Puerto Rico Jazz

Legends: Eddie

Palmieri

Jazzin'Jazzin'

Interview:

Jerry

González

ISSUE 06/ September 2015

Puerto Rico Jazz Guide

"Fort Apache" is a group ofbilingual musicians who canplay bebop and rumba theycan play all at the same leveland with la clave alwayspresentCollege of Music and then at NYU. My first instrument was thetrumpet but I started making money before with congas.Congas were more intuitive for me, trumpet required morestudy time. Jazzin: Let’s talk about your first professional experiences andfirst recordings? JG: When I was 12 or 13 I started playing with the quintet ofAndrew Langston. We played music by Cal Tjader and EddiePalmieri. I remember I played with that band in New YorkWorld's Fair and was there that I first felt the power of rhythmin the masses, I played the congas and people stood up andapplauded enthusiastically. It was a powerful feeling. When Iwas 16 years I formed my first band with my brother Andy,Freddie Munar, Llew Matthew Nelson Samaniego, RumasBarrett, Onaje Allan Gumbs and other friends. My firstrecordings were in the 60's with Monguito Santamería,Frankie Dante and Orchestra Flamboyan, Justo Betancourt,George Benson ...

JazzinInterview Jazzin: Let’s start from thebeginning. How did you startin music and who inspiredyou? Jerry González: My firstinspiration into music was myfather, Jerry Gonzalez Sr. Hewas a singer and had a giantvinyl collection of Latin music,jazz, classical and popularmusic in the house. He taughtme my first notes on thetrumpet, I bought my firstinstrument and I got my firstgigs playing with his group. Iidolized him, he could doanything, fix everything. Healways supported me. Jazzin: Did you study musicformally? JG: Yes, I studied musicformally since I was inelementary school. Then Iwent to John Philip SousaJunior High School where Ilearned to play militarymarches with the trumpet,then I went to the Music & ArtHigh School where I taught alot of music theory I learned toplay classical music in theformat of brass quintet(Domenico Gabrielli, Bach ,Mozart ...) and was a memberof the school jazz bandplaying arrangements of DukeEllington, Oliver Nelson andothers. Music & Art HighSchool was the best thing thatever happened in my life, Iwould do it again if I could andwould be even a betterstudent. Then I went on ascholarship to New York

"Piratas del Flamenco" was aninvestigation into the commonpoints between flamenco, jazzand guaguancó Jazzin: Early Influences?JG: Many very different: Mongo Santamaria, Dizzy Gillespie,Miles Davis, Thelonious Monk, John Coltrane, Charlie Parker,Wayne Shorter, Jackie McLean, Rashied Ali, Art Blakey, LeeMorgan, Clifford Brown, Horace Silver, Max Roach, Philly JoeJones Booker Little, Archie Shepp, Roswell Rudd, TonyWilliams, Roy Haynes, Elvin Jones, Bela Bartok, KrzysztofPenderecki, Claude Debussy, Maurice Ravel, Erik Satie,Mozart, Bach, Cal Tjader, Tito Puente, Eddie Pamieri,Machito, Willie Bobo, Barry Rogers, Marty Sheller, PatatoValdes, Totico, Puntilla, Arsenio Rodriguez, Virgilio Martí,Chocolate Armenteros, Los Muñequitos de Matanzas, LosPapines, arcane and its wonders, Candido Camero, Peruchín,Cachao, Chombo Silva, Pancho Bravo , The Black Vivar,Florecita, Niño Rivera, Charlie Haden, Llew Matthews ... andmany more .

