GOING FOR ADDS: July 29th, 2014
FILE: Latin Jazz
Sug: 1, 3, 4, 6
Ann (aka Ann-ita) Reynolds / Clave Gringa
“Para Cuba Con Amor”
1 Songo Borracho (4:18)
2 Casi Cubana (4:18)
3 Sol y Luz (5:07)
4 La Chica del Malecón (5:30)
5 Con Pasión (6:42)
6 Working Through (4:21)
“Clave Gringa is a delight! Ann-ita’s compositions achieve that rare
balance of musical ideas arranged to engage the brain and authentic
danceable rhythms to engage the body.” – Robin Lloyd, KPLU
7 No Necesito un Nombre (5:11)
8 Espíritu (4:16)
9 Fun-que (5:30)
10 Emergence (4:15)
11 La Amistad (5:40)
Total Run Time: 53:48
CLAVE GRINGA is a Seattle-based Latin jazz ensemble showcasing the compositions
of Ann Reynolds (Ann-ita). The music is Cuban-flavored, makes you want to move.
ABOUT THE MUSICIANS
CLAVE GRINGA is a quintet of experienced Latin players from the Seattle area: two
percussionists, bass, piano, and trumpet. I invited several guests to help interpret my
songs on this recording. Trombonist Naomi Siegel and saxophonist/clarinetist Tobi
Stone added their wonderful instrumental voices and Makala Wengelewski-Romero
sang La Chica del Malecon. Steve Smith joined me on bongos for a stunning duo, and
Ricardo Guity lead the percussion section in the interpretation of Espiritu (rumba), and
brought out the bata in the folkloric song Sol y Luz. For the Cuban son composition, La
Chica del Malecon, La Familia Valera Miranda from Santiago de Cuba, went into the
studio with me to capture the essence of this style.
Ann-ita Reynolds – piano
Daniel Barry – trumpet and flugelhorn
Edsson Otero – congas (1,2,5,6,7,8,9,11); cajón (5); batá (3); guiro (11)
Ernesto Pediangco – bongó (6); timbales and percussion (1,2,5,7,11)
Ben Verdier – bass (1,3,5,6,7,8,9)
Guest Musicians
Ricardo Guity – congas (8); bata (Iya) (3)
Félix Enrique Valera Alarcón – cuatro, clave (4); coros (4,5,8)
Raul Félix Valera Alarcón –bass and coro (4)
Ernesto Valera Alarcón – bongó (4); coros (4,5,8) bell (1,5,7,8); maracas (6)
Wilfredo Fuentes Céspedes – congas, timbales (4), guiro (2,4);
chekere (3,8) and coros (4,5,8)
Pedro Antonio Rodón Pérez – maracas and coros (4)
Francisco “Jr” Medina - guagua and timbales (8);
bata, conga, timbales (3)
Makala Wengelewski-Romero- lead vocal; coros (4,5,8)
Naomi Siegel – trombone
Steve Smith – clave (8), guataca (3); bongó (10)
Tobi Stone – clarinet and tenor sax
Alberto Pantaleon- bass (2, 11)
Ben Morrow – drumkit
In 2000, I went to Cuba and fell in love… with the music and the people. I’ve been
returning every year since to study at the National School for the Arts (LaENA) in
Havana to absorb more of the music and culture. Para Cuba con Amor is the
outcome– a recording of 11 of my original “Cuban jazz” compositions performed by my
group Clave Gringa and many guests, including the Cuba son group, La Familia Valera
Miranda, and the Cuban bassist Alberto Pantaleon.
As is true of Cuban jazz pianists, I draw on many different music and dance styles in my
compositions - from the European influenced danzón and chá to the Afro based rumba
and 6/8 folkloric rhythms. (More information about these styles and about each tune can
be found at www.clavegringa.com)
RECORDED at David Lange Studio, Edgewood WA, 2013
PRODUCED, MIXED and MASTERED by Julio Jauregui
GRAPHICS by Julio Jauregui
AVAILABLE from cdbaby
GLOBAL RADIO CAMPAIGN CONTACT
KATE SMITH PROMOTIONS
www.katesmithpromotions.com
[email protected]
814.482.0010
1. Songo Borracho. (jazz-songo) 4:18
This song has a little taste of songo, and a little taste of Thelonius Monk.
6. Working Through (bolero) 4:21
The bolero is a beautiful style with distinctive Cuban percussion – maracas and bongó.
Ann-ita Reynolds – piano, Daniel Barry - trumpet, Tobi Stone – tenor sax, Naomi
Siegel – trombone, Edsson Otero – congas, Ernesto Pediangco – timbales, Ben
Verdier – bass, Ernesto Valera Alarcón – bell, Wilfredo Fuentes Céspedes – guiro
Ann-ita Reynolds – piano, Daniel Barry – flugelhorn, Edsson Otero – congas,
Ernesto Pediangco – bongó, Ben Verdier – bass, Ernesto Valera Alarcón – maracas
2. Casi Cubana (danzón-funky chá) 4:18
My development as a musician through my study in Cuba has made me feel sometimes
that I am “casi cubana” (almost Cuban). A favorite style of mine is the cha-cha-cha and
this piece begins as a danzon and then moves into a funky chá. Alberto Pantaleon, of the
AfroCuban All-stars, provides the bassline.
