Irakere - 1978 - Leo Brouwer & Irakere

Leo Brouwer - Irakere

1978

Concierto / Teatro Karl Marx / Septiembre 1978

01. Ragtime (El Animador)

02. Misa Negra

03. Concierto De Aranjuéz

04. Adagio

05. Romance (Juego Prohibidos)

06. Preludio No. 3

Chucho Valdés: Piano

Leo Brouwer: Guitar

Paquito d'Rivera: Alto Sax

Carlos del Puerto: Acoustic and Electric Bass

Enrique Plá: Drums

Jorge “El Niño” Alfonso: Congas

Juan Munguía: Trumpet

Arturo Sandoval: Trumpet

Jorge Varona: Trumpet

Germán Velazco: Alto Sax, Soprano Sax, Flute

Carlos Averoff: Tenor Sax, Flute

José Luis “El Tosco” Cortés: Flute

Carlos Emilio Morales: Electric Guitar

Oscar Valdés: Vocals, Percussion

Ele Valdés & Carlos Alfonso: Vocals on Misa Negra

The second EGREM disc of the year - also drawn from a live performance - eschews the band's party anthems in favor of highbrow fare: Cuban classical guitar virtuoso Leo Brouwer arranged and performed on four of the album's six tunes. There's a quiet version of Scott Joplin's "The Entertainer" with just Brouwer and Valdés alternating statements of the melody, only livened up with brief spurts of Dixieland horns. There are takes on three classical pieces: Rodrigo's "Concierto De Aranjuez," Heitor Villalobos's "Preludio No. 3," and the Mozart "Adagio" - more fully realized here than on the previous rendition. As with Newport and Montreux, the "Misa Negra" suite is best of all, with a tremendous instrumental and emotional sweep. Confusingly re-released by EGREM as Vol. II.

"Leo Brouwer-Irakere" Documents An Exceptional Concert That Sought To Break The Barrier Between Classical And Popular Music (Havana, 1978). Thus, It Brought Together For The First TimeLeo Brouwer -Considered At The Time One Of The World´S Most Important Guitar Soloists - And The Afro-Cuban Jazz Group IRAKERE. The Group, Winner Of A GRAMMY In 1978, And The #1 Ranking Latin Jazz Band