Winter 2021-22

Preludes:

• Gonzalo Rubalcaba — The Cuban-born, South Florida-based piano virtuoso’s latest recording, Skyline, on his own 5Passion label, finds him leading a trio with Ron Carter and Jack DeJohnette. The album reunites Rubalcaba with DeJohnette, the pianist and drummer having recorded together early in Rubalcaba’s career in a classic trio session.
• Dominican Jazz Project — Pianist and composer Stephen Anderson leads a powerful ensemble of Dominican (and other nationalities) jazz artists on their second album, Desde Lejos (Summit), employing the sounds and rhythms of various regions in the Dominican Republic.
• Changüí: The Sound of Guantánamo (Petaluma) — A three-disc box set documents a rootsy style of acoustic party music indigenous to the Guantanamo region of Cuba.

Features:

• Chucho Valdés — Profile of the Cuban jazz maestro, pianist and son of the great Bebo Valdes, who helped usher in a new age of Cuban music with his groundbreaking band Irakere in the 1970s. Valdes, who turns 80 in October, continues to honor his roots (as on a new album with Eliane Elias) as well as make progressive music with young Cuban musicians. By Fernando Gonzalez
• Susana Baca — Interview with the legendary Peruvian vocalist, activist and cabinet minister whose latest album, Palabras Urgentes (Real World), was produced by Michael League of Snarky Puppy. The album was recorded in a small town outside Lima and includes moving performances, including an homage to a woman guerrilla leader in Peru’s fight for independence; the nation is also celebrating its 200th anniversary of independence.
• Eliane Elias — Interview with the Brazilian pianist, whose new recording, Mirror Mirror (Candid), consists of piano duets with Chick Corea and Chucho Valdes. Her wide-ranging career has delved into her Latin roots, as well as pop and rock inspirations, both instrumentally and vocally.
• Rodgrio Domínguez — Profile of the Argentine saxophonist and vital member of the Buenos Aires jazz scene. Dominguez’s new album, Borocotopo (ears & eyes), is a modern-leaning update of Latin jazz with a sizzling rhythm section (bassist Mariano Otero, drummer Serigo Verdinelli) and guests such as the the Argentine keyboardist/pianist Ernesto Jodos.
• Latin jazz essentials — A descriptive survey of 15-20 seminal Latin jazz recordings.

Auditions:

• Arturo O’Farrill The Afro Latin Jazz Ensemble … dreaming in lions … (Blue Note) — Mexican-American pianist and composer O’Farrill makes his Blue Note debut.