Ann-ita Reynolds – piano, Daniel Barry – trumpet, Edsson Otero – congas, Ernesto
Pediangco – timbales, Wilfredo Fuentes Céspedes – guiro, Alberto Pantaleon- bass
3. Sol y Luz (Afro 6/8) 5:07
The folkloric dance and music of the Santería religion permeate life in Cuba. My
percussionists, lead by Ricardo Guity, brought out the batá drums used originally in
Santería ceremonies to play this piece with the rhythm of the orisha Eleguá – the spirit
who opens the way to the spirit world.
Ann-ita Reynolds – piano, Tobi Stone – tenor sax, Naomi Siegel – trombone, Ricardo
Guity – batá (Iya), Edsson Otero – batá, , Francisco “Jr” Medina - batá, congas,
timbales, Ben Verdier – bass, Wilfredo Fuentes Céspedes – chekere, Steve Smith guataca
4. La Chica del Malecón (son) 5:30
I love Cuban son – the popular music style that formed the basis of salsa in the US. La
Familia Valera Miranda of Santiago de Cuba recorded this piece with me, giving it the
authentic “Sabor de Cuba”. This piece was co-written with Fernando Allende.
Ann-ita Reynolds – piano, Daniel Barry – trumpet, Félix Enrique Valera Alarcón –
cuatro, coro, Ernesto Valera Alarcón – bongó, coro, Wilfredo Fuentes Céspedes –
congas, timbales, coro, Raul Félix Valera Alarcón –bass, coro, Pedro Antonio Rodón
Pérez – maracas, coro, Makala Wengelewski-Romero- lead vocal, coro
7. No Necesito un Nombre (latin jazz) 5:11
What latin pianist is not influenced by Eddie Palmieri? I wrote this tune after listening
to Eddie over and over and over, and put a dash of Monk in it too.
Ann-ita Reynolds – piano, Daniel Barry – trumpet, Edsson Otero – congas, Ernesto
Pediangco – timbales, Ben Verdier – bass, Ernesto Valera Alarcón – bell
8. Espíritu (rumba-guaguancó) 4:16
Rumba is very important to modern Cuban dance music and Cuban jazz. Guaguancó
developed in Cuba but has deep African roots. Traditionally performed by
percussionists, vocalists and dancers, I use traditional rumba elements and suggest
dance movements with instrumental voices.
Ann-ita Reynolds – piano, Daniel Barry – trumpet, Naomi Siegel – trombone,
Ricardo Guity – congas, Edsson Otero – congas, Francisco “Jr” Medina - guagua
and timbales, Ben Verdier – bass, Steve Smith – clave, Ernesto Valera Alarcón –
bell, coro, Wilfredo Fuentes Céspedes – chekere, coro Félix Enrique Valera Alarcón
– coro, Makala Wengelewski-Romero - coro
9. Fun-que (funk) 5:30
Funk is an important part of modern Cuban music. I composed Fun-que thinking of
Roberto Carcassés and his mvery funky band Interactivo.
Ann-ita Reynolds – piano, Tobi Stone – tenor sax, Naomi Siegel – trombone, Ben
Morrow – drum kit, Edsson Otero – congas, Ben Verdier – bass
10. Emergence (duo) 4:15
I decided to do this as a piano-bongó duo as I love the sound of bongó and think they
should be heard more often.
Ann-ita Reynolds – piano, Steve Smith –bongó
5. Con Pasión (flamenco-son) 6:42
Cuban culture is a mix of Spanish and African influences. This piece favors the Spanish
side, with a final Cuban montuno section.
Ann-ita Reynolds – piano, Daniel Barry – trumpet, Edsson Otero – cajón, congas,
Ernesto Pediangco – timbales, percussion, Ben Verdier – bass, Félix Enrique Valera
Alarcón –coro, Ernesto Valera Alarcón –coro, bell, Wilfredo Fuentes Céspedes coro, Makala Wengelewski-Romero - coro
11. La Amistad. (danzón) 5:40
I wrote this to honor the many friendships I have made in Cuba and the friendship that I
see between Americans and Cubans. The song is written as a danzón, a style important
for Cuban pianists historically in charanga ensembles and a style that many Cuban jazz
pianists use in contemporary composition and arranging.
Ann-ita Reynolds – piano, Tobi Stone – clarinet, Edsson Otero – congas, guiro,
Ernesto Pediangco –timbales, Alberto Pantaleon- bass
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