Sue Miller reviews Bajando Gervasio, showcasing the talents of Buena Vista Social Club timbale player Amadito Valdes. ‘Bajando Gervasio’ features inventive arrangements and a feast of beautiful solos set against a backdrop of elegant clarity from a tight and ‘timbre-ful’ percussion section….

The timbale player Amadito Valdes, the unsung hero of the Buena Vista Social Club, is profiled here on ‘Bajando Gervasio’, his first solo recording, named after a street in Havana famous for its wealth of music past and present. The arrangements cover Cuban styles from Danzón to Contradanza, Changui-Son, Guaguanco, Bolero, Guajira and Descarga and are full of twists and turns, unexpected breaks and beautiful solos. You have to wait until track three though (’La Fiesta de Amadito’) for a timbale solo from the maestro himself, although his ensemble playing is full of all the Cuban stylistic patterns and his tasteful embellishments and breaks support the whole band. For those who love the BVSC recordings the ‘call and response’ Son and Descarga tracks are going to delight, with the fiery trombone inspiraciones of Jesus ‘Aguaje’ Ramos and the cool coros of Idania Valdes.

The opening Latin jazz track by Maraca Valle (’Celine’s Groove’) is followed by a fantastic arrangement by Juan de Marcos Gonzalez that is vey much in the vein of his ‘Habana del Este’ arrangement (from the first Afro-Cuban All Stars album), with its bowed cello and flute dialogue on the Danzón section followed by a Chachachá with a pithy Charanga-style percussive flute solo from veteran BVSC player Polo Tamayo. There’s a Guanguanco for the fans of Cuban Rumba and a wealth of solos for those who like great improvisation (notably Maraca Valle’s flute solo on ‘Bajando Gervasio’, a virtuosic piano solo from David Alfaro on ‘Mamina’ and the ever brilliant soloing of Barbarito Torres on laoud on ‘Achy’s Guajira’). In short this recording is jam-packed with intricate arrangements and solos that are held together by Amadito’s sensitive, timbre-rich, tight timbale playing. A stand out track is ‘Amado Amadito’ by the legendary Paquito d’ Rivera. Emotionally charged it features the dexterous soprano sax of Germán Velazco, with melodies that are really haunting and a sax solo that causes Amadito to exclaim at the end of the track ‘Coño Paquito que lindo mi hermano – muchas gracias!’ Thanks also to Amadito for furnishing us with such an embarrassment of riches as all these tracks have hidden gems within them too numerous to mention here – defintely one for repeated listening.

Sue Miller reviews Bajando Gervasio, showcasing the talents of Buena Vista Social Club timbale player Amadito Valdes. ‘Bajando Gervasio’ features inventive arrangements and a feast of beautiful solos set against a backdrop of elegant clarity from a tight and ‘timbre-ful’ percussion section….

The timbale player Amadito Valdes, the unsung hero of the Buena Vista Social Club, is profiled here on ‘Bajando Gervasio’, his first solo recording, named after a street in Havana famous for its wealth of music past and present. The arrangements cover Cuban styles from Danzón to Contradanza, Changui-Son, Guaguanco, Bolero, Guajira and Descarga and are full of twists and turns, unexpected breaks and beautiful solos. You have to wait until track three though (’La Fiesta de Amadito’) for a timbale solo from the maestro himself, although his ensemble playing is full of all the Cuban stylistic patterns and his tasteful embellishments and breaks support the whole band. For those who love the BVSC recordings the ‘call and response’ Son and Descarga tracks are going to delight, with the fiery trombone inspiraciones of Jesus ‘Aguaje’ Ramos and the cool coros of Idania Valdes.

The opening Latin jazz track by Maraca Valle (’Celine’s Groove’) is followed by a fantastic arrangement by Juan de Marcos Gonzalez that is vey much in the vein of his ‘Habana del Este’ arrangement (from the first Afro-Cuban All Stars album), with its bowed cello and flute dialogue on the Danzón section followed by a Chachachá with a pithy Charanga-style percussive flute solo from veteran BVSC player Polo Tamayo. There’s a Guanguanco for the fans of Cuban Rumba and a wealth of solos for those who like great improvisation (notably Maraca Valle’s flute solo on ‘Bajando Gervasio’, a virtuosic piano solo from David Alfaro on ‘Mamina’ and the ever brilliant soloing of Barbarito Torres on laoud on ‘Achy’s Guajira’). In short this recording is jam-packed with intricate arrangements and solos that are held together by Amadito’s sensitive, timbre-rich, tight timbale playing. A stand out track is ‘Amado Amadito’ by the legendary Paquito d’ Rivera. Emotionally charged it features the dexterous soprano sax of Germán Velazco, with melodies that are really haunting and a sax solo that causes Amadito to exclaim at the end of the track ‘Coño Paquito que lindo mi hermano – muchas gracias!’ Thanks also to Amadito for furnishing us with such an embarrassment of riches as all these tracks have hidden gems within them too numerous to mention here – defintely one for repeated listening.

