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Edy Martínez, the Music Architect Behind the Piano
If you go to New York City and ask any Latin jazz legend about Edy Martínez they will tell you about him
Edy Martínez is a Colombian pianist, percussionist, composer, arranger and musical director who has been living and creating music in New York for over 50 years. You, as a reader or listener, could say that his name does not sound familiar, and you could be right because this artist has not appeared on the majority of the covers of the works he has participated in. Edy Martínez is a humble musician who loves to help other artists create their own magic. Behind the greatest of legends there will always be brilliant people working together around the love for music, and Mr. Martínez is one of those passionate people. His passion for composition and arrangement art goes farther than being the leading protagonist or being noticed on an album cover or in the credit list.
His talent has been translated as a pianist, arranger and director on more than 100 albums of jazz, salsa, and Latin jazz. Many of his arrangements have been nominated for Grammy Awards. As a musical director he has accompanied musical icons like Ray Barreto, Gato Barbieri, Tito Puente, Mongo Santamaría and Dizzy Gillespie. As a pianist he has played with almost all the legends and icons of the salsa and Latin jazz world including Rubén Blades, Jerry Gonzalez, Celia Cruz, Alfredito de la Fé, Paquito de Rivera and many others. His story from the beginning has been exciting and full of amazing challenges and magical experiences. Here we go.
A Little Child in Search of His Own Path
Eduardo Martínez Bastidas, better known as Edy Martínez, was born in 1942, in San Juan de Pasto, Colombia. He grew up in a family deeply rooted in music, and was exposed to all kinds of music right from the very beginning. His father was a trombonist and musical director, and his mother, a disciplined pianist.
When he was just a little baby the family had to leave Pasto and decided to settle in Bogota. His father had won a competition to be a trombonist as part of the National Band.
The first instrument Edy had was an accordion; with it his mother gave him the first basic ideas about chords and harmony. He started formally playing an instrument when he was eight years old. In his father´s orchestra little Edy played the conga. By that time Manuel Martínez Pollit, Edy´s father, was already a respectable musician and musical director in the capital. At the age of ten Edy was accepted into the National Conservatory of Colombia where he started studying with a Russian piano teacher. From the beginning he thought that the teacher was too severe and strict for him. One year later young Edy expressed his feelings about the teacher and begged his parents to find another way for him to keep learning music. He promised his parents to do whatever it took to learn music as long as he could have a different teacher. So, Edy’s mother became in charge of his musical learning and his father sat beside him to check his practice of the piano.
A Curious Little One Becoming a Musician
Four years later, after listening, appreciating and studying the basics of music, he became the pianist and drummer of Américo Belloto’s orchestra. Mr. Belloto, an Argentinian violinist, was the director of the famous orchestra Don Américo y sus Caribes, who played tropical music and boleros. During this time Edy also had the chance to play with Pepe Reyes´ band and with the Cuban singer Alex Tovar.
The young Edy was now ready to be part of a record and in 1954 this came to fruition. He played the piano on the album of the Colombian singer Yolima Pérez. He started showing his honest love for music and by the next year was playing the drums with the Chilean pianist Mario Ahumada. The rumors about Edy’s talent were spreading fast and some months later the adolescent appeared as the drummer in a television show with Mexican songwriter Consuelo Velásquez.
The End of the 50´s
Before Edy Martínez, other Colombian musicians had already been playing with international Latin stars. Colombian musicians like Hernando Becerra, an experienced artist who, by the 50´s, had already played with Tito Puente and Machito. For musical reasons Mr. Martínez Pollit and Mr. Becerra had already formed a strong friendship.
One day, while walking by a downtown street in Bogota, his father bumped into Mr. Becerra. After a warm hug Mr. Becerra invited him to play together at the “Festival de Blancos y Negros” (Black and White Festival) in Pasto. It was during this festival that Mr. Becerra heard young Edy playing the drums. After the concert he, excited, approached the young drummer to ask him about his musical skills. By this time Edy was already reflecting the natural effects of the musical environment that he had grown up in. As a child he had serious exposure to three kinds of music; classical, jazz and Latin music. That pure contact had given him a musical richness that no one in those days could easily obtain. Furthermore his father´s initiative to build a small studio where he could listen, study and play, was the perfect refuge to travel to other worlds and explore new sounds. For Martínez the best teachers were not only in the conservatory, but in that little studio. There were constant meetings with teachers like Tito Puente, Count Basie, Machito and Miles Davis. Martínez started to understand the logic of the two musical worlds which formed in his mind; jazz and Afro Latin music.
Edy, Ready to Leave his Country
The two friends, Becerra and Martínez Pollit, had said bye after that tour in Pasto. Mr. Becerra continued touring in the United States as an international musician and Edy continued in Bogota with his father. In 1959 he received a telegram from Hernando Becerra who was in Aruba at the time. The message was an invitation to temporarily be part of his orchestra because the band’s drummer had suddenly left. This budding artist accepted the invitation. After that tour in Aruba, Hernando offered him an opportunity to go to the United States to play with his band as a permanent drummer. For the Colombian director Edy was the perfect musician for the part; Mr. Becerra had always had to hire two drummers for his group because he had two repertoires: one about Afro Latin music and the other about jazz. No drummers, so far, had been able to play both repertoires, but Edy was the first.The talented Martínez accepted the offer and started what would be the trip that ignited his career as an international musician.
Welcome to the First World!
