FERNANDO LAVOY — Fernando Lavoy Y Los Soneros (review)

FERNANDO LAVOY — Fernando Lavoy Y Los Soneros album cover

Album · 1982 · Afro-Cuban Jazz

5/5 · 2011-03-03
Matt

Fernando Lavoy was born in Havana in 1950 and moved to the U.S. in 1980. He was nick named El Montunero and soon found himself collaborating with Alfredo (Chocolate) Armenteros on his album " Y Sigo Con Mi" at Sar Productions. Not long after he was a member of The Sar All Stars in 1981 but also within those two years he recorded two albums under his own name,the first being "Los Soneros", 1981 and the other is "Fernando Lavoy Y Los Soneros" 1982, both were recorded at Sar Productions who had a policy for extended songs that gives plenty of room for improvision which was always in the solos by the respective muscians. One thing that Sar also had was a distinct Cuban Son texture to their productions and usually the house band at the company were the ones who provided the music on the recordings but in this case Los Soneros were their own band with none of the Sar regulars present except for Roberto Torres who produced the album as was the norm. Los Soneros though had their own lumanaries with Juan Gonzalez, directing, arranging and playing a wonderful Latin trumpet, also Juan Mendez is belting the bongo as well with of couse Fernando singing lead vocals and writing 50% of the material for both albums. We also have Juan Gonzalez Jr on piano who I suspect is Juan the trumpet players son. Also the band ( conjunto) consists of four trumpet players with Juan Gonzalez leading, also bass, Conga, Bongo, Coros and Tres played by Norman Rodriguez with plenty of flair. The album Fernando Lavoy Y Los Soneros is another example of the high standard that Roberto Torres sought in all his productions with Sar and they really did have at the label their own sound which is Cuban roots music, yes Son was the main driver played to perfection with some wonderful solos throughout by the muscians. The label had difficulty with main stream acceptance with English audiences unlike Fania Records and the reason would be that although this is Son with plenty of Jazz injected it was still roots music direct from Cuba with that certain sleazy feel and if you are like me this just improves the standard out of sight.

Six tracks on the album and "Noy Voy A Dormir", I am not going to sleep being the translation and soon as you hear the blazing trumpet intro with Fernando introducing the song before commencing his vocals and they are given superb support from the coros. Juan Gonzalez shows us how a latin trumpet solo should sound with some excellent assistance from the other trumpets but Juan Mendez on bongo is just as good with his turn in this one explosive song with the montuno to finish it off. Fernando is the composer for the next son montuno and "Cojela Suave" is smooth as the title implies but that is if hard core son is to your liking with some wonderful rythmn and Juan Jr is superb with the piano solo. "Pegaditos" is a Miguel Matamoros composition who would have to be the second most famous Cuban Son composer after Arsenio Rodriguez as he originally started with a trio in the late 1920,s and quickly developed a conjunto format in the early forties but back to the tune with its pure son structure and that high sleazy trumpet just floating over Fernando's vocals but the time does change within the song twice with another for the montuno and intensity keeps building with great assistance by the coros who provide spot on support for Fernandos vocals over that rapid rythmn for the montuno ending. Another two Fernando compositions on the album with "Juana La Sin Goma" being another explosion musically but also with gasoline in the lyrics."No Vuelo Contigo" another son track which is the album closer and the most laid back of Fernando's compositions but still no where near a bolero and it is son with the great cuban structure of the montuno ending.The montuno is used within every song on this wonderful album that was recorded back in 1982. Stunning solos from the respective muscians and one groove with more groove is the constant theme which Los Soneros with Fernando Lavoy recorded in their time at Sar Productions.

Sadly Fernando Lavoy was murdered in a case of mistaken identity but he left behind two beautiful albums that he recorded in the early 1980's which are pure cuban roots but still contempary with improvision and stunning play by the band. One other note if you are interested in Fernandos early work on Sar with Chocolate Armenteros you will find the album I mentioned above under the title "La Mejorde Chocolate Vol 2" on Sar of course.