Mayaguez Jazz Festival: Local Talent Reigns

Mayaguez Jazz Festival: Local Talent Reigns

Report from jazz festival in Puerto Rico

By Wilbert Sostre





The Mayaguez Jazz Festival is one of the most important jazz festivals in Puerto Rico and the only one in the West area since 2004. In contrast to the other major PR Jazz Fest, the Mayaguez Jazz Fest is a platform for Puerto Rican musicians to display their talents.

Friday November 18


The 2011 edition was dedicated to a couple of young jazz musicians—trumpeter Daniel Ramirez and saxophonist Jesus O'Farril. On the first night the opening act was Mike Arroyo, a Puerto Rican guitar player and part of a new modality in PR called Christian Jazz—music with a positive message but without sacrificing the quality of a good jazz group. Accompanying Mike were Manolo Navarro on piano, Carlos Torres on bass, and the legendary drummer Jimmy Rivera. Arroyo’s repertoire included original songs like Initial Flight, a piece with Latin rhythms, and nice versions of classics like “God Bless the Child.” Jimmy Rivera closed Mike's presentation with an impressive drum solo.

After a short ceremony of dedication to Mayaguez natives Daniel Ramirez and Jesus O'Farril, Ramirez took the stage. This young musician captivated the audience with his sheer energy and creative improvisations. There is no doubt Ramirez will be one of the future jazz virtuosos from Puerto Rico. He already has a vast experience playing with some of the best Puerto Rican jazz musicians. Ramirez and his group played some complex and interesting originals with plenty of tempo changes and excellent improvisations.

Saturday, November 19

Jesus O'Farril was the opening act for the second night of the Mayaguez Jazz Festival. Accompanied by a group extraordinaire musicians; tenor sax Norberto Tiko Ortiz, bassist Gabriel Rodriguez, guitarrist Luis Bonilla, drummer Mario Pereira, all students and professors from the Puerto Rico Conservatory of Music, the presentation was an exchange of virtuosic improvisations and pure energy. The repertoire included pieces in the straight-ahead jazz tradition as well as compositions influenced by Bomba rhythms.

Flutist virtuoso Kalani Trinidad was the second act on Saturday night. Trinidad is a musician who possesses a beautiful tone and great fluidity on his improvisations. He has the ability to convey a diversity of emotions on his playing. Trinidad presented his debut album Crossing Bridges. Accompanying Trinidad on this night were his father Richard Trinidad on piano, Hector Matos on drums and Ricky Rodriguez on bass.

Sunday, November 20

The closing acts for the last day of the fest were: Bluzzero, the only group in PR that plays original blues in Spanish; Sound Jazz, a group of musicians from the radio station Vid 90.3, the only jazz station in Puerto Rico and creators of the Mayaguez Jazz Festival; and Jan Carlos Artime, an excellent cuban pianist living in Puerto Rico.

Aldemar Valentin Interview

A bassist born in Mayaguez, Aldemar Valentin is one of the many young and talented jazz musicians coming out of Puerto Rico.

What music did you listen when you were young?

The first music I liked was Rock but my father listened to Salsa music. So I was exposed to those two music stylesn that are really the same, Fania was basically a rock group.

When did you start studying music?

My family moved from Mayaguez to Ponce and I started studying at the Escuela Libre de Musica with Irving Cancel. An excellent musician and professor.

When I moved back to Mayaguez I kept on studying music and had the good luck of finding a good professor, Nestor Perez who gave me the chance to play with his group. His repertoire was jazz/fusion, things like Santana, Steely Dan, etc. I also had the opportunity to play with Nelson Perez who was playing more traditional jazz. He played in a project Heineken was doing back then called Heineken Feels the Nights. The concept was a house band with guest musicians on different pub around Puerto Rico. I remember that in Mayaguez I saw musicians like Giovanni Hidalgo and Dave Valentin.

I guess you already played in the Mayaguez Jazz Festival?

Yes, I played there a couple of years ago. That particular year was really good because they did it indoor in the Yaguez Theatre, that I think is a more appropiate venue for a serious genre like jazz music. The sound is better in places like that, plus jazz is music for close, intimate places.

