The Cape Verdean Blues (Live)

This 1965 recording of Silver's band playing "The Cape Verdean Blues" is great. Roger Humphries on drums is cookin' and laying down a groove catchier than the studio recording. Humphries was a master of the funky, Latin grooves to accompany the rich, soulful stylings of Horace Silver. 

Viva Emiliano Zapata (Live)

A classic from one of Gato Barbieri's creative period performed live in the 1980s...We don't think we've heard this one before, but Gato Barbieri still sounds amazing. We are now inspired to listen to all of Gato Barbieri's later work...

El Día Que Me Quieras

Somehow we forgot about this gem by Gato Barbieri. A deconstruction of a famous tango song, it is more lyrical and eloquent than Gato's freer interpretation of Piazzolla's "Prepárense" from The Third World. Both are excellent, yet very different in their interpretation. It is a pity Gato Barbieri shifted away from this approach to free jazz and the Latin American songbook after the first half of the 1970s...

Eddie Palmieri (Azúcar)

Although we were never huge fans of Palmieri, his recent passing resparked our interest in his stimulating Latin Jazz style.

Bilongo

One of the classics. They were cookin' in this lively rendition of "Bilongo" from Eddie Palmieri.

Marche des Gibaros

This is a particularly lively and jazzy rendition of Si Me Dan Pasteles, aguinaldo music of Puerto Rico that was the basis for Moreau de Gottschalk's Souvenir de Porto Rico, Marche des Gibaros. The drummer is especially impressive here, breathing vitality into a classic. The clarinetist's solo is also striking, almost sounding like the "jungle" style of older jazz and a bit like Benny Goodman. 

Gato Live

An amazing performance from Gato Barbieri in his prime. His best period was the 1960s and early 1970s, and one can see why as he was collaborating with artists like Lonnie Liston Smith. The brother was incredibly versatile, that's for sure. 

Nunca vas a comprender

Mood music for the week has been Rita Payés and Elisabeth Romero. Their album has been dreamlike music for contemplation and accompaniment for reading. 

Ceora

"Ceora" is a classic penned by Lee Morgan. Unlike his usually boisterous and fiery self, "Ceora" is a restrained and cool Latin number with an excellent introduction by Herbie Hancock. Morgan's solo is so breezy and soulful that it is difficult not to get lost in its gentle, undulating waves. Hancock's solo is also perfect for the composition. 

Bahia, Gato Style

Like Coltrane's interpretation of Ary Barroso's immortal composition, "Bahia," Gato Barbieri makes it utterly his own. Accompanied by excellent Latin percussionists and berimbau (Nana Vasconcelos?), Barbieri turns this into a jazz freewheeler without losing touch with the Afro-Brazilian "essence." The use of the upper register of his horn does not clash at all with this melodic number. 

Boricua

"Boricua" is one of the interesting early attempts by Astor Piazzolla to fuse tango and jazz in a Jazz-Tango quintet.. As the title of the piece suggests, this early crossover attempt involved instrumentation typically associated with the Cuban and Puerto Rican influences in Latin jazz. Jason Borge mentions it as an interesting piece, and it certainly is. Perhaps one of the few from this group that is worth hearing. 

Cachita

A classic from the songbook of Rafael Hernandez receives an excellent Latin jazz interpretation from trumpeter Charlie Sepulveda. "Cachita" has rarely sounded better. 

Titoro

Billy Taylor, one of the most important post-swing jazz musicians who shaped the development of Haitian music in the 1950s, wrote "Titoro" for Haitian drummer Ti Roro. The song's melody almost sounds like a certain famous bossa nova tune, but it predates the song by a few years. While not using the tanbou or anything like that, Ed Thigpen manages to make the drumset come alive like Ti Roro. It almost sounds like hand percussion with the shifting tonality of Ti Roro. Clearly, Max Roach was not the only jazz musician who was influenced by the legendary Haitian drummer. Tito Puente also recorded the song, if you want to hear another version. 

Caravan Rara

Jazz standard "Caravan" receives the rara treatment in this delectable number from Mozayik. The use of rara rhythms is seamless and commendable. Unfortunately, the rara section only persists for a little over a minute, it shows the potential for Haitian rara/jazz fusion music, particularly as an uncommon form of "Latin" jazz. Perhaps the two share similar stylistic origins in the street music of New Orleans and Haiti?

My Little Suede Shoes Live

"My Little Suede Shoes" has long been one of my favorite Charlie Parker numbers, even if it is not remarkable in its structure. It's an adorable melody with a sense of playfulness and wit that shows Parker at his best in a Latin vein. The band here even quotes the melody from another old favorite, "Jeepers Creepers," sure to delight all fans of jazz and Armstrong.