Interview with Buena Vista Social Club Star Amadito Valdes
Betty’s Tea Rooms in Harrogate 9 May 2008 – Interview by Sue Miller July 2008

Sue Miller: Hola Amadito!

Amadito Valdes: Hola Sue! Encantado!

SM: Como esta? Esta bien?

AV: Muy bien, muy bien

SM: Bueno, quiero saber como es el publico para la música cubana de Buena Vista aqui en Inglaterra…

Translation: How do the English audiences respond to the Cuban music of Buena Vista?

AV: Bueno, realmente, ha sido fabuloso…el exito que hemos tenido en estos conciertos – y como siempre comento yo..Buena Vista Social Club comparte dos patrias – Cuba e Inglaterra y es una prueba mas de que despues de diez años de comensarse el proyecto hemos tenido el exito que hemos cosechado en ese concierto.

Translation: Well the reception has been truly fabulous – the success we’ve had with our concerts. I always say Buena Vista Social Club has two homes – Cuba and England – its popularity has kept on growing over the last ten years.

SM: Cuando empezó en la musica en la Habana? A que edad?

Translation: When did you start your musical career in Havana? What age did you start?

AV: Yo empecé haciendo (música) adolescente, un muchacho praticamente…porque tocqué…porque mi padre fue un clarinetista y saxofonista muy solicitado en Cuba.

Translation: I started playing music as a teenager, when I was practically a boy because my father was a much sought after clarinet and saxophone player in Cuba.

SM: Como se llamaba?

Translation: What was his name?

AV: Amadito, yo me llamo igual

Translation: Amadito the same as me

AV: el le fue uno de los primeros, los iniciadores de l’Orquesta Jazz band en Cuba, en los años 30 junto con Mario Bauza1, Armando Romeu2, Chico O’ Farrill3 etc entonces yo me crecí en ese ambiente no….

Translation: He was one of the founders of the Jazz bands in Cuba in the 1930s along with Mario Bauza, Armando Romeu, Chico O’ Farrill etc so I grew up in this musical environment.

SM: En que grupos empezó usted en la Habana?

Translation: Which bands did you start out in?

AV: Bueno antes de reponderle esa pregunta el dejo de comentarte que en el campo de la percusión yo comencé con Walfredo de los Reyes4, padre, hoy en dia, uno de los percusionistas mas importante de los ultimos sesenta años en Latin América, fue mi primer profesor.

Translation: Well before answering this question I need to tell you that I started out with Walfredo de los Reyes (the elder), who today remains one of the most important percussionists of the last sixty years in Latin America – he was my first teacher.

SM: Despues de estudiar ha tocado con muchos grupos de Big Band o….?

Translation: After your studies did you play in Big Bands or…?

AV: He hecho trabajo con grupos pequeños, grupos de ocasión, Orquestas Big Band tambien..trabajé durante unos años con una de las Orquestas de la Radio y la Televisión Cubana…

Translation: I worked with small groups, function bands and Big Bands as well…for several years I played with one of the Big Bands for Cuban radio and television.

AV: ..y durante mas que 27 años con el grupo que accompañaba al ‘Cuarteto de Aida’5

Translation: and for more than 27 years I played in the band that accompanied the quartet ‘Las de Aida’.

SM: ‘Las de Aida’ ha cantado con la Orquesta Aragón tambien no?

Translation: The singers Las de Aida sang with Orquesta Aragón as well didn’t they?

AV: Con Orquesta Aragón? Si. Claro..el tema Aja Bibi6

Translation: With Orquesta Aragón? Yes with the song ‘Aja Bibi’

SM: Ademas de Buena Vista Social Club que proyectos musicales ahora hace?

Translation: In addition to Buena Vista Social Club what other musical projects do you do?

AV: Si bueno, yo acabo mi proyecto personal que es mi Orquesta, mi grupo, mis clases magistrales, y le hago promoción al timbal Meinl, modelo ‘Amadito Valdes’.

Translation: Well I have my own project which is my own band, my own group (Amadito y su grupo), I also give Master Classes and promote the Amadito Valdes make of Meinl timbales.

SM: Que es la formación de su grupo?

Translation: What’s your band’s line-up?

AV: Bueno es un grupo pequeño – tiene la seccion de la basse y piano bajo el seccion de ritmo, dos vientos – dos saxofon que doble con….hace de clarinetista y de flautista tambien y un trompetista, una cantante (Idania mi hija) y un violinista que canta tambien.

Translation: Well it’s a small group made up of piano, bass, rhythm section, two sax players who double on clarinet and flute, a trumpet player, a singer, Idania my daughter, and a violinist who sings as well.

AV: y estamos promocionando…..hacemos mejor dicho, el repertorio del disco ‘Bajando Gervasio’..mi primer disco personal que fue nominado un Grammy en el año 2003.