In 1960 Edy Martínez played with Becerra´s orchestra for three months in Miami. The young drummer could not believe he was playing in the country of jazz. Unexpectedly, Mr. Becerra changed his plans and decided to go back to Colombia. On the contrary Edy was at an exciting age and wanted to experience and explore what he had studied, jazz and Latin music, and he was in the perfect place to do so; the United States. Though alone, the young musician decided to stay. At that point he felt that he did not want to be a drummer but instead wanted to be a full-fledged pianist. In Miami he started looking for a job as a pianist, he wanted to show everybody his talent. During his search he went to a new club where Cuban musicians used to play. There, Edy went straight up to the director and introduced himself and asked him if he could play for a while. That director accepted and listened to the Colombian pianist.
Coincidence or not, this band’s pianist became very sick so the director asked this young pianist to play with them. This was the first job that he got by himself without having any friend to get help from. This was about conviction and passion for music.
After some weeks working in that club, a show started performing in the city where the host was the singer Rubén Gonzales. Mr. Gonzales was already aware of Edy’s work in the club and invited him to tour with other Cuban musicians. Initially the tour was planned for fourteen weeks in New Orleans, the birthplace of jazz, but the tour actually extended for two years. He was now experiencing a unique period in New Orleans, he was sharing his knowledge and above all learning from all kinds of jazz musicians in the Boom Boom Room Club, a Latin club on Borbon Street, a particular jazz street where the best of the best played for fun, love and money. There was still more to explore in the exciting city of Louisiana, Edy needed to go to a special place where musicians got together to play. In this place Mr. Martínez met Tatara Vasquez. This time the young musician from Pasto knew that the prestigious artist was looking for a pianist so he did not hesitate to show his interest. That night Mr. Vasquez did not pay too much attention to him. Surprisingly, he was called for an audition which consisted of playing Tito Rodríguez, Machito and Tito Puente’s songs, works that he knew very well. Edy started with a brilliant performance of Puente’s song “Mango del Monte” (Mango of the Mount) which was enough to get him the job as a pianist for Tatara Vasquez and the Ritmo Swing Orchestra.
Mr. Martínez started to express his improvisation skills in the middle of a difficult and hard fought field where there were really virtuous Puerto Rican and Cuban musicians. In 1963 Edy returned to Miami and worked with Pupi Campo and Chico Oréfiche. Being involved in this intense musical moment he had all the elements he needed to make a big decision; to go to New York City to settle.
A Big Apple for Edy
In New York, in 1965, Mr. Martínez played with a musician named Louis Barcelo, Joe Quijano’s flautist. In the middle of one of Barcelo’s shows in the Bronx neighborhood, Edy played passionately without any knowledge that moments later he would meet a man named Ray Barreto. Mr. Barreto, had been waiting close by for a meeting with his own band members to play on another stage, when he happened to catch Edy’s performance. After the concert Mr. Barreto came up to Martínez, introduced himself and asked for his phone number. Some days later the percussionist called Edy to ask him if he wanted to work as a pianist and arranger because in two weeks the pianist of La Charanga Moderna, Barreto’s band, would be leaving the group. The Colombian pianist had no doubts about answering positively, so Mr. Barreto gave him the two weeks to study the musical arrangements for his album. The reality was that he did not have any knowledge about arranging music at that time but he decided to take a risk and told Barreto that he could collaborate with part of the arrangements. From that day on, Edy went to Lincoln Center Library everyday to study musical arranging theories. He was prepared to do anything to demonstrate his love and passion for music. After long study sessions, he showed Mr. Barreto his work and very soon the Colombian pianist was recording his first album in North America, called “Señor 007”, in which he played the piano and arranged six songs.
That same year, Edy participated in another of Barreto’s projects, the album “El Ray Criollo”, where he was the pianist, arranger of many songs, and composer of the song “Rareza en Guajira” (Rarity in Guajira). In 1967 Barreto produced a new album, “Latino con soul” (Latin with Soul) where Mr. Martínez played the piano and wrote some arrangements.
The 70’s Coming, a Good Feeling
With the experience he had acquired from working on Barreto’s albums, the musical doors in New York City opened for Mr. Martínez. In 1970 he was the pianist for the icon of Afrolatin music, Mongo Santamaría. Together they recorded the work “Feeling”. He continued to gain more and more experience and a good reputation. The next year Martínez would be part of an expressive live album with Santamaría’s band called “Mongo at Montreaux” recorded at the prestigious Montreaux Jazz Festival, in Switzerland. The same day, after this tremendous concert, the well-known Argentinian saxophonist Gato Barbieri went to Edy’s dressing room to meet him and congratulate him on his piano performance. Behind the stage, in a very short time, the two musicians were laughing and having fun, realizing that Barbieri’s uncle was the saxophonist who participated in the same band where Edy had played as a teenager in the Grill Paris Club, in Bogota. That first meeting was the beginning of an inseparable friendship and musical union. But it wasn’t until 1974 when they officially started working together.
In 1972 he participated in another album for Mr. Santamaría; “Up From the Roots”. A year later Edy reunited with Barreto again and worked together to create a jazz album, an unusual work from Barreto and one of the most brilliant albums Barreto would create, “The Other Road”. This album was produced by Fania Records and garnered a Grammy music award. In this work Edy composed the main title demonstrating his capacity to create melodic music lines. By this time he was making big strides and sharing recording studios with exceptional musicians like Artie Webb and Billy Cobhan. This same year, at the top of his career, Barreto with his help launched “Indestructible”.
As his experience increased more challenging projects continued to emerge. In 1974 Edy participated in four albums. He played the piano for Justo Betancourt (“Justo Betancourt”), Menique (Soy Hijo de Changó), and Monguito Rivera (“Es Una Nota”). During this year Edy recorded his first album with Gato Barbieri called “Viva Emiliano Zapata”.
