Grupo los Santos contact: Pete Smith 16 Pomander Walk, #1, New

Grupo los Santos
contact: Pete Smith
16 Pomander Walk, #1,
New York, New York 10025
(212) 316-3429
www.grupolossantos.com
Grupo los Santos is a quartet of American musicians who, through a mixture of jazz with AfroCuban and Brazilian styles, are creating a new soul in the music of New York. Formed in 1998 to explore the
blending of these traditions, Los Santos have performed in Cuba and throughout the U.S., worked and
recorded with some of the greats of Cuban music, and have developed a strong following in the New
York/Tri-state area.
Their first CD, Noches en El Taller (Nights at the Workshop), released in 2000, features a range of
Afro-Cuban and Brazilian styles, including Cuban son, rumba-son, bolero, samba and bossa nova as well as
batá pieces for drumset. Henri Salgâo of Músico Pro magazine described the work as “A tasty fusion of
genres...that shows their deep admiration of Cuban music (particularly the percussive richness of the batás)
and Brazilian music.” Keith Ganz wrote “Relaxed, authentic Latin grooves underpin an open-ended, intimate
jazz quartet setting to create a truly unique and satisfying kind of jazz.”
Their second CD, Lo Que Somos Lo Que Sea (What We Are What Will Be) (2007), which had its
coming out party at NYC’s Jazz Standard in January 2008, continues the tradition with high energy originals
in guaguancó, funk, and descarga, as well as further explorations in samba, choro and rumba. David Miller
of All About Jazz writes, “The group plays so fluidly together that each instrument is merely a layer adding to
the overall sound…the result is greater than the sum of its parts”. Lee Prosser of JazzReview.com writes,
“The entire group is at top peak performance, and their sound is flawless. Each song will be a favorite with
different listeners.”
Grupo los Santos have worked extensively with Cuban composer/trombonist Juan Pablo Torres:
They were featured in his concert of Cuban All-Stars at New York City’s Town Hall in 1999, and appeared
individually on his 2001 recording Together Again, featuring Chucho Valdez, Arturo Sandoval, Steve Turre,
Giovanni Hidalgo and a host of other Latin Jazz luminaries. With Rumba tap dance pioneer Max Pollak, Los
Santos have collaborated with members of the famed los Muñequitos de Matanzas, combining jazz tap and
Cuban rumba. In November, 2001, Pollak and Los Santos were able to bring their mezcla (“mixture”) back to
its roots: playing a series of concerts in Havana, Cuba. The highlights included a show at the jazz club La
Zorra y el Cuervo, and a collaboration with the 11 piece rumba group Clave y Guaguancó, as part of Havana’s
Cuba Tambor festival.
On film, Grupo los Santos have been featured in Cómo Se Forma una Rumba/How to Create a
Rumba by Iván Acosta (which was shown in Lincoln Center as part of Latin Beat 2001!), and in Latido
Latino, a documentary about Latin music in New York City, broadcast nationally in Spain.
Grupo los Santos is: Dave Ambrosio, acoustic bass; William Bausch, drumset;
Paul Carlon, tenor saxophone; Pete Smith, guitar.
Grupo los Santos - New York City Venues Played
Town Hall
The Jazz Standard
Knitting Factory
Barbès
Tavern on the Green
92nd Street Y
Winter Garden, W.F.C.
