Irakere
Reviewed on this page:
Cuban Jazz Revolution - Vol. III - The Best of Irakere - Para Bailar Son - En Vivo - Calzada Del Cerro -
Orquesta Sinfonica Nacional -
Bailando Así - Toda Cuba Baila Con... - Quince Minutos -Felicidad - Indestructible - Babalú Ayé
Led by ace pianist Jesús "Chucho" Valdés, Irakere is a
Cuban band that plays Afro-Cuban jazz and traditional Cuban rhythms with
equal proficiency, and occasionally stretch as far as Mozart or disco.
Irakere has gone through innumerable horn players
since their first big hit, 1974's guitar-driven "Bacalao Con Pan" - though their rhythm section has remained admirably stable - and continued to perform all over the world through the 90s. (Since then, Valdés has focused on solo work.) For all the accolades the group and its members have received, I think Valdés's sense of humor has been overlooked: as serious as he takes his music, there's always a playful spirit at work, as heard in tunes like "Rucu Rucu A Santa Clara" or 1998's cover of "Feliz Cumpleaños."
I'm still missing much of the band's discography, and nearly all of Chucho's, so consider this a sampling. (DBW)
Personnel:
In 1979, members included Jesús "Chucho" Valdés, piano; Enrique Plá, drums; Carlos Emilio Morales, guitar; Paquito D'Rivera, clarinet and sax; Arturo Sandoval, trumpet; Carlos Del Puerto, bass; Oscar Valdés, vocals and percussion; Carlos Averhoff, flute and sax; Jorge Varona, trumpet; Jorge Alfonso and Armando Cuervo, percussion.
D'Rivera and Sandoval left 1980; José Luis Cortés joined. Cortés left circa 1987 to form NG La Banda. New members by 1991 included Miguel Diaz and Moises Valdés, percussion; Orlando Valle, keyboards and flute; César Lopez and Javier Zalba, sax; Juan Munguia and Adalberto Lara, trumpet. By 1998 everyone had left apart from Valdés, Plá and Morales - new members were Jos´ Miguel, vocals and percussion; Jorge Luis Valdés Chicoy, guitar; Jorge Reyes, bass; Roman Filiu and Irving Michel Acao, sax; Basilio Márquez and Julio Padrón, trumpet; Adel González, congas; Maikel Ante, vocals.
 Cuban Jazz Revolution (Chucho Valdés y Su Combo: rec. 1963-1966)
The first recordings of Valdés as a leader are collected here, fourteen from 1963 and four from 1966. Right from the get-go, he was inclined to mix and match musical styles, with electric guitar on the descarga "Pa' Gozar" and
the dramatic solo piano opening to the otherwise straightforward guajira "Guantanamera." "Sonidos Siderales" opens and closes with spacey echo effects reminiscent of Sun Ra.
At times, though, all the experimentation seems scattershot, without foundation (the circus music opening "Guasabeando Voy"), or simply trite (the three-chord guajira-rock "Guajisón").
And when Valdés sticks to conventional forms, the results are often, well, conventional ("Mercy's Cha Cha"). Only a couple of tracks are truly powerful (the full band jazz "Por La Libre").
Then again, I should go easy on him: Eddie Palmieri is about the only other bandleader who was exploring Latin jazz in this period, and his early records aren't so great either.
The band features future Irakere members Paquito D'Rivera (clarinet and alto sax) and Carlos Emilio Morales (guitar), plus Julio Vento (flute), Alberto Giral (trombone), Kike Hernández (bass) and Emilio del Monte (drums).
(DBW)
Irakere Vol. I (1974)
The band's first hit was the uptempo fusion number "Bacalao Con Pan," driven by wah-wah guitar and a vocal chant. "Taka Taka-Ta" is similar (from the chord progression up), while "Misaluba" - the only other of the eight tracks I've heard - is not as impressive, a rambling jam with spotty sound quality.
(DBW)
Irakere Vol. II (1979)
A collaboration with Cuban classical guitar virtuoso Leo Brouwer, who arranged four of the album's six tunes. The set showcases the group's versatility: There's a quiet version of Scott Joplin's "The Entertainer" with just Brouwer and Valdés alternating statements of the melody, only livened up with brief spurts of Dixieland horns. There are takes on three classical pieces: Rodrigo's "Concierto De Aranjuez," a Mozart "Adagio," and Heitor Villalobos's "Preludio No. 3." Best and most ambitious of all is Valdés's own "Misa Negra" (Black Mass), an enveloping thirteen-minute suite with a tremendous instrumental and emotional sweep. I've only heard half the record, but I'm looking for the rest.
(DBW)
 Irakere Vol. III (1980?)
Back to the swinging fusion of the first album, with a sequel to "Bacalao Con Pan" ("Moja El Pan") and the robust, fascinating, electric guitar-enhanced mini-suite "Juana 1600." But don't answer yet: there's more! A couple of tunes are closer to standard Cuban dance music: "Camaguey" and the traditional "Xiomara Mayoral - Xiomara" sound much like what Los Van Van was playing in this period. D'Rivera gets to show off his chops on the jazz instrumentals "En Nosotros" and "Iy," while "38 1/2," with a squealling guitar lead, an enjoyably unburnished vocal, and a singalong vocal chant, sounds like Nuyorican salsa at its most experimental.
