samuel del Real was an excellent pianist, orchestra conductor, arranger and educator

Born on August 22, 1953 in Barranquilla, Colombia, he was a well-known pianist, orchestra conductor, arranger and educator.

Samuel del Real was an excellent pianist, conductor, arranger and educator.Samuel del Real was an excellent pianist, conductor, arranger and educator. — Samuel del Real was an excellent pianist, conductor, arranger and educator.

He was part of renowned orchestras such as Pacho Galán, La Dimensión Latina and El Trabuco Venezolano and participated in a series of record productions in Caracas, Venezuela.

In 1983 he recorded his first album with his own band. His first hit “Ella No Baila Sola” became the theme song in every night club in Colombia, Venezuela, Peru, Panama, USA among other countries.

In 1985, Samuel moved to Chicago, USA, where he quickly formed his orchestra with members of different nationalities resulting in a mixed sound for his music.

Since then Samuel del Real and his orchestra participated in many festivals, concerts, private events in cities such as Chicago, London, New York, Minneapolis, St. Paul, Detroit, Indianapolis, Miami and more. “Piano Caliente”, ‘Piano Jamboree’ and ‘Piano Navideño’ are the most recent albums that include selections from his extensive Latin jazz repertoire, as well as new interpretations of Afro-Cuban classics from his album entitled Piano Caliente.

Samuel In 1985, Samuel moved to Chicago, U.S.A.

Samuel has ventured not only into the salsa genre, but also into Latin jazz that surprises even those who don’t know him.

It doesn’t take much to realize that Samuel was “El Maestro del Buen Ritmo” and that his music is here to stay.

Samuel del Real: the artist from Barranquilla who triumphed in the United States.

He trained musically and academically, open to the idea of expanding his artistic horizons.

“I began my musical studies in Fine Arts, among my teachers I remember Günther Renz.

In Venezuela I attended the Juan José Landaeta Conservatory and the Caracas Philharmonic Conservatory with the pianist Paul Rosenbloo.

I studied harmony and counterpoint. With maestro Antonio Lauro, composer and guitarist, I completed my academic training”.

At the age of 15 he began his professional career as a pianist in the Pacho Galán Orchestra. There he learned the tricks of popular dance music of the Colombian Caribbean, and the possibilities of sharing with national musicians opened up for him.

DiegoDel Real, my first piano teacher, my advisor, my partner in producing, arranging and recording music.

With him I learned the routine of Caribbean music, he had a very positive attitude towards me. He would summon me before rehearsals to teach me how to play, he would take the score and sit with me at the piano: ‘Play like this’, he would tell me, and ‘play the acor-des this way, this is the tumbao, this is the phrasing’, all with a lot of patience”, he recounted.

“There was Pi¬chirilo on bass, Jorge Pérez on timbales and drums; and Joaquín Pérez on congas. Chicho Sarmiento, Clí¬maco Sarmiento’s son, played the alto saxophone; Pacho Aragón played the tenor saxophone. On trumpets Armando Galán, Raúl Lastra and Chino Acosta.

Rosendo on trombone. Maestro Pacho Galán would arrive to conduct the first set and then he would leave, Armando would be in charge of the orchestra. That’s when my interest in Caribbean folklore began.

I did not record with Pacho’s orchestra because he did not record in that period, but I played a lot of his music and I still play it in Latin jazz.

“For me it was a great school,” he said.

Although he has lived outside the country for many years, when he returns to Barranquilla it is as if he had never left.

It shows in his confidence to walk the streets, to visit places, to call friends, to exchange anecdotes with people he barely knows.

He is a man who lives for music, to which he has dedicated a contagious enthusiasm. That is why when he comes, it is a pleasure to review his career.

“I come to take a little hot temperature and to bring my latest albums for the local public to get to know them,” he said.

In 1975 he formed an orchestra in Venezuela with which he worked at the Hotel Tamana¬co Internacional, while at the same time he was a pianist, administrator and producer of various musical projects in the recording industry of that country.

In 1979 he joined Dimensión Latina, an aggregation with which he recorded Di¬mensión desconocida (1979), el número uno con la núme¬ro uno (1980), Para siempre (1980), Combinación latina Nº 4 (1980), and Cuerda para rato (1981).

“In Dimensión Latina I spent three years with Andy Montañez, Argenis Carruyo and Gustavo Carmona, then I started the orchestra project with my name.

I also recorded with Andy Montañez as a soloist, and made arrangements in recordings for Velvet de Venezuela”.

