On the wake of his latest release, pianist Chuchito Valdes and his band delivered a sizzling set that celebrated one of the all time great musical marriages, that of jazz and Cuban music. His core team of Santiago San Tuiste/cong, Calixto Oviedo/dr and Yosmel Montejo/b, who also accompany him on his latest “Horizontes,” joined together to get the opening “Son Montuno” to create a volcanic eruption of rhythmic energy. Valdes’ fingers tapped the ivories like a table dancer with the percussive sounds delivered by the supporting team gurgled like molten lava. His tenderness was in evidence as he created a lullaby on “What A Wonderful World” with a dash of blues for flavor.
Laksar Reed brought his tenor and a pair of soprano saxes the stage and joined the band to create a carnival atmosphere on the celebrative “Bebo.” Valdes’ mix of swing, bop and Cuban made you think that he was the Cuban carnation of Oscar Peterson, while Reed went back and forth between saxes to make you feel you were part of a street dance. The sensuously undulating “Bossa Para Ti” had Reese smoldering on tenor like a Romeo & Juliet cigar, while Valdes popped the clutch and took the crowd into overdrive on a rollicking “Take the ‘A’ Train.”
With the rhythm team clip clopping like a parade of horses, Valdes delivered a bel canto aria of “Besame Mucho” that sizzled like rice on a skillet. The closing “Danzon La Nina” was so spirited that a member of the audience actually jumped up on stage to cool Valdes off with her fan! By the time the band delivered their encore, the audience was convinced that restoring relations with Cuba can be a success of only for being able to take in more music like the sounds delivered by the third generation of Valdes’.
During a week in which the US officially reunited relations with Cuba by returning its embassy in Cuba, Chuchito Valdes Jr showed the enthused Catalina crowd what its best export continues to be.
Upcoming shows at Catalina’s include John Pizzarelli 08/13-16, Mark Winkler 08/21, Tuck & Paiit 08-28-30, Kenny Burrell 08-31 and Wallace Roney 09/04-06