Jerry González Jazzin: Jazz was present fromthe beginning in your life orcame later? Jazzin: Who wasthe first jazz musician youheard?JG: It was there from thebeginning. The first jazzmusicians I heard was CharlieParker (the album "CharlieParker Memorial" of SavoyRecords) and Louis Armstrong("Old Rockin 'Chair" and "SaintJames Infirmary" of LouisArmstrong with JackTeagarden). I was 5 years oldand listen to them all the time. Jazzin: How did you get towork with Dizzy and how wasthe experience?JG: Dizzy called me one dayasking me to play that nightwith him in Washington DC ata club called The Cellar Door.At first I thought it was a joke,but it was really DizzyGillespie. I rushed to theairport with my conga andarrived at the club four hoursearlier. I was sitting at thedoor waiting to Dizzy. It wasvery exciting. The experienceof working with Dizzy wasamazing, to hear how he builthis solos, observing his use ofrhythm, his eloquence, hishumor ... I learned a lot.Jazzin: After Dizzy, with whomyou worked before gettinginto Libre? JG: Mainly with EddiePalmieri, from which I learneda lot. He taught me theimportance of Tumbao, tokeep up with the congas. Inthose years I also played withBobby Paunetto, TonyWilliams, Rashied Ali, CliffordThornton, Archie Shepp, JayneCortez, Justo Betancourt, LarryYoung, The Beach Boys ...After Andy, Manny and I leftPalmieri Group, we formedthe Conjunto Libre. So we callit Libre (free ofPalmieri, justas a joke). Continues on page 6

We also created the Grupo Folklorico Experimental Nuevayorquino, more focused onthe roots of Afro-Cuban and Afro-Puerto Rican music. Jazzin: Can you describe the concept and music Libre compared to what washappening with Latin music in those years? JG: In those years on many groups the guaguancó was missing, the feeling of therumba was missing instead of just mambo and cha cha cha. In many groups it was veryclosed, was only melody and arrangements behind the singer and there was no roomfor solos metals and percussion. With Libre we opened that: a lot of rhythm and a lot ofimprovisation and jazzeo. Only Barry Rogers (who also was part of Libre) did that atthat time, he understood the key and the phrasing of the old Cuban son musicians andMuñequitos de Matanzas. Jazzin: Tell us about your work in recent decades with your groups Fort Apache, ThePirates of Flamenco, and El Comando de La Clave and the concept in each. JG: "Fort Apache" is a group of bilingual musicians who can play bebop and rumbathey can play all at the same level and with la clave always present. Everyone in thegroup have some common experiences and musical (and generational) references. Wehave evolved together for more than 30 years and have a very deep and even our ownlanguage. Our last album was "Rumba Buhaina" in honor of "Art Blakey & TheMessengers". Soon Half Note Records will release our new album, recorded at the BlueNote with Jeff "Tain" Watts and Miguel Zenon as special guests."Piratas del Flamenco" was an investigation into the common points betweenflamenco and jazz guaguancó; an exchange of knowledge between Flamenco artists(Niño Josele, Diego El Cigala, the Piranha package ...) and me. It happened in a verynatural, intuitive and innocent way. It was a very exciting project but then it wasdifficult to reconcile the group with the solo careers of each. The concept of "El Comando de la Clave" is similar to Fort Apache but a quartet withbass and vocals without much brass as "Fort Apache". Since I'm the only brass I havemore freedom in phrasing. With three Cuban musicians are younger than me, withtheir own musical experiences different from my generation. All of them have gonethrough the great Cuban musical instruction system, they know rumba, timba, haveplayed a lot with flamenco but, unlike musicians Fort Apache, have much influence ofbebop and blues. Alain Perez is a great sonero, has a voice that transports you toanother era. That combination of personalities in the band creates a special sound thatis different from Fort Apache. Jazzin: How was the experience of working with Trueba in Calle 54?JG: Very positive. Trueba knows a lot about music, he is a music collector and has lotsof imagination and vision. The film gave high visibility to my music and that ofeveryone involved, especially in Spain. Continues on page 8

phone: (00) 002.003.004 fax: (00) 002.003.004email: info@namehere.com www.domainname.com address: 5the Avenue 10001 NYC New York

