|
In 1979, Martin Cohen launched a series of tours that promoted the cause of Latin music. The Montreux Jazz Festival was a highlight in 1980, celebrated on video and on the cover of the jazz magazine, Downbeat.
The the touring band hit the famous Swiss venue, it was hot. It consisted of Tito
Puente on timbales, "Patato" Valdez on congas and percussion, Alfredo de la Fe on violin and percussion, Carlos and Michael Viñas on bass and the late, great Jorge Dalto on piano.
Rather than a pandering repertoire of "watered down" Latin for European audiences, the band chose difficult arrangements in a surprisingly contemporary format. "My Favorite Things" is a good example.
Alfredo de la Fe's electric violin recalls the work of Jean Luc Ponty, complete with the echoplex and phase shifter effects so popular at the time. His pensive, solo intro leads into a version as rousing as Coltrane's. Tito Puente prods the song forward with his sparkling ride cymbal work, working off Dalto's piano.
A percussion interlude featuring Patato's earthy sounding congas and Puente's timbales segues to a 6/8 portion; then it's back to common time, a high-speed montuno, and more of de la Fe's violin. You can hear that the players are having a great time! Tito Puente acts as M.C. At one point, while explaining Cuban song form to the audience, Tito claims his colleague Patato has been performing this one for "one hundred and two years!"
Patato opens the last tune with congas playing a melodic line that signals a Tito Puente song made famous worldwide by Santana. Quickly the audience picks up on a familiar refrain - the hit "Oye Como Va". In an unusual touch, Patato's harmony vocals predominate in the stereo mix (perhaps Tito was off-mic), providing the melody with an unusual twist. It is a vibrant closing to this stellar example of small group Latin musicians.
|