C-Note
Russian Tea Room
Cutting Room
El Taller
Rose
Bubble Lounge
Nascimento
Screening Room
General Venues Played
Club/Theater
Location
Date(s)
El Taller Latinoamericano
Hard Grove Cafe (w/ J.P. Torres)
Town Hall (Torres & Super Son Cubano)
Rich Forum (w/ Torres)
Park Theater (w/ Torres)
Stone Pony (club grand re-opening)
CD Release – El Taller
Cinco de Mayo Festival
1515 Market
Rutland Jazz Festival
Centerra Grill
Teatro Bertol Brecht (Cuba Tambor)
Cabaret Las Vegas
La Zorra y el Cuervo
First Church (“Sunday Afternoons Live”)
Bar Harbor Jazz Festival (as Headliner)
Deer Head Inn
Barbès
Rose
Winter’s Eve at Lincoln Center
The Jazz Standard (CD release)
New York, NY
Jersey City, NJ
New York, NY
Stamford, CT
Union City, NJ
Asbury Park, NJ
New York, NY
Denver, CO
Denver, CO
Rutland, VT
Lebanon, NH
Havana, Cuba
Havana, Cuba
Havana, Cuba
Old Greenwich, CT
Bar Harbor, ME
Delaware Water Gap, PA
Park Slope, Brooklyn, NY
Williamsburg, Brooklyn
New York, NY
New York, NY
weekly, 1998-2000
weekly, 1999-2000
February 27, 1999
February 28, 1999
April 1, 2000
May 26, 2000
August 31, 2000
May 2001
May 3, 2001
June 29, 2001
June 30, 2001
November 16, 2001
November 18, 2001
November 19, 2001
February 3, 2002
August 20, 2005
Various dates, 2005-06
Various dates 2006-08
October 10, 2007
November 26, 2007
January 7, 2008
Grupo los Santos – Reviews
"The 'blessed' fusion of Grupo Los Santos consists of acoustic bass, electric guitar, a hint of rock
energy, with drumset guided by the sound of batá drums and a sax played in the best style of bossa
nova and samba."
- Emma Hunt, EL DIARIO/LA PRENSA (Nueva York), August 2, 2002
“. . . [T]he only faith to which these four American musicians appear to devote themselves is the
impassioned and serious investigation of traditional Cubann and Brazilian rhythms, in order to
incorporate them into their own jazz-based compositions. These interpretive experiments have
succeeded in creating a mix at times explosive and sizzling, like the Brazilian coastline or
Afrocaribbean flavor. . . others exude melodies that produce that certain languid sensation which
beckons us to more intimate places."
– Diana Vargas, VIDAHOY (NY), March 15, 2002
“The group plays so fluidly together that each instrument is merely a layer adding to the overall
sound…the result is greater than the sum of its parts”. – David Miller, ALL ABOUT JAZZ
“A tasty fusion of genres...that shows their deep admiration of Cuban music (particularly the
percussive richness of the batás) and Brazilian music, with sporadic and appropriate jazz
embellishments...Tunes with the feeling of Son, Rumba, and Bossa Nova, interpreted correctly but with
an unobtrusive and minimalist approach.” – Henri Salgâo, Músico Pro magazine
“The entire group is at top peak performance, and their sound is flawless. Each song will be a
favorite with different listeners.”
– Lee Prosser, JazzReview.com
“[A] labor of love by a group of New York City musicians with the desire to produce some creative
music...[T]heir group efforts really show in the different styles represented ranging from jazz, Cuban,
Brazilian , and other styles of music. A commendable performance.”
– Victor Rendón, Latin Percussionist magazine
“[T]he band is not into using many exotic native instruments in creating their Latin scene. They
develop their sound primarily from conventional tools and are able to take an authentic musical stance
with them...Los Santos is a cooperative effort, and each of these young musicians plays a strong hand
in making the group work.”
– Frank Rubolino, Cadence magazine
“Relaxed, authentic Latin grooves underpin an open-ended, intimate jazz quartet setting to create a
truly unique and satisfying kind of jazz...I find this mix of inspired, personal improvs, laid back latin
grooves and a warm, empathic group sound irresistible. You can tell this is a band that loves making
music together.”
– Keith Ganz, CD Baby Website
GRUPO LOS SANTOS - LO QUE SOMOS LO QUE SEA
Deep Tone
Obfuscation isn’t an issue when it comes to the catchy music of Grupo los Santos. From the bright hues of their
debut disc’s packaging to the resplendency of its rhythms and rapport, the four-piece Afro-Cuban influenced
ensemble speaks and interacts in bold primary colors. Along with that collective directness comes an
unexpected absence of bombast or obviousness, two traits prone to marring others that operate out of the
blended idiom that is Latin jazz. Rather than take the path of least resistance and target audience hips and
feet, the band opts to work out of a less predictable bag. The flavor of the dance floor is still palpable, but
shaded with a challenging succession of metric and harmonic complexities that keep the players and potential
listeners from slipping into autopilot.
Saxophonist Paul Carlon shows a marked Joe Henderson influence with a dry rounded tone and a darting
phraseology that easily negotiates the switchback changes and staircased rhythms that propel the tunes.
