★★★★★
Border-Free is a companion piece and a doubling-down on Chucho Valdés' magnificent Chucho's Steps album from 2010. Valdés has retained most of his Afro-Cuban Messengers (although the drummer and bassist are new, the percussionist, vocalist/bata player and trumpeter return), pays tribute once again to family members and key historical musicians and cultures, and reprises the previous album's virtuosic hopping and condensing of genres...
- jazztimes.com
2013-10-18
★★★★★
Buy it from Buy the CDChucho Valdes & The Afro-Cuban MessengersBorder-Free - Chucho Valdes & The Afro-Cuban MessengersJazz Village2013 Chucho Valdes, Cuba's most famous jazz musician, has rebalanced the repertoire of his Afro-Cuban Messengers on Border-Free, mixing its American-jazz agenda (the group's name deliberately references both Valdes' roots and the late Art Blakey's classic soul-bop Jazz Messengers group) with more extended...
- www.guardian.co.uk
2013-05-10
★★★★★
This year, on a visit to Ronnie Scott's, the great Cuban pianist and bandleader Chucho Valdés seemed too big for the room. He rocketed through jazz piano history, with classical music and Duke Ellington flicks and hints, and a balance of formidable technique and instant recall for tunes that rivalled that of Sonny Rollins...
- www.guardian.co.uk
2010-12-06
★★★★★
Chucho Valdés arrived at his All About Jazz interview confident: of his music and of Spain's victory in the South African FIFA World Cup. It was July 11th 2010, and for the first time in its history, Spain's national team had reached a World Cup final, in South Africa. A Cuban interested in football? "A lot of people watch football in Cuba now, especially the Spanish league...
- www.allaboutjazz.com
2010-10-05
★★★★★
It's a wonderful thing that Chucho Valdes has found such a healthy outlet for his aggression. Valdes demonstrates a dizzying exuberance at the piano during this 1998 solo date recorded at Lincoln Center's Kaplan Penthouse. Thoroughout the date it sounds like Valdes can barely contain his enthusiasm. Just when Valdes hits a repeating montuno and solicits clapping along from the audience he erupts into a free jazz cadenza ala Cecil Taylor. The clapping very abruptly tapers off...
- www.allaboutjazz.com
2010-08-20
★★★★★
Track Listing: 1. La Comparsa, 2. You Don't Know What Love Is, 3. Los Guiros, 4. Nanu, 5. Solar, 6. Sin Clave Pero Con Swing, 7. Homenaje A Ellington Personnel: Chuco Valdes, Yaroldy Abreau Robles, Lazaro Rivero Alarcon, Ramses Rodriguez Baralt Style: Straightahead/Mainstream Free MP3 Download(s) Yansa Chucho Valdes Chucho's Steps Read more reviews of New Conceptions The album title is misleading...
- www.allaboutjazz.com
2010-08-20
★★★★★
Track Listing: La Comparsa, You Don't Know What Love Is, Los Guiros, Nanu, Solar, Sin Clave Pero Con Swing,Homenaje A Ellington Personnel: Chucho Valdes--piano; Yaroldy Abrue Robles--congero, drums, shekere; Lazaro Rivero Alcaron--bass; Ramses Rodriquez Baralt--trap drums...
- www.allaboutjazz.com
2010-08-20
★★★★★
It's a wonderful thing that Chucho Valdes has found such a healthy outlet for his aggression. Valdes demonstrates a dizzying exuberance at the piano during this 1998 solo date recorded at Lincoln Center's Kaplan Penthouse. Thoroughout the date it sounds like Valdes can barely contain his enthusiasm. Just when Valdes hits a repeating montuno and solicits clapping along from the audience he erupts into a free jazz cadenza ala Cecil Taylor. The clapping very abruptly tapers off...
- www.allaboutjazz.com
2010-08-20
★★★★★
After decades leading the Afro-Cuban jazz band Irakere, Chucho Valdes emerged as a solo performer, taking him to inspired musical heights. Since signing with Blue Note Records in 1993, the acclaimed Cuban pianist, composer, bandleader and educator has been nominated twice for Grammy Awards. Now Live at the Village Vanguard once again captures the 58-year-old pianistic prodigy at his creative and physical best...
- www.jazztimes.com
2010-04-16
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