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Fantasia Cubana: Variations on Classical Themes
Chucho Valdes
Fantasia Cubana: Variations on Classical Themes
Genres: International Music, Jazz, Pop, Latin Music
 
  •  Track Listings (14) - Disc #1

Chucho Valdés--son of the great pianist Bebo Valdés, leader of the Cuban supergroup Irakere, and a Grammy Award-winning artist--is one of the most acclaimed musicians from Cuba. This CD highlights the third di...  more »

     
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CD Details

All Artists: Chucho Valdes
Title: Fantasia Cubana: Variations on Classical Themes
Members Wishing: 0
Total Copies: 0
Label: Blue Note Records
Release Date: 8/27/2002
Genres: International Music, Jazz, Pop, Latin Music
Styles: Caribbean & Cuba, Cuba, Latin Jazz, Latin Pop
Number of Discs: 1
SwapaCD Credits: 1
UPCs: 724355718921, 0724355718952

Synopsis

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Chucho Valdés--son of the great pianist Bebo Valdés, leader of the Cuban supergroup Irakere, and a Grammy Award-winning artist--is one of the most acclaimed musicians from Cuba. This CD highlights the third dimension of his talents and shows off his classical chops. Trained by Zenaida Romeu, Cuba's answer to Nadia Boulanger, Valdés's Liszt-like technique, sprinkled with dashes of Art Tatum and McCoy Tyner, explodes on the CD's 14 tracks, which includes works by Ravel and Debussy. On "Chopin: Three Faces of Lecuona" and "La Comparsa," which also pays tribute to the great Havana composer Ernesto Lecuona, Valdés's technique is matched by his lyrical ideas. Of his own compositions, the Afro-pulsed "Wakamba" best shows how Valdés's jazzy, percussive touch transforms the classical idiom into something like a New World of keyboard complexity. --Eugene Holley Jr.

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CD Reviews

A Must Have for Music Majors
John Barker | LaFayette NY United States | 01/10/2003
(5 out of 5 stars)

"For all those who have bought "crossover" albums only to be disapointed by lack of technique to pull off the classical side, or a lack of understanding of the original structure on the jazz side, or just a lack of imagination/creativity in general, finally there's an album that does it, and makes you smile in the process. Anybody that has spent hours in the practice room on "mindless finger patterns" wondering how that will ever advance their career, will recognize quite a few references in the course of this CD and smile with the recognition of "well, there's a way"! This is the "fullest" album I've heard in over 50 years of being in music - don't miss it."
Latin Jazz/Classical Gem
J. Mcdaniels | Los Angeles | 11/25/2004
(5 out of 5 stars)

"I love both Latin Jazz and Classical music. I hate 99% of all Classical crossover CD's. I find them cheesy and unconvicing. This album works! Cucho Valdes is a master of theme and variations! He takes the Classical compositions on this CD and re-invents them in a masterful and surprising way.He reworks the Classical pieces in the same way a Jazz artist reworks a standard.He is not reverential, he invigorates these pieces. This is my favorite piano jazz CD."