Irakere: Yemayá

The billing (Irakere "featuring Chucho Valdes") illustrates what a draw the leader-pianist Valdes has become in his own right, and Yemaya does indeed showcase his prodigious talents as a keyboardist, albeit on an electro-acoustic instrument and with a set designed as much for the American jazz audience as for his Cuban roots.

The opening title cut with Valdes's sister Mayra Caridad on vocals is a killer Latin-soul-jazz workout, while track 2, with blistering solo work from Valdes over a crisp, percussion-led rhythm, sets the tone for the remaining seven extended cuts. This is not so much Cuban music as jazz with a Latin base–complex, disciplined, but swinging hard. The pace is often frenetic, with soloists diving straight in at the deep end, but with sophisticated arrangements there is always plenty of light, shade, and drama. Yemaya represents a new phase for Irakere and is Latin Jazz of the highest caliber, full of virtuosity and passion. –Derek Rath

Chucho Valdés Piano, composer, arranger
Mayra Caridad Valdés Solo vocalist, Yemayá
Mario Fernández Trumpet
Basilio Márquez Trumpet
César López Alto saxophone
Alfredo Thompson Tenor saxophone
Carlos Emilio Morales Guitar
Carlos del Puerto Bass
Enrique Plá Trap drums
Andrés Miranda Congas
José Miguel Meléndez Timbales


Tracks:

1. Yemaya
2. Mister Bruce
3. Santa Amalia
4. La Explosion
5. San Francisco
6. Son Montuno
7. Chorrino