(DBW)
El Coco (1980?)
This time the blend of Afro-Cuban and Western elements is smoother, more organic:
On "La Comparsa," a driving funk riff provides the basis for a wild, almost free-jazz trumpet solo. "Aguanile Bonkó" grows from santería origins to a bewilderingly complex Latin jazz arrangement.
"Los Ojos De Pepa" features a yummy electric piano solo from Valdés, though the main theme isn't that interesting.
There's also a remake of "Quindiambo" from the first LP, and the concert favorite "Por Romper El Coco."
(DBW)
 The Best Of Irakere (rec. 1980, rel. 1994)
The recordings
collected on this Columbia release were made in the Carter
Administration, when the US embargo against Cuba was briefly lifted, and
I believe these are the last recordings with Paquito D'Rivera on sax and Arturo Sandoval on trumpet. The selections are
jazz-oriented, and often not too different from US fusion of the period
("Gira Gira") though the polyrhythmic percussion is always distinctive ("Aguanile").
The band is at its most interesting when it stretches out, as on a 17-minute live version of
Valdés's multi-movement "Misa Negra."
D'Rivera also does a jazz take on a Mozart clarinet Adagio, but his
improvisations sound forced, as if he hadn't really thought the whole
concept through. As the only CD you'll probably ever find of the early
lineup, this is worth hunting down, but if you're not a jazz fan,
this isn't the place to start. (DBW)
 Para Bailar Son (1981)
Their fifth studio album, and by now D'Rivera and Sandoval had defected. The
new star soloist was Jose Luís Cortés, the flautist who
had just come from Los Van Van and would
himself leave to form NG La Banda.
Musically this is a big change from the Columbia records, with
the jazz influence soft-pedaled in favor of riotous dance
rhythms: they even record the Arsenio Rodríguez chestnut
"Dile A Catalina." Valdés lays low this time around; he
only composed one song, "Tres Días," and doesn't do much
soloing. Cortés' one song is enjoyable ("No Quiero
Confusión"), and aside from a ten-minute bolero ("Ese Atrevimiento") nothing is dull, but this isn't the group at its best. (DBW)
Live In Sweden (1981)
I'd love to hear this one, with versions of "Juana 1600," "Aguanile Bonkó," "Tres Días" and four more.
(DBW)
En Vivo (rec. 1982?)
This is a "gray market" release, and I don't know when it was recorded but the track list focuses on songs from the first albums - "Taka Taka-Ta"; "Dile A Catalina" - and dance tracks rather than classical or jazz. So it doesn't give you a sense of the group's range but it's a heck of a lot of fun:
"Aguanile Bonkó" is a brilliant, high-energy blend of santería and funk,
along the lines of Palmieri's "Lucumí, Macumba, Voodoo."
On the lighter side, "Baile Mi Ritmo" is pure tongue-in-cheek disco, complete with a guitar lick borrowed from "You Should Be Dancin'."
And it's tough to go wrong when a record starts with "Bacalao Con Pan" and "Moja El Pan" back to back.
(DBW)
Irakere Vol. VI (1982)
Back to classical music, with Debussy's "My Reverie" and a long, uninspired take on Beethoven ("Variaciones Sobre La Opera 'La Molinara'"). Then there's Gregorio Battle's "Los Caramelos," and two band compositions: "Siete Tazas De Café" and "Que Se Sepa, Yo Soy De La Habana."
(DBW)
Calzada Del Cerro (1983)
The band's seventh album is mostly in a no-nonsense mode, though the opening "12 y 23" is a synth experiment
reminiscent of Los Van Van's "Eso Que
Anda," and Valdés resorts to two more Arsenio covers
(the powerhouse "De Una Manera Espantosa" and "La Vida Es Un Sueño").
I got this on a twofer with Bailando Así, a must-buy; on
its own this disc is great for fans but not the best introduction to
Irakere.
(DBW)
 Orquesta Sinfonica Nacional (1984?)
Two side-long tunes: "Tema De Chaka," recorded with symphony orchestra, and the jazz suite "Homenaje a Charlie Mingus." Ambitious, but a mess, as both sides are packed with half-written themes that go nowhere, interspersed with overlong solos (Averhoff and Valdés, surprisingly, are the main offenders).
"Tema De Chaka" sounds like an overture to a lousy Hollywood film score, with lots of fluttering but no evident direction. The Mingus homage comes across a bit better, as at least Del Puerto's humongous bass solo is interesting.
(DBW)
Tierra En Trance (1984?)
The only tune I know from this disc is the terrific, epic dance track "Estela Va A Estallar," which swells from a piano-led opening to a frantic Cortés solo.
