Latin Jazz Network

07/18/2025

Tribute to the Masters / Celebrating the Sound and Spirit of Manny Oquendo & Libre / Featured article by [link in bio]

Manny Oquendo’s band, Libre, formerly known as “Conjunto Libre,” captivated audiences—especially dancers—with its strong clave patterns, dynamic trombone lines, uplifting melodies, and socially conscious lyrics. Oquendo’s unique “típico” phrasing, impressive timing on the timbales, and Libre’s incorporation of jazz improvisation distinguished it from other salsa bands.

Born in 1931, Oquendo’s musical journey led him to share the stage with legends such as Tito Puente, Tito Rodríguez, and Vicentico Valdés, enriching his already exceptional talent with each encounter.

In 1962, Oquendo joined Eddie Palmieri’s innovative band, Conjunto La Perfecta, where his artistic vision began to take shape. Alongside bassist Andy González, he played a crucial role in developing the electrifying “Trombanga” sound—a dynamic fusion of trombones and flute that became a defining characteristic of a new era in Latin music.

Read full article at latinjazznet.com

LATINJAZZNET - Celebrating 25 Years Online in 2025

07/16/2025

Tribute to the Masters / Cal Tjader: A Bridge Between Jazz and Latin Rhythms / Featured article by Danilo Navas / https://latinjazznet.com/v8u7

As we mark the 100th anniversary of Cal Tjader’s birth on July 15, 2025, it is an opportune time to reflect on the life, legacy, and enduring influence of a musician who played a pivotal role in the evolution of Latin jazz.

Despite being a non-Latino musician, Callen Radcliffe Tjader Jr., or simply Cal Tjader seamlessly fused Afro-Cuban rhythms with modern jazz, transforming the sonic landscape of 20th-century American music and expanding the boundaries of what jazz could be. His deep respect for Latin music traditions, virtuosic vibraphone technique, and ability to collaborate across cultural lines make him a seminal figure in both jazz and Latin music history.

Read full article at https://latinjazznet.com/v8u7

LATINJAZZNET - Celebrating 25 Years Online in 2025

07/11/2025

Introducing Oná: A Bold New Voice in Chamber Jazz / Artist Profiles by Danilo Navas / https://latinjazznet.com/hecb

Last January I had the opportunity to attend a live concert at The Arts & Letters Club in Toronto showcasing Oná, an ensemble featuring two French horns. The Oná Ensemble is a bold and innovative Canadian-Brazilian chamber jazz group that redefines the sonic possibilities of the French horn through an original blend of classical, jazz, and Brazilian musical traditions. I was introduced to Oná thanks to composer, music producer and broadcaster David Jaeger. Last June, I attended another enjoyable performance with this ensemble at the Jazz Bistro, a club located in the heart of Toronto’s downtown, built on historic ground, rooted on the site of what used to be the iconic Top O’ the Senator. It is now my turn to introduce the Oná ensemble to you, our readers and followers, knowing this is a very exciting project that you will be interested in following from now on.

Co-founded by classical hornist Olivia Esther, Brazilian jazz hornist Victor Prado, and percussionist Alan Hetherington, the Oná ensemble emerged from a shared desire to expand the expressive potential of their instrument and to explore their cultural roots through collaborative creation.

Read full post at https://latinjazznet.com/hecb

LATINJAZZNET - Celebrating 25 Years Online in 2025



canadense

07/11/2025

Mr. Flute – The Art Webb Documentary / Movie Review by Brooks Geiken / https://latinjazznet.com/4ytp

While scrolling through YouTube recently I happened upon Mr. Flute – The Art Webb Documentary (2022) directed by Omar J. Pineda. I first heard about Webb from an old album by the band Guararé that I purchased in the 70’s. He was the in-demand flute player for many Salsa recordings in New York City. His flute playing was energetic, complex, and completely original, so I was eager to see the documentary. Webb’s story contains many joyful moments and some quite painful experiences as well.

Pineda starts at the beginning, Webb’s childhood in West Philadelphia, and his first flute, paid for over time. Interspersed with this important information and throughout the film, we follow Webb taking public transportation to and from a gig at the restaurant El Floridita in Hollywood, first a bus and later the metro train. According to bassist and fellow Philadelphian Stanley Clarke, Philadelphia had a robust music education program in the public schools. Webb and Clarke are just a couple examples of the great musicians who emerged from that system.

