Just look at the above pictures of the beaches of southern Puerto
Rico... We keep going back; wondering why? Well
aside from the familial bond, its quite evident that there is
nothing like a tropical respite to shift one's perspective. The
pictures above are of a road trip taken along the southern coast, way off the beaten path and affordable. This side of the island offers to those that dare venture off the beaten touristic
path a plethora of sights, great beaches and as we have come to
realize, beats the heck out of the San Juan area. Places like La Playita de Guayanilla, Guanica, Lajas, La Parguera, Buqueron, and
El Combate in Cabo Rojo are recommended as excellent destinations offering great
local foods and a chance to really experience Puerto Rican culture. So
if you are not afraid to get in the car and head out, fly into
Ponce, rent a car and take a road trip along the southern coast. The
view are fantastic, the beaches are magnificent and the food is
excellent (at prices that won't kill the budget). Enjoy the pictures.
Funk Tango,
Paquito D'Rivera Quintet?
When
it comes to Latin Jazz there are no words that can describe the
artistry of Paquito D'Rivera. His latest CD released in 2007
entitled "Paquito D'Rivera Quintet? FUNK TANGO" is over the
top and garnered this great artist his ninth Grammy (9). What can
you say, the master continues to deliver
excellence. We would most definitely treasure an interview
with this Latin Jazz great, and look forward to hearing from him. Hey Paquito...
how about it? We have seen him as a judge on the food channel's
America's Iron Chef, but from the looks of his busy schedule it may
be late December before he's back in the NY area.
In the interim here his a synopsized biography dated February 2008
as as a
place holder. Check it out Visit this artists website!
Mambo Project 2008
You
know that we could not pass by the opportunity to help spread the
word about this long awaited solo CD from our friend Pulpo. We first ran into Pulpo many years ago at Willies
Steak House together with Ray Martinez (on Bass). Our New York City Latin Jazz Editor (Elvin Acosta)
tells me that the CD is excellent and promised to write up an article in the coming weeks.
While surfing around for a press release, we found this synopsis of Pulpo's accomplishments and background. We learned plenty, as in
meeting artists on a giso (gig) its our policy not to
interfere; just let them
do their thing and enjoy the music. Here
is the article, and hope you find it as impressive as we did, it can be foundVisit this artists website!
We were able to get our hands on Steve Pouchie’s latest CD entitled “EL Puente”; to be honest with you we did not know what to expect. What we did know is that any time you get a talented bunch of Musicians such as the likes of Steve together with Little Johnnie Rivero, Andrea Brachfeld, Pete Nater, Jotan Afanador, Ivan Renta, Ariel Santiago, Octavio Rodrigues, and Julio Botti , you take the music to a whole new level; as Emeril Lagasse would say “BAM.. Kick it up a notch”. We were eager to take a listen.
I find the best way to experience newly released music is to get into the car, pop the CD into the player and go for a long drive. And so with the CD loaded and a full tank of gas, I headed north on Palisades Parkway to enjoy the greenery, feel the rush of the road and take a good listen; cell phone off, no disturbances. It took but only a few hundred yards to get in the right frame of mind, shedding off any thoughts that lingered from the previous state only to find myself playing the infamous imaginary congas on the steering wheel as the landscape and nature streamed by.
It was the Vibes intro that first enticed me, the sultry Saxaphone with its deep resonance and the crescendo of piano (Adam Perez), conga (Little Johnny Rivero) and Timbales (Jotan Afanador) synchronized on beat with my driving as if to say “your journey just began, Journey into Outland”; a perfect launching point for that timeless classic "Picadillo” in which Ronnie Puente delivers a marimba solo that is exceptional; transported, I was, already into the Outland. The meld between road and great music taking me there; me fui!
When we review music, our criterion is: Quality - artistic arrangements, professional execution and consistency of theme.
The CD is a compilation of original songs (Into the Outland, Watch Ur Wallet, The Ghanan Trail, The Sands of Outland, Shores of Summer and Naomi’s Fantasy) by Steve Pouchie and classics (Picadillo, Take Five, Montanas De Suenos, Green Dolphin St, and Manha De Carnaval). The ensemble features such talent as: Steve Pouchie, Little Johnny Rivero, Andrea Brachfeld, Pete Nater, Jotan Afanador, Ivan Renta, Ariel Santiago, Octavio Rodrigues, and Julio Botti to name a few.
Steve and crew.. You’ve done it!! This CD has it all, it’s masterfully arranged, skillfully blends exceptional talent while allowing individualistic flairs and is not overpowered; delivering a musical experience that will surely move the listener; Kudos to all. The compilation in its entirety has swing and is representative of great talent in local artists.
