IRAKERE

[Squaredancecalling Steve]

What a great band! Tell me about them! I clearly haven't been paying close enough attention.

I just got 'The Best of Irakere,' which was the band with Chucho Valdes, Arturo Sandoval and Paquito D'Rivera. I know politics has messed with their exposure, availability, and lineups.

What should I get next? What should I know about them?

[Tanager]

You've probably got most of what you need - the first edition of the band was by far the best, and they unfortunately didn't leave much of a recorded legacy. The little bit I've heard of their later work (90s stuff, mostly from compilations) is substantially more run-of-the-mill.

[Pete C]

Originally posted by Tanager
The little bit I've heard of their later work (90s stuff, mostly from compilations) is substantially more run-of-the-mill.

I consider "run-of-the-mill" a poor choice of words. Substantially more "traditional" Latin jazz, yes, but run-of-the-mill?

[Tanager]

Originally posted by Pete C
I consider "run-of-the-mill" a poor choice of words. Substantially more "traditional" Latin jazz, yes, but run-of-the-mill?

In comparison to their first album, I don't think it's an unfair characterization - if run-of-the-mill means "unexceptional," which is my interpretation, I stick by it. If you don't agree with the characterization in an absolute sense, fine, but I don't think that I'm being unfair in rating their later work substantially lower than the first album. I'm not saying their later work is bad/boring/whatever, but I am saying it doesn't rise anywhere near to the level of fireworks produced in the early days.

[SinginSumo]

Steve, if I remember correctly Irakere had a sensational album released on Rounder (I think). However, I could not, for the life of me, find that album online. Can anyone tell me the title so that Steve might try to find it as used (if a cut-out)?

[lazarus]

I saw them live a couple of times in the late 70´s and they were great. Fantastic players!

I don´t know what recordings that are available on cd but I remember I had at least two albums on vinyl many years ago that I liked. One selftitled on Columbia and one on a scandinavian label. Unfortunely I sold them sometime in late 80´s.

[Squaredancecalling Steve]

Thanks.

Is there a current band? Is it led by Chucho?

[Pete C]

Originally posted by Squaredancecalling Steve
Thanks.

Is there a current band? Is it led by Chucho?

The band still exists, but Chucho left about 2 years ago. But he played with them for a great reunion concert in Montreal last summer.

[Sergio Zamora]

I havent heard it in a whle, but I really liked "Live at Ronnie Scott's" from the early 90's, I think.

[Jonny Miner]

This may sound funny, but I just started seeking out this band's stuff after Ian MacKaye (Fugazi, Minor Threat, etc.) said in a recent interview that he's been listening to them a lot. I figured I'd post here, and was on the verge of starting a similar thread! I don't have anything yet, but I've fondled the Columbia best of in a couple of shops. Is that the one you have, Squaredancecalling Steve?

[Squaredancecalling Steve]

Tht's the one, Johnny -- dynamite!

[Jimmy Cantiello]

Originally posted by Pete C
The band still exists, but Chucho left about 2 years ago. But he played with them for a great reunion concert in Montreal last summer.

Oh yeah! I was there! Of course, Pete was there that night as well, with a better seat than me. Chucho was cookin' that night. The band was on fire for most of the night............

[HenryMc]

I haven't played the IRAKERE LP's in my collection for about 20 years. I kind of remember them as pedestrian.......I better go back and re-listen I guess.

[craigz]

Sometime in the late 70s, I went to a Kool Jazz Festival concert in NYC called "Three Pianos and Two Guitars." It was Mary Lou Williams, Bill Evans, and McCoy Tyner, each playing solo, and a duet of Larry Coryell and Philip Catherine. After the concert (which was great) George Wein came out and told everyone to stay put, because there was going to be a surprise appearance by this hot new band from Cuba. They started setting up for a lot of players, including all this latin percussion. I was in my teens and hadn't seen too much live jazz at that time, and when these guys hit, they just burned. Arturo Sandoval and Paquito D'Rivera were still in the band then, and the combination of the jazz soloing and the salsa ensemble work was just fantastic.

[las.vegas.lynn]

HBO is running the Arturo Sandoval story. Music is fabulous and it is a really interesting insite into the formation of the band and their relationship with Dizzy. Music is fabulous! (oh I said that already)

[Mike Schwartz]

craigz,
I was at the same show.
MaryLou played duo with Buster Williams [bass, no relation], Evans & Tyner solo.

I've interviewed Sandoval, and at the mention of that concert all these years later, he can give you the exact date. That morning they leave Cuba and the same evening they play Carnegie Hall.
In the fist row of seats in the orchestra, there sat in front of the Irakere horn section, Stan Getz, Tito Puente, Mario Bauza, Maynard Fergeson and several more that Arturo rattled off. Carlos Del Puerto was on bass/percussion/vocal was in that band too. Another cat that was able to get out of Cuba. Obviously a memeorable evening in 1978 for both of us!

[craigz]

Hm, now that you mention it, Mike, maybe I do remember Buster Williams. I was thinking that Mary Lou did her usual solo "history of jazz" set, but that might have been another gig. I do remember being totally bored by Bill Evans (hey, I was 17) and blown away by Tyner, who had a chair next to the piano with a dulcimer on it, which he didn't play. I really loved the guitar duets too. I was into Larry Coryell at the time, and he played frequently around NY. Did Daniel Ponce play congas with Irakere that night? I saw him with Paquito a lot right after they escaped, at Soundscape and other places. He always knocked me out.