Listen to CD Review from Puerto Rico's Elmer Gonzalez
Portrait in Rhythms
Wilson “Chembo” Corniel
Artistic expression is created from that level of reality that lies between the ordinary and the spiritual.
In this debut recording from a veteran
percussionist, Wilson “Chembo” Corniel paints ten musical
autobiographic portraits of the Nuyorican soul. Mirroring his
musical
growth against the backdrop of the hardcore Latin New York sound of the
70s, Chembo adds a dash of R&B, a sprinkling of be-bop, a touch of
swing with a dollop of bomba, rumba, tango and danzon with "un chin" de
charanga.
Influenced
by big band rhythmic masters such as Tommy Lopez, Patato and
Little Ray Romero whom he studied with, Manhattan born and Brooklyn
bred Chembo has traveled the world with a variety of leaders from Tito
Puente to Buddy Montgomery. His percussive rhythms have taught diverse
audiences from his workshops in Cuba under pianist Chucho Valdes to his
rhythmic patterns over Nickelodeon’s Dora, the Explorer. From Puerto
Rican folklore to the searing salsa swing of Bobby Rodriguez y la
Compañía, Chembo is a staying force in Latin music.
A humble testament to that
development without musically boasting of multiple paradiddles or rim
shots, Chembo and his quintet “Grupo Chaworó” instead focus on
the various Latin music genres that tug the emotions while tapping the
beat. The Coltrane inspired “Age of Pisces,” arranged and directed by
David Fernandez, features the virtuoso sax playing of young blood, Ivan
Renta blowing through the polyrhythmic matrix of rhythms with a driving
force reigned in through mature melodic voicing that betray the
player’s youth. Followed by master Mario Rivera on soprano sax and John
Walsh on trumpet the trio plays a musical “round robin” of solos that
bring the piece back to its melodic jazz intro.
Followed by the “Café Mario" danzón penned by Walsh in
tribute to Mario Rivera’s artistic space, Café slips into a
charanga cha-cha with Mario playfully soloing his flute as if dancing.
An unusually melodic showcase for the otherwise rhythmic bass
“Papillon” features the deep, resonant styling of Yunior Terry over the
güiro rhythm of three “chekeres,” “guataca” and “tumbadora.”
Listen to the “Nuevo Bieke” bomba drum patterns merge with swing, bebop
and jazz in deference to a new age for the Puerto Rican island. The
tune, as the island, is a progressive take on roots and improvised
experimentation that integrates genres with seamless, intertwined
motifs interspersed by piano comps ala Hancock and Chick ending in an
intricately tight and unified bass and piano dance by Ruben Rodriguez
and Tino Derado.
“Inocencía” by Derado evokes a nostalgic tango with
the pianist on accordion tugging the heartstrings in a bittersweet
expression of love.
An Oscar Hernandez arrangement, “Primera Rumba,” highlights the
quintet’s broad and tight musical intelligence and visceral swing. This
succulent blend features a tasty montuno over Chembo’s extemporaneous
“quinto” riffs complemented by Vince Cherico’s drumming.
The Steve Wilson arrangement of Marvin Gaye’s “After the Dance” gives
accent to Carla Cook’s cool r&b vocal moves with Wilson’s sax solos
smoothly scaling up and down her range.
“Adios Mongo” is Chembo’s tribute to the late master
percussionist, Mongo Santamaria. Chembo’s “acapella” conga solo evokes
the Afro-Cuban’s spirit with the understated elegance and simplicity
that defined the pioneer of Afro-Cuban roots and Latin jazz
development.
A battery of Bata drums follows on “Nadya” closing the recording with
Yoruba drums and chants. Tagged by a mellow, saxy jazz and piano
refrain hovering over the Bata roots, the Latin jazz feel dissipates
into a climactic percussive trio of Bata conversations.
The clave based jazz driven “Chemboró” opens this classic
recording with a Hernandez arrangement showcasing Renta’s sax styling
punctuated by Chembo’s solid drumming. Both sax and drum solos here
define the nature of “Portraits” building the Latin jazz motifs over a
rock hard foundation of Latin music percussion.
Coming
full circle with this deft and passionate expression of the soundtrack
of Nuyorican life, Chembo Corniel has gifted the listener with a work
of art that is a “Portrait in Rhythms.”
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