The full background data is available on the artists website along with discounts for purchasing the CD directly.
As
you can see we polished up the old site as we felt it could use some
sprucing up; hope you like it. With the new look comes a revitalized
effort delivering fresh original content and in creating a
place of value for you our readers. One that is free of
Internet clutter. On another note, recently my junk mail
(regular mail) began arriving written in Spanish and while I am proud of my
heritage, I find it kind of presumptuous that just because my last name is
of Spanish origin (Basque/Puerto Rican) some marketing person deemed it that
correspondence attempting to induce a buy from me, would best be received if
it were in Spanish. Hello... You guys in marketing get a grip it isn't
working; not for me at least. If given the option, my preference is to
continue to receive my junk mail in English; that way I can throw it in the
can without having to explain what it is. Spanish is my mother tongue, I
speak it, think it, dream it, however, since i am living in AMERICA (the
USA) and as a Veteran? It's English for me. And don't get me
started on those prerecorded telemarketing pitches. We'd like get your
opinion, please take a moment drop me a note with your thoughts on this
issue:
[Here]. We will
post your comments on the website.
Reader Comment:
This is the
first time visiting your site - WOW factor - hit me hard. The content is
filled with easy info that is interesting and leave me the reader wanting
more... Much appreciated honesty from you regarding junk mail. Right on !
We do live in America and that is this nations language. There is no
denying the beauty of Spanish but lets leave that to our inner circles and
respect the nation from which each of us have immigrated to regardless of
where in the world we once lived. Thank you for the share I enjoyed
every article, and look forward to some more interesting reads.
We asked Jazz Legend Steve Khan (Guitarist) if he would write an article on the difference between Salsa and Latin Jazz, and much to our surprise... voila zee article! If you've never heard the name before (WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN??), for the Jazz neophyte (Steve is rated amongst the top Jazz guitarists in the world), take a look at his Bio. To Steve, we say thanks! We really appreciate your taking time away from your busy day to lend your insights on this. The unedited article can be found [here..].
NEFF IRIZARRY & NEPENTHE
Puerto Rican guitarist Neff Irizarry (b.1973), whose daring, fresh and exploring take on Contemporary Jazz with a strong Latin tinge has been hailed by such names as Steve Khan, Jimmy Haslip (The Yellowjackets) and Paquito D'Rivera
is our featured artist. Neff’s distinctive fusion of Coltrane-influence hard bop and pianistic montunos can be heard on his debut CD Nepenthe. The opening track
"Despedidas" was selected for inclusion into the inaugural issue of the European Real Book, a collection of the best European jazz compositions by Sher Music. Hailing from the Boston jazz scene and Berklee College of Music (his alma mater), Neff has collaborated and performed with renowned artists in a wide range of styles,
artists such as Eddie Henderson, Randy Brecker, Azymuth, Giovanni Hidalgo, Marc Quiñones, Bobby Allende, Jeff Lorber, Robin Jones, Snowboy, Evan Price (of Turtle Island Quartet), Antonio Sanchez (of Pat Metheny Group), Leslie Lopez (New Cool Collective and Bombacó), Singer/songwriter Douglas Pashley, Mr Gone, Afroelements, Deniss Pashkevich and Riga Groove Electric and Irish Singer/songwriter Stefan Hanvey to name a few. To hear some of this artists tracks, click Visit this artists website!
Carlos Jimenez
With his latest release entitled
"Thoughts; Pensamientos" Carlos Jimenez and crew have succeeded in
arriving at the perfect blend of straight up lite Jazz with a Latin
flair.
Musicians featured on this CD include: Carlos Jimenez, flutists,
composer, & producer, Vince Cherico, drums, Ruben Rodriguez, bass
and Fidel Cuellar, piano. our favorite cut is entitled "My
Son". The compilation consists of 11 original
cuts and exemplifies the effects of sofrito, that special blend
of flavorings rendering harmonies sure to hit home with
jazz aficionados. With the upcoming release of the CD this artist is
catapulted to new heights; that beyond the cuchifrito circuit. The
CD makes an excellent addition to any collection, and a must have.
To purchase the CD, visit the
Visit this artists website!
Grupo Latin Vibe
We've had the CD for a while now and we can say that there is
something in it for everyone, from Swinging guajiras, mambos,
rhumbas, bombas, to a really good bolerito. These guys are
consistent performers and its never been so evident as in this,
their 3rd CD titled AMANECER. So turn
down the lights, break out a nice bottle of wine, and groove to
the sounds of Grupo Latin Vibes. This CD is a must get!! To
purchase this CD visit the artists' website
Visit this artists website!
