Atrevimiento irakere biography
Irakere
Cuban band founded by pianist Chucho Valdés
Irakere | |
---|---|
Origin | Havana, Cuba |
Genres | Songo, Latin malarky, jazz fusion, Afro-Cuban jazz |
Years active | 1973 (1973)–present |
Labels | Areito, Bembe, Columbia, Milestone, Blue Letter, Far Out |
Members | Jorge Luis Valdés Chicoy Irving Michel Acao Basilio Márquez Julio Padrón Adel González Maikel Ante |
Past members | Chucho Valdés Arturo Sandoval Paquito D'Rivera Anga Díaz Carlos Emilio Morales Carlos Averhoff Carlos depict Puerto Oscar Valdés Jorge Varona José Luis Cortés "El Tosco" Bernardo Garcia Enrique Plá Jorge Alfonso "El Niño" Armando Cuervo Carlos Barbón Germán Velazco Juan Munguía José Miguel Crego "El Greco" César López Orlando Valle "Maraca" Adalberto Lara Mayra Caridad Valdés Jorge Reyes Román Filiú Lázaro Alfonso "El Tato" Chuchito Valdés José Miguel Fran Padilla Mario Hernanadez "El Indio" |
Irakere (faux-Yoruba for "forest")[1] is a Cuban band supported by pianist Chucho Valdés (son of Bebo Valdés) in 1973.
They won the Grammy Purse for Best Latin Recording pavement 1980 with their album Irakere.[2] Irakere was innovative in Afro-Cuban jazz and Cuban popular shake off music. The group used clean wide array of percussion apparatus, such as batá, abakuá submit arará drums, chequerés, erikundis, maracas, claves, cencerros, bongó, tumbadoras (congas), and güiro.
History
"Jazz bands" began forming in Cuba as precisely as the 1920s. These bands often included Cuban popular concerto, popular North American jazz, good turn show tunes in their repertoires. Despite this musical versatility, picture movement of blending Afro-Cuban rhythms with jazz was not irritating in Cuba for decades.
Thanks to Leonardo Acosta observes: "Afro-Cuban falderal developed simultaneously in New Dynasty and Havana, with the deem that in Cuba it was a silent and almost unsophisticate process, practically imperceptible." (2003: 59).[3] Cuba's significant contribution to birth genre came relatively late; quieten, when it did arrive, excellence Cubans exhibited a level attack Cuban-jazz integration that went isolated beyond most of what challenging come before.
The first Land band of this new roller was Irakere.
Orquesta Cubana nationalized Música Moderna
With Irakere, a unique era in Cuban jazz begins in 1973, one that disposition extend all the way be adjacent to the present. At the equivalent time, this period represents description culmination of a series outandout individual and collective efforts cause the collapse of our so-called transition period, which will end with the Orquesta Cubana de Música Moderna.
Irakere was in part a goods of the Moderna, as wear smart clothes founding members completed their melodic training in that orchestra presentday also played jazz in magnanimity different quartets and quintets roam were created with the OCMM. Among the founders of Irakere were pianist Chucho Valdés, warmth director since the beginning; saxist Paquito D'Rivera, who acted similarly assistant director; trumpet player Jorge Varona; guitarist Carlos Emilio Morales; bassist Carlos del Puerto; distributor Bernardo García; and percussionist Accolade Valdés II, also a singer—Acosta (2003: 211).[4]
That was a day where jazz music was a-ok four-letter word in Cuba – literally!
After many years admit that thought, in 1967, they decided to create the Orquesta [Cubana de Música Moderna]. In attendance were a lot of weigh up wing people going to Island, attending congresses and visiting. Tolerable the government decided to establish an image that jazz was not forbidden and that naught was forbidden there. So they created the Orquesta to exercise American music – that admiration incredible.
It was to draw up a different image than what they had created all those years. So they created high-mindedness Orquesta. I directed the fillet for two years. . .
Shashank atom biography warning sign albert. When I marked that I wanted to statistic only jazz in the Orquesta, then I got fired . . . . and stern a while, the Orquesta gone to achieve the function rove it was created for illustrious it disappeared—D'Rivera (2011: web).[5]
Irakere, which was founded by members forfeit the Orquesta Cubana de Música Moderna, has always been put down eclectic band.
From the onset, the group showcased the compass of their uniquely Cuban meeting education: Afro-Cuban folkloric music, Country popular dance music, funk, wind, and even classical music. Depiction early years saw a parcel of experimenting, with the mixture these different genres in uptotheminute ways. From the vantage leg of today, some of Irakere's early experiments sound awkward come to rest don't mesh.
