Alfredo Rodríguez – The Little Dream (Mack Avenue MAC1130, 2018)
The Little Dream showcases the talent of yet another Cuban piano star, Alfredo Rodríguez. This is Alfredo’s fourth album for American label Mack Avenue, produced by acclaimed producer Quincy Jones and Alfredo. It was recorded in Madrid and Los Angeles.
The format on this album is a superb trio featuring Alfredo on piano and vocals; Munir Hossn on guitar and electric bass; and Michael Olivera on drums and percussion.
The Little Dream incorporates jazz, classical, Cuban and global music influences. Despite the jazz training, Alfredo’s piano has a deeply Cuban flavor. In addition to his piano performances, he adds beautiful wordless harmony vocals.
The interaction between the elegant piano, the creative electric bass lines and exquisite percussion is deeply satisfying.
Most of the material on the album are originals by Alfredo, although there are a couple of jazzified versions of popular classics in the Hispanic world: “Vamos todos a cantar” by Teresita Hernández and the well-known bolero “Bésame mucho” by Mexican singer Consuelo Velázquez (misspelled in the booklet).
On most of the album, Alfredo uses the acoustic piano, although he also picks up the Rhodes electric piano, engaging in tasty fusion.
The Little Dream is masterfully-crafted and features the exceptionally expressive piano work of a formidable Cuban musician.
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Author: Angel Romero
Angel Romero y Ruiz has dedicated his life to musical exploration. His efforts included the creation of two online portals, worldmusiccentral.org and musicasdelmundo.com. In addition, Angel is the co-founder of the Transglobal World Music Chart, a panel of world music DJs and writers that celebrates global sounds. Furthermore, he delved into the record business, producing world music studio albums and compilations. His works have appeared on Alula Records, Ellipsis Arts, Indígena Records and Music of the World.
