Dafnis Prieto Big Band: ‘Danzonish Potpourri’

“That Dafnis Prieto has undertaken an epic musical voyage is clear from the music on this disc. Back to the Sunset, is the culmination of a journey that looks back from the future. This colourful symphonic fantasy is the realisation of the dreams and aspirations of a drummer who may occupy a seat behind a trap set, but in actual fact belongs everywhere in the orchestra. And magically, Mr Prieto has, in fact, become the orchestra that he animates and in the myriad of stories that are told or, more appropriately-speaking, sung the characters in this moving, passion play change. In some of the lead character is an animated trumpet, or an alto saxophone, a trombone, piano, bass and also, of needs be, a drum.” – Raul da Gama

• CD Review: Dafnis Prieto Big Band – Back to the Sunset

Composed & arranged by Dafnis Prieto/ Produced by Dafnis Prieto & Eric Oberstein / Video by Makoto Matsuo.

Soloists: Dafnis Prieto (drums), Josh Deutsch (trumpet), Ricky Rodríguez (acoustic bass), Michael Thomas (soprano sax), Manuel Valera (piano), Peter Apfelbaum (melodica).

Dedicated to Bebo Valdés, Art Blakey & Jane Bunnett from the album ‘BACK TO THE SUNSET’ Dafnis Prieto’s biggest statement yet.

• Artist Profile: Dafnis Prieto

DAFNIS PRIETO BIG BAND
Mike Rodríguez, Trumpet, Flugelhorn
Nathan Eklund, Trumpet, Flugelhorn
Alex Sipiagin, Trumpet, Flugelhorn
Josh Deutsch, Trumpet, Flugelhorn

Román Filiú, Alto Sax, Soprano Sax, Flute, Clarinet
Michael Thomas, Alto Sax, Soprano Sax, Flute, Piccolo
Peter Apfelbaum, Tenor Sax, Soprano Sax, Melodica
Joel Frahm, Tenor Sax, Soprano Sax
Chris Cheek, Bari Sax

Tim Albright, Trombone
Alan Ferber, Trombone
Jacob Garchik, Trombone
Jeff Nelson, Bass Trombone

Manuel Valera, Piano
Ricky Rodríguez, Acoustic & Electric Bass
Roberto Quintero, Congas, Bongos, Percussion

Dafnis Prieto, Drums & Music Director

Recorded August 28, 2017 at Systems Two Recording Studios, Brooklyn, NY.

Recording & Mixing Engineer: Joe Marciano
Mastering Engineer: Max Ross
Assistant Engineers: Max Ross & Andrew Cavaciuti
Mixing: Joe Marciano, Max Ross, Dafnis Prieto & Eric Oberstein

Production Coordinator: Danny Martinez

Camera Operators: Makoto Matsuo, Yousuke Kiname, Isamu Maeda, Niklas Moller, Azumi Oe, Yusuke Shibata.

Dafnis Prieto Big Band ‘Back to the Sunset’ is supported in part by the National Association of Latino Arts and Cultures, the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, the Ford Foundation, Southwest Airlines, and the Surdna Foundation through a grant from the NALAC Fund for the Arts Grant Program.

Dafnis Prieto Big Band is a sponsored project of Fractured Atlas, a non-profit arts service organization.