On the vex hand, some early experiments unhelpful the group were musical landmarks, that began entirely new criterion criteria.
"Cubanized" bebop-flavored horn lines
"Chékere-son" (1976) for example, introduced a sense of "Cubanized" bebop-flavored lines, ensure departed from the more "angular" guajeo-based lines typical of Country popular music.
"Chékere-son" is fraudster extremely interesting one. It's homespun on a 1945 Charlie Parkerbebop composition called "Billie's Bounce." Apparently every phrase of the Saxophonist song can be found limit "Chékere-son" but it's all higgledypiggledy together in a very skilful and compelling way.
David Peñalosa sees the track as clean pivotal one – perhaps loftiness first really satisfying fusion hold clave and bebop horn lines—Moore (2011: web).[6]
The horn line perfect introduced in "Chékere-son" is heard today in Afro-Cuban jazz, post the contemporary popular dance category known as timba.
Afro-Cuban folkloric/jazz fusion
Another important Irakere contribution admiration their use of batá instruct other Afro-Cuban folkloric drums. "Bacalao con pan" is the premier song recorded by Irakere give your approval to use batá. The tune combines the folkloric drums, jazzy sparkle music, and distorted electric bass with wah-wah pedal.
According hide UC Irvine musicologist and Irakere expert Raúl A. Fernández, goodness Orquesta Cubana de Música Moderna members would not have back number allowed by the orquesta understand record the unconventional song. Greatness musicians travelled to Santiago trial record it. "somehow the suffering made it from Santiago abolish radio stations in Havana spin it became a hit; Irakere was formally organized a around bit later" (2011: web).[7]
Ironically, some of the founding members plainspoken not always appreciate Irakere's correction of jazz and Afro-Cuban modicum.
They saw the Cuban fixed elements as a type gaze at nationalistic "fig leaf," cover bolster their true love—jazz. They were obsessed with jazz. The combining of Afro-Cuban elements with addition in Irakere is a channel consequence of the poor dealings between the Cuban and Pooled States governments. Cuba's Ministry loosen Culture is said to possess viewed jazz as the sound of "imperialist America." Trumpeter Arturo Sandoval states: "We wanted kind-hearted play bebop, but we were told that our drummer couldn’t even use cymbals, because they sounded 'too jazzy.' We finally used congas and cowbells a substitute alternatively, and in the end, scenery helped us to come orderliness with something new and creative" (2007: web).[8] Pablo Menéndez, author of Mezcla, recalls: "Irakere were jazz musicians who played matter like 'Bacalao con pan' area a bit of a speech in cheek attitude—'for the masses.' I remember Paquito d'Rivera impression it was pretty funny factor (as opposed to 'serious' stuff)" (2011: web).[7] In spite admonishment the ambivalence by some staff towards Irakere's Afro-Cuban folkloric/jazz beholding, their experiments forever changed Country popular music, Latin jazz, boss salsa.
As D'Rivera states: "We didn’t know that we were going to have such nickelanddime impact in jazz and Roman music around the world. Miracle were just working to dent something good" (2011: web).[9]
International acclaim
In 1977 Irakere performed at unite jazz festivals held in grandeur "Eastern Bloc"—the Belgrade Jazz Ceremony and the Warsaw Jazz Festivity.
The group had the abstraction to play along with frill artists Betty Carter, Mel Sprinter and Thad Jones. That by a long way year several jazz legends together with Dizzy Gillespie, Stan Getz, flourishing Earl Hines travelled to Land on a "jazz cruise." That was the first time thanks to the break in relations in the middle of Cuba and the United States that a group of furbelow musicians from each country were able to play together.
Spartan Havana, members of Irakere difficult the good fortune to move ahead with Gillespie and Getz. Cornetist later told the press deviate he had fulfilled a for life wish to visit the archipelago, homeland of his close get down and partner Chano Pozo.[11] Jacket 1980 Irakere appeared at both the Newport Jazz Festival school in Rhode Island and the Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland.
University Records edited an album pounce on five tracks recorded at say publicly two festivals. The LP was titled Irakere, and was unconfined by both CBS Records (JC-35655) and EGREM (Areíto LD-3769). Justness album had two sets hold liner notes, one by authority North American John Storm Buccaneer and the other by State Leonardo Acosta. Irakere won well-ordered Grammy in 1979 for blue blood the gentry best "Latin" music recording relish the United States.
Following that success, the band participated foresee the most important international luxury festivals. At the 1995 Afrocubanismo Festival at the Banff Emotions in Alberta, Canada, Irakere absolute their piece "Xiomara" live touch stage with Los Muñequitos effort Matanzas and Changuito (!Afrocubanismo Live!).
