Submitted by Al Kanovsky 09/22/14
...a thousand times. Listening to music is not an objective
art. What you like or dislike is based on past experience with music and how
you were exposed to it. From the lullaby "Rock a Bye Baby" to
"Rock Around the Clock" to "Come On Baby Light My
Fire" to "Rock of Ages". From "Rampart St. Parade" to
"Dizzy Atmosphere". "In the Mood" to "Moody's Mood For
Love". Where were you when you first heard any of them? Who were you with
and what were you doing? All of those factors help determine what you like. My
first real experience with Latin rhythms came in a cellar club in the East
Bronx.
The 'trumbernicks' (my mother's description) I hung with rented this space and decorated it. We held weekly 'socials' to which we would invite any girl we came face to face with. One Friday night my buddy Norton Grant brought a record by Tito Puente. The rhythm wasn't rhumba or samba or conga. It was 'mambo'. It was instant. Clave invaded my soul and has remained strongly entrenched ever since.
Last night I listened to a great Latin Ensemble
led by Maestro Ranses Colon (bass), Alain Garcia(percussion), Jose Olivera (tenor
sax), Eduardo Quitana (flute/Yamaha WX5), Manuel Gamez (piano) and Luz
Jimena (vocals/tiple---Colombian 12 string guitar). They covered all the Latin
dance rhythms from mambo to meringue. Every solo was masterful. Creativity was
inherent in all and they seemed to enjoy playing with one another. I do not
have the titles of most of the tunes as Ranses did not announce them. Maybe
next time. One of the numbers was a Tito Puente hit "Oye Como Va"
They opened the 2d set with another Puente hit "RanCanCan". Ohhh
those Palladium nights. A gal in the audience, Barbara
Glenn, had sang with the Glenn Miller Orchestra when Buddy DeFranco led
the band. She was invited up and did "Summertime" and
"Ipanema". Nice voice and great stage presence. Later on I
would dance a few bars with Barbara and her friend Joni Walko.
Sitting nearby
was a lovely, demure young woman. Rosa Batista.She is tenorman Jose Olivera's
girlfriend. I am sure she provides the inspiration for Jose's emotional
solos. Karen, a server at BJB's has the night off. She appears before me in a
skin tight, leopard print dress. Short. Very short. I reach for my heart pills.
I pull myself together, stand up and do some mambo with her. We did 'corta una
alfombra'----cut a rug in English. Even dancing with her couldn't keep me from
noting Eduardo's exceptional solos on flute and the Yamaha. Earlier in the
evening Nikki Kidd provided the entertainment during 'happy hour'. With
her was Paul Banman (piano), Shea Eischen (drums) and Bob Ullman (guitar). I got
there in time to hear Nikki do "At Last". Nikki has style and she
made the tune her own. They swung "Exactly Like You" You could hear a
little Dinah Washington, a little Pearl Bailey and even some
Ella Fitzgerald in her rendition. Nikki has learned her lessons well.
Freddie Hubbard's "Up Jumped Spring" is a great song. They did it in
3/4 and it was a delight. Nina Simone's "San Lurie Woman" was done
accapella with just Shea's drum beats as accompaniment. To make sure they
covered all the JAZZ genres Nikki closed with Monk's "Straight No
Chaser". They ended the set with smiles, fist pumps and hugs all around. I
have never seen Shea and Paul happier.
Al's Disclaimer:
A short note: The reason I write this is because I love music and words. I do not book acts. I do not promote acts. I do not accept invitations to review artists. I go to venues of my own choice. When and where is not influenced by anything other than who I would like to hear that night or day. If I don't like what I hear, I won't write about it. When I like it I let you all know. I never mention a name without asking permission. "Pardon me, Miss. Would you like to dance?"
~ ~ ~
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