Calypso Sketches

A personal favorite from one of the greats of 1960s UK jazz. Jamaican-born Joe Harriott was something like the Ornette Coleman across the pond who arrived at similar 'freedoms' in jazz simultaneously. Although not as 'out there' as Coleman, musicians like Harriott or the numerous South African jazz musicians working in the UK since the 1960s added some much needed spice and to British jazz. Sure, it's not "St. Thomas," but the frantic drumming is reminiscent of Max Roach. 

The Best of Gato Barbieri: A Personal List

Over two months after his Gato Barbieri's death, I am still awe-struck by his music, particularly his output in the 1960s and 1970s. Barbieri was, in my humble opinion, one of the most intriguing jazz musicians in the avant-garde and Latin Jazz worlds. This is part of the reason Eric Dolphy and Archie Shepp, among others, intrigue me, since they straddled the jazz avant-garde and bop worlds. Bringing South American indigenous instrumentation and even, at least a few times, the tango, into his jazz vocabulary was a bold risk. I believe that somewhat raucous and unruly combination of styles, sounds, and musicians usually succeeded, especially with the accompaniment of polished musicians like Lonnie Smith. Furthermore, prior to going his own way in the 1970s, Barbieri proved himself more than capable in avant-garde circles in Europe, even collaborating with Don Cherry and Abdullah Ibrahim with spectacular results, not to mention his presence in seminal works by Carla Bley and Charlie Haden. Unfortunately, after 1975, Barbieri's commercial route lessened my interest in his music, but that fiery, passionate voice of his remained ever-present in his later musical forays. So, in light of his passing, here is a personal "Best of Gato Barbieri."

1. Complete Communion by Don Cherry for an introduction to Barbieri's work with a fellow jazz legend. Cherry's long composition is suite-like and fueled by Eddie Blackwell's busy drumming (at times hinting at Cherry's interest in "world music", but perhaps sounds a little too similar to Ornette Coleman's work at times, especially around 13 or 14 minutes in). After ten minutes into this rather lengthy composition, El Gato gets his time to shine and it's stunning, as well as a second solo later. In the past, I have compared Barbieri's saxophone style to Pharoah Sanders, but he's in a category of his own. 

2. Nunca Mas for the pathos of Barbieri's tenor and the bandoneon of Dino Saluzzi. I have yet to hear a better, sweeter tribute to Barbieri's native Argentina. Saluzzi's bandoneon sounds perfectly at home while Gato wails his heart out. Barbieri also recorded a version of this with a similar large ensemble featuring a variety of South American instruments, almost matching "Encuentros" in its intensity. 

3. Lluvia Azul is worthwhile just to hear Barbieri's passionate take on more conventional Latin Jazz. While not likely to shock fans of his earlier music with the 1960s "New Thing" in jazz, all the pieces come together beautifully here: percussion, lilting piano, an organized ensemble, and non-static, surprising directions that gradually build themselves into something larger than the sum of all its parts. Barbieri's supported by an excellent horn section. Barbieri also recorded this live.

4. Encuentros, an aptly titled song, is what led me to think of Barbieri as the "Pharoah Sanders" of Latin Jazz or Latin America. Combining Brazilian rhythms in a large ensemble playing numerous native South American regions, "Encuentros" brings together Brazil and Spanish-speaking South America, Afro-Latin America and indigenous influences in a way I have never heard elsewhere. Gato was at the intersection of the "Third World" quite literally, in this musical tribute to Latin America.

5. Maria Domingas was written by Jorge Ben, my favorite Brazilian singer. Naturally, I adore Gato's take on a classic in Brazilian samba, plus Lonnie Liston Smith and Stanley Clarke to keep things grounded. Gato even tries a little singing in that utterly unique, yodel-like manner Jorge Ben does. Brilliant.

6. Yesterdays has been a favorite ever since hearing Billie Holiday emote the standard. Gato does it justice while Lonnie Liston's comping and Ron Carter on bass don't hurt. Playing standards in a Latin vein does not always succeed, but this is one of the successful examples, especially in the combination of Gato's softer, sentimental side with unbridled passion and vibrato.

7. La China Leoncia Arreo La Correntinada Trajo Entre La Muchachada La Flor De La Juventud is another number bringing to mind Pharoah Sanders or the "world music" phase of other spiritual and free-jazz artists of the 1970s, especially in Barbieri's shrieks and weeping saxophone. Again, unlike most Latin Jazz, "Amerindian" insturments like the charango and drums are used with special effect. Unlike my "Encuentros," this isn't cluttered, either.

8. Vidala Triste makes the list for featuring significant vocals from Gato and prominent acoustic guitar in a simple yet mysterious romp.

9. Brasil is propelled by Nana Vasconcelos playing his heart out on berimbau and Smith's piano chops. This is not your lounge-jazz bossa nova at all, which is refreshing, since the song builds up slowly from the slower tempo to a frenetic pace while Gato soars, alluding to his freer period while remaining melodious.