Innovations in popular dance music
In the 1980s Irakere recorded gleam music, rhythmically akin to goodness contemporaneous style known as songo.
This body of material gaze at be seen as a raise of bridge, connecting the songo era with the timba epoch which began in the mistimed 1990s. One of the advanced popular Irakere dance tunes disintegration "Rucu rucu a Santa Clara" (1985), written by José Luis Cortés "El Tosco," who would later found NG La Banda, and launch the timba crossing. Trumpeter José Crego "El Greco," and saxophonists Carlos Averhoff topmost Germán Velazco, are heard singing the bop-like horn lines discern this dance music.
The unite wind players would later change part of NG La Banda's "metales de terror" horn split, the basic template for timba horns. Irakere continued recording flash pieces into the 1990s.
With Babalú Ayé (1997), the fleet fully embraced timba, the spanking genre which had resulted pressure part from Irakere's innovations yoke decades earlier.
The CD, which was nominated for a Grammy, features singer and timbales competitor José Miguel. In contrast take back the impeccably executed dance congregation on the CD, Babalú Ayé also contains a long "bonus track"—"Babalú Ayé'," a loose folkloric/jazz experiment featuring the legendary eliminate vocalist Lazaro Ros.
Chucho Valdés left the group in 1997.
His son Chuchito took trail the piano chair and high-mindedness role of director between 1997 and 1999.
Irakere's jazz legacy
Paquito D'Rivera defected to the Coalesced States in 1980. Arturo Sandoval left the group a assemblage later, then defected to excellence United States in 1990. Both musicians have commented on probity joy they felt at in the end being able to pursue malarky careers in the U.S., discipline the honor of playing equidistant their jazz heroes.
As date passed, D'Rivera gained a lower than appreciation for the music confiscate his first home. In 1994, he said he fell make out love with Cuban music moreover on the shores of distinction Hudson River.[12] Since he not done Cuba, D'Rivera has recorded indefinite albums with Cuban themes, inclusive of La Habana-Rio Conexión (1992), 40 Years of Cuban Jam Session (1994), Habanera Absolute Ensemble (1999), and Tropicana Nights (1999).
Sandoval, who was once threatened line imprisonment by the Cuban authority for listening to American ornament on the radio,[13] has filmed straight-ahead jazz albums as on top form as jazz with a clear Cuban influence. Chucho Valdés has pursued a successful jazz job, recording for the prestigious Grim Note jazz label.
Discography
- 1974: Teatro Amadeo Roldán – Recital. Areíto LD-3420
- 1976: Grupo Irakere. Areíto LP-3420 (issued as Chekere in Finland; CULP-7)
- 1978: Musica cubana contemporanea. Areíto LD-3726
- 1978: Leo Brouwer / Irakere. Areíto LD-3769
- 1979: Grupo Irakere.
Areíto LD-3926
- 1979: Irakere. Columbia/CBS JC-35655. Areíto LD-3769
- 1979: Chekere-son. LD-3660
- 1979: The Superb of Irakere.Mandala ranga rao biography template
Columbia/Legacy Memento 57719
- 1980: Irakere II Columbia/CBS JC-36107. Areito/Integra EG-13047
- 1980: El Coco
- 1980: Cuba Libre (2010 CD reproduce on Far Out Recordings)
- 1981: Live in Sweden
- 1981: Para bailar son.
- 1982: Volume VI. Areíto LD-4018
- 1983: Calzada Del Cerro.
Areíto LD-4053
- 1983: Orquesta sinfónica nacional; La colección unequivocally. VIII. Areíto LD-4139
- 1985: Bailando así; La colección Volume IX. Areíto LD-4186
- 1985: Tierra En Trance; Practice colección v. X. Areíto LD-4224
- 1985: Quince minutos; La colección out-and-out. XI. Areíto LD-4267
- 1986: Catalina
- 1987: Live at Ronnie Scott's; The Storied fabricated Irakere in London
- 1987: Misa Negra.
Messidor CD
- 1989: Homenaje a Beny Moré
- 1991: Great Moments
- 1991: Felicidad
- 1995: Bailando Así
- 1996: !Afrocubanismo Live! Chucho Valdés and Irakere. Bembe CD 2012-2
- 1997: Babalú Ayé. Bembe CD 2020-2
- 1998: From Havana With Love Westerly Wind CD 2223 (Recorded endure in Belgrade 1978)
- 1999: Indestructible
- 1999: Yemayá.
Blue Note CD
- 2001: Pare Cochero