Pianist Chucho Valdés is the previous, current and way forward for Cuban piano.
All through over six many years as an expert musician, he has carried out in quite a lot of small teams and enormous orchestras, at all times incorporating the affect of Africa, Spain and jazz from the USA. Because the son of pianist and composer Bebo Valdés, he was raised with a connection to over 100 years of Cuban piano custom, learning pianists from Havana on the flip of the twentieth century as a toddler.
You possibly can hear how Valdés absorbed the teachings of the pianists who got here earlier than him on this gorgeous solo efficiency, delving into essentially the most forward-thinking piano improvisations that mix jazz, classical and Cuban custom. A kind of moments is on full show about 4 minutes into the primary tune: His left hand is deftly taking part in one among his signature tunes, “Mambo Influenciado,” whereas his proper hand is reaching into the outer limits of concord, melody and rhythm. His activate what he known as “Impromptu Desk” is a uncommon alternative to witness how his musical thoughts wanders from jazz to blues to haunting melodies.
In his 80s, Valdés nonetheless shows the bottomless fountain of creativity with small group performances, the occasional solo piano gig and reviving the groundbreaking band Irakere. It was an unbelievable private deal with to host him behind the Desk and have him transport us.
SET LIST
- “Mambo Influenciado”
- “Impromptu Desk”
- “Ponle la Clave”
MUSICIANS
TINY DESK TEAM
- Producer: Felix Contreras
- Director/Editor: Kara Body
- Audio Technical Director: Josephine Nyounai
- Host/Sequence Producer: Bobby Carter
- Videographers: Kara Body, Maia Stern, Grace Raver
- Audio Engineer: Phil Edfors
- Manufacturing Assistant: Ashley Pointer
- Photographer: Estefania Mitre
- Tiny Desk Workforce: Joshua Bryant, Hazel Cills
- Government Producer: Suraya Mohamed
- Sequence Creators: Bob Boilen, Stephen Thompson
- VP, Visuals and Music: Keith Jenkins
