“If for no other reason, this is why it’s good that we’ve re-established relations with Cuba!”
So beamed Jazz Bakery owner Ruth Price as she summed up the appreciation of Jane Bunnett, who over the past 20+ years has been presenting Afro-Cuban music in a myriad of forms through Ruth’s sponsorship. While fans of baseball and cigars may think of other reasons to have better terms with Cuba, Ms. Bunnett’s selection of musical diplomacy has served the cause of jazz well. This time around, Bunnett, armed with her flute and soprano sax, brought forth the all-female group from Cuba, named “Maqueque,” which accurately titles the band as the word translates to “spirit and fire of a young girl.”
On material such as “Papineau” would use her velvety soprano to meld with the voice of lead singer Dayme’ Arocena and the harmonies of Magdelys Savigne/perc, Celia Jimenez/b and Yissy Garcia/dr to create a mix of modern bebop with 3 rd World folk lines, while Danae Olano held the volcanic rhythm by the reins with her subtle piano percussive harmonies. On a song such as “Flamenca Maria,” Bunnett’s flute would float like cirrus clouds while Arocena’s voice was as earthy as red clay, and when she mixed scatting with vocal clicks and clucks on “New Angel” she sounded like an vocal ancestor of Sarah Vaughan with her mix of modern jazz, R&B, gospel and the heart of Africa. They even took the Bill Withers soul classic “Ain’t No Sunshine” and with Bunnett’s flute and Savigne’s Ruth Brown-toned vocals, turned it into a luminously glowing tropical sunset.
Underpinning all of the melodies and harmonies was an incessant and relentlessly joyful percussion lead by Savigne and Garcia which formed a mix of folk melodies, vocals and volcanic avalance on while Bunnetts’ flute dovetailed over “Wajira,” and a 7.2 Richter Scale of earth shaking intensity as Bunnett teamed her soprano against the white heat rhythm on the aptly-named “Tormenta.” Between silky and slithering boleros or a closing conga line on “De La Habana A Canada” Bunnett and the young ladies from Cuba created sparks that smoldered and smoked like a Romeo et Juliet. Canadian Jane Bunnett continues her tradition of presenting the roots of American music in modern jazz packages that continues to impress and inspire. This was one of her most inspiring.
Upcoming events presented by the Jazz Bakery include Alfredo Rodriguez June June 11, Danfis Prieto June 12 and Eliane Elieas June 18.