Customer Reviews

My Roots & Beyond

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
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1 star:		(0)

 

 

William Cepeda has come out with two new CDs on the Blue Jackel label which show, by their differences, the skill and flexibility of this fine Puerto Rican trombonist.

The first, "Bombazo" by el Grupo Afro Boriqua is pure percussion driving African call-and-response singing and chants. We are treated to a glimpse of African Puerto Rico that we don't often get to hear, though the Plena and Bomba rhythms provide the bases of the music. "Bombazo" evokes images of a drum circle, playing, singing and dancing under the palms which provide shade from the tropical sun. The strong African sound is tempered only by the Spanish of the lyrics as the singer chants out a line and the coro responds in unison or simple harmony. Very beautiful...

"My Roots and Beyond" by William Cepeda and Afrorican Jazz is much much more cerebral than the physical "Bombazo". We get the Nuyorican perspective of the mainlanders, "Beyond" plays a bigger part than "My Roots". Many of the same rhythms drive the music, but there the similarity ends. This is a jazz album, players in dark glasses late at night, after hours, hip, urban, cool. Horns work together in complex harmonies and apart on soaring solos. Trap drums and electric guitar provide the rhythmic underpinning. Synthesisers and Miles Davis give as much to this music as the transplanted African rhythms of la isla. Very beautiful...

Each of these CDs is a worthy effort. But together they provide a vision beyond that of each alone.

I had the pleasure of hearing William Cepeda and AfroRican Jazz play at a local college cultural diversity fest(10/29/99). The group played mostly songs from this CD. I bought the CD after hearing them perform the first song! The songs are very moving and spiritual. You can feel the blood running through your body, only it's to the beat of the music! Cepedas music direction is phenomenal! The percussion(drums) and bass really come through with a strong rythem that will get your whole body moving. The drummer Andreas Patrick Forrero, who was with AfroRican Jazz at the college diversity fest, was by far the best drummer I ever had the pleasure to hear play! Kudos Patrick. I must add that it was a pleasure to personally meet Cepeda and AfroRican Jazz. They were warm friendly, and inviting... like a friend you had known forever. Cedpeda and the band graciously signed autographs and talked with the audience members. I even got a hug from the drummer(Patrick, thanx!). If you are a true lover of music, this is a must buy!

Entré en una tienda y sonaba. ¿Qué es esto? No he dejado de escucharlo en los últimos 10 años. Todo es redondo: rítmico, terminas bailando en más de una canción, imaginativo en armonías y arreglos, con mucho de tradición y toneladas de buenas ideas ejecutadas impecablemente. Y bueno, Cepeda y los demás están que se salen. Una joya.