Sabor Criollo - Alto Nivel (2007)
Ray
Martinez, well watching him play is like witnessing an expression of
the soul as this artist is one with the instrument and it comes
across in the music. We first met Ray at Willie's Steak House as
part of "Pulpo's" ensemble (see picture above). We
heard several of the cuts on this CD and find them consistent with
his persona and indicative of his mastery. We found this synopsis of
the artists background Visit this artists website!
L.A. Carpool - LA-LOCO
L.A. Carpool's Fourth CD - LA-LOCO, an Eclectic Mix of Latin
Rhythms. Our
friend Jack Gold sent us a copy of this CD and much to our
surprise our good friend Fay Roberts is doing some solo work on
a few of the cuts. Now to get down to the music, check this cut
out, give us your opinion, this number is called "Black Moon";
it is listed on the play list as "Carpool". For those of you who have yet to check out this
group listen to this song and let us know what you think. Send
your responses to
Jazz@enbreve.com
You
know that we could not pass by the opportunity to help spread the
word about this long awaited solo CD from our friend Pulpo. We first ran into Pulpo many years ago at Willies
Steak House together with Ray Martinez (on Bass). Our New York City Latin Jazz Editor (Elvin Acosta)
tells me that the CD is excellent and promised to write up an article in the coming weeks.
While surfing around for a press release, we found this synopsis of Pulpo's accomplishments and background. We learned plenty, as in
meeting artists on a giso (gig) its our policy not to
interfere; just let them
do their thing and enjoy the music. Here
is the article, and hope you find it as impressive as we did, it can be found
We were able to get our hands on Steve Pouchie’s latest CD entitled “EL Puente”; to be honest with you we did not know what to expect. What we did know is that any time you get a talented bunch of Musicians such as the likes of Steve together with Little Johnnie Rivero, Andrea Brachfeld, Pete Nater, Jotan Afanador, Ivan Renta, Ariel Santiago, Octavio Rodrigues, and Julio Botti , you take the music to a whole new level; as Emeril Lagasse would say “BAM.. Kick it up a notch”. We were eager to take a listen.
As
you can see we polished up the old site as we felt it could use some
sprucing up; hope you like it. With the new look comes a revitalized
effort delivering fresh original content and in creating a
place of value for you our readers. One that is free of
Internet clutter. On another note, recently my junk mail
(regular mail) began arriving written in Spanish and while I am proud of my
heritage, I find it kind of presumptuous that just because my last name is
of Spanish origin (Basque/Puerto Rican) some marketing person deemed it that
correspondence attempting to induce a buy from me, would best be received if
it were in Spanish. Hello... You guys in marketing get a grip it isn't
working; not for me at least. If given the option, my preference is to
continue to receive my junk mail in English; that way I can throw it in the
can without having to explain what it is. Spanish is my mother tongue, I
speak it, think it, dream it, however, since i am living in AMERICA (the
USA) and as a Veteran? It's English for me. And don't get me
started on those prerecorded telemarketing pitches. We'd like get your
opinion, please take a moment drop me a note with your thoughts on this
issue:
[
We asked Jazz Legend Steve Khan (Guitarist) if he would write an article on the difference between Salsa and Latin Jazz, and much to our surprise... voila zee article! If you've never heard the name before (WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN??), for the Jazz neophyte (Steve is rated amongst the top Jazz guitarists in the world), take a look at his Bio. To Steve, we say thanks! We really appreciate your taking time away from your busy day to lend your insights on this. The unedited article can be found [
With his latest release entitled
"Thoughts; Pensamientos" Carlos Jimenez and crew have succeeded in
arriving at the perfect blend of straight up lite Jazz with a Latin
flair.
Musicians featured on this CD include: Carlos Jimenez, flutists,
composer, & producer, Vince Cherico, drums, Ruben Rodriguez, bass
and Fidel Cuellar, piano. our favorite cut is entitled "My
Son". The compilation consists of 11 original
cuts and exemplifies the effects of sofrito, that special blend
of flavorings rendering harmonies sure to hit home with
jazz aficionados. With the upcoming release of the CD this artist is
catapulted to new heights; that beyond the cuchifrito circuit. The
CD makes an excellent addition to any collection, and a must have.
To purchase the CD, visit the
Ray
Martinez, well watching him play is like witnessing an expression of
the soul as this artist is one with the instrument and it comes
across in the music. We first met Ray at Willie's Steak House as
part of "Pulpo's" ensemble (see picture above). We
heard several of the cuts on this CD and find them consistent with
his persona and indicative of his mastery. We found this synopsis of
the artists background 
Now to get down to the music, check this cut
out, give us your opinion, this number is called "Black Moon";
it is listed on the play list as "Carpool". For those of you who have yet to check out this
group listen to this song and let us know what you think. Send
your responses to 