1975 was a fantastic time for Mr. Martínez in terms of production and creation. He continued working with Mr. Barbieri playing the piano on the album “Chapter Four”. After this work a series of salsa albums came dancing into Edy´s life. He collaborated as an arranger in another two albums for Barreto (“Barreto” and “Barreto Live”), and for the first time shared his talent with the innovative pianist Larry Harlow, the Wonderful Jewish, in the albums “El Jardín del Amor” (The Garden of Love”) and “Salsa”. The creativity process this year could not have finished better than having the opportunity to participate in two musical pieces that later would be mandatory acquisitions for any music lover: the first one, as a co-producer of “Un retrato de Tito Rodríguez”, a compilation of one of the most remarkable gems that latin music has ever had in history. The second, as an arranger of the piano line for the song “Resemblance” in the album “Unfinished Masterpiece” by the piano master Eddie Palmieri.
By now he had made his distinctive mark as a versatile musician. He could infuse intensity in Afro Latin styles but also in the most progressive of jazz pieces as he demonstrated in 1976, in the album “New Worlds” by the legendary drummer Joe Chambers. Here Edy contributed with his wonderful Fender Rhodes playing some heavy grooves as well as lighter and melodic compositions. Three more albums with Gato Barbieri completed his busy agenda: “Caliente”, “Ruby Ruby” and “Passion Fire”.
In 1977 the rhythms of salsa music were calling him again insistently; they would never leave him and wanted to be very close to him. Edy invited these rhythms in, as he always had. This year he participated in five salsa albums with great artists including Pete Conde Rodríguez (“A Touch of Class”), Luo Peres (“De todo un poco”), Raúl Marrero (“Romántico y Salsero”), Ray Barreto (“Eye of the Beholder”), and Larry Harlow (“La raza latina”).
More Latin Music
Another album with his inseparable music partner, Gato Barbieri, was produced; in 1978 the Colombian musician was the pianist and arranger of “Trópico”. Given that Edy had played with Barcelo and Barreto in the early 70’s, many growing and prominent salsa musicians started recognizing him in the Latin music scene. This was enough to be called years later by Fania, to participate in an album with Vitín Aviles, nicknamed “El Cantante del Amor” (“The Singer of Love”).
His commitment to unique interpretation afforded him the chance to have a meeting with Tito Puente, the famous timbalero, to collaborate as an arranger in a magnificent album which paid tribute to the unforgettable Benny More, “Homenaje a Benny More”. This tribute was awarded a Grammy music award.
Edy was in the right place, at the right time and with the right people. Immersed in the multicultural city of New York, Martínez, in a natural way, felt he wanted to look for new sounds, musical fusions and experiments, alternative ideas which would allow him to enter into yet undiscovered territory. This is how he came to work as a pianist with the talented Puerto Rican trumpeter, arranger and composer Luis Perico Ortiz, settled in the Big Apple. Ortiz’s band was composed of artists that later turned into legends in the salsa music scene. For his album “My Own Image” Ortiz had qualified musicians like Eddie Montalvo, Rubén Blades and Edy, who played the piano and the synthesizer. This experience, along with his musical works with Gato Barbieri, was another clue of what Martínez was searching for, new sounds and of course the true silhouette of Latin jazz music. In this first work on Ortiz’s album, mentioned above, one can see that the musical concept was rather advanced for that period, for example, in the song “Viva Martínez” you find a symbiosis of gipsy, montuno, jazz and groove where Edy plays a magical, funky and bluesy synthesizer solo.
Just Like Magic
Edy lived in three places: his apartment, the studio, and on the stage. In 1979 he participated in a total of seven albums: Two for Barreto (“Ricanstruccion” and “Gracias”), and one for Barbieri (“Euphoria”), Típica 73 (“Record in Cuba”), Federico Crespo (“De NY para el Caribe”) and Pete Conde Rodríguez (“Soy la ley”).
With Pete Conde Rodríguez, Edy was off to Holland to play for a week. Every night while in Holland an unknown man would sit very close to him, in the first row of the auditorium. The man always watched Edy’s performances, very interested. On the fourth night, he could not continue without asking the man who he was and why he had attended every concert and sat so close to him. The man introduced himself and told Edy that he was very interested in knowing more about what he was playing. That mysterious man was Jan Laurens Hartong, a Dutch pianist, who wanted to learn about Latin music. The Colombian artist shared all his knowledge about montunos, tumbaos and guajeos. A few days later Martínez left Holland.
Years later he would travel to Holland and meet Mr. Hartong again to see how he had created what had become known in the Latin scene as Nueva Manteca, considered by critics to be the most important Latin jazz band in Europe.
In those days, the King of Timbal, Tito Puente, had decided to temporarily halt concerts with his orchestra. So the American-Jewish Martin Cohen, owner of the prestigious Latin Percussion LP Company, proposed an idea to Mr. Puente, to form a band and start what would be one of the most extraordinary bands of all times. After scoring the participation of the conga-playing symbol, Carlos “Patato” Valdes, other musicians were called: Sal Cuevas as a bass player (replacing Andy González), the trumpeter René López, the drummer Steve Berríos, the percussionist Johnny “Dandy” Rodríguez, and the singers Nancy O´Neill and Jeanette Rodríguez. Cohen and Puente almost had the full band but one instrument was missing.
