The Mott Haven Latin Jazz Connection
November 8-11, 2006    
by Tomas Pena

    
     The Hostos Center for the Arts & Culture paid tribute to the Mott Haven section of the (South) Bronx, where musical icons such as Ray Barretto, Tito Puente, Andy and Jerry Gonzalez, Orlando Marin, Bobby Sanabria, Eddie Palmieri and others drew their inspiration and honed their “chops”. The series included performances, lectures, film, and a photo exhibition.

     The festivities kicked off with a welcome by salsa icon, Willie Colon, who spoke about growing up in the South Bronx and the tremendous impact it had on his life personally and professionally. Today, Colon is a nationally recognized figure in the political arena, but for those who grew up listening to his early recordings, such as “Lo Mato”, and “Asalto Navideno”, he will always be remembered as El Malote (the bad boy) of salsa.  I had the pleasure of attending the concerts performed on November 9th and the 11th.

 
 November 9 Performance - Ray Vega & Bobby Sanabria
    

     As I listened to the sweet sounds of the Ray Vega Latin Jazz Ensemble, I recalled the numerous times I have seen him perform as a sideman with Mongo Santamaria, Tito Puente, Ray Barretto and others.  Today, Vega is a prolific band leader in his own right, and living proof that a skinny kid from the Bronx with a big Afro (as he put it), can be a world-class trumpet player and hang with the best of them. The Ensemble began their set with New Arrival (penned by the late Hilton Ruiz) and followed it up with John Coltrane’s Africa Brass and Freddie Hubbard’s Hub-Tones. Between numbers, Vega, shared some humorous anecdotes about growing up in the South Bronx, which had the audience rolling in the aisles. The grand finale was a descarga (jam) titled, Tribute to the Masters, which had the members of the audience dancing in their seats.
    
     Two time Grammy nominee and educator, Bobby Sanabria gets my vote for the hardest working man in show business. Watching Sanabria at the helm of his Big Band transported me to the Blue Note in 2000, where I attended the recording sessions for his recording, Live & In Clave (Arabesque Records), which in my opinion, is one of his finest recordings to date. Then as now, Sanabria transported the audience through the African diaspora. In keeping with that, Sanabria began by saluting the ancestors and asking for their blessings, then leaped into a hard driving rendition of Charlie Parker’s Donna Lee. The Big Band, which consists of established musicians and outstanding students from the Manhattan School of Music, has an ambitious repertoire, which ranges from modern, original compositions to standards such as Besame Mucho. Sanabria came up under the tutelage of the great Cuban musician and bandleader, Mario Bauza. His powerhouse Big Band demonstrates that he learned his lessons well.

 November 11 - Charlie Sepulveda & Eddie Palmieri
     
For my money, Charlie Sepulveda and the Turnaround were the sleeper of the series. The band performed a number of original compositions - Un Poco Mas and Just For You, then spiced things up with Stevie Wonder’s Don’t You Worry About a Thing and the theme from the Spike Lee film, Mo’ Better Blues (which Sepulveda dedicated to Hilton Ruiz). On stage, Sepulveda, who bears an uncanny resemblance to a young Dizzy Gillespie (beret and all) speaks softly but carries a big sound. These days, the child prodigy resides in Puerto Rico and rarely performs in New York. Which only goes to show what we’ve been missing. The Turnaround is an exciting and innovative band that deserves to be heard.

     What can I say about Eddie Palmieri that has not been said before? The eight-time Grammy award winner continues to thrill audiences and stay on the cutting edge. Moreover, Palmieri (now an elder statesman) makes it a point to surround himself with the finest young musicians. Early in the performance, Palmieri cited travel problems and seemed the worst for wear, but as the evening wore on and the music gained momentum, he rose to the occasion. The Octet began their set with Thelonious Monk’s, ‘In Walked Bud’ then followed it up with a number of original compositions that bore the Palmieri stamp (Slow Visor, Don’t Stop the Train and Bolero Dos). As is generally his custom, Palmieri closed the set with ‘Camagueyanos y Habaneros’, a rousing descaraga (jam) that left the audience asking for more. Or as Nuyoricans have been known to say, Otra!
    
     Last but not least, Kudos to photographer Joe Conzo for his vintage photographs of the masters. Also, to The Master of Ceremonys, Nando Alvarrici and The Hostos Center for the Arts and Culture who, under the direction of Producer Wally Edgecombe, did a marvelous job of organizing and presenting the festivities. Que Viva the South Bronx, a virtual hot bed for art and culture!

       
 For tickets and information on upcoming events:
 www.hostos.cuny.edu/culturearts