six string Posted May 1, 2008 Report Share Posted May 1, 2008 I had the pleasure of seeing this man perform a couple of times about ten years ago and I think he's amazing. He was living in the SF Bay Area back then and he made a few sojourns east to Sacramento and played our little jazz club. He brought some fine musicians with him, Richard Howell on tenor and I believe Babatunde Lea was on drums. On one particular night he played so hard he broke the piano! This was the same night that a friend of mine who had been a dj at KJAZ wrote a poem about the performance. His performances were some of the best I had ever seen by anyone. Truly amazing artist imo. I've bought a few of his straight ahead cds. I'm not much into hip hop so I shy away from the albums he's done with that flavor. What I have are Inside (solo piano), A New Life (solo piano), and Nfmube (duo w/John Santos). Any comments, stories or recomendations? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nate Dorward Posted May 1, 2008 Report Share Posted May 1, 2008 Not really, except that I caught him live in the early 2000s & it was a great gig. In Halifax, N.S., of all places. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trane_fanatic Posted May 1, 2008 Report Share Posted May 1, 2008 I have the Mulatos CD. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Van Basten II Posted May 1, 2008 Report Share Posted May 1, 2008 Would recommend Bembon as we say in French C'est ben bon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sidewinder Posted May 2, 2008 Report Share Posted May 2, 2008 Saw him at the Bath Fest about 5 years ago. Enjoyed it more than I expected ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
six string Posted May 2, 2008 Author Report Share Posted May 2, 2008 Saw him at the Bath Fest about 5 years ago. Enjoyed it more than I expected ! What do you mean "more than expected"? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeweil Posted May 2, 2008 Report Share Posted May 2, 2008 (edited) One of the most original bandleaders to come out of Cuba in the last twenty years, IMO. Concerning his skills as a pianist, I'm uncertain: There is an almost meditative solo piano disc that I find downright beautiful, but his soloing in a band context is not that varied. But his projects are all different. I caught him live a few years ago in a band with a rapper, three Cuban batá drummers, bass and traps, singer and saxist - very original stuff. As a bandleader I find him far more interesting than Rubalcaba or any Valdes. http://www.omarsosa.com/ http://www.melodia.com/omar/ Edited May 2, 2008 by mikeweil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeweil Posted May 2, 2008 Report Share Posted May 2, 2008 Just saw he's on tour in Germany, playing Darmstadt's Centralstation tomorrow night: Omar Sosa Afreecanos Trio with Julio Barreto on drums and bassist Childo Tomaszur from Mosambique ..... maybe ..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeweil Posted May 2, 2008 Report Share Posted May 2, 2008 I should say that he's not playing "latin jazz" in a conventional sense ... thank God he doesn't. Listen to samples before you buy: his music is much more on the Afro-Cuban side. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
six string Posted May 2, 2008 Author Report Share Posted May 2, 2008 That Ayaguna cd sounds good to me. It's similar to the ones I have. I've never heard any of his ensemble cds. I've only heard him play in a group at a club. Those were amazing shows though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sidewinder Posted May 2, 2008 Report Share Posted May 2, 2008 (edited) Saw him at the Bath Fest about 5 years ago. Enjoyed it more than I expected ! What do you mean "more than expected"? Well, his style of music is one that I don't usually listen to much nor am I particularly 'in to', so I was pleasantly suprised. A nice, relaxing evening. Edited May 2, 2008 by sidewinder Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Van Basten II Posted May 2, 2008 Report Share Posted May 2, 2008 Relaxing does not really sound like the Sosa i know, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Bill Barton Posted May 3, 2008 Report Share Posted May 3, 2008 Relaxing does not really sound like the Sosa i know, I haven't yet had the pleasure of hearing him in live performance, but judging from Sentir (which I love, although folks with limited interest in rap poetry or hip-hop might be put off) and a boot of a concert he did with David Murray, "relaxing" doesn't describe his muse for me either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sidewinder Posted May 3, 2008 Report Share Posted May 3, 2008 Relaxing does not really sound like the Sosa i know, Really? I remember it being pretty laid back. Although that feeling may be exacerbated by some of the Scandinavian free jazz etc. that preceded it at this fest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Bill Barton Posted May 3, 2008 Report Share Posted May 3, 2008 Relaxing does not really sound like the Sosa i know, Really? I remember it being pretty laid back. Although that feeling may be exacerbated by some of the Scandinavian free jazz etc. that preceded it at this fest. Hmmm... Now that I think about it, I have a compilation CD of his titled Ballads (on Ota) that would definitely fit the "relaxing" or "laid back" description. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Van Basten II Posted May 3, 2008 Report Share Posted May 3, 2008 The gigs i attended were to say the least energetic, he was there with a huge band, don't remember how much but i know the set was crowdwd to the max. It was basically high paced Cuban-African rythms in which he mixed improvisational piano runs. Very free feeling and free flowing and you never what was going to happen next. One of his singers was dancing and shaking her thing so much throughout the show that i feared she was going to have an heart attack. It was one of those performance that the band actually wore out people who were there to dance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
six string Posted May 3, 2008 Author Report Share Posted May 3, 2008 Relaxing does not really sound like the Sosa i know, Really? I remember it being pretty laid back. Although that feeling may be exacerbated by some of the Scandinavian free jazz etc. that preceded it at this fest. Hmmm... Now that I think about it, I have a compilation CD of his titled Ballads (on Ota) that would definitely fit the "relaxing" or "laid back" description. I have two solo piano albums that are part of that Ballad compilation and you're right. They are relaxing sets for the most part, thought there is some percussive technique on a few numbers. The live shows I saw in '98 were with a quintet and they were sizzling. Anything BUT relaxed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bright Moments Posted August 13, 2008 Report Share Posted August 13, 2008 just spun "Sentir" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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