Very early in the morning, before the group started recording this project, Edy received a call from Tito Puente telling him that they were waiting for him to record an album that very same day. The first question Martínez asked was about the material he had to play, but Tito’s answer was that they did not have any material, all they had was a huge desire to play, to create, to “jam”. With Edy as the final missing link, the Latin Percussion Jazz Ensemble was finally formed and its album “Just Like Magic” was composed and recorded with great doses of pure improvisation, feeling and talent. For this album Mr. Martínez wrote the songs “The Opener”, “Martínez Blues” and “Afro Mood”.
Cohen’s idea was a hit. With this project the sextet toured Asia and Europe, but because of contracts and others tours the original members of the band could not always play, so other musicians joined the band like the virtuous violinist Alfredito de la Fé, the guitar player Toots Thielemans, and the pianist Jorge Dalto, keeping up the level that characterized the project.
The Conexión Latina of the 80’s
The following years were full of more albums and unforgettable concerts. Edy was the arranger of “Libre Increíble” for Many Oquendo and “Into the 80’s” for Típica 73. He never stopped playing with Barbieri, and two more albums were produced with the Argentinean saxophonist, “Para los amigos” and “Apasionado” in 1983.
Among scores, arrangements, rehearsals and shows, Edy made his headquarters wherever anything in terms of music could happen. There was one such place called El Corso, where Latin stars like Machito, Johnny Pacheco and Orquesta Broadway played. In El Corso Edy was part of the in-house band conducted by the vibraphonist Louie Ramírez. It was also here that Mr. Martínez met the elite of salsa and Latin jazz including Arsenio Rodríguez.
Edy got a contract to play in some concerts in San Juan, Puerto Rico. While there he met up with Wito Rodríguez, the singer of Conexión Latina, who wanted him to be involved in that project lead by trombone player Rudi Fuesers. One week later Edy was on his way to Munich, Germany to work as a pianist and arranger. From the beginning the orchestra was formed of artists from different Latin American countries which ultimately gave the band a unique sound. In 1984 their debut album, “Calorcito”, was a wonderful display of energy and swing. An example of Mr. Martínez’s contribution in terms of playing can be noted in the song “Latin Groove” a delight with the powerful and soul stirring sound of the piano.
While in Germany, Edy received a call from Ray Mantilla to play in Paris. He fell in love with the French capital and after his concerts with Mr. Mantilla, he lived in Paris for three years. Two trombones, two trumpets and a full percussion set were enough to have his band playing with American musicians who were also serving in the military service. These musicians had asked for military permission so that they could perform with the band. Edy never wanted to leave Paris, but destiny made him do it.
Edy’s piano playing talent had surpassed borders and countries. In 1989 Edy was invited to be part of “Pianos Latinos” a huge concert where some of the most prestigious pianists would play together. This show brought together Michel Camilo, Ricky González, and Amuni Nacer, under the direction of Eddie Palmieri.
A Privilege to Go Back Home
In the decade of the 90’s Edy worked as a pianist and arranger with Corina Bartra, Raulín, Many Oquendo, Cecilia Zaid and Ray Mantilla. He met Tito Puente again to work together, but this time as a composer and arranger in his album “Royal T”. “Encuentro” was the song that he wrote for Puente, a classical bolero.
There is a Colombian saying that says “La tierra hala” (you are homesick) and that was what Edy felt all over again. In 1993, Martínez went to Colombia to start his own band and create a Latin jazz musical album. In those days even thinking about a Latin jazz project was crazy but he found people who wanted to sponsor his initiative so he decided to do it. This project took almost two years to complete. “Privilegio” was the decided name of his album, Edy played the role of composer, arranger, pianist and producer. He had gathered a dynamic group of musicians including Tico Arnedo, Orlando Barreda, Luis Díaz, Edilberto Liévano, Joaquín Cuervo, Diego Valdés, Ernesto Simpson, Samuel Torres, Jorge Naranjo, and José Vásquez. Mr. Martínez had been the architect of many musicians for more than 30 years and now it was time for him to be the guy who appeared on the cover of the album. The only just thing was to have the maestro Edy as the absolute protagonist of his own talent. The result of this long musical preparation was an exquisite work full of descarga, lyric and powerful lines where each instrument played a profound role giving the listener a pure, harmonic and unique Latin sound. Some of these musical arrangements include, “Iron Jungle” and “Tower of Inspiration”.
Even living in Colombia, there was a constant flow of people who sought his talent as an arranger. In 1995 the American alto saxophonist, David Sanborn, asked Edy to be part of his arrangement on his album “Pearls”. Edy traveled a lot and worked with Johnny Mandell (Sanborn’s arranger), one of the legends of arrangements in the United States, who had worked for the likes of Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennet, Count Bassie, and Nat King Cole.
By the end of the 90’s Mr. Martínez recounted all that he had accomplished during his time in Colombia and the landscape of it all, was amazing. He had gotten married; his two sons were born, produced his own album and taught in prestigious universities. His intentions were to stay in Colombia but his passion and curiosity for music everywhere were stirring and once again he left his homeland. In 1998 Lucas Van Merwijk called Edy from Holland to express the emotions that both albums “Privilegio” and “Pearls” had made him feel. He packed his bags and went to Holland where he prepared ten arrangements and played them on the album “More and More”, a project headed by Mr. Merwijk and the Cubop City Big Band.