Samuel also participated in the extraordinary Trabuco Venezolano, led by drummer Alberto Naranjo.

“With Trabuco Venezolano I participated in many concerts in Venezuela.

With them I recorded Irakere and Trabuco, in a live performance at the Poliedro de Caracas. I also recorded Imágenes Latinas.

The Flor y Nata, themes: No me engañes, Rosa de la Noche, Brujería, Almas Blues, Desilusión, (there I do a piano solo that has been highly praised), a pesar de Usted, Orquesta de moda, No quiero Confusión. Retrospectiva del Trabuco Venezolano Vol. 2 (1977- 1984)”.

El Trabuco Venezolano – La Flor y Nata 1984

In 1983 he recorded his first album with his orchestra, the hit was the song Ella no baila sola, which became his letter of introduction.

In 1984 he recorded his second album, repeating his success with the song Cara de Domingo, by the niuyorrican flautist Lou Perez.

The third album with his orchestra was produced in 1987, when he was already living in Chicago.

“When I left Dimensión Latina, Gustavo Cardona, Oscar D’León’s bass player, encouraged me to start my own orchestra.

One of the numbers was Ella no baila so¬la, and when it was played, people stopped to dance. That is why we decided to record that song.

I brought Frankie Paz, a boy from Maracaibo who had auditioned with Dimensión Latina as a replacement for Argenis Carruyo, but César Monje didn’t like it.

I told the boy, I’m going to have my orchestra soon and I’m going to bring you with me”.

Referring to his piano influences, Samuel recalls Noro Morales, Eddie and Charlie Palmieri, Richie Ray and Lino Frias.

Others such as Bud Powell, Thelonious Monk and Oscar Peterson, shaped his vision.

“I liked Noro Morales a lot, I had only one record of his, ‘Maria Cervantes’, which caught my attention since I was a child. One day I decided to arrange it a little differently. I still play it in my Latin concerts.

Del Real took up residence in Chicago in 1985. There he has continued his work moving between Latin dance music and Latin jazz.

I’ve been living there for 32 years, I have my orchestra, I give Latin jazz concerts, and I’ve also worked for other organizations in other cities like Minneapolis and Cleveland.

We do salsa and different Latin American rhythms. The music business has changed, it’s a big investment to make a record, and you have to project it to the singer, limiting the possibility of moving.

That’s why I decided to make Caribbean Latin jazz instrumentals; with that I expose my music without the need to write ten arrangements for a singer with whom you run the risk of him leaving”.

His recent recordings include the Pianos del Caribe series, which includes the discs Piano caliente, Piano jamboree and Piano navideño.

“The first disc of the series, Piano Caliente, brings songs from the 50’s such as Mata Siguaraya, El que siembre su maíz, Besitos de coco…. I made the themes a little more progressive with jazz, but preserving their essence.

I subtly changed the harmonic structures, without distorting them. There the singer is the piano.

Then came Pia¬no Jamboree, with some of my own themes. I do more complex things, trying to penetrate Latin jazz, looking for a space for my musical identity.

It is an interesting work that I would like music lovers from Barranquilla to listen to.

The third album also in the same series is entitled Piano Navideño,

“The first album in the series, Piano Caliente, brings songs from the 50’s like Mata Siguaraya, El que siembre su maíz, Besitos de coco…. I made the themes a little more progressive with jazz, but preserving their essence.

I subtly changed the harmonic structures, without distorting them. There the singer is the piano.

Then came Pia¬no Jamboree, with some of my own themes. I do more complex things, trying to penetrate Latin jazz, looking for a space for my musical identity.

It is an interesting work that I would like music lovers from Barranquilla to listen to.

The third album also in the same series is entitled Piano Navideño, I took as a reference the themes of Christmas. Christmas is very important to me. I am a lover of that celebration.

I took several themes from the international Christmas repertoire and put them in Latin jazz”.

No one doubts that Barranqui jazz or the International Carnival of the Arts would be the perfect setting for his work. Plus, it would be a homecoming in style.

“I think it would be a great opportunity to showcase my music in my city. I am glad that in Barranquilla they are creating spaces like the Carnival of the Arts and the Caribbean Cultural Park, so that people have access to that part of the culture that is music”.

He passed away at the age of 67 on December 10, 2020.

Samuel del Real, who suffered from diabetes, died in Chicago, United States, where he had settled 35 years ago.

Also Read: Thank you Rafael for all you have done for Salsa. Without you many of us would not be salseros

Source and Collaboration By: Marino de Jesus (15889 of Historia Salsera

Republica Dominicana