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Carmen Souza: The Silver Messengers | Soul Searching
We present the first single ‘Soul Searching’ from Carmen Souza’s upcoming album The Silver Messengers, to be released next October. ‘Soul Searching’ is a tribute to Horace Silver on his 5th death Anniversary.
Carmen Souza award-winning singer-songwriter and instrumentalist is a reference in the Cape-Verdean music and a female pioneer creating a new body of timeless Creole Jazz that undoubtedly will inspire future generations.
With a critically acclaimed solid career, in both the World Music and Jazz scenes, spanning over more than a decade, several tours around the world and 8 CDs, Souza, together with her longtime musical partner, Theo Pascal, have managed to imprint ethnicity to Jazz in their signature ‘World Jazz’ and get it closer to its African roots.
Souza´s charisma and earthy virtuoso vocal technique have permitted her to operate far beyond the limits of World Music, Jazz, and singer-songwriter, all genres in which she moves with ease and grace.
The new cd ‘The Silver Messengers’, to be released Worldwide Oct 25th 2019, by Galileo Music, is a tribute to Horace Silver, someone who has been credited, more than once, as a big influence in Souza’s career. Silver left us 5 years ago and Souza’s connection to the emblematic and pioneer hard bop pianist go beyond just the artistic identification.
“Growing up, I listened a lot to my father’s records, which was mainly instrumental cape Verdean music, because he was a guitar player as well and was very much into that.
When I first listen to Horace Silver, I could hear the same vibe, the same swing, intention, harmonically and melodically, familiar movements, cadences, chord changes, somehow I could hear the sound of my childhood, but with a different texture and aroma, in other words – Jazz.”
Indeed, Souza and Silver share the same Cape Verdean heritage and they both, in different ways, mixed that heritage with elements of Jazz.
“The name “Carmen Souza – The Silver Messengers”, comes from the task that is set upon ourselves of continuing to carry the message of his music, as disciples and missionaries… As Horace Said: “- We need more artists like these in music, artists who are willing to sacrifice for what they believe in”.
Only Carmen Souza, with Theo Pascal compositions, who has accomplished so much with their own pioneering musical signature, could have completed this mission with such wonder and authenticity.
“To Honour the music and the composer, the taste, the innovation and to shed a light on his work so that his music continues to touch other people that have never come in contact with it… The songs that we did were based in this Vision, and our reality, our music is filled with the lusophone influence and we brought Horace Silver’s music to this environment…”
Recorded between London and Lisbon, Carmen Souza and Theo Pascal have reworked 6 Silver songs, adding some new creole lyrics to it, also included in this CD 3 previously released versions: “Song for My Father”, “Cape Verdean Blues” and “Pretty Eyes”.
The 11 song line-up is completed with 2 original songs composed by Carmen Souza and Theo Pascal dedicated to Horace Silver.
‘The Silver Messengers’ are Carmen Souza on vocals and guitar, Theo Pascal on Electric Bass/Dbass, Elias Kacomanolis on drums/Perc and Benjamin Burrell on piano.
Relive the magnificent concert of Cuban pianist Chucho Valdés during the 2024 edition of Jazz à Vienne, in the ancient Roman theater [Théatre Antique] of Vienne
When it comes to ivory and ebony keys, competition is fierce in Cuba, but if there is one pianist who stands above the rest, it is the legendary Chucho Valdés, 82 years old, the “Cuban Mozart”, who from the age of 4 let his fingers run over the family piano and reproduced by ear the melodies he heard on the radio. From his youth on his native island, he has always retained an incredible sense of adaptation to all music, as comfortable when it comes to launching into wild jazz improvisations as when making crowds dance.
On July 10, 2024 at the Jazz à Vienne festival Chucho Valdés celebrated the 50th anniversary of Irakere, the group he founded that marked a before and after in Latin jazz. It was an extraordinary evening dedicated to Afro-Cuban music and jazz. Maestro Valdés was accompanied by a group embodying in all its diversity the essence of the popular and classical music of Cuba.
