Released: 2007
Changuito (Jose Luis Quintana): "Telegrafia Sin Hilo", Cacao Musica. Changuito (aka Jose Luis Quintana) has been one of the most influential percussionists in Cuba. He is credited with leading the transition from the traditional to the modern era of Cuban percussion as exemplified by the Songo era during his years with Los Van Van 1969-1994. After leaving Los Van Van he collaborated on several musical projects in the Latin Jazz and Traditional Tropical genres.
He won a grammy in 2004 in the Traditional Tropical category in a co-production with Bebo Valdez. He had however never released a solo album. Telegrafia Sin Hilo is his first "solo" album and also a tribute to his long and illustrous career. His public appearances these days are very few and very short as his endurance is limited by arthritis.
Changuito had spent most of his career performing and co-producing danceable tunes but on this CD it is the fusion tracks that are the most notable. In the liner notes he is quoted as saying that he never mastered the bata drums at a professional level. So he created three pieces with himself on timbale answering the bata drums. These three very rare type of Afro-Cuban drum and Jazz fusion recordings are: Sueno Flamenco (Ochosi/Obanloke), Afrocuban Dream (Olokun) and Telegrafia sin hilo (Eleggua). In all three pieces the modern music of Spain, Cuba, & American Jazz mesh with the ancient sound of the bata drums. While the CD is billed as a tribute to Changuito, he turns it into a tribute to the sound of the bata, the heart and the essence of the drumming voice of Africa.
The Tracks
1. Sueno Flamenco (Ochosi/Obanloke) 4:18 - Afro-Cuban Fusion
2. Changuito se boto 5:57 - Salsa
3. Almendra 4:48 - Danzon
4. Todavia queda limon 4:28 - Salsa
5. Herencia 4:28 - Salsa
6. Rumbero 6:25 - Salsa
7. Afrocuban Dream (Olokun) 4:19 - Afro-Cuban Fusion
8. Negro's Son 6:16 - Afro-Cuban-Salsa Fusion
9. De Camaguey y La Habana 5:17 - Salsa
10.Telegrafia sin hilo (Eleggua) 4:30 - Afro-Cuban Fusion
Submitted by, Mark Scollar Minneapolis, Minnesota
Mark Scollar's most significant involvement in salsa occurred back in 2002-2003 when he lived in the Chicago area and was a member of the team that put on the 1st and 2nd Chicago International Salsa Congress. He also organized a series of Afro-Cuban dance and percussion workshops with a local Cuban instructor in 2005-2006 and a rueda practice group. He has attended some 30+ salsa, timba, jazz and world music concerts in each of the last two years.