Read full review at https://latinjazznet.com/4ytp

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webb

07/10/2025

“Nueva Timba” Goes Out on September 5, 2025 – A Deeply Personal Musical Journey That Presents A Definitive Vision for the Future of Latin Jazz / https://latinjazznet.com/f5er

On Nueva Timba, the new Blue Note album from Cuban-born pianist Harold López-Nussa, the jazz vanguard meets multiple eras of Cuba’s musical history with results that are at once accessible, life-affirming, and strikingly accomplished. The album, which will be released Sept. 5, features a core of unmatched talent—Harold’s brother, Ruy Adrian López-Nussa, on drums; Luques Curtis on bass; and the harmonica virtuoso Grégoire Maret—and presents a definitive vision for the future of Latin jazz. López-Nussa has also shared the album’s lead single “Bonito y Sabroso,” a vibrant modernization of a Benny Moré classic that adds psychedelic hues with electronics and the beat-making of José Angel Blanco, a.k.a. El Negro WADPRO.

with Harold López-Nussa Ruy Adrián Lopez Nussa Grégoire Maret Luques Curtis El Negro "WadPro" Blue Note Records

On Nueva Timba, the new Blue Note album from Cuban-born pianist Harold López-Nussa, the jazz vanguard meets multiple eras of Cuba’s musical history with results that are at once accessible...

07/09/2025

Adrien Brandeis: Resurgence / Featured Album Review by Raul da Gama
https://latinjazznet.com/kemw

Those of us who have – with wide open ears – listened consistently to Adrien Brandeis have witnessed the rise of one of the truly individual voices in Afro-Cuban music. The fact that Mr Brandeis is French might come as a surprise to some, but the fact is that the musician has – unbeknown to many – immersed himself not only in the long history of the music of the island, but also in its culture.

Studying and playing with some of the finest, most celebrated musicians, as he does on his album Resurgence will thus come as no surprise at all. Cuban stars are busy and able to be available for a relatively “new kid on the block.”

However, when you listen to this repertoire all of which has been written and arranged by Mr Brandeis you can see why musicians as important as bassist Felipe Cabrera, and percussionists Abraham Mansfarroll and Yaroldy Abreu Robles – and of course drummer Arnaud Dolmen are happy to follow his lead.

Read full review at https://latinjazznet.com/kemw

LATINJAZZNET - Celebrating 25 Years Online in 2025

Adrien Brandeis Music
Felipe Cabrera
Mansfarroll

07/02/2025

Alex “Apolo” Ayala Takes Puerto Rican Jazz Back to its African Roots / Featured Article by Lawrence Peryer / link in bio

“Afro-Puerto Rican Jazz” maps how enslaved Congolese people preserved their musical heritage in Puerto Rico, establishing rhythmic connections that still influence jazz today.

In his Brooklyn apartment, bassist Alex “Apolo” Ayala speaks with quiet intensity about his mission: “I’m all about bridging the African diaspora. That’s really my passion.” For Ayala, this artistic philosophy is also a lived reality. His recent album Afro-Puerto Rican Jazz, released in April 2025 through Miguel Zenón’s Miel Music, completes a remarkable cultural circle that connects the Congo Basin to the Caribbean and back again.

The roots of this musical dialogue stretch deep into history. During the early period of the transatlantic slave trade, people from the Congo region made up a significant portion of those forcibly transported to Puerto Rico, Cuba, and parts of South America. These displaced communities carried with them not just the trauma of separation, but the resilient seeds of their musical traditions.

Read full article at latinjazznet.com

LATINJAZZNET - Celebrating 25 Years Online in 2025

06/28/2025

This article, written by Tomas Pena explores New Jersey’s vibrant but underappreciated jazz scene just across the river from New York City. It highlights how intimate venues—clubs, lounges, small festivals like the Jersey City Latin Jazz Festival—create inviting atmospheres where artists and audiences engage in a personal, community-driven experience. Performers spanning jazz and Latin jazz enjoy direct interaction with listeners in these spaces, fostering an authentic appreciation for the music that often goes unnoticed by mainstream media.

Quietly and confidently, New Jersey—especially Jersey City—is shaping its own jazz identity, one that rivals and, in many ways, surpasses what’s happening across the river.

06/26/2025

La destacada y auténtica cantante cubana ALBITA, ganadora de múltiples premios Grammy y Emmy, celebra 100 AÑOS DE SON CUBANO con artistas invitados este sábado 28 de junio a las 8 p.m. en el Hostos Center for the Arts & Culture.

Estará acompañada por el reconocido grupo de salsa Los Hermanos Moreno y Nodal y Los Soneros de Oriente, un conjunto con raíces en la tradición del son cubano. El concierto comenzará con Tony Rosa's Rumba All-Stars, preparando el escenario para una inolvidable noche de verano.

Boletos e info en www.hostoscenter.org o llama a la boletería del Hostos Center al (718) 518-4455.

06/25/2025