Latin Jazz This Week

NEWS
Tonight, Monday October 12th, the first two pieces of the new documentary Latin Music U.S.A. will premiere on PBS - don’t miss this one! This four hour documentary chronicles the growth of Latin music in the United States over the past fifty years; there’s going to be a lot of great stuff in there. The first episode should be of particular interest to LJC readers, as it focuses upon Latin Jazz through the work of Machito and the early Mambo big bands. You can find local listings and times on the Latin Music U.S.A. website, which also has some great multi-media features - check it out HERE. The second two episodes will air next Monday, October 19th - make sure that you check it out & let me know your feedback!

Over at the NPR Jazz blog, A Blog Supreme, drummer and writer Felix Contreras has focused upon two of his current favorite Latin Jazz releases. I’m in full support of his picks - Bien, Bien! from Wayne Wallace and I Talking Now! from Luis Bonilla. Contreras cues in on some specific features of the albums that really stand out; I especially enjoyed his enthusiastic support for the Bay Area’s Latin Jazz scene. In addition, you can stream a track from each album directly from the blog. It’s a good article on some fantastic albums, check it out HERE.

The presence of artists from the Caribbean, Central America, and South America has been a growing trend in the world of jazz; although sometimes it seems like only the die-hard Latin Jazz fans notice this, more people are listening. More specifically, the music education people are starting to listen . . . at least the hipper ones like bassist Oscar Stagnaro, who teaches at the Berklee School Of Music. The school has been recruiting students from these areas for over a decade, and their alumni are starting to have a major effect upon the Latin music world. The Boston Herald did a great write-up on the school’s connection with Latin America.
http://www.chipboaz.com/blog/2009/10/12/latin-jazz-this-week-84/