Eddie Palmieri Presents Sonido Solar by Sonido Solar (Truth Revolution Records, 2022)
Highly regarded pianist, composer and bandleader Eddie Palmieri is supporting new talent in the area of Latin Jazz and presents here a rising ensemble called Sonido Solar.
Led by Louis Fouché, Jonathan Powell, Zaccai Curtis and Luques Curtis, Sonido Solar delivers a set of cherished Latin jazz standards and one original composition rooted in Cuban traditions. “We wanted to record some of our favorite songs the way they were originally written and give fans the opportunity to listen to real, classic Latin jazz standards,” Luques Curtis said.
The name “Sonido Solar” (solar sound in Spanish) is a tribute to Palmieri, who is known as “The Sun of Latin Music.” Palmieri appears on two tracks, although his influence goes much further. He mentored the young musicians and members of Palmieri’s bands join Sonido Solar on the album, including tenor saxophonist Jeremy Powell, trombonist Joe Fiedler and timbalero and drummer Camilo Molina, who is joined in the percussion section by Curtis Brothers band conguero Reinaldo De Jesús and Marcos López on bongos and cowbell.
The superb new arrangements reflect the different personalities of the Sonido Solar quartet. Eddie Palmieri Presents Sonido Solar contains an exquisite set of ensemble pieces with a big band sound and irresistible Afro-Cuban rhythms that allow plenty of room for stirring improvisation.
“I would put my reputation on the line with these musicians and countless others that have graced my performances, but I must say the last decade has rejuvenated me more than ever. The young musicians that are on this musical project have given me the fortitude to write and play piano at another level,” Palmieri says.
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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.