A Midnight Jazz Affair
At the insistence of his former stage partners in New York, Edy later returned to the Big Apple to work on new ideas and musical projects. Ray Mantilla and Gato Barbieri were some of those who were waiting for him. It was in this multicultural city, the place that had given him the possibility to create his second great Latin jazz production; the album “Midnight Jazz Affair” came to life in 2008. This work could be considered his best production as a result of years and years of experience in the Latin jazz and salsa scene. He filled the compositions with an array of colors that shined, spread with contrast, and clearly illustrated his profound musical perspective. This album was characterized by a variety of stylistic elements that broadened the landscape and a careful integration of styles that stirred the senses of any Latin jazz listener. Deep and rich harmonic progressions were the perfect ingredients used in this album. The piece “Suite for Piano” is a good example, a powerful song with a subtle layer that invokes motion and emotion. “Guaneña” is a song that clearly reflects an integration of styles. This piece was based on a traditional Colombian song, but with Edy’s hands involved it was transformed into a splendid composition full of flavour and melodic voices. Perhaps his best song on this album is “Celebration” a composition that starts with an expressive piano intro followed by touching wind instrument lines that lead up to an explosion of descarga.
In New York Edy is an obligatory reference for dozens of musicians. In 2011 he was called to form an orchestra to play in the Harlem Week Celebrations. He was part of the Harlem Afro-Cuban All Stars with legends like Dave Valentin and Jerry Gonzalez.
The lines written in this report aim to draw an overall portrait of Edy Martínez’s musical life. The discipline that he developed even from a young age, seems to only strengthen over time, one of his most notable qualities. What is absolutely remarkable about him is his passion for music. His more than 50 years of career playing, arranging, composing, directing, and producing, most of the time staying behind the music and the acclaimed artists, is a testament to Edy as one of the best examples of humbleness, dedication, talent, and love for music. For many reasons, this article could have omitted other albums and a few other artists with whom he worked, but beyond this what I will not omit is the uncanny connection between the attitude Mr. Martínez had when he first settled in Miami 50 years ago and the same genuine attitude he had when I met him last year, in Jazz al Parque 2011. I met a musician still full of wishes to learn everything that he could from other musicians, trying to share all that he could with the piano – it seemed to be a message to all of us, that music is a love in action. At present, while you read this report it is possible that in his apartment, in New Jersey, NY, Edy is studying some form of classical, jazz or Latin music, perhaps dreaming about coming back to his beautiful country, Colombia, where it all began.
Acknowledgement
Special gratitude to the maestro Edy Martínez for his great patience, to Vilma Rincón for her help providing all the information and graphical material available. All photographs courtesy of Edy Martinez.
Edy Martínez´s Discography
Abbreviations: Pianist (P), Arranger (A), Composer (C), Producer (PR).
|
Year |
Album/Artist |
Label |
Martínez´s Participation |
| 1954 | Yolima Pérez | Vergara Record | P |
| 1955 | Música internacional | SV | P |
| 1964 | Señor 007/Ray Barreto | United Artists | P, A |
| 1965 | El Ray Criollo/Ray Barreto | United Artists | P, A, C |
| 1967 | Latino con Soul | United Artists | P, A |
| 1970 | Feeling/Mongo Santamaría | Atlantic | P |
| 1971 | Ray Rivera/Ray Rivera Orchestra | MGM | P, A, C |
| 1971 | Mongo at Montreaux/Mongo Santamaría | Atlantic Records | P |
| 1972 | Up From the Roots/Mongo Santamaría | Atlantic Records | P, A |
| 1973 | The Other Road/Ray Barreto | Fania Records | P, A, C |
| 1973 | Indestructible/Ray Barreto | Fania Records | P, A |
| 1974 | Justo Betancourt/ Justo Betancourt | Fania Records | P |
| 1973 | Soy hijo de Chango/Menique | Cotique | A |
| 1974 | En una nota/Monguito Santamaría | Inca | P, A, C |
| 1974 | Viva Emiliano Zapata/Gato Barbieri | ABC | P |
| 1975 | Chapter Four/Gato Barbieri | ABC | P |
| 1975 | Un retrato/Tito Rodríguez | TR Records | PR |
| 1975 | Barreto/Ray Barreto | Fania Records | A |
| 1975 | Barreto Live/Ray Barreto | Atlantic Records | A |
| 1975 | El jardin del amor/Larry Harlow | Fania Records | A |
| 1975 | Salsa/Larry Harlow | Fania Records | A |
| 1975 | Montara/Bobby Hutcherson | Blue Note | C |
| 1975 | Unfinished Masterpiece/Eddie Palmieri | Musical Product. | A |
| 1976 | New World/ Joe Chambers | Finite Records | P |
| 1976 | Cuban Roots | Mark Weinstein | P |
| 1976 | Introducing/La Sonora Borinquen | TR Records | PR |
| 1976 | Caliente/ Gato Barbieri | A&M Records | P, A |
| 1976 | Ruby Ruby/ Gato Barbieri | A&M Records | P, A |
| 1976 | Passion & Fire/Gato Barbieri | A&M Records | P |