JAZZIN' INTERVIEWJERRY GONZÁLEZ

Jazzin: How does the fascination with flamenco started? And what is the connection with Latinmusic? JG: Flamenco came into my life when Trueba took me to Spain to promote "Calle 54". The lastday of the tour, backstage at the Teatro Albéniz, through Trueba and Javier Limón I met NiñoJosele, Diego El Cigala, Piranha and other musicians. Together they convinced me to stay andexplore what we could do together. In a few days we were in the studio Javi Limón sharingideas and almost without realizing we recorded "Jerry Gonzalez y Los Piratas del Flamenco". Papo Vazquez years before and Dave Valentin had showed me "Potro de Rabia y Miel" the lastalbum of Camarón de la Isla and I was fascinated. I feel there is much in common between some of the flamenco of the bulería and guaguancóclave. There are also similarities between the lament of flamenco and blues feeling. In bothjazz and flamenco there is a soloist and a rhythm section that accompanies and there is somesolos. It is the same thing on many typical Caribbean music too. There is much to explore inthat direction, I'm taking note of ideas for a second flamenco album. Jazzin: Can you describe your creative process? How you get your ideas and develop yourcompositions?JG: In my case the ideas comes from live shows. At home I think of themes I'd like to try withmy musicians and ask them to listen to them. When I make a record I like to get into the studiowith very clear ideas and we just record what we’ve been doing live. The record El Comandode La Clave, for example, we recorded it in two days. I like to record all the musicians togetherat the same time. I do not like to record all tracks with metronome and cut and paste and buildthe record with ProTools as many do now, that does not work for jazz. The only thing I regretis not being able to play trumpet and congas at the same time, I need two more arms! Jazzin: Finally, what are your future projects? JG: On the one hand I have this new album recorded on the Fort Apache Blue Note issued byHalf Note Records. On the album there is a version of "Cocktails for Two" that I really like. Next year marks the 50th anniversary of the start of my career. To celebrate we are preparing avery special album, a documentary and a world tour "Jerry Gonzalez 50/50" which aremusicians like Javier Colina, Kirk Lightsey, Famoudou Don Moye musicians "Command Key"and "Fort Apache" and many special guests, musicians of different styles that have stronglyinfluenced my music and my life.I want Puerto Rico to be part of the tour. I miss a lot the island and have many friends there:Jerry Medina, Furito Rios, Cachete, Freddy Gumbs, Tony Batista, Endel Dueño, Eric Figueroa,Jimmy Rivera, Polito and Gregorio Huerta, Toñito and Victor Vazquez, Tempo Alomar, PupyCantor Ramon Vázquez…

Another thing is that I have pending is writing my memoirs. Many books has been publishedon Latin jazz and the music scene in New York where I lived, written by people from academiaand musician who lived those times directly. Together they are rewriting history, exaggeratethe importance of some musicians and erased from history to others that were moreimportant. I think those who lived through those times have a responsibility to tell our story. Overall my future project is to continue touring and recording and enjoy my family. I have a 1year old daughter, Julia Amelia, and there are many things I want to enjoy it. Interview by Wilbert Sostre for Jazzin' Magazine

The legendary Cuban Orchestra Buena Vista SocialClub® will present their last concert of theFarewell Tour in Puerto Rico on Saturday,November 7 at Coliseo Roberto Clemente in SanJuan. After nearly 20 years thrilling audiences aroundthe world, the Buena Vista Social Club® began his"Farewell Tour" in the summer of 2014, appearingsince then in a series of concerts and culturalevents celebrating the legendary journey of theorchestra as main ambassadors of Cuban music.This tour is considered today one of the majormusical events of the world, with more than 80concerts scheduled, many of them sold-outtickets in Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Europe,Latin America and the United States "We want our music to endure over time andcontinue enchanting the world. And this is whatwe have achieved with our concerts (The BuenaVista Social Club®) has been an incredible part ofmy life and my career," said enthusiastically singerOmara Portuondo, one of the leading exponents

of fílin in Cuba and Latin America The Orquesta Buena Vista Social Club® came afterthe highly acclaimed project and 1997 Grammywinner, and today the orchestra still includesseveral of the artists who were part of thehistorical recording and the film by Germandirector Wim Wenders. This was nominated for anOscar in 1999.The Farewell Tour is a synthesis of more than athousand concerts that involved some fortymusicians in the past 18 years. During this time thegroup has become a dynamic and multi-generational big band, where veterans andyounger have come together to celebrate withelegance traditional Cuban music. Under the artistic direction of Jesus "Aguaje"Ramos-leader of the band and trombonista-, theorchestra has several of the original musicians ofthe orchestra, including Omara Portuondo (voice),Eliades Ochoa (guitar) Manuel "Guajiro" Mirabal(trumpet) and Barbarito Torres (lute).

