Edito de El CumbancheroCharanga! Flute, strings and percussion revisit and reinvent a classic Cuban tradition. Aruán Ortiz? brilliant arranging and the virtuoso flute playing of Mark Weinstein bring tropical classics and originals into the 21st century. For dancing, listening or just sunbathing on a white sand beach?ahh! The process of making music presents a musician with an array of creative and cultural challenges to bear. The music itself does not need to be specific to any culture, genre, style, or limited to any time period. These challenges are simply inherent of music making. Most musicians spend their entire lives learning how best to mediate the language of music as they arrive at an expression that, not only distinguishes them from other musicians, but, most importantly, makes a music that has the power to communicate and move an audience. Therein lies the ultimate challenge. It is simply not just a question of learning all the technical aspects of making music, but fulfilling the aesthetic criteria that functions best for the social activity the music is serving. Some music is designed for dance, other music fulfills a religious and ritual function, while other music is just meant to be listened to. It is the socio-cultural context that defines how music is practiced and also establishes the norms of a communicative performance. The ease in which a musician delivers the music allows an audience to distinguish an expert performance from one that is ordinary. Latin jazz music is laden with such challenges. Mario Bauza?s and Dizzy Gillespie?s idea of uniting two different musical traditions with a common African root, American jazz and Cuban music, represents two geniuses agreeing on a sonic vision. The contemporary Latin jazz musician is presented with the musical challenge of knowing two musical worlds, from their respective folk music expressions and popular styles, to contemporary musical developments. And must combine the musical elements from each to forge an artistic expression that carries cross-cultural aesthetic norm,, fulfilling the technical musical criteria established by jazz and Latin music greats and moving the jazz and Latin jazz community to affirm the mastery of the performance. Mark Weinstein shows such mastery as he continues his exploration of Latin jazz by extending his vision to charanga music, a style of Cuban music with a unique instrumentation that was most popular from the late 19th Century to the mid- 20th century. This style of music featured the flute as the principle voice of the ensemble accompanied by strings, piano, and a percussion section. The charanga was a European chamber ensemble whose music was propelled by tastefully syncopated Afro-Cuban rhythms. Technical mastery and musical execution was important but the ability to provide a danceable music was the primary objective. Cubans have always listened to music through their feet. This CD is not the first recording to use charanga and jazz as the foundation for its music. This recording continues what Gonzalo Rubacalba started with his recording Mi Gran Pasión, going beyond the charanga?s primary objective of providing a danceable music. Unlike Rubacalba?s effort, this recording uses the charanga?s unique instrumentation. The music on this CD is informed by many years of history, creativity, innovation, great musicians, recordings, performances, and tradition. Charanga has always been musically rich but to deviate from its dance origins can be risky business. This recording suggests that perhaps the charanga?s time has come to be recognized for its musical aesthetics, separate from the style?s dance functionality. What is meaningful art without risk? Mark and Aruán move toward concert music by expanding upon popular Cuban and Puerto Rican compositions, extending the melodic and harmonic content beyond the already rich melodies and harmonies of composers: Rafael Hernandez, Enrique Jorrín, Sindo Garay, Israel Lopez ?Cachao, ? Cesar Portillo de la Lúz, and Alejandro Gonzales. El Cumbanchero, La Mulata Rumbera, Doña Olga, Armoniosos de Amalia, and Aruán Ortiz? original, Danzón a Liz, use the charanga?s instrumentation and musical structures as the central idea. Sindo Garay?s canción Perla Marina and Cesar Portillo de la Luz? bolero, Contigo en la Distancia employ a string ensemble with alto and bass flute without a rhythm section. The remaining two original compositions by Aruán Ortiz, Aruancó and Av. Pintor Tapiro round out the CD with a Latin jazz approach. The interpretations of these classics remain rhythmically rich as Weinstein and Ortiz utilize diverse Cuban rhythms including the carnaval?s conga rhythms from both Habana and Santiago (the music functions in a similar fashion but sounds different due to their respective regional characteristics) on El Cumbanchero and Aruancó respectively. The music recorded on the CD continues to pay tribute to the charanga by maintaining the flute as the principle voice of the ensemble. As the main instrument, the charanga flute developed a very unique style, performed and on five-key wooden flutes, generally limited to playing in the highest register of the instrument. Weinstein?s flute work breaks with the charanga flute tradition and superimposes his jazz voice. Ortiz? arrangements open up the melodic and harmonic possibilities that Weinstein expertly probes throughout the CD as he simultaneously navigates the rhythmic complexity contained within each newly arranged composition. In doing so, he contributes in ways that flutists in both the charanga and jazz world can appreciate, continuing a lasting and enduring musical legacy. For me, this recording has borne the musical and cultural challenges inherent in performing Latin jazz. The musical languages have been artistically negotiated and handled with the upmost respect and detail. The music moves forward as it reaches back through history to create a dialect appropriate for our time. The arrangements are superb and the playing meets the aesthetic possibilities that Bauza and Gillespie envisioned. By using charanga and jazz as the language for communication, it marks another positive step in the continued evolution of Latin jazz. The music on this CD is a risk well worth taken. Danilo Lozano Professor of Ethnomusicology, Flutist and Artist in Residence Whittier College www.cubanflute.com Lire la suite