Papo Vazquez Pirates Troubadours - Carnival in San Juan
Cubop

By: Ben Ohmart
Nov 14, 2003

Artist: Papo Vazquez Pirates Troubadours (www.papovazquez.com)
Title: Carnival in San Juan
Label: Cubop (www.ubiquityrecords.com)

Latin and jazz flourish in this new instrumental cd. Movement, personality, the echo of old-world big bands, lengthy solos and clever composition, Carnival in San Juan has it all. Including:

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Carnival in San Juan
Mundo Bizarro
Las Torres
Plena Pa' Las Nenas
Worlds
Vianda con Bacalao
En La Cueva de Tan
Stuffy Turkey
Like a Little Child
Snow Angel
Carlitos Coco
Fireflies from the Orion Nebula & Belen

Led by trumbone virtuoso Papo Vazquez, this disc also includes appearances from Bill Lee, Tito Cepeda, Arturo O' Farrill, Milton Cardona, Willie Williams, John Benitez, Horacio Hernandez, Roberto Cepeda, Joe Gonzalez, Fred McFarlane, Victor Jones, Roberto Cepeda, Mario Rivera, Ivan Renta, Carlos Henriquez, Dafnis Prieto, and others.

This isn't one of those releases you can put on for a minute and expect to get the whole song instantly. Papo's pieces are great sprawling landscapes that take time to roam through, as themes are built, rebuilt and nailed up again, much like some of Duke Ellington's concert work. Therefore, it's a cd best left to headphones, where much of the more rambling, quiet passages can be swallowed without missing many of the inherent subtleties.

And of course it is the perfect release for an afternoon at home. Put it on and Papo and company will travel the whole day for you, like some nomadic gag right out of Blazing Saddles. If you don't know what the hell that means, quit reading and go to the Ubiquity site where you can Now hear some of every Carnival in San Juan track. That's how you Should be spending your time.

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