LEGENDARY CUBANLEGENDARY CUBANORCHESTRA BUENA VISTAORCHESTRA BUENA VISTASOCIAL CLUB®SOCIAL CLUB®IN PUERTO RICO FOR THEIRIN PUERTO RICO FOR THEIRLAST WORLD TOURLAST WORLD TOUR Featuring Omara Portuondo,Featuring Omara Portuondo,Eliades Ochoa, Manuel "Guajiro"Eliades Ochoa, Manuel "Guajiro"Mirabal,Mirabal,Barbarito Torres and JesusBarbarito Torres and Jesus"Aguaje" Ramos"Aguaje" Ramos

Accompanying them on stage are some ofthe musicians who over the years havejoined the project as the master veteran of“tres” Papi Oviedo, the virtuoso pianistRolando Luna, an excellent rhythm sectioncomposed by Pedro Pablo (bass), AndrewCoayo (congas), Filiberto Sánchez (drums)and Alberto 'Night' (bongos), plus a set oftrumpets led by Luis Alemany, the youngfamous sonero Carlos Calunga and thesinging sensation Idania Valdés. Continues on page 14.

The music of the orchestra includes guajiras,danzon, bolero, cha cha cha and rumba; the BuenaVista Social Club will present their most famousclassics, unreleased songs and own versions ofpopular Cuban songs. The repertoire is a reflectionon the past and present of the orchestra, withtributes to many of the great musicians who havecontributed in a very special way in the history ofthe band and who have died.Tickets for the concert are available in Puerto RicoTicketpop in www.ticketpop.com address or787-294-0001.- - -The author Rosalía Ortiz Luquis is president ofOMIO Music World LLC, producing artistic eventsand performances.

Puerto Rico Jazz LegendsWhen talking about Latin Jazz Legends, EddiePalmieri, known as “El Rumbero del Piano” must beat the top of the list. In his long history in music,Palmieri has 36 recordings, 9 Grammy Awardsincluding the 1975 The Sun of Latin Music, 1976Unfinished Masterpiece, 1984 Palo Pa Rumba, 1987La Verdad, and 2000 Obra Maestra. A Puerto Rican born in Harlem, New York, Palmieri movewith ease across different music forms, especially LatinJazz and Salsa. Palmieri worked for a year with anotherPuerto Rican music legend,Tito Rodriguez. In the 50’sworked with the Eddie Forrester Orchestra,

Buena Vista Social ClubBuena Vista Social ClubFarewell TourFarewell Tour "Vibrant performance. A music"Vibrant performance. A musicthat undoubtedly still livesthat undoubtedly still livesand breathes "and breathes "THE TIMESTHE TIMES "They create an atmosphere"They create an atmospherethat takes your breath away"that takes your breath away"THE INDEPENDENTTHE INDEPENDENT "The great international"The great internationalsensation"sensation"THE NEW YORKERTHE NEW YORKER

in 1955 with the Johnny Segui Band and in 1961formed his own band La Perfecta. Palmieri hasrecorded with big names like Tito Puente, Cal Tjaderand Giovanni Hidalgo among others. Some of the bestlatin singers also has been part of the Palmierirecordings, Lalo Rodriguez, Cheo Feliciano, IsmaelQuintana, Tony Vega and La India. Palmieri received an honorary Doctorate Degree fromthe Berklee College of Music, the Eubie Blake Awardby jazz pianist Billy Taylor, and was a consultant inPaul Simon 1990 CD Rhythm of the Saints. In 1988 thePuerto Rico Heineken Jazz Fest was dedicated toPalmieri and in the same year the SmithsonianInstitute recorded two of his performances for theircatalog of the National Museum of American History inWashington DC. Palmieri music achievements are sovast, it is impossible to include them all in one article,for more information about El Rumbero del Piano go toeddiepalmieri.com.-