Review of Mark Weinstein’s “El Cumbanchero” from Latin Jazz Network
“The album literally explodes from the gates…”
Latin Jazz Network - posted April 16, 2012 by Raul da Gama
It might seem foolhardy to many to take a chance and make an entire record based on “charanga”; perceived as rather old-fashioned too considering the rising eminence of the goldmine of what is now salsa—a common misnomer for all things Afro-Cuban. But not for flute maestro, Mark Weinstein, who, four years ago in a great leap of faith—literally—made, with Omar Sosa, Tales From The Earth a record that raised the spirit of the Holocaust and indeed the spirit of all who perished in the hatred of racism (Ota, 2009). That was certainly a lot more risqué and unfashionable compared to this record; still, however, the fact is that Weinstein will not shy away from taking a chance on almost anything. Another fact about the flutist—borne out yet again on this record—is that he has the uncanny knack of finding the finest musical associates to collaborate with on projects. A case in point: the monstrously talented Cuban born pianist, Aruán Ortiz, who has not only played magnificently on this record, but who has also contributed the most exquisite and authentic “charanga” arrangements on this album… (read more)
Latin Jazz Corner Podcast Episode #3
The final portion of this podcast features an interview with Jazzheads Flautist, Mark Weinstein, where they discuss his most recent album El Cumbanchero.
Latin Jazz Corner describes Mark Weinstein and his latest album:
This album is another fantastic chapter in Weinstein’s creative exploration of Cuban music, where he mixes jazz with danzon in a charanga setting. Cuban pianist Aruán Ortiz provided the arrangements, which simply overflow with beauty - these magnificent works in combination with Weinstein’s flute performance make El Cumbanchero a masterpiece.
Weinstein is an important voice in Latin Jazz - from his time with Eddie Palmieri’s La Perfecta to the essential album Cuban Roots and his modern recordings, Weinstein is someone that you need to hear. If you want to get the full scoop on Weinstein’s career, check out the extensive interview with him that I published on LJC - you’ll want to read Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, and Part 4.
El Cumbanchero is really a fantastic album that brings together all of Weinstein’s experience into an important statement. You don’t want to miss this one - here’s a link to pick up Mark Weinstein’s El Cumbanchero.