What do you think about the jazz scene today?

There always has been jazz in Puerto Rico. What we are doing now, musicians like Fernando Mattina, Ivan Maraver, Hector Veneros and Furito Rios did it years ago but they did not have facebook, twitter to promote the activities. Mattina played in aplace called Cafe Matiz. Amuni Nacer was also playing back then. Jorge Laboy recorded jazz, Batacumbele also. Frank Ferrer did some amazing things. The problem here in Puerto Rico is that there is not a permanent venue for the exposure of jazz. Samuel Morales is trying that on the pub Abracadabra.

Who were your first influences?

Dave Valentin live at the blue note. Chick Corea y Yellowjackets. From Puerto Rico Angel David Matos, Sammy Morales, John Benitez.

How did you get into Berklee?

I did send a tape and the bass department gave me a partial scholarship, later a full one. I studied Jazz Performance there from 1995 until 2003. Then I studied the New England School of Music until 2006.

Recordings?

First album in 2008 recorded live in Arava in Santurce and the new one is Ficciones, that just came out in 2011

Even though you are young you already worked with some of the best musicians in PR?

Sure, Brenda Hopkins, Jorge Laboy, Angel David Matos. I also recorded with Miguel Zenon an album that never was published. Also recorded with pianist Danilo Perez the piece Panama Suite.

Wanda Borrero Gala Jazz Anniversary

Wanda Borrero Gala Jazz Anniversary


October 2011 marks a special month for Jazz music in Puerto Rico, one year ago Wanda Borrero started her radio show Gala Jazz in Vid 90.3, since the 90's the only radio station in Puerto Rico dedicated to jazz.

The love for jazz music for this Ponce, Puerto Rico native, started years ago when she first listened to one of jazz pioneers, Mr. Louis Armstorng. Afters various jobs, Wanda started her first radio show and founded Oneda Management, coordinating and promoting jazz events in the south of Puerto Rico.

In October, 2010 Borrero moved to Vid 90.3 located in Mayaguez, PR and started her show Gala Jazz, a two hour show that plays different styles of jazz with special emphasis on Smooth Jazz. Wanda Borrero, known in Puerto Rico as the Lady of Jazz, also includes in her radio show interviews with Puerto Rican musicians and information about jazz events around Puerto Rico.

Jazz fans around the world may enjoy Gala Jazz every monday, wednesday and friday at 2pm and sunday at 6pm New York Time Zone on www.vid90.com

CD Review: Aldemar Valentin - Ficciones

To be the best you have to play with the best. Any good musician knows that and like he did in his first album Finding my Path, bassistAldemar Valentin surrounded himself with some of the best jazz musicians from Puerto Rico. Instead of a quartet, this time the format is a quintet with Norberto Ortiz on saxophone, Julito Alvarado on trumpet, Raul Maldonado on drums, Raul Romero on guitar (Romero played on Valentin's first album) and of course Valentin on bass.

Valentin outstanding compositions and well developed themes, mostly in the jazz fusion tradition, at times echoing the music of such greats as Pat Metheny, have a perfect balance of complex, dense textures and rhythms and accesibility. And allows this group of outstanding musicians to shine with inventive, ellegant improvisations on the tracks "Ficciones", "Santurce Triste", and "Amistad". For "Cacique Rebelde", a piece with a distinct latin influence, Valentin invited two special guests, percussion extraordinaire Paoli Mejias and master saxophonist Miguel Zenon.

Tracks: Ficciones, Santurce Triste, Cacique Rebelde, Amistad, Saga

Musicians: Aldemar Valentin - bass, Raul Romero - guitar, Julito Alvarado - trumpet, Raul Maldonado - drums, Norberto Ortiz - saxophone, Paoli Mejias - percussion (3), Miguel Zenon (3)

Carolina International Jazz Festival

Carolina International Jazz Festival

Wilbert Sostre reports on festival in Carolina, Puerto Rico

By Wilbert Sostre





The piano was the theme for the 7th edition of the Carolina International Jazz Festival in Puerto Rico. This Jazz Festival is a creation of the town of Carolina, Puerto Rico and its Major Jose Carlos Aponte Dalmau. Those present in the two days fest had the opportunity to enjoy the music of some of the best pianists from Puerto Rico.


