IGNACIO BERROA - Straight Ahead From Havana
Codes Drum Music No number listed
Ignacio Berroa ( d); Martin Bejerano (p); Josh Allen, Lowell Ringell (b); Conrado ‘Coky’ Garcia (pc); Ruben Blades (v) Miami January 8th & 9th 2017.
In spite of the title suggesting Cuban music, not to mention titles like La Tarde, Drume Negrita and Los Tres Golpes this is in fact, largely a straight ahead hard bop session of piano, bass and drums. Percussionist Garcia only appears on two tracks and vocalist Blades on just one. Bejerano has a straight ahead approach to jazz piano and has a fairly light touch and a lyrical approach to the keyboard. Both bassists function in time honoured fashion and the leader is a busy and sometimes flashy drummer who keeps good time throughout and takes crisp, well- structured solos.
Berroa’s sleeve notes indicate that it was his intention to produce straight ahead jazz utilising Cuban melodies he was familiar with and had been listening to as a youngster. It was intended to fashion a jazz record that proved the suitability of the songs to be interpreted in a novel manner ‘reflecting the long standing historical connections unifying Cuba and the US since the days of Conga Square.’ This CD proves his point and underlines it in the strong performances on offer here from bassists Allen, Ringell and drummer leader Berroa. It is a varied programme of music and the jazz roots and shadings stand out on every track. Negro De Sociedad is perhaps the exception, a Latin song with vocal in Spanish although even this one has passages of hard swinging trio jazz behind the singer. So what we end up with is a bop meets Latin jazz set that only goes to prove that the music is compatible and not so very different in the hands of good, dedicated musicians.
Reviewed by Derek Ansell
Codes Drum Music No number listed
Ignacio Berroa ( d); Martin Bejerano (p); Josh Allen, Lowell Ringell (b); Conrado ‘Coky’ Garcia (pc); Ruben Blades (v) Miami January 8th & 9th 2017.
In spite of the title suggesting Cuban music, not to mention titles like La Tarde, Drume Negrita and Los Tres Golpes this is in fact, largely a straight ahead hard bop session of piano, bass and drums. Percussionist Garcia only appears on two tracks and vocalist Blades on just one. Bejerano has a straight ahead approach to jazz piano and has a fairly light touch and a lyrical approach to the keyboard. Both bassists function in time honoured fashion and the leader is a busy and sometimes flashy drummer who keeps good time throughout and takes crisp, well- structured solos.
Berroa’s sleeve notes indicate that it was his intention to produce straight ahead jazz utilising Cuban melodies he was familiar with and had been listening to as a youngster. It was intended to fashion a jazz record that proved the suitability of the songs to be interpreted in a novel manner ‘reflecting the long standing historical connections unifying Cuba and the US since the days of Conga Square.’ This CD proves his point and underlines it in the strong performances on offer here from bassists Allen, Ringell and drummer leader Berroa. It is a varied programme of music and the jazz roots and shadings stand out on every track. Negro De Sociedad is perhaps the exception, a Latin song with vocal in Spanish although even this one has passages of hard swinging trio jazz behind the singer. So what we end up with is a bop meets Latin jazz set that only goes to prove that the music is compatible and not so very different in the hands of good, dedicated musicians.
Reviewed by Derek Ansell