(DBW)
 Bailando Así (1985)
Suddenly the band stopped fooling around with classical tropes and self-conscious fusion: every track here is
hard-hitting and memorable ("Homenaje A Beny"). Cortés's "Rucu Rucu
A Santa Clara" was a big hit, the title track is irresistable,
"Boliviana" is a slow tuneful bolero, and "Por Culpa Del Güao" is
an artfully arranged, tempo-shifting merengue. You won't get as good a sense of the group's influence as you would from their earlier records, but for intelligent dance music it's hard to beat. (DBW)
Toda Cuba Baila Con... (rec. 1973-1988)
A compilation of tracks from the first ten albums, including studio versions of some material from The Best Of Irakere ("Misa Negra"; "Adagio") and lots of other stuff. With a generous running time and a lot of obscure gems ("Juana 1600"), snap this up if you see it.
(DBW)
Lucumi: Piano Solo (Chucho Valdés: 1988)
Solo piano. (DBW)
Quince Minutos (1989?)
The band is in a salsa bag on this album, their eleventh. The disc includes
two examples of the rucu rucu rhythm Valdés was then enamored
of - I find it somewhat cheesy, but fun ("Ruta 43," "Santiaguera").
There's also a lovely near-ballad (title track), and Cortés tries
on Mexican traditional music for size ("Mejicanita"): it adds variety
if nothing else. (DBW)
Homenage A Benny Moré (1989)
A good compilation covering the band's history from "Bacalao Con Pan" through to "Santiaguera," though it's very dance-heavy... you'd think they'd have found room for a little of their jazz side.
(DBW)
In 1990, the band backed Silvio Rodríguez on a wonderful double live album,
En Chile.
Felicidad (1991)
After the fall of the Soviet Union, Cuban bands focused on touring outside the country to bring back hard currency,
and often took the opportunity to record in foreign studios or jazz clubs.
This one was recorded in Ronnie Scott's Club in London, and
it consists of six long tunes ("Stella, Pete, Ronnie" is 17 minutes
long) that sound at least half-improvised. The good news is that
Valdés' piano playing is as good as ever, and much easier
to hear in the more laid-back setting. This is emphatically music to be
listened to, not danced to, and if you're interested in Latin jazz at
all this is worth checking out. (DBW)
Solo Piano (Chucho Valdés: 1993)
An odd title, as apparently bass and percussion appear on part of this album.
(DBW)
Indestructible (1994)
By 1994, timba - NG La Banda's blend of traditional rhythms with forward-looking jazz and funk styles - had become hugely influential in Havana, and Irakere appears to have jumped on the bandwagon. Though the band had been playing fusion long before NG was formed, this record unmistakably incorporates NG's distinctive brass arrangements and synth work. When Mayra Caridad Valdés appears to sing boleros - "Serenata En Batanga" and the title track - it's remarkably like NG's work with Malena Burke. Imitative as it is, this is still fun,
with some dynamite grooves ("La Peleona," "Pare Cochero"), Chucho's usual fine piano work, and impeccable support from the rest of the band. (DBW)
Boleros Inigualables (1996)
En Vivo (Iván Lins, Chucho Valdés y Irakere: 1996)
Afrocubanismo Live! (1996)
With lots of guests: Changuito, Las Muñequitos De Matanzas, etc.
(DBW)
Desafíos (Chucho Valdés and Omara Portuando: 1997)
Babalú Ayé (1998)
A disappointing rehash of old tunes in new timba-influenced arrangements: a guitar-heavy remake of "La Comparsa"; decent but unremarkable takes on "Por Romper El Coco" and "Tres Días." Nearly the only new material is the marathon title track, with
Lazaro Ros and his backup singers chanting piously but with no trace of the musicality Sintesis brought to the same format.
As always, the band's professionalism ("Solo Te Echaron Un Medio") and sense of humor ("Feliz Cumpleaños") are present, but that's about it.
(DBW)
Yemayá (1998)
Right after this, Valdés apparently broke up Irakere and focused on his solo work.
(DBW)
Bele Bele En La Habana (Chucho Valdés: 1998)
Valdés backed with bass and percussion. (DBW)
Briyumba Palo Congo (Chucho Valdés: 1999)
Live At The Village Vanguard (Chucho Valdés: 2000)
Accompanied by bass and percussion. (DBW)
Solo: Live In New York (Chucho Valdés: 2001)
Includes versions of "Besame Mucho" and "Somewhere Over The Rainbow" in addition to such expected fare as "Tres Lindas Cubanas."
(DBW)
Canciones Inéditas (Chucho Valdés: 2002)
Con Cachaito (Chucho Valdés: 2002)
A trio setting with bass legend Orlando "Cachaito" Lopez and longtime Irakere drummer Enrique Plá. Cortés and German Velazco add flutes to "My Reverie."
(DBW)
Fantásia Cubana (Chucho Valdés: 2002)
Solo piano, including a number of classical pieces: Chopin's "Prelude In E Minor," Debussy's "Reverie And Arabesque," Ravel's "Pavane For A Dead Princess."
(DBW)
New Conceptions (Chucho Valdés: 2003)
Piano plus rhythm section, though guest horn players crop up on a few tunes.
(DBW)
Cancionero Cubano (Chucho Valdés: 2005)
Solo piano again. (DBW)
Continua bailando así
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