| 1977 | La raza latina/Larry Harlow | Fania Records | A |
| 1977 | Eye of the Beholder/Ray Barreto | Atlantic Records | P |
| 1977 | A Touch of class/Pet Conde Rodríguez | Fania Records | P |
| 1977 | De todo un poco/Luo Peres | Tico | P |
| 1977 | Romántico y salsero/Raul Marrero | Sony Discos | P, A |
| 1978 | Con mucha salsa/Vitin Aviles and Fania | Alegre Records | A |
| 1978 | Homenaje a Benny More/Tito Puente | Tico Records | A |
| 1978 | Tropico/ Gato Barbieri | A&M Records | P, A |
| 1978 | My Own Image/Luis Perico Ortiz | Turnstyle | P, A, C |
| 1979 | Euphoria/Gato Barbieri | A&M Records | P |
| 1979 | Ricanstruction/Ray Barreto | Fania Records | A |
| 1979 | Soy la ley/Pet Conde Rodríguez | Fania Records | P |
| 1979 | Gracias/Ray Barreto | Fania Records | A |
| 1979 | Típica 73 Record in Cuba/Típica 73 | Fania Records | A |
| 1979 | NY para el Caribe/Federico Crespo | Divemer | P,A,C,PR |
| 1979 | Just Like Magic/Tito Puente | LP Ventures Inc. | P |
| 1981 | Para los amigos/Gato Barbieri | Dr. Jazz | P |
| 1981 | Libre increible/Many Oquendo | Salsuol | A |
| 1981 | Típica 73…Into the 80´s/Típica | Fania Records | A |
| 1982 | Tiros bailables | CBS | P, A |
| 1983 | Apasionado/Gato Barbieri | Polydor | P |
| 1984 | Calorcito/Conexión Latina | Enja | P, A |
| 1986 | Hard Hands/Ray Mantilla | Red Records | P, A |
| 1986 | Mambo/La Manigua | Melodie | P |
| 1986 | Un poco loco | Enja | A |
| 1986 | Zaperoco II/Zaperoco | Montuno | P, A |
| 1988 | Soundtrack: Married to the Mob | FILM | A |
| 1988 | L´Opera Triangulaire | Messidor | A |
| 1989 | Dark Powers/Ray Mantilla | Red Records | P, A |
| 1991 | Travel Log/Corina Bartra | Blue spiral | P |
| 1992 | Que se cuiden los soneros/Raulín | DMS | P |
| 1993 | Royal T/Tito Puente | Condord | A, C |
| 1993 | Mejor que nunca/Many Oquendo | Milestone | A |
| 1993 | Es bolero/Cecilia Zaid | Sisar | P, A |
| 1993 | Manhattan by Numbers/G. Barbieri | FILM | C |
| 1994 | Synergy/Ray Mantilla | Red Records | P, A, C |
| 1994 | Ritual de la salsa | Discos Fuentes | P, A |
| 1994 | Tiempo de carnival | Atriz Music | P |
| 1995 | Privilegio/Edy Martínez Orchestra | Nuevo Milenio | P,A,C,PR |
| 1995 | Pearls/David Sanborn | Electra | A |
| 1996 | Madera/Mauricio Smith | Wenmar Records | P |
| 1998 | More and More/Lucas Van Merwijk | Tam Tam | P, A, C |
| 1998 | Apuesto a todo/Gustavo Rodríguez | FM Records | P |
| 1998 | Su majestad el piano/Edy Martínez | FM Records | P,A,PR |
| 1998 | Live in the Hague/Cubop City Big Band | Tam Tam | P, A |
| 2000 | Edy Martínez Big Band | Nariño Dept. | C,A,PR |
| 2000 | Rítmico y pianístico/Gerardo Rosales | A Records | P, A |
| 2001 | La salsa es mi vida | Javaanse Jonges | A |
| 2002 | Arsenio/Cubop City Big Band | Tam Tam | A |
| 2005 | New York Salsa/Orquesta Universal | One Soul | P |
| 2006 | Good Vibrations | Savant | P |
| 2008 | Midnight Jazz Affair /Edy Martínez | Jogal Music | P,A,PR |
| 2010 | Acción de Gracias/Carlos Zagarra | Disc Maker | P |
| 2012 | Chico Alvarez – El Montunero: Country Roots/Urban Masters | Mafimba Records | P,A,C |
In 2013, at the great salsa festival “Salsa al Parque” in the city of Bogotá, I had the privilege of listening to one of the most emblematic salsa legends of all times, Rubén Blades. He is synonymous with passion, feeling, catchy sound, smart lyrics and commitment to the musical community and society. After the break-up of Blades and Seis del Solar, thousands of fans wondered when and how Rubén would make a comeback to the stage with other musical bands. Seis del Solar has been considered a gem in the industry for its contribution to the evolution not only of salsa but also to Latin jazz. This group was part of the particular and unique sound Blades created, a stamp that distinguished them among dozens of musical projects around the world. But life continues, the magical world of music continues too so a genius like Rubén continues contributing his talent to the world scene. The first thought that came to my mind that day as I watched Rubén Blades was “What an orchestra Blades has!”, answering any of the doubts that many of us had for years when Ruben stopped his career to work as Minister of Tourism in his beloved Panama.
Followers were not disappointed by the Panamanian singer-songwriter because his comeback was warranted in terms of music. Mr. Blades entrusted his arrangements and instrumental accompaniment to one of his compatriots, Roberto Delgado, a talented bass player, singer and composer who studied at Conservatorio de Musica de Bellas Artes in Mexico and the Golden West College of Huntington Beach, California. From the time he was a young musician, Mr. Delgado has created several musical projects including Grupo Alma Joven (1973), Orquesta Fantasía (1978), Grupo Experimental de Latin Jazz (1985), Orquesta de Pedro Azael (1986), Grupo Kristal (1988), Grupo Fiebre (1989), Cutito Larrinaga (1991) and Orquesta Cimarrón (1993) among others. He has also worked with great figures in the world of Latin music like Cheo Feliciano, Luis Perico Ortiz, Ismael Miranda, Tito Nieves, Yolanda Rivera, Angel Canales, José Alberto el Canario just to mention a few.
