Reviews
CINTRON BAND
Live/Manteca
(Cintron Band)
Recorded live at The Mohegan Sun Hotel and Casino in 2006, this recording
captures the New Jersey-based band Cintron at their best. Led, produced
and arranged by timbalero Edgardo A. Cintrón, this big band
composed of five horn players, three percussionists, three vocalists,
piano, bass and guitar, plays a balanced mix of salsa, Latin jazz,
and popular dance music capable of pleasing most audiences. The highlights
of this live performance are the selections Manteca (Dizzy Gillespie
and Chano Pozo classic), Vamonos Pal Monte (Eddie Palmieri composition),
and the Tito Puente classic Picadillo. Closing the recording is a
2010 studio recording bonus track of the Michael Jackson mega-hit
Human Nature arranged to a salsa style with bilingual lyrics. There
are praiseworthy solos throughout this live performance by Edgardo
Cintrón (timbal), Angel Velez (trumpet), and David Colón
(piano/keyboards). —Rudy Mangual
courtesy www.allaboutjazz.com By Elliott Simon
Among the top working timbaleros on the Latin/jazz scene, Edgardo
Cintron has joined with his Azuca Band to release a CD that exquisitely
merges the two musics while remaining true to the soul of both traditions.
From Fathers to Sons: Old School Clave packs plenty of punch with
an eleven-piece orchestra that swings as well as salsas, and features
a rhythm section that doesn’t let up. A mix of ballads, standards
and exceedingly danceable salsa, the session is heavy on the latter.
The festive opener, “Azuca,” sets an immediate tone of
precise and complex Latin rhythms, combined with David Colon’s
jazzier piano work. Trumpeter Angel Velez plays a commanding horn
throughout and shines on the more traditional cuts, such as “China/Tumbao
Y Bongo,” the sweet “Cochero” and the dual closers
“Vamonos Guajira” and “Vamonos Pal Monte.”
The oft-presented “Ojos Verdes” is given a touching ballad
treatment here with appropriately demure muted trumpet and delicious
vocals. Strayhorn’s “A Train” flys off the tracks
to Puerto Rico and then spends “A Night in Tunisia,” where
Dizzy’s classic is made even worldlier with a fresh infusion
of Latin rhythm. Salsa rules on the fiery “Bilongo.” “Family,”
the session’s thematic piece, is an achingly smooth paean to
past, present and future.
Based in New Jersey, Cintron and the Azuca Band are well known among
fans of the Cape May Jazz Festivals and for their multiple appearances
at Connecticut’s Mohegan Sun Casino. With this release they
show they are up to the standards of the top Latin/jazz bands in the
country. In the tradition of Puente, Palmieri and Barretto, Cintron
doesn’t sacrifice the rhythm while giving his musicians plenty
of room to solo and explore.
Singer: Edgardo To. Cintron & The Azuca band
Album: From Fathers To Sons…
Date: 26/02/2007
Of Puerto Rican origin the percussionista Edgardo Cintron gia' was
known like Director of the Orchestra “Tiempo Noventa”.
With this new formation, based in New Jersey, Edgardo introduces a
cd of Latin jazz (with dance accents) ripresentando important “standards”
of the past. Beginning from the Latin/sauce “Azuca” it
is continued with chacha “the Guantanamera” that e' occasion
for a musical homage to the “Reina” Celia Cruz: emphasized
the fresh and innovative agreement e' from the bugle of Angel Velez
and sax of Bill the Murray. “To train” famous brano jazz
of the pianista Bill Strayhorns (here to the plan e' David Colon),
two beautiful Latin/sauce (by now the most famous “Bilongo”
and “China-Tumbao y bongo”), “Ojos verdes, “Picadillo”,
“Cochero”, the bolero - composed from Willie Murray -”
Family' and still a brano of Latin jazz: “To night in Tunisia”
classic of Dizzy Gillespie; in order to close with two Guajira: “Vamonos
Guajira” (beautiful the assoli of bugle!) and “Vamonos
pal mount” that closes the album of the duration total of an
hour. This cd - arranged and interpreted in the tradition “old
school” of the Big band of Puente, Palmieri and Barretto he
is ascoltabile on biographical ulterior www.vinilemania.net that filler
also info. The brani sing to you very are intrepretati from the voice
of the solista David Colon.
Edited by: Roberto Rabbi
Review by Latin Lady Dj Margarita for WWW.VINILEMANIA.NET
Edgardo A. Cintron & The Azuca Band serve up a heaping portion
of treasured favorites with their most recent release, From Fathers
To Sons - Old School Clave.
From the very first time I heard their interpretation of "Suavecito",
I immediately entered my own past (musically), to a time back in the
days of my own unfolding as a teenager, living in San Francisco and
being surrounded by great bands such as Tower of Power, Santana, Malo
and the likes. This was "home" for me!
Born in 1958 to Puerto Rican parents, Edgardo was exposed to music
from a very early age. In 1962 his father Pablo, moved them from Fort
Riley, to the East Coast. It was here that "dad", who was
a musician in his own right, (guitarist) was able to perform along
with greats like Tito Puente, Charlie Parker & Carlos Santana.
At the ripe age of 12, Edgardo was playing with in his father's band
along dad as percussionist, traveling, and being exposed to renown
musicians such as Yomo Toro and more.
From Fathers To Sons - Old School Clave represents the gifts we leave
behind, the lessons learned, the culture lived, the love felt and
so much more. It was Edgardo's own father who tutored him musically,
with guitar, French horn and percussion. The essence of "From
Fathers To Sons".
The cd in its entirety can be view as "Old School" and
the "Clave" is pretty much self explanatory. I simply loved
every single track on this album. From the first interpretation of
"Azuca" to the jammin' "Vamonos Pa' Monte", From
Fathers to Sons - Old School Clave has it all, the heartfelt romance
in "Ojos Verdes" (aka: "Tus Ojos"), simply oozes
with perfection, the jazzy A-Train will literally have you on the
floor hoping it's an extended track, you definitely want more of this!
Additional tracks include favorites such as Bilongo, Pare Cochero,
Guantanamera, Vamonos Guajira, Picadillo, China Tumbao y Bongo, Family,
and A Night in Tunisia, (another great Dizzy selection).
From Fathers To Sons - Old School Clave is the most recent production
with Edgardo A. Cintron & The Azuca Band. This album is all about
heart and soul and its a wonderful tribute to "dads" everywhere.
Especially those fathers who were around and who instilled in us a
love and appreciation for music, so strong that it continues to shine
through everyday of our lives. This gift was passed down From Fathers
To Sons". We now pass it to you. Keep it shining!
Meet the members: Edgardo A. Cintron: timbales, congas, guira, cowbell;
Noel Cintron: congas, vocals; Angel Velez: Trumpet, vocals; David
Colon: Piano, bass, lead vocals; Gilberto Cruz, Jr.: baritone sax;
Humberto Alicea: trombone; Papo Buda: bongos, cowbell, guira; Jimmy
Lopez: piano, bass, vcals; Roosevelt Walker Jr.: guitar William Murray:
piccolo, soprano and tenor sax; Michael Pedicin Jr.: tenor sax; Edwin
Centeno: bongo, cowbell, guiro
You can listen to recorded samples as well as purchase their cds
online on their website:
http://www.edgardocintronazucaband.com/
Highly recommended.