10. Yo Le Canto A La Luna, by Atahualpa Yupanqui, is another lyrical tribute of sorts to Argentina and one of the great songwriters who honored indigenous heritage. Jazzy accompaniment by Smith, Barbieri's smooth singing is not bad at all, either. For an idea of the source material, Yupanqui's is a great place to start.

11. Carnavalito is another Brazilian-flavored song, but does not comprise on Gato's tenor driving the entirety of the song, including higher register skronk calling back to his 1960s days. Vasconcelos is back on berimbau, a deceptively simple while Gato straddles between jazz avant-garde and Latin Jazz.

12. Cancion del Llamero/Tango is noteworthy as an early foray into Latin music, or Gato standing at the corner of the Third World. Featuring Charlie Haden on bass, The Third World captures Barbieri in a transitional phase, but it's hauntingly beautiful. The trombone is awkward, but gives it a multilayered texture. Anastasio Quiroga's original version, just vocals, is equally beautiful. The "Tango" part of the equation sounds like Piazzolla's Prepárense, which was also recorded by Barbieri several years later, again. It's a pity the two never recorded together.

13. Fiesta is where Barbieri went for a more commercial sound, embracing funk, soul, and popular music. While an entertaining number, and musically speaking, more interesting than a lot of popular music of the disco era and beyond, it's just not the Gato whose earlier work speaks to me. This, oddly, sounds like like Harlem River Drive with a Latin beat.

14.  El Arriero, composed by Yupanqui, is a rollercoaster ride with a brilliant percussion section backing Barbieri with some dissonant squeals and honking.

15. Parabola, by Alan Shorter, brother of Wayne Shorter, wrote a fascinating song that, well, like a parabola, moves up and down. Muhammad Ali, not the boxer, drums assertively over walking bass and Barbieri's solo takes my breath away. Although this kind of composition sounds like something Grachan Moncur III would have written, the sidemen make it unique, especially Muhammad Ali's propulsive polyrhythms.

16. India for its austere beauty. Written by a Paraguayan, Gal Costa also sang the song.

17. Girl in Black (Para Mi Negra), the highlight for the soundtrack of Last Tango in Paris. Sensual, lush soundscape again reflecting the influence of the tango. Oliver Nelson, who I love for his 1960s classic exploring the blues, did an excellent job arranging this.

18. Hotel Overture, from one of Carla Bley's ambitious projects in the 1970s, is a favorite for Barbieri's brief yet soul-stirring solo in a cacophonous overture for Bley's lofty jazz opera. With a whiff of Ellington and Mingus, Bley's jazz orchestra's are usually rewarding. Carla Bley is rightfully highly regarded as a composer and arranger, but sometimes a little goes a long way for those unable to listen to the entirety of Escalator Over the Hill. This overture will suffice.

19. Latinoamérica is just an adorable Brazilian-influenced tribute to Latin America. A "cute" Latin Jazz song like Charlie Parker's Little Suede Shoes or Marion Brown's La Placita, this is another avenue for Gato's sensitive, emotionally restrained side to express itself with enough cavaquinho to last a lifetime.

20. El Gato because I am a cat lover and a fan of Oliver Nelson. Barbieri is, as one might expect in a song named after him, introspective while Nelson's horn arrangement responds to his call. Nelson's solo is less adventurous, within the bop realm, yet interesting to hear the contrast in Gato's tenor versus his alto.

21. Last Tango In Paris Jazz Waltz stands out from the famous soundtrack for it's clave rhythm and overt jazz character.

22. Michelle as an early example of Gato's 1960s avant-garde years and a lovely tribute to his wife. Just a trio with bass and drums, allowing Gato to blow us away in a free-jazz song that is still structured and accessible, albeit 19 minutes too long for some ears.

23.  Viva la Quince Brigada from Liberation Music Orchestra's suite of Spanish Civil War songs is a showcase for Gato. Haden, Bley, Don Cherry, and just about everyone else participated in this landmark recording of left-wing, anti-imperialist jazz.

24. What Will be Left Between Us and the Moon Tonight? is similar to Hotel Overture and is unmistakably Carla Bley, but from her Tropic Appetites. Barbieri, or "Unidentified Cat," solos over what would not have been out of place on some of his own Latin American-inspired records from the same era as this exotica suite encompasses various African, Indian, Asian and Latin moods.

Brasil

Over one month later, I am still missing Gato Barbieri and his unique approach to Latin jazz. Gato is, for me at least, a Pharaoh Sanders of Latin America. Oh, and here's video footage of Barbieri performing "Brasil" at Montreux in 1971. Naná Vasconcelos is enjoying the berimbau.

Viva Emiliano Zapata

Some Gato for a breezy Sunday afternoon. 

Pan con Timba

One of my favorites by the legendary Bebo. Featuring exhilarating horn solos, one in homage to Benny Moré's classic, "Qué bueno baila usted," and an infectious piano solo from Bebo himself, I could listen to this all day. I could use some pan con timba right now, matter of fact...