Son de Panamá is the new work of Rubén Blades, as usual, this album is full of profound lyrics where the listener can appreciate poetry and commitment as Blades has shown during his career as a composer and singer. In this project some themes from previous albums have been included like “Las calles” (The Streets), “Ojos de perro azul” (Blue Dog’s Eyes), “Vino añejo” (Matured Wine), and “La Caína”. Great songs that Blades and Delgado’s orchestra bring again with great energy and pure mastery in musical interpretation. The perfect example is the mythical “Ojos the perro azul”, a piece recorded in the album Agua de Luna (Moon Water) with the band Seis del Solar: in this song, the basic arrangement of Oscar Hernández is kept but Mr. Delgado proposes a version where the brass takes a leading role enhancing the sound of this unforgettable theme. Another song to mention is the beautiful interpretation of the “Vino añejo”, a melody included in La Rosa de los Vientos and composed by the Panamanian Roberto Cedeño. Delgado and his orchestra reinvigorate this classic with catchy vibraphone lines, powerful brass sessions and an unparalleled team of singers that enhances the entire piece, giving the listener a new and renovated sound that goes perfectly with the tremendous feeling that Rubén Blades put into it.
From other composers, Blades recorded some themes for the first time including the bolero “Me recordarás” composed by the Cuban Frank Domínguez, and three songs written by Panamanian composers; “Otra canción de amor” (Rómulo Castro), “Teresa Batista” (José Calderón), and “Perdón” (Omar Alfanno). To match the title of this work, several songs on this new album, created by Panamanians, were included as a way to pay tribute to the music of Blades’land.
Creativity is part of Mr. Blades’life. This album could not be recorded without some original compositions by this legend. “Caín”, “Parrhesia”, “Olaya”, and “En esa casa” (In that house) are the new songs on Son de Panamá. Of these four new pieces, three of them are about the typical and profound ideas about life and society that Rubén discusses in their interpretations: “Caín” talks about how to make amends after doing bad things to others based on the biblical story of Caín and Abel. “Vive el arrepentimiento” (feel regret) is a moving phrase that has the ability to evoke tears and reflection, this phrase makes the listener vitally move while they cry the reflection. “Parrhesia” could be identified as the masterpiece of this album, a sincere composition where Mr. Blades reflects on the contradictions of human beings with respect to the political decisions made by the “richest” and most “powerful” countries over other nations. Fascinating and smart lyrics are the poetic framework of Son de Panamá, an exquisite musical project which has the stamp of the committed, brave and brilliant Ruben Blades.
Track List – Las calles; Caín; Ojos de perro azul; Vino añejo; Parrhesia; Me recordarás; Olaya; La Caína; Otra canción de amor; En esa casa; Teresa Batista; El perdón; La caína.
Personnel – Roberto Delgado: bass and voice; Luis Enrique Becerra: keyboards; Juan Carlos “Wichy” López: trumpet; Francisco Delvecchio: trombons; Carlos Pérez Bidó: timbales; Juan Berna: piano; Marcos Barraza: congas; Raúl “Toto” Rivera: bongó, campana, güiro and maracas; Ademir Berrocal: drums; Carlos Ubarte: sax baritone.
Guests – Eduardo Pineda: piano; José Ramón Guerra: congas; Mayito Travieso: tres; Medoro Madera: voice.
Released – 2015
Label – Rubén Blades Productions
Runtime – 63:00
Not only is every track on this CD “perfection” but each proclaims artists of exceptional calibre, establishing their positions as important players of Cuban classics. And without doubt they are a quite wonderful clarinetist and a string quartet in their prime, with a thrust and command of brilliance and musical energy that are controlled by vivacious personalities. Listening to them in pieces which articulate their journey from the beloved Cuba, you sense all over again, how obviously this music comes from the heart and how what is expressed is indissolubly linked to its technical execution, both for the clarinetist as well as for Quinteto Cimarrón; the one illuminated the other. Characteristic of D’Rivera, and the string Quintet everywhere is an ineluctable forward movement, a thrust and passion for what is to come, in the light of what we are hearing now and what we’ve heard a moment ago. The freshness and directness are delightful, the virtuosity often breathtaking, but their control is as much musical as it is technical. Truly exciting interpreters, they are able to make you feel how the total structure of a classical Cuban piece, not just the surface, has an audible power.
You may notice small lapses in acuteness of perfectly judged expression—I think very few—but the dynamic life of the music is always there, together with a concern for its character and the achievement and articulation of the larger shapes. You hear music unleashed from the instruments of Paquito D’Rivera and Quinteto Cimarrón as if from a coiled spring, and as exciting as I’ve ever encountered it. The clarinetist excels in such inspirations and there are numerous examples throughout this repertoire especially in “Introducción y Guajira…” a particularly balletic piece, thrown off with exceptional grace. By the time you reach such moments you have come to cherish each player’s immaculate rhythm and strict timekeeping, which has nothing to do with swallowing a metronome. Playing a tempo with this degree of élan and finish derives from a discipline that Paquito D’Rivera may have learnt to adhere to in his days of studying in the conservatoire in Cuba. The music on this disc is a rousing success; with “Longina” and “La Comparsa” ranking as notable additions to this distinguished discography.
I mentioned small lapses in the acuteness of expression. You don’t identify them by comparing this group to any other. Paquito D’Rivera and Quinteto Cimarrón are a group like none other. And their brilliance is palpable. Their playing is deeply romantic; almost heroic in their ability to convey the joyful fingerprint of Cuba, no doubt with a large dose of nostalgia. But this might be so because all of the musicians are expatriates in either Spain or the United States of America. In sum my impressions of Paquito D’Rivera and Quinteto Cimarrón are of their selfless concentration, understanding and boundless musical energy and in everything offered their command of timing and of the glorious variety and drama of these compositions, I retain too a sense that their space and reach have been encompassed.