Friday, August 12

After a short video introduction about the history of the piano, musical director and professor Angel Torres started the fest with a student orchestra from the Escuela de Bellas Artes de Carolina (Carolina Arts School). With compositions from pianists Herbie Hancock, Duke Ellington and Michel Legrand, the arrangements were diverse, including funk, mambo jazz, Puerto Rican bomba, plena and Cuban danzon. All of these students have the talent to become the next jazz virtuosos from Puerto Rico, but two of them deserve a special mention, alto saxophonist Ashley Nadal and pianist Emilio Mendez.

The second act was the exquisite fusion of jazz with Puerto Rican danza of master pianist Angel David Matos. In a tribute to one of the best pianists from Puerto Rico, Jesus Maria Sanroma, Matos played a medley of three beautiful danzas, “No me toques,” “Margarita” and “Maldito Amor,” accompanied by three of master jazz musicians in their own right, saxophonist/flutist/clarinetist Ricardo Pons, bassist Aldemar Valentin and drummer Hector Matos.

The more traditional jazz sound of pianist/professor Luis Marin was the third act of the night. Listening to Marin’s elegance and flawless improvisations, it was easy to see why he is considered one of the best pianists in the Puerto Rico Jazz scene.

The music diversity continued with the closing act of the night, pianist/composer/violinist Mariano Morales and his group Pikante that includes among others Paoli Mejias on congas, Tommy Villarini on trumpet and Pedro Perez on bass. Morales repertoire included latin jazz, mambo and bomba.

Saturday, August 13

With a similar repertoire but playing even better than the first night, the orchestra from the Escuela de Bellas Artes de Carolina once again were the opening act for the second night of the Carolina International Jazz Fest.

Under a heavy rain, Michel Camilo took the stage to play some of his most recognized compositions including “Island Stomp” and “Caribe.” Camilo’s powerful style and polyrhythmic attack alongside Michael Bowie’s solid bass and the intensity of drummer Cliff Almond is a guarantee of a wonderful jazz experience. Camilo and his trio are actually on tour promoting his new album Mano a Mano.

The closing act of the night and the festival was trumpeter legend Luis “Perico” Ortiz and his Big Band. A Latin jazz music celebration among friends with a parade of piano virtuosos joining the big band starting with Yan Carlo Artime, Michel Camilo, Angel David Matos, Mariano Morales and Luis Marin.

CD Review: Aldemar Valentin - Finding my Path

Aldemar Valentin debut album recorded live in 2008 captures the energy of four of the best musicians in Puerto Rico, saxophonist and flutist Ricardo Pons, guitarist Raul Romero, drummer Efrain Martinez and bassist Aldemar Valentin. In all the eight original compositions by Aldemar Valentin, these musicians show their ability to speak to each other through intense lines and inventive improvisations played over the solid rhythm foundation provided by Efrain Martinez on drums.

Romero and Valentin display their flawless technical ability with well developed solos while Pons demonstrates his mastery of both the flute and saxophone. Ricardo Pons plays the flute on “Gente de Fuego”, “Don Pedro Rios”, “Azul Cielo” and the title track “Finding my Path” and add the majestic sound of the baritone saxophone on “Regalo”, “Cuna”, “La Vida en Colores” and “Fabula para el Verano”. On “Fabula para el Verano”, Pons cleverly seems to quote lines from two classics Caribbean songs, El Manicero and Lamento Borincano.

Finding My Path takes us through a journey of different levels of intensity with fusion jazz music that can be powerful or relaxing and sometimes both.

Personnel:
Aldemar Valentin - bass, Ricardo Pons - baritone sax, flute, Raul Romero - guitar, Efrain Martinez - drums

Tracks:
Gente de Fuego, Don Pedro Rios, Regalo, Cuna, La Vida en Colores, Finding My Path, Azul Cielo, Fabula para el verano

The Christian Jazz of Doble Filo Small Ensemble

The relationship between Jazz and religion is not something new. Music from church was essential in those first years of jazz. But a relatively new movement is taking form in the Jazz world, called Christian Jazz.

