MARK DIMOND — Brujeria (review)

Album · 1971 · Afro-Cuban Jazz

5/5 · 2011-04-30
Matt

We were robbed once again by dope when it came to Mark Alexander Dimond or Markolino as everybody called him. Mark was a superb pianist and although Eddie Palmieri was his idol he developed to the same class and could play the most rivetting solo's in Salsa with that touch of Sabor with a Cuban influence permeating the music throughout his technique. Mark left plenty of room for solos and he sure knew how to play them. He started with Andy Harlow and then played with Willie Colon and in the late sixties started his own band Conjunto Sabor and in 1971 he recorded "Brujeria" but also wrote the entire album as well, with Harvey Averne, Larry Harlow and Johnny Pacheco doing the producing. There was a new sonero in town called Angel Canales and this is his first recording but Mark Dimond would leave the conjunto in 1975 and Angel who was more well known at this time would take over as leader and would reissue this album "Brujeria" as "Mas Sabor" under his own name on the Alegre label with the original from Mark Dimond being issued on Vaya in 1971. This album is that good and after the poor reception it received in 1971 it is no wonder they had another shot with trying to sell it but it never really was a big hit but as with Vincent Van Gogh it is not to much later the quality becomes apparent and the true masterpiece shines through,simply because time does not affect them and they are just as good if not better from the time of inception. Simply beautifully created Son more so than Salsa although both are apparent but it is that Son sound with those absolutely marvellous piano jazz solo's that Markolino plays throughout the album and yet he still manages to retain a Cuban approach, and could he play them. The coros are Ismael Quintana and Justo Betancourt with both being top lead salseros in their own right. Ismael at this time had only been voted most popular singer in 1966 with Eddy Palmieri's band being vocalist from 1961 to 71. "What about Justo Betancourt"?, well he had been working with Orlando Marin, Eddie Palmieri and Ray Barretto and had already done two albums under his own name as lead vocalist. Four members of the conjunto would stay on even after Markolino left with Angel Canales and they are the two trombonists Ricardo "Richie" Montañez and John "Fudgy" Torres with Antonio Tapia on congas and Louie Rivera on bongos. Danny Reyes provides lone trumpet for the album having played with or soon to be The Lebron Brothers, Larry Harlow and Hector Lavoe and two bass players are credited, Eddie "Gua Gua" Rivera has a list of who he has played with as long as my arm but Willie Colon, Eddie Palmieri with future positions in the Fania All Stars and The Rascals are a few. The other man who contributes bass is Andy Gonzalez who is still going today with another huge list but Tito Puente, Dizzy Gillespie, Eddy Palmieri, Ray Barretto and Chico O'Farrill as well as Chico's son Arturo recently,should suffice as great credentials.

The title "Brujeria" is first with a translation to English meaning witchcraft which it is with its percussion intro and calls from Angel and when that groove comes in, the piano of Mark's is just applied beautifully with a superb solo on trumpet by Danny Reyes and he hits those latin heights with the coros singing "si senor brujeria" throughout and is the only song from the seven within the album that Mark does not solo but he sure makes up for that with the following "Mi Irmita" with an outstanding improvised contribution. Better get a brandy for "Aguardiente" as the title translates too because one of the most amazing little piano solos is within this tune where Mark inserts "Three Blind Mice" when his turn comes to solo and yes it is jazz at its purest with stunning improvision and you do not want him to finish but when he does those trombones kick right in. The vocal tone that Angel Canales possess's is perfect as with the following "Tiene Sabor" which is Son based and that groove is back and as I mentioned above concering the talent of the coros you really have the added benefit within the album of stunning vocals applied to the music with another fab solo from Mark on piano and one great son flavoured trombone solo with this slow percussion Son groover just being another absolute delight on the song list. It just keeps the same high standard coming with "Mariquita" and those coros just make it with perhaps the best vocal effort from Angel as well, and sing you will with the coros "Mariquita Mariquita... Mariquita" with of course Mark coming in after the horns and Angel's vocals with even more jazz delight contained within that beautifully structured piano solo. "Yo No Tengo Pena" and "El Barrio" are just as good as the other selections with the first being another son slow groover and the more up tempo exquisite finisher "El Barrio" with a real blaster coming from the trombones and trumpet contributions.

Mark Dimond recorded another beautiful album in 1975 named "Beethoven's V" but not with the conjunto that was present for "Brujeria" and also contributed to The Alexander Review and the odd appearance with Ismael Quintana, Hector Lavoe and also Andy and Larry Harlow. What a talent but heroin destroyed his life and career and he disappeared for around ten years after 1976 but emerged again in 1988 with Andy and Larry Harlow but died shortly after. Terrible waste of such a great talent but we still are lucky to have the two he recorded under his own name with "Brujeria" being one of those albums that are meter blowers because five stars seems inadequate for this total Latin Afro-Cuban Masterpiece from 1971.