Track List – Alborada y son; Wapango; Habanera; Afro; Contradanza; Martica; Tamborichelo III: La Cubana; Longina; Notas de la Habana; Introducción y Guajira – 2nd movement, work for clarinet and string quartet; Al fin te vi; Zumolandia; A la 1830; Isora club; La Rity; Doña Vainilla; La Comparsa.
Personnel – Paquito D’Rivera: clarinet and saxophone; Eduardo Coma: 1st violin; Lázaro W. González Peña: 2nd violin; Raymond Arteaga: viola; Luis Caballero: cello; Oscar Rodríguez: contrabass.
Released – 2015
Label – Sunnyside Records
Runtime – 1:03:05
It is apocryphal that you can take the Colombian out of the Cumbia, but you can never take the Cumbia out of the Colombian. Thus the now-Austrian-based Colombian bassist Juan García-Herreros has been endowed with the infinite beauty of Colombian rhythms even as he bends and stretches these and melding them with the swirling and swaggering Afro-Caribbean rhythms, and further, with the exciting elasticity of jazz. Mr. García-Herreros’ music has a leaping quality to it; not unlike a gazelle, intoxicated with the smell of spring rain. He does not give the impression of being in a hurry himself, but rather lays the foundation for enriching the complexity of the music. Of course Mr. García-Herreros is also a sublime rhythmist, fed on a heady mix of Colombian—indeed all Latin American music, including Afro-Caribbean as well as folkloric traipsing in the dancing figures he creates on his considerably enhanced bass guitar. The music on Normas rings with such a fanciful and a rigorous adherence to the paths that bring about the changes and contemporaneity to the music, which is established by a culture of sound.
Much of this is recorded in “Huellas,” a chart that means “footprints” begins to trace a fabulous path through the jungle, awake with bird calls and the rustle of spring, announced by the wind rushing through the leaves. The majesty of the music is further established by the bright and resonant notes hammered out on the balafon by Mamadou Diabate. Brass and woodwinds add a certain softness and voluptuous texture to the harmonic tapestry, further supported by the strings of the 12-string guitar. All this as Mr. García-Herreros cuts a swathe through the melody and builds up the piece until an uncredited synthesizer masquerading as a pipe-organ takes over to build on the musical magisterium. This is a perfect introduction to the propulsive nature of “Impulso Interno,” where that other magician from Colombia, Héctor Martignon plays in counterpoint with the guitarist, Conrad Schrenk. The triangulated contrapuntal harmonics are established almost as soon as Juan García-Herreros enters the music roaring on his bass guitar.
It might seem that pianist Héctor Martignon does not have the kind of role that enables him to make his customary stellar presence felt, but then along comes “Cuerpo Y Alma,” a deeply moving song that is made so by the ponderous bass clarinet of Klaus Dickbauer and Mr. Martignon soon joins in the fracas fulfilling his potential as one of the most poignant players of that grand instrument. He is also omnipresent on “Som I Serem.” This is probably one of the most breathtaking compositions among all of the music on this album, due in no small part to Mr. Dickbauer and Mr. Martignon. Other contributions come in the form of conguero, Roberto Quintero, whose energy is infectious. The West African contingent in the form of percussionists Djakali Kone and Mamadou Diabate also bring much musicality in the colours they employ via their various instruments. But in the end it is the Snow Owl, Juan García-Herreros and his ubiquitous bass guitar that makes the melodies more breathtaking, the harmonies more texturally exquisite and the rhythmic energy more powerful throughout this rather beautiful album.
Track list – Señor C.P.; Huellas; Impulso Interno; Cuerpo Y Alma; Som I Serem; Touched; Hearts of Ether.
Personnel – Juan García-Herreros: electric contrabass guitar; Jonathan Powell: trumpet (1, 2, 3, 6, 7); Héctor Martignon: piano; Conrad Schrenk: electric guitar (3); Klaus Dickbauer: bass clarinet (4); Abdoulaye Dembele: percussion (2); Djakali Kone: percussion (2); Mamadou Diabate: balafon, percussion (2); Roberto Quintero: percussion (1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7); Alexander Wladigeroff: trumpet, flugelhorn; Daniel Mesquita: 12-string guitar (2); Stoyan Yankoulov: drums; Jeremy Powell: tenor saxophone.
Released – 2013
Record Label – Inner Circle Music
Runtime – 1:03:00
Playlist – Juan García-Herreros – Snow Owl: Normas
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Tomas Pena
Apr 13, 2015 at 9:25 pm
Bravo Oscar! Great piece on Maestro Edy Martinez.
Mara
Sep 20, 2015 at 9:46 pm
Didn’t Edy Martinez have a daughter called Estellita with a lady called Estella? I remember babysitting that little girl when they lived in the Bronx off The Grand Concourse. Crazy times. I also met Artie Webb at their apartment.
Gary Peters
Mar 14, 2016 at 1:32 pm
Hi Oscar
Great piece!
My name is Gary Peters, author of the Philosophy of Improvisation (Chicago University Press, 2009) and just finishing another book for Chicago U.P. on improvisation. It contains a strange ‘memoir’ of the San Sebastian Jazz festival 1980 where Edy played with Gato. I was playing too in another band. I wondered if you had a contact email for Edy? I need to ask him a couple of questions relating to that night.
Alex
Sep 21, 2023 at 11:05 am
Saludos, Oscar.
Gran y merecido artículo para el Maestro Edy Martinez, que se merece todos los homenajes posibles en vida. Pues hasta hoy es el gran cultor de la música latina en Nueva York. Sin olvidar a otros como José Madrid.