Translation: We’re showcasing repertoire from my first solo album ‘Bajando Gervasio’ which was nominated for a Grammy in 2003.

SM Que es Gervasio? Tr: What’s Gervasio?

AV: Gervasio es una calle Habanera… ‘Bajando Gervasio’ es un disco que muestra el papel multi-personal, si se quiere, del timbal en la música cubana…y entonces con distinctos timbres resume..recorre algunos de los genros mas importantes de la música cubana.

Translation: ‘Gervasio’ is a street in Havana and the recording showcases the multi-faceted role of the timbales in Cuban music – it demonstrates the different sounds of some of the most important styles in the history of Cuban Music.

SM: Puede hablar un poquito mas sobre los timbales porque no es un instrumento bien conocido en Inglaterra.

Translation: Can you tell us a bit more about the timbales, as this instrument is not that well known in the UK.

AV: Bueno, el timbal e(s) un instrumento que viene, deriva del timpani, de la música sínfonica.

Translation: Well the timbales developed from the orchestral Timpani drums.

AV: y en el principio era dos cajas, dos snare drum de la batteria convencional, de ‘drums’, con un atril de madera y posteriamente fue revolucionando y se convertio en lo que hoy en dia es un instrumento con otras caracteristicas en su construcción – mas grande con atril de metal.

Translation: At first they were made out of two boxes, two snare drums from the traditional drumkit but with a wooden stand and they later developed into the instrument of today which is bigger with a metal stand.

…..

AV ..y este instrumento figura en la Danza, la Contradanza, en los Danzones, por supuesto en el Chachachá tambien.

Translation: and this instrument (the timbales) was featured in the Danza, Contradanza and Danzon styles and of course in the Chachachá too.

AV: y despues pasó en el formato del Son por la via de Arsenio Rodriguez7…Arsenio Rodriguez es el quien introduce ya en los años 50…y el timbal pasa integrar tel formato del Son y del Jazz Band – porque (antes) es el instrumento solamente de la Orquesta Típica8 y de la Charanga9.

Translation: and later the timbales were added to the Son line-up by Arsenio Rodriguez…Arsenio Rodriguez was the one who introduced the timbales to this line-up in the 1950s…the timbales were added to the Son and Jazz bands whereas previously they were used solely in the Orquesta Tipica and Charanga bands.

AV: y realmente este instrumento salio al gran publico, a la gran escena, como digo yo, via Tito Puente, el rey del timbal.

Translation: and this instrument truly took on world attention through the playing of Tito Puente, the King of the Timbales.

AV: Fue el que dio la popularidad que goza hoy en dia ese instrumento que inclusive ya no solo esta confinando a la música Latina sino que esta en el Rock y el Pop.

Translation: He popularised the timbales and thats the reason why the timbales are popular today and are used not only in Latin music but also in Rock and Pop music as well.

SM: Quiere hacer otras giras en Inglaterra despues de Buena Vista?

Translation: Have you any other Touring projects coming up?

AV Esperamos..tenemos ciertas propuestas de venir con el grupo mio aca en Inglaterra y esperamos que el publico nos reciba con el mismo cariño que ha recibido el Buena Vista Social Club.

Translation: We hope to..we have some interest in touring my own group in England and we hope it would be as warmly received as Buena Vista Social Club.

SM: Quiere tocar timbal en mi Charanga del Norte algunas veces?

Translation: Would you come and play timbales with my group Charanga del Norte sometime?

AV: Encantadissimo trabajar con la Charanga del Norte!

Translation: I’d love to play with Charanga del Norte!

SM: Eso seria un sueño!

That would be a dream come true! Amadito thank you very much…..Muchas Gracias!

AV: Gracias a ti!

©Sue Miller, Leeds, 13 May 2008

1 Mario Bauza was a trumpeter and arranger who made his name with Machito and his Afro-Cubans in 1940s New York

2 Armando Romeu was a bandleader, composer, sax and flute player born in 1911- he played in the jazz bands of the 30s and 40s, performing for 25 years in the famous Tropicana night club

3 Chico O’ Farrill was a trumpeter born in Havana in 1921 who played and arranged for Jazz bands in Havana before finally moving to the US, making a name for himself as an arranger in New York

4 Walfredo de los Reyes was a founder of the famous band ‘Casino de la Playa.’

5 El Cuarteto de Aida was made up of 4 female singers including BVSC star Omara Portuondo

6 Aja Bibi is on the CD Orquesta Aragón ‘Los ineditos en vivo’ CD9201

7 Arsenio Rodiguez, the famous blind tres player born in 1911, he introduced congas, timbales and trumpets into the Son line-up (known as a Son Conjunto line-up) and his music later influenced Eddie Palmieri’s Salsa bands in New York

8 An Orquesta Típica comprised cornets, trombones, clarinets, violins, guiro, timbales and ophicleide

9 The Charanga Orquesta consists of violins, flute, timbales, guiro, bass, piano, congas and singers (added later) and occasionally cello