Premières années
MAYKEL BLANCO Y LA SUPREMA LEY 2003
Ya llegaron los cubanos is Maykel Blanco’s first release and was recorded with his previous group, Suprema Ley. All of the compositions and arrangements are by Maykel and it is hard to find fault with the CD.
I would describe Ya llegaron los cubanos as timba/son. Certain aspects of the arrangements bring to mind classic son/salsa, such as some of the mambos and the harmonies of some of the chorus, while the rhythm section is timba. Maykel also mixes occasional moments of jazz, Afro-Cuban jazz and rumba into the arrangements. It gives the CD a somewhat softer feel than Salsa Mayor’s Recoge y vete , but it doesn’t lack for timba effects or the characteristic Maykel Blanco dance factor.
The CD kicks-off with the title track, which is up-tempo at about 108 BPM and meant to get the dancers onto the dance floor: “Yo lo canto pa’ que Cuba baile”. Ya llegaron los cubanos is infectious and I defy anyone to sit still when this song start.
Maykel brought in his friend Tirso Duarte to sing lead on two of the songs: the laid back Tu experiencia and No juegues con candela . Tembas seem to be a recurring theme with Maykel. Tu experiencia is a song about a young man with a 40-something girlfriend. The arrangement of No juegas includes moments of afro-cuban jazz triplets and percussion that bring to mind rumba and it a perfect vehicle for Tirso’s vocals.
The other temba song happens to be my favorite from the album, El veterano , in this case an older man who has a twenty year old girlfriend. Maykel follows the Cuban tradition of borrowing phrases from well know songs. For example in El veterano he borrows from Charanga Habanera/Forever, “Me preocupa tu situación por eso un consejo te estoy dando.”
One interesting aspect of this CD is that nearly all of the songs fade out during the guÃa/coro section, which makes it seem as if these songs were really meant for a live show rather than a studio CD. I never saw Suprema Ley live, but Salsa Mayor performs some of the Suprema Ley repertoire on occasion.
If you are looking for a CD that you can dance to from beginning to end don’t pass this up. There is not a single song that will disappoint
This CD (the first one of Maykel) was conceived in 2000 (Maykel Blanco tenia 19 anos) in spite of its “involuntary” distribution in 2008.
YA LLEGARON LOS CUBANOS 2003Ya llegaron los cubanos
Tu experiencia
Si tu no quieres, no te quiero
Dejala que aprenda
La discordia de las frutas
No juegues con candela
Rumberos
Chico choco
La trompeta
La ciguatera
La que siempre quise tener
El veterano
ME OLVIDE QUIEN ERA 2006Presentación
Paloma
El Guayo De Catalina
Henry
El Veterano
El Coche Titina
Mi China Gladys
Como El Aire
La Novela
Esperanza
Dicen
JAZZISMO CRIOJAZZ 2006
Havana Express is the project of Cuban Jazz Maykel Blanco. Within the context of the new conception of what the Jazz Cubano, Maykel has created a very particular style, but developed within the scope of danceable, not overdone in the arrangements. The work is most commercial, and innovative, with topics despite being almost all new, they have an easily recognizable air.
He is accompanied by Maikel Blanco, artists like Frank Padron (trumpet) former member and musical director of Paulo FG, JJ Oliveros (flute) recognized by all the best in the wooden flute of five keys, Roy Sainz (piano) that it has gone through various orchestras as Salsera connection or Puly Hernandez, besides being in the Cuban Connection project; the Jazzy Angel Grand, and percussion is performed by Juan Jose Lopez (conga) usually plays in Los Muñequitos de Matanzas, giving an African flavor to the work, Oswaldo Huertas (Bongo) and the same Maikel in the timpani.
Overall it is a production of a high level in which as noted colorful “Michelito” very popular rapper in Cuba, which gives a nice note to the repertoire which include the songs “This Yes taste”, “Maikel also appears and Juanita “,” Cubana “,” De Prado Manrique “or known versions of” Yesterday “,” Mambo influenced “or mouse.
Following the success of this group of studio musicians with their former production “One Manrique Prado”, here comes the second album of the band that has become the most prominent of Cuba-Jazz band of the last decade Express Havana with the title” by the Cast it BEMOL. “conducted by the young White Maikel and with just a little change in both the band and the sense of repertoire chosen, once again they are mostly composed of Maikel.
Maikel has introduced some changes compared with the previous one, giving more voice to their rapper Despaigne Michelito “Vatican” with the introduction of keyboards like the sound 70’s, he changed his bass player “Nicolas Sigardo” (director of Cuban Connection and Connection sauceboat) which gives this production cadence and sound that can only better manage master of jazz and all the trumpets are the direction of Jesus A. Chappottin, in the other production took part in many songs. In short, Havana Express has established with this production, as the best training of Cuban jazz of today. This formation of a Cuban great teachers today as JJ Oliveros (flute, considered the best in the world), Roig A Sanz (Piano), Oswaldo Huerta (Bongo) or Ulises Benavides (trombone). This is a true Cuban Jazz artwork.
SONGS:01-De La Habana, Cuba
02-Como Se Llama
03-Échala Por “La Bemol”
04-Roigdor
05-Sobre El Arco Iris
06-Hojas De Otoño
07-El Regreso (Maikel Y Juanita Part II)
08-Do Re Mi Fa
09-A Las Tantas Horas
10-Clasicos
MUSICIANS:Maikel Blanco – Timbal
Jose Lazaga – Timbal
Michelito Despaigne – Rapper
A. Riog Sáiz “Caralinda” – Piano
Nicolas Sirgado -Bajo
Oslein Hernandez- Conga
J. Angel Chappottin – Trompeta
Ulises Benavides – Trombon
Christobal Mildestein – Saxo
Osvaldo Huerta – Bongos
Carlos Amores – Guiro
Jose Lusson Jr. – Coro
Gregorio Laza “Cordovi” – Coro
Cisco Guanche- Coro
J. Joaquin Oliveros “Flauta”
That’s the end about la Suprema Ley y Habana Express.
