NICHOLAS MENHEIM — Commandante Che Guevara (review)

NICHOLAS MENHEIM — Commandante Che Guevara album cover

Boxset / Compilation · 2002 · Afro-Cuban Jazz

5/5 · 2011-02-09
Matt

Son and more son but this music is not from Cuba but comes from Senegal in West Africa with "Nicolas Menheim" and his band "Le Super Sabador" laying down some of the best Afro-Cuban grooves with a distinct African style but firmly in Cuba. Nicolas started in 1979 in Senegal with the "Star Band" and later worked with "Youssou N Dour" with both being in the band "Super Etoile de Dakar". In the early 1990's Nicholas was one of the founding members of "Africando" with "Medoune Diallo" and "Papa Seck" and in 1999 went into the studios to record two cassettes with his new band "Le Super Sabador" which were called "Nene Cherie" and "Che Guevara" and both comprise the music contained within this album.The line up has Nicholas on vocals with "Camou Yande" doing congas and singing lead on "Ainicha" and "Borinque Tropical" and also we get the popular Senegalese female singer "Maguette Dione" doing guiro and lead vocals on "A Puerto Rico" and "El Divorcio", with all three doing coros as well giving it that African spice with their accents and singing style.The band has four on brass with three playing trumpet and "Wilfred Zissou" playing magnificent trombone that fills the album with a gorgeous roots sound. The trumpet players also do a great job but "Mamadou Diack" plays guitar and bass on the recording and really lays down those son grooves. There are keyboards but no saxophones just trumpet with trombone, guitar, bass and timbales, congas, guiro and maracas filling the sound as well as providing the rythmn and one big sleazy feel to the music. A little rough around the edges but that just gives the album more character with a live feel to the recording.

Horns are the first thing you hear with "Nene Cherie' and Nicolas with those smoooth vocals that just cruise with the music and a great montuno for the ending. "Demal" which is next has that slow cuban groove which opens with some great piano but that trombone from Wilfred is all over it with spectacular results. This song Nicolas also did the previous year with "Africando" and is as Cuban as it comes with driving horns, superb vocals and just oozes with groove and one great trombone solo with montuno at the end and more blazing trombone with trumpets.On "Da lo.co" we get "Camou Yande" doing lead vocals with real feel in his voice as in the song "Aincha" later to follow and both are awash with that trombone and those trumpets."Camou Yande" who follows singing "A Puerto Rico" gives a spirited performance and the track moves along quickly and it is great with the addition of a female to do lead. The chorus will have you singing "a' puerto rico" in repitition (the montuno) in no time. We get to the title track and it is one knockout with that slow groove which is back and Nicolas is superb with the band with an almost hynotic feel to the song, you do not have to speak Spanish to be drawn in and the solos are just right along that beat and groove. Best track for me from many stunners on the album with its montuno of "a presente commandante Che Guevara" and one that will glue in your brain.

I have heard a fair few African Salsa albums but not one like this which feels like it was lifted from another time with a strong Cuban roots feel but still it has a touch of African influence and maybe just like a boomerang things return from where thay came, by Cuban music returning to its original roots in Africa and Nicolas with his band "Le Super Sabador" giving it their treatment.