
Conpambiche (CD Baby)
Junior Santos
Released July 1, 2020
Juno Award Nominee Solo Jazz Album of the Year 2021
YouTube:
https://music.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_krArxY5AvzCBeVdITdwqyJdaqaZfu2WmI
Spotify:
https://open.spotify.com/album/6apxCxfBU9u8DduR1NjLvM?si=-ovjEgg9TX6akkx9IGD-Hg
About:
Meet master percussionist Junior Santos and his debut recording CONPAMBICHE, a fresh, exciting fusion of afro-cuban, afro-dominican rhythms, and north american jazz. As the title implies, Santos showcases the dominican dance rhythm pambiche, derived from merengue tipico (typical merengue) but whose rhythm is slower and based on the cinquillo, a cuban/caribbean rhythm used in cuban contradanza and danzon.
Santos was born in the Dominican Republic and developed an interest in music at an early age, by watching his father’s band rehearse in his backyard and imitating the percussionists. At fifteen, Junior performed professionally with various bands throughout the Dominican Republic.
Santos is a graduate of the Academy of Music in Puerto Plata, where he learned Music Theory, how to read music and play percussion. He cites afro-dominican and afro-cuban music and drummer, Steve Gadd, pianist Chick Corea, The Yellowjackets and Spyro Gyra as significant influences.
In 1989, Santos relocated to Toronto, Canada, where he attended the music program at Humber College and performs as a freelance musician with various canadian artists including Laura Fernandez, Joaquin Nunez Hidalgo, Zeynep Ozbilen, Roberto Linares Brown, Kalabash, and several other Latin-influenced bands throughout Canada and abroad.
In 2017 and 2019, Santos was awarded two OAC grants to produce his first full-length original CD, featuring the genres that have influenced his music, blending dominican rhythms with contemporary jazz fusion.
Santos has performed with many influential bands and artists on the Toronto music scene. Some of his early performances were with Memo Acevedo and at the Montreal Jazz Festival. Recorded with Rick Lazar of Montuno Police and other renowned musicians. In 1991, Santos cofounded “Dominicanada,” the first merengue band in Toronto to achieve popularity among canada’s latin dance communities.
Track Listing:
1. Tambora Blues (Junior Santos) 4:09
2. Jari’s (Junior Santos) 3:31
3. Papa Boco (Manuel Sanchez-Acosta) 4:25
4. Tigre en la Habana (Roberto Linares Brown) 4:11
5. Pri Pri (Junior Santos) 4:07
6. Sayen (Junior Santos) 4:13
7. Areito (Junior Santos) 4:18
8. Guananico (Junior Santos) 4:20
9. Mangulina-O (Junior Santos) 4:23
10. Pri Pri 2 (Junior Santos) 4:07
11. Jari’s 2 (Junior Santos) 3:31
Personnel:
Junior Santos: drums, tambora (1, 3, 4, 6, 7), guira (1, 3, 4, 6, 7), congas (1, 3, 5-7, 11), timbales (2, 4, 11), bongos (5, 6), percussion (8-10)
Sandor Schwisberg: piano (1, 3, 6-11)
Hilario Duran: piano (2, 5)
Roberto Linares Brown: piano (4), vocals (4)
JT Kim: bass (1, 3, 7, 8)
Paco Luviano: bass (2, 5, 6, 10)
Jonathan Amador: bass (9, 11)
Juan Pablo Dominguez: bass (4)
Sandy Gabriel: saxofone (1, 3, 4, 5, 7)
Luis Deniz: saxofone (2, 9, 10)
Arik Arakelyan: saxophone (8, 11)
Bill McBirnie: flute (3, 6, 7)
Gary Lee Hill: guitar (5, 10)
Joaquin Nunez Hidalgo: congas (2, 4), bata drums (3, 5, 9, 11), cajon (8)
Review:
Who thought that the wild, lively sound of Dominican merengue could be woven into a subtle and melodic web that beautifully brings out its underlying delicacy? If you haven’t then you probably didn’t hear the virtuoso drummer and percussionist Junior Santos bring it to life by melding his Dominican roots in the merengue, pambiche, pri pri and other Dominican rhythms with jazzy improvisations on his JUNO nominated [Jazz Album of the Year: Solo 2021] debut album, Conpambiche.
The Dominican-born Canadian has brought together eleven compositions into an exemplary collection of songs – poetic expressions of emotional music that express internal journeys of wide emotional range from youthful love to sensual pleasures and stoic wisdom that he inherited from his musician-father. Through it all, Mr Santos shows himself to be a musician of inexhaustible energy, phenomenal technique, bravura expression that he joyfully shares with a group of wonderful musicians.Mr Santos has a commanding way with the battery of traditional Afri-centric percussion that he plays – as well as with the traditional [so to speak] drumset, so popular in music since the turn of the 20th century. He has also inducted the celebrated Cuban-Canadian rumbero Joaquín Núñez Hidalgo, who brings the full range of the philosophical eloquence of the [Afro-Cuban] bàtá drums to fruition, conveying the open-hearted nobility of this spiritual-centred instrument with a real sense of poetry.
Of course, Mr Hidalgo is not the only superstar who makes his presence felt on this exquisite album. Also shining with their stellar performances are the inimitable [Cuban-Canadians] – pianist Hilario Durán, soloing with characteristic, insolent virtuosity on “Jari’s” and Pri Pri”, and bassist and vocalist Roberto Linares Brown. Mr Durán shares piano duties with the exquisite Sandor Schwisberg and Mr Linares Brown. The Dominican saxophonist Sandy Gabriel solos with uncommon elegance and power on “Tambora Blues” and “Papa Boco”. The supremacy of the bass chair is held by masters such as Paco Luviano, JT Kim, Jonathan Amador and Juan Pablo Domínguez.
The great flutist Bill McBirnie makes masterful forays into improvised music on “Sayen” and “Areito” further cementing his reputation as one of the great masters of that instrument. Meanwhile, the rising star saxophonist Luis Deniz, together with Arik Arakelyan and guitarist Gary Lee Hill bring their musicianship skills to this project, shining on their instruments. But make no mistake: this is a memorable event marking the masterful debut of Junior Santos who does so by presenting a vivid slice-of-life while showcasing his rich Afro-Dominican spiritual and musical heritage. Meanwhile we await – with great expectation – much more music from the powerful hands of this percussion colourist.
Raul Da Gama (Latin Jazz Network)