In Puerto Rico, some of the best jazz musicians, like guitarrist Mike Arroyo and trumpeter Danny Fuentes are part of this jazz style. Doble Filo Small Ensemble, a group of young talented musicians is one of the newest addition to this movement in Puerto Rico.

One of the purposes of the group, says the leader and trumpeter Juan Pacheco, is to demontrates that christian musicians can play jazz, especially jazz standards. That's why most of the group repertoire are not christian themes but jazz classics like, God Bless the Child, Green Dolphin Street, Summertime and Bossas like Chega de Saudade. Pacheco is the one who select the songs for the group and he also wants to spread the christian message through jazz, so slowly the group will include some chistian related themes.

It is not required to belong to an specific church to be in the group, what unites this musicians is mostly their love for the music. Doble Filo formed in 2011 and already has done presentations around Puerto Rico, on local television and radio. The name comes from the "classical" Roman short sword called gladius, a sword with parallel cutting edges.

Juan Pacheco on trumpet and the pianist Antonio Rodriguez are the two young veterans on Doble Filo, both with vast experience in the Puerto Rico jazz scene and influences that range from Charlie Parker, Miles Davis, Clifford Brown, Freddie Hubbard, Billie Holiday, to Chucho Valdes, Chick Corea and Gonzalo Rubalcaba.

The other members of the group are extremely talented music students, ages around 21. Kike Rodriguez, bassist and student at the Puerto Rico Conservatory of Music, cites as his influences, Jaco Pastorious, Jeff Berlin and Charlie Parker. Luis Seguinot on drums, University of Puerto Rico student, is the newest addition to the group after playing with mostly rock and salsa groups. And Doble Filo secret weapon, the wonderful voice and distinct phrasing of singer Grisselle. Born in New York, Grissele started singing in church and her influences includes jazz legends like Ella Fitzgerald and Anita O'Day.

Doble Filo Small Ensemble
Director Juan A. Pacheco
Phone: (939) 269-5766

Comunicado de Prensa: Festival Internacional de Jazz de Carolina

Carolina, 11 de agosto de 2011- El piano, uno de los instrumentos más representativos en el desarrollo del género del jazz, será la estrella principal en la 7ma Edición del Festival internacional de Jazz, que organiza el Gobierno Municipal Autónomo de Carolina, con la participación de destacadas figuras del ámbito local y del extranjero.

El banquete musical reúne a los más importantes pianistas del patio en las instalaciones del Centro de Servicios Municipales de Isla Verde, los días 12 y 13 de agosto, con uno de los más aclamados exponentes del género jazzístico; el virtuoso pianista dominicano Michel Camilo.

“Para nosotros, en Carolina es un deleite poder celebrar por séptimo año consecutivo el Festival Internacional del Jazz Latino, ofreciendo una diversa y rica muestra de lo mejor del jazz, creando así una opción de sano entretenimiento para los amantes de la buena música,”comentó José Carlos Aponte Dalmau, Primer Ejecutivo Municipal

La jornada musical inicia el viernes 12, con la presentación del compositor, arreglista y director musical, Mariano Morales y su Grupo Pikante. Durante su intervención, Morales tendrá como invitados especiales a Paoli Mejías, Pedro Pérez, Charlie Sierra y “Jochy” Rodriguez, entre otros destacados músicos.

Completan el viaje musical del primer día de actividades, el reconocido pianista puertorriqueño Luisito Marín, quien ha sido una de las figuras constantes del festival carolinense. Ángel David Matos, innovador pianista local, nos deleitará con sus fusiones de la música popular y el jazz.

Michel Camilo, dos veces ganador del Latin Grammy y honrado con un Grammy y un Emmy, será el plato fuerte en la noche del sábado 13.

Camilo regresa al concepto de trío, de la mano de su más reciente producción discográfica “Mano a Mano”. El destacado músico interpretará piezas de repertorio de los más consagrados pianistas del jazz contemporáneo, además de sus temas más conocidos.

