Cultural Survival

David Sanchez | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (May 20, 2008)
• Original Release Date: 2008
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Concord Records
• ASIN: B00176I94A
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #120,183 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Four-time Grammy nominated saxophonist David Sanchez returns with Cultural Survival. A fierce, forward-thinking new collection featuring his new piano-less quartet fusing his fearless straight-ahead jazz sound with African, Afro-Cuban and Caribbean influences...features a scintillating cover of Monk's Mood and the brand new La Leyenda del Canaveral: a bold new extended composition tracking the migration of African people to the Caribbean.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars new, and not so new...., August 14, 2008

By 

DWAinLA (L.A., CA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Cultural Survival (Audio CD)

First of all, let me say, I really like this CD. Sanchez is touted as a major figure in the "new generation" of jazz musicians who filter their jazz through ethnic roots, in his case, Puerto Rico. In fact, he has already done that, very effectively, on his 2000 release Melaza (which I highly recommend) - But this new CD mostly reminds me of a lot of East Coast jazz from the 80's, like some Jerry Bergonzi with Mick Goodrich on guitar or Dave Liebman, or even Mike Brecker - modern post-bop, 'Trane influenced tenors, with loose, free-swinging edgy rhythm sections. And I love that kind of music! - but there's nothing too new about it in this case... except there is a little Caribbean flavor...so I guess I'm thinking that the title is a little over the top... (just one listener's take on it...well I'm not the only one...) but buy it - it's a really nice recording!

12 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars wow, June 22, 2008

By 

Boxodreams "[e-mail]" (district of columbia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Cultural Survival (Audio CD)

oh yes, the very definition of the argument for how and why modern jazz fits today's society that is ignoring it. Calling it a brilliant post-bop statement would be doing it great disservice, but the music likely will only break out to a larger audience when we take off the shackles of department, characterization, borderline, description, comparative analysis -- any of it and just let the music sing and speak and find people that feel this as a living language. I urge anyone wandering in here who doesn't have a strong affinity with jazz but feels themselves deeply engaged with the world at large to listen to this. Jazz lovers simply would be wise and gracious to note the event and buy the damn thing. Before jazz lost its way, this might have been placed up in a pantheon and praised across the years. Now it is struggling to be heard.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Good post bop album - Not Latin Jazz, December 21, 2008

By 

Scott Williams "sneakyneighborsdog" (Oakland, CA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Cultural Survival (Audio CD)

Overview:

With the title "Cultural Survival" and track names such as Manto Azul, Ay Bendito, and La Leyenda del Canaveral I was sure this was going to be a Latin Jazz album. However, what I discovered here is a fairly straight forward post bop CD. Guitarist Lage Lund is heavily featured on this CD and the collaboration between Lund and Sanchez is the driving force of the album. The overall sound of the CD has more resemblences to your standard guitar/sax classic(e.g. Sonny Rollin's The Bridge) than anything else. Sanchez's sound on the sax is bold and strong for the most part, but occasionally hints at smooth jazz. There are some moments where there is an air of world music and latin jazz, but for the most part this recording sticks to a standard post bob sound.

Song Highlights:

Adoracion: This song features my favorite song writing on the track. There is a nice part in the middle of the track where everyone stops and Sanchez let's loose with a real nice riff on the sax and everyone joins back in. It's too bad there are not more clever parts like this throughout the album.

Monk's Mood: A real nice rendition of the Thelonious Monk classic. Sanchez did a nice arrangement for sax and guitar. It would be have nice to incorporate some latin elements into the classic, but unfortunately this didn't happen.

Coast to Coast: I like the guitar playing here. This song sets the mood nicely for the album. This song is good representation of what this album has to offer.