Chucho Valdés: piano, director
Ramón Álvarez: vocals
Luis Beltrán: alto saxophone
Carlos Averhoff Jr.: tenor saxophone
Eddy De Armas Jr.: trumpet
Osvaldo Fleites: trumpet
José Armando Gola: bass
Roberto Jr. Vizcaíno Torre: percussion
Horacio “El Negro” Hernández: drums
Vienne, Théatre Antique, Festival Jazz à Vienne, France – 10 July 2024
Jonathan Powell’s Mambo Jazz Party showcases his 20-year career as a trumpeter in NYC’s salsa and Latin jazz scene. As a former member of Eddie Palmieri’s groups and collaborator with Arturo O’Farrill and the Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra, Miguel Zenon, Tito Puente Jr., and many others, Powell’s love for the genre is evident. Mambo Jazz Party features top talents, including trombonist Jimmy Bosch, Grammy-nominated pianist Manuel Valera, and flutist Itai Kriss. With members like trombonist Ryan Keberle, drummer Camilo Molina, and bassist Alex Apolo Ayala, the ensemble promises dynamic performances. Their debut self-titled album is set for release on Circle 9 Records on August 9, 2024.
Featuring
Jonathan Powell – Trumpet, bandleader
Itai Kriss – Flute
Jeremy Powell – Tenor sax
Remy Le Boeuf – Alto and baritone sax
Jimmy Bosch – Trombone
Ryan Keberle – Trombone
Manuel Valera – Piano and keyboards
Alex Apolo Ayala – Bass
Camilo Molina – Drums and percussion
Marcos Torres – Congas
Songs
00:40 – Juancito
13:23 – Connection
20:47 – Love Song
31:04 – Outnumbered
38:26 – United
46:30 – Our Life
58:16 – When I’m With You
01:09:32 – Shade of Jade
This performance and new work by Jonathan Powell and Mambo Jazz Party has been made possible with support from Chamber Music America’s New Jazz Works program funded through the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation.
Production
Lead Audio Engineer: Klaus Larson
Video Engineering: Mark Montour-Larson & Alec Kenefick
Hosted by: Geoff Anderson
KUVO Program Director: Shane German
Booking: Domi Edson
Recorded in the Bonfils-Stanton Performance Studio in Denver, CO
“Tatomania” celebrates the brilliance of Roberto Jr. Vizcaíno from the Royal Quartet, the son of master percussionist Roberto Vizcaíno — who represents a new generation of Cuban percussion greats. Known to Valdés as “Tato” since he was a kid — Valdés performed with his father over the decades — Roberto Jr. shines with a fiery symphony of congas alongside Valdés’ melodic comping and air-tight pocket of the band on. Valdés comments, “Every party in Cuba ends with the conga. Once the congas ignite, we all dance together.”
Acclaimed living legend of Afro-Cuban music, seven-time GRAMMY Award winner and six-time Latin GRAMMY Award winner Chucho Valdés celebrates his lauded 60-year recording career with an instant-classic, Cuba & Beyond, set for release on Friday, September 20, 2024. Valdés is the preeminent composer/pianist of modern Afro-Cuban jazz with international acclaim to his name for deftly fusing the music of his homeland with jazz, classical music, dance music, and rock. His renowned career includes seven albums on Blue Note Records (1991-2003), a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Latin Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences, and being an inductee into the Latin Songwriters Hall of Fame. On Cuba & Beyond, Valdés composes yet another masterpiece featuring his electrifying Royal Quartet as he carries his legacy forward with a world-class catalog of recordings.
With nearly 30 albums, Valdés remains ever-young at heart while composing an array of his greatest works yet. On Cuba & Beyond, Valdés performs with his electrifying Royal Quartet featuring Horacio El Negro Hernández (drums), José Armando Gola (bass), and Roberto Jr. Vizcaíno (percussion).
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