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I just thought that this is a good topic ..I was sent this video today so I will post this as the first of probably many to come...It is the Obatala Big Band from Japan...akira Jimbo on drumset, and the singer(can't remember his name right now) was the leader of Orch.de La Luz and is the leader of this band...they got some good swing...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mm1Zq31v6gI

Man, these guys got some tight sections and the entire ensemble is really together. Incredibly solid. I like the arrangement, too: not too overcharged but interesting and some nice clave changes. Akira Jimbo is just great.

TA

Quality stuff there jc ! I Have some great jazz from japan , looks like they can do the latin thing really well to

Bobby Sanabria and the Manhattan School of Music Afro-Cuban Big band...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dp6Cd3TeZwQ

Wow......speed and precision from (then) tomorrow's warriors. Da scores musta bin like fly shit
I like BS's church quote

Sweet link JC

Dice

JohnnyConga wrote:I just thought that this is a good topic ..I was sent this video today so I will post this as the first of probably many to come...It is the Obatala Big Band from Japan...akira Jimbo on drumset, and the singer(can't remember his name right now) was the leader of Orch.Sol and is the leader of this band...they got some good swing...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mm1Zq31v6gI

Good topic indeed, JC!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mm1Zq31v6gI
Interesting that the conga player uses a djembe at 6´12"

And I liked the Bobby Sanabria video very much, full of energy and passion!

JohnnyConga wrote:Bobby Sanabria and the Manhattan School of Music Afro-Cuban Big band...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dp6Cd3TeZwQ

Whew!

Yea guys music comes in all speeds....

Yea guys music comes in all speeds....

... particularly to trombone players.

TA

I dig the Japanese video, the NY vid - not so much.
It has lots of energy but it's a lot of hype.
There are so many horn players (20+?)- "can't see (hear) the forest for all the trees kind of thing."
The arrangement is sophomoric it comes across as redundant.
Also, it seems in the NY atmosphere everyone is always trying to "out do" each other, too many egos and the you lose the swing.

The Japanese video is tight, the sound quality is excellent and the song actually has "dynamics".
Where the solos rise and fall, ebb & flow, the solos climax and resolve beautifully.
Huge sound and the arrangement is tight.
And Akira be swingin as usual.
Nice videos overall.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cMYyxkqu ... re=related

Miguel Zenon Quartet - my favorite saxophonist, from Puerto Rico, who does some really advanced stuff . I really reccommend getting some of his CD's, the YT videos don't have great sound... Btw. if anyone would be interested in what's going on in the music, you can download some of the charts from his website: http://miguelzenon.com/music_charts.htm - I played some of them with my band and I had really hard time...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UXQJEjOV ... re=related

Pedrito Martinez Group, with Axel Tosca on piano. Incredible playing.

I really like the miguel zenon stuff , great player . I see the padereta players / vocalists dont even warrant a mention in the videos description

niallgregory wrote:I really like the miguel zenon stuff , great player . I see the padereta players / vocalists dont even warrant a mention in the videos description

On the Miguel Zenón's video there is: Hector "Tito" Matos on Requinto and lead vocal, Obanilú Allende on the Punteador/Coros and I believe somewhere in that stage, (but not visible on that video), was Juan Gutierrez playing the Seguidor/Coros.

Hope this helps!!!

Saludos,

Jorge Ginorio

The Japaneese band sounded like a timba arrangement to me, but still very good just the same. To my untrained ears, the New York band's arrangement was very up tempo, but it seems only the conga players was able to project in the desired feel that I imagine was trying to was trying to be presented, and could not even hear him that well. The solos all seem too rushed. Not sure if it was a lack of swing like congamyk said or what, but I just didn't feel it. Maybe a little more risk was taken with that arrangement. Got to give them credit for that.
Enjoyed the Puerto Rican saxophone player. Thought I was going to see the plena rhythm used in a jazz context, but never really blended the two - simply played plena in the beginning, and jazz at the end, but still very good playing no doubt.