Cierra el espectáculo gratuito para el pueblo, el Jazz Boricua Big Band, dirigido por el trompetista y director musical del evento, el maestro Luis “Perico” Ortiz y sus invitados especiales Luisito Marín y Yan Carlos Artime. A la oferta musical de las dos noches se une el Conjunto de Jazz de la Escuela de Bellas Artes de Carolina.

A la impactante cartelera, se unirá una muestra de gastronomía y artesanías, así como diferentes exposiciones de arte que hacen de la Tierra de Gigantes y el área de Isla Verde, la sede del jazz latino local.

Como si fuera poco y como valiosa aportación a la formación musical de nuestros jóvenes instrumentistas del jazz, se ofrecerá una clase magistral por los grandes maestros participantes del evento, el jueves, 11 de agosto, a las 3:00 de la tarde, en el Teatro Municipal Antonio González Caballero, de la Escuela de Bellas Artes de Carolina.

El público que acuda al Centro de Servicios Municipales de Isla Verde durante estos dos días del festival tendrá estacionamiento y transportación disponible desde el Coliseo Guillermo Angulo, el Centro de Servicios Municipales de Barrazas y el Balneario de Carolina.

FESTIVAL INTERNACIONAL DEL JAZZ DE CAROLINA

CALENDARIO DE ACTIVIDADES DE

LA SÉPTIMA EDICIÓN DEL FESTIVAL INTERNACIONAL DEL JAZZ DE CAROLINA







Jueves, 11 de agosto


Conferencia de Prensa

11:00am

Hotel Intercontinental de Isla Verde

Simposio de Jazz

3:00pm

Escuela de Bellas Artes de Carolina



Viernes, 12 de agosto



Festival Internacional del Jazz

Centro de Servicios Municipales de Isla Verde

7:00pm

Mariano Morales & Pikante

Luis Marín

Ángel David Mattos



Sábado, 13 de agosto



Festival Internacional del Jazz

Centro de Servicios Municipales de Isla Verde

7:00pm

Michel Camilo Trio

Luis “Perico” Ortiz y Jazz Boricua Big Band





Contacto:

Edumil Ruiz

Perfect Partners

edumil@perfectpartnerspr.com

(787) 273-4240 / (787) 525-5224

Fin de semana de Jazz en Puerto Rico

A pesar de la poca exposición en la radio, cada día se abren nuevos espacios para presentaciones de Jazz en Puerto Rico. El último fin de semana del mes de julio fue un banquete para los amantes de la buena música. El viernes en la noche, el maestro de la percusión Wilson "Chembo" Corniel, acompañado por excelentes músicos como Ramón Vazquez en el piano y Hector Matos en la bateria, deleitó a los presentes en el Hotel Sheraton con la música de su CD nominado al Grammy, THINGS I WANTED TO DO.



El sábado en la noche, el Café Teatro Punto Fijo fue el escenario de una noche memorable con la presentación de Jimmy Rivera y su Trio en un homenaje a la música de una de las glorias de la música de Puerto Rico y el mundo, el pianista y compositor Hilton Ruiz. Integran el trio, Carlos Torres, bajista y profesor del Consevatorio de Música, Ismael Rodriguez, pianista y profesor de música en la Universidad Interamericana, y por supuesto el maestro Jimmy Rivera en la bateria. Se le une para algunas piezas en las congas, Angel Rivera, hijo de Jimmy Rivera. Como si la magistral interpretación de música de Hilton Ruiz como New York Story y Steppin with TP, no fuera suficiente, los que estuvimos presente esa noche tuvimos el honor de conocer y compartir con la viuda de Hilton, la señora Aida Ruiz.









El domingo la buena música comenzó temprano con la presentación de la trombonista May Peters en el restaurante Abracadabra lo que sirvió de preámbulo para Ventana al Jazz. El último domingo de cada mes Heineken auspicia este evento en el Condado con presentaciones de dos grupos de jazz. En ésta ocasión la música estuvo a cargo de el cuarteto de Aldemar Valentín, cuatro de los mejores instrumentistas en Puerto Rico, Raul Romero en la guitarra, Norberto Ortiz en el saxofón tenor, Raul Maldonado en la bateria y Aldemar Valentín en el bajo. Cierra la noche, Tito de Gracia, uno de los grandes virtuosos de los timbales y la percusión.