JOHN SANTOS AND THE MACHETE ENSEMBLE: S.F. BAY (2003 GRAMMY nominee!)

John Santos and the Machete Ensemble

S.F. BAY (2003 GRAMMY nominee!)

© 2002 Machete Records (714288114525)

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J.S. and Machete are an innovative group of some of the best musicians, composers and arrangers in the field of Latin Jazz, using explosive Caribbean rhythmic traditions as a basis for exciting improvisation and adventurous writing.

tracks

1 Songo Non Troppo
2 Café Con Leche
3 Cuanto Mas Sufrirás
4 Chano Pozo
5 S.F. Bay
6 Lala
7 Buscará Candela
8 Descarga Fajardo
9 Que No Se Muera El Tambó
10 Afilando
11 La Jardinera
12 El Afrokán

notes

John Santos descends from three roots; Cape Verdean (like Horace Silver), Puerto Rican (like Willie Colon), and Irish.

Our man, from word go, is super-criollo.

He plays many styles on this remarkable CD.

There is a mambo-descarga (Café con Leche), a jazz-rumba (Chano Pozo), straight-ahead jazz (SF Bay), old school salsa (Buscará Candela and Afilando), Puerto Rican plena (Cuanto Mas Sufrirás), plus comparsa callejera and mozambique (La Jardinera and El Afrokán).

This incredible range is the signature strength of a man who knows how to afincar (lock into rhythm) and cocinar (turn smoke, red pepper and greens into sound) .

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(exerpt from liner notes) Robert Farris Thompson New Haven 20 January, 2002 SF BAY - John Santos and the Machete Ensemble Orestes Vilató John Calloway Wayne Wallace Melecio Magdaluyo Ron Stallings Paul Van Wageningen David Belove Murray Low Orlando Torriente John Santos Special Guests José Fajardo Omar Sosa Felo Barrio Carlos Del Puerto Anthony Blea Alex Murzyn Dafnis Prieto Josh Jones Javier Navarrette Quique Dávila José Luís Gomez Destani Wolf Ismael Rodriguez Bárbara Valladares Raúl Navarrette AMERICA'S MUSIC (exerpt from liner notes) I can already hear it, "that's a dance record .

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it's salsa, not jazz .

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" While those with opinions argue the difference between jazz, Latin jazz, jazz Latino, Afro-Cuban jazz, world music, son, salsa, salsa gorda, salsa monja, salsa romantica, cumbia, bachata, merengue, timba, tropical music, etc., the lines that might have delineated some of these forms continue to blur, perhaps leaving the gray areas larger than the categories themselves.

While this may prove problematic for the marketers, vendors, and award-givers in the "industry," I'm delighted at the increased opportunities to musically tell historical truths that have been neglected for way too long.

Let's begin with the Caribbean roots of jazz, owed in large part to those most swinging and Caribbean of cities, New Orleans and New York.

That's right, New York! The gorgeous San Francisco Bay Area was one of the early destinations in the globetrotting journey of Caribbean peoples and culture.

Perhaps the oldest Puerto Rican social club in the country (1912), still operates in San Francisco's Mission District barrio.

Although our Latin population is significantly less Caribbean than that of the East Coast, the Bay Area is home to a fierce crew of talented and dedicated musicians and a loyal public of all ethnic backgrounds who love, defend and support Salsa and Latin Jazz on a big-league level.

S.F.

Bay is our tribute to these supporters and defenders of the music.

In the spirit of honesty, freedom and truth embodied by jazz and understood so well by Satchmo, Duke, Bauzá, Machito, Diz, Monk, Bird, Tito, Blakey, Cal, Chico, Mingus, Palmieri, Valdés, Rubalcava, Hidalgo, Sosa, Oquendo, Ray, Choco, Steve, Milton, Davíd, Ralphy, Papo, Bobby, and so many others, let's give the Caribbean roots of jazz their long overdue and rightful place at the table of jazz heritage next to their big brothers and sisters - the blues and US spiritual musical traditions.

The US is the birthplace of jazz, but our imaginary borders and boundaries will not hold the truth off much longer.

This is not my opinion.

The music proves that jazz is a quintessential American art form in the true, pan-American sense of the word.

We often purport to teach music, but it is the music that teaches.

We have but to listen .

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Congo de Guinea soy, buena noche criollo .

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John Santos Madison, Wisconsin March, 2002

reviews

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  • exposure, purchase method, shout out
    author: Daniel Barnes

    Wow, Everybody wins with this item. The sound of great talent, skill and hard work combine to transcend the ordinary. Great work! More than once I'd find the killer track making me run and check my itunes radio was from John Santos and Machete. Jumping on Cdbaby cured my ails almost instantly as I could listen to more John Santos. I chose SF Bay because it was Chano Pozo, track 4 that had pushed me over the edge into purchase mode originally. Drummer Dafnis Prieto... Great Solo!

  • author: jose el bago

    i just recently bought this al;bum and i loved it it has some really good songs this is another great album by john santos the father of the san francisco salsa and latin jazz

  • exciting, the right kind of busy, lusty
    author: janice gale

    The CD is exciting, lusty,danceable and full of surprises (good ones)from the horn riffs to the incredible percussion contributions.

  • EXCEPTIONALLY exciting music!!! Paquito D'Rivera was right!
    author: Steve Heller

    Heard a track from this CD for the first time at the International Association for Jazz Education conference in New York earlier this year, when DownBeat played it for Paquito during his blindfold test. He loved it. I loved it. At first, though, I thought it might be just another infectious Afro-Cuban album. Which it is, but there's something more going on here. Each listening brings more and more enjoyment. It's danceable, yet subtly complex, exciting music. Thanks, CDBaby, for a tremendous find.

  • I recieved it fine and I enjoy the CD.
    author: Edwin

    The music and sound of jazz it excellent. It makes a great CD mixed with sounds of music.

  • This CD gives me Vida (Life )
    author: Rebecca Rush

    This music is the greatest. It makes me want to dance eveyday day and night. I'am making sure all my friends have this CD in there collection of music.

  • Yet another original and moving album by John Santos and the Machete ensemble!
    author: David Barone

    This album incorporates many incredibly talented musicians from the greater San Francisco Bay Area combined with Machete therby emitting beautiful sounds from begining to end! You will not regret this purchase!

  • I danced my terry cloth robe right off...
    author: Andrea Kittelson

    As I danced around the kitchen in my robe I thought, "I wonder which song is the catchy song that grabbed the attention of the Grammy gurus..." Of course I never found that song because they are ALL catchy, dancy, spiritual, funky, hip and grabby tunes that make you boogie 'til your robe falls off!

  • Outstanding
    author: Clem Ehoff

    Listen to it once and you will understand why this CD was nominated for a Grammy. It is nearly impossible to remain still while listening to this group. The horn arrangements are nothing short of intoxicating. The hint of Oakland funk places this Latin music in a category all by itself.

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