Nils Fischer & Timbazo: Otra idea más

The fact is that after he was re-discovered and brought out of retirement by Paquito D’Rivera – one of the special guests on this remarkable album Otra idea más – the legendary Bebo Valdés [then in Sweden], rose to eminence again to become one of the great ambassadors of Afro-Cuban music. He gave new generations of adoring fans a taste of his music in mambo, chachachá and batanga, [a genre he created in 1952]. He had been quietly performing this music in Sweden for years.

Then his son, Chucho Valdés with his inimitable band Irakere breathed new life into Afro-Cuban music with an elegantly raucous infusion of jazz and rock. When the younger Valdés and Irakere won the Grammy Award for Best Latin Recording in 1980 with their album Irakere, the rest of the world suddenly exploded with Afro-Cuban music like never before [at least not since the 1940s] when Machito brought Afro-Cuban music to new York City. No less a force was Luciano “Chano” Pozo, whose song Tin Tin Deo  captured the imagination of Dizzy Gillespie.

Jump-cut to the album Otra idea más, which reminds us that there is a lot more to Cuban music. Lest we forget, for instance, Nils Fischer – and his remarkable pianist, engineer and co-producer Marc Bischoff – remind us here of the music of the late Cuban composer: Antonio Pérez Fonseca “Tony Pérez.” Originally from Holguín, he moved to Havana where he was celebrated for his gifts as a composer, bassist and producer – particularly for EGREM Studios.

While living in Havana he also recorded Chucho Valdés, Gonzalo Rubalcaba, Enrique Plá, Jorge Varona, Horacio “El Negro” Hernández, Arturo Sandoval and the decorated pianist Hilario Durán, among others. So, this recording with the music of Mr Pérez by Nils Fischer & Timbazo will be one of those rare events where a non-Cuban is honouring a Cuban master.

To be sure, Mr Fischer is one of those rare musicians who has truly mastered challenging Cuban rhythms, as a result of which his performances – in a Blindfold Test – could easily be mistaken for that by a master Cuban percussion colourist – something that is quite an achievement because [like Brasilian music] Cuban percussion is diabolically difficult to master.

Mr Fischer also proves to be a fine orchestrator of music [Arikúe – Prologo and Tumba y Saxo] in the Cuban idiom – another proverbial feather in the cap for Mr Fischer. One would be remiss if one did not mention, here, that Mr Bischoff is equally proficient in that [Cuban] idiom, performing with the kind of tumbao that only Cuban pianists can lay claim to.

At this point it must be mentioned that this is no vigorous, dance-infused recording. The music is songful in a very traditional manner – where respect is duly – and gloriously – paid to son, danzón, guaguancó and bolero idioms. It is thus that Mr Fischer brings such feathery lightness and rhythmic sparkle to the music of Mr Pérez that it is easy to forget his idiomatic phrasing and accentuation of the folk-based melodies on this recording [such as Para Siempre Tenerte and Llueve los Domingos]. The same must be said of Mr Bischoff’s performance.

However, they are not the only two performers who shine on this recording , graced by the likes of the grand master of alto saxophone and clarinet, Paquito D’Rivera and the celebrated vocalist Issac Delgado. The orchestration of this music is characterised by expansive and sensual traversal of the music of Mr Pérez, Mr Fischer and of the two superb songs – composed [and orchestrated] by Iván ‘Melón’ Lewis.

Finally, it must be mentioned that the vocals – by Fabian Nodarse ‘Huracán,’ Alberto Caicedo, Daniel López Montejo, as well as by Edwin Pérez, Alexander Abreu and by Evelyn Dupuy – are superb. Add to that the fact that the brass and woodwinds section makes for a splendid recording. It certainly suggests that every performer appears to be completely attuned to the artistry of the composers, and to the vision of Nils Fischer, who is absolutely on top of his game once again.

Deo Gratis…

Music – 1. Arikúe – Prologo; 2. Para Siempre Tenerte; 3. Pagarás; 4. Sobre la Hierba; 5. Llueve los Domingos; 6. Arikúe; 7. Mentira Cruel; 8. Como Soy; 9. Siempre Conmigo; 10. Tumba y Saxo.

Musicians – Nils Fischer: congas, quinto, clave, güícharo, chekere, effects and bongó; Fabian Nodarse ‘Huracán’: all coros and lead vocal [9]; Alberto Caicedo: all coros and lead vocal [3]; Daniel López Montejo: lead vocal [7]; Marc Bischoff: piano; Samuel Ruiz: bass; Leonid Muñóz: drums; Danny Rombout: bongó [3, 5, 7-9]; Oscar Cordero: trumpet; Joe Rivera: trumpet. Special Guests – Paquito D’Rivera: alto saxophone [1, 10] and clarinet [6]; Issac Delgado: lead vocal [2, 5]; Edwin Pérez: lead vocal [8]; Alexander Abreu: lead vocal [4]; Evelyn Dupuy: lead vocal [7]; Keisel Jiménez: timbal, campana and güiro; Felipe Castro: alto saxophone [2-4, 7-9], tenor saxophone [6] and baritone saxophone [8]; Ben van den Dungen: soprano saxophone [5, 7]; Amaury Pérez: trombones; Gerardo Rosales: maracas; Nando Vanin: coros; Carlos Matos: keyboard [9]; Dave Valentin: flute [9].

Released: 2024
Label: Timbazo Productions
[timbazoproductions.com]
Runtime: 37:11

from https://latinjazznet.com