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data-original-title="" title="">Alberto Nacif, a Mexican native transplanted in Michigan, brought together some of the area's most skilled Afro-Cuban and Latin musicians to form Aguankó. Their small ensemble with a large Latin jazz sound herewith follows up their self-produced 2013 debut Elemental with a sparkling new set entirely written by Nacif, featuring Aguankó percussionist Jose "Pepe" Espinosa serving for the first time as their producer.
"The idea for the title and the concept for this new Aguankó recording is the invisibility of forces that guide us, move us, inspire us," Nacif reveals in his liner notes. "Love, friendship, respect, compassion, admiration, joy, longing..."
There is something undefinably and indescribably joyous about Nacif's music, the band's performance, and Espinosa's production, on Invisible. A sense of collective joy—the joy of creation, the joy of camaraderie and collaboration, and the simple joy of music—bubbles up from the chirping percussion and sunny brass of the opening "Sur La Seine" (mambo) like a refreshing mountain stream. The trombone solo by
"The idea for the title and the concept for this new Aguankó recording is the invisibility of forces that guide us, move us, inspire us," Nacif reveals in his liner notes. "Love, friendship, respect, compassion, admiration, joy, longing..."
There is something undefinably and indescribably joyous about Nacif's music, the band's performance, and Espinosa's production, on Invisible. A sense of collective joy—the joy of creation, the joy of camaraderie and collaboration, and the simple joy of music—bubbles up from the chirping percussion and sunny brass of the opening "Sur La Seine" (mambo) like a refreshing mountain stream. The trombone solo by
On "Se?or Belgrave," Nacif features two of Detroit's finest contemporary musicians, bassist Robert Hurst and trumpeter
Marcus Belgrave
trumpet1936 - 2015
The closing guaguankó "Un Futuro Brillante" ("A Bright Future") certainly sounds like it. Trumpeter
Anthony Stanco
trumpet
Dizzy Gillespie
trumpet1917 - 1993
Arturo Sandoval
trumpetb.1949
Alberto Nacif is also a (General Practitioner) medical doctor, and the music he makes with Aguankó sounds healing, soulful, and life-affirming. Nominated for Ourstanding World Music release by the 2015 Detroit Music Awards, Invisible has thankfully raised Aguankó's visibility throughout the jazz community. ">
Track Listing
Sur la Seine; Fashionably Late; Invisible; Babuka; Chico's Dream; Luna Roja (for Armando Peraza); Senor Belgrave; Madiba; Un Futuro Brillante.
Personnel
Alberto Nacif: congas; Jose "Pepe" Espinosa: timbales, guiro, bongos, batas; Carlos Mena: bass; Wesley Reynoso: piano; Russell Miller: saxophone, flute; Christopher Smith: trombone; Anthony Stanco: trumpet; Ric Roe: piano; Marcus Belgrave: trumpet; Robert Hurst: bass; Alberto Alberto Pino: vocals.
Album information
Title: Invisible | Year Released: 2015 | Record Label: Self Produced
Tags
Aguanko
CD/LP/Track Review
Chris M. Slawecki
Dr. Jazz Operations
Self Produced
United States
Michigan
Detroit
Alberto Nacif
Christopher Smith
Marcus Belgrave
Anthony Stanco
Dizzy Gillespie
arturo sandoval
Invisible
Comments
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