There’s also a bit of Wayne Shorter’s wry humor in the manner with which he shapes a line. He and drummer
William “Beaver” Bausch share composer credits, tooling a variety of Latin song forms from the familiar (son,
rumba and samba) to the less so (yambu, choro and bulerias) to their designs. Guitarist Pete Smith alternates
between electric and nine-string acoustic and shows a strong affinity with Carlon for baton-passing in the
frontline. His nimble work on the latter axe also opens up an entire side pocket of chordal possibilities. He
strolls along the precipice of classical preciousness, leaving behind a gilded trail of notes. Bassist David
Ambrose has the least glamorous role, laying the anchor much of the time with a steady touch. His vibrant 11th
inning solo on “Pedrito La Vaca” reveals a welcome interlude for scrutiny.
Highlighting that aforementioned humor, “Boogie Down Broder” is a tune where the famously facetious directive
“More cowbell!” feels distinctly apropos. Elsewhere, a guest appearance by dancer Max Pollak provides two
convincing case studies in rhumba-calibrated tap accompaniment. Notes hint at regular stands at the Brooklyn
watering hole Barbes. Based on the sounds captured here it’s a gig locals should strongly consider penciling in
on the calendar.
~ Derek Taylor
Posted by derek on January 11, 2008 11:40 AM
http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/review_print.php?id=28248
Review Courtesy AllAboutJazz.com
Breaking In: Grupo Los Santos at
Jazz Standard, NYC
Grupo Los Santos |
By David Miller
Grupo Los Santos
Jazz Standard
New York, New York
January 7, 2008
Jazz musicians are, in general these days, academics. Formal jazz education is
more popular than ever. Some would argue that this training has
“mainstreamed” the music as most jazzers are learning the same things in
school. Perhaps such detractors need to focus more on the breadth and
diversity that has been brought under the jazz umbrella in recent years. But
that is an argument for another time. What the increase in jazz education has
spawned, inarguably, is the inability of many artists (or, more pointedly, the
unwillingness) to simply “let it all fly,” to throw learning out the window and
embrace the now.
It is for this reason that seeing and hearing Grupo Los Santos at the Jazz
Standard was so refreshing. Admittedly, this is a group of young academics.
You could see it in the crowd (which included parents and student friends),
and you couldn’t help but take notice when drummer William “Beaver”
Bausch gave a lesson on the beats of a rumba. But the raw energy with which
the band played was anything but sterile or ”academic.”
Grupo Los Santos, which is composed of Paul Carlon (saxophone), Pete
Smith (guitar), David Ambrosio (bass), Max Pollak (percussion and
rumbatap), and Bausch, plays predominantly Latin music, including rumba,
son, and bossa nova. The musicians come from varying backgrounds, but
they obviously have a deep connection.
From the get-go, they were smiling and loudly approving of each other’s
playing. The first tune was pretty laid back, with Bausch beaming as first
Carlon and then Smith took solo turns. Suggesting a combination of John
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Scofield and Kurt Rosenwinkel, Smith wears his emotions on his sleeve, and
you can see the twists and turns of the music as his facial expressions change.
He also has a habit of scatting along with the notes that he plays which, as
with Rosenwinkel, only adds to the dramatic effect of his guitar playing.
The group invited Pollak to the stage for the second tune, and the energy in
the room immediately intensified. A rhythm Pollak has dubbed “Rumbatap”
is essentially his using his entire body as an instrument. Tap dancing is but one
part of the equation: chest, arms, knees, and hands all play an integral role.
Not only did the percussionist supply added power to the rhythm section, but
his solo space provided some of the most spellbinding moments of the
evening. Even while soloing over Bausch’s and Smith’s accompaniment, he
maintained a mean groove. And as he soloed, the whole band visibly focused
in as one. In sports, it’s known as being “in the zone.” Smith was wide-eyed
while comping to the groove, while Bausch’s big smile and Ambrosio’s
complete concentration betrayed their emotions.
Bassist Ambrosio throughout the night was simply the rock of the group. In
this band Bausch is often adding color and not simply keeping time, and so
the timekeeping responsibilities fall heavily on Ambrosio. For his efforts he
was rewarded with some extended solo space on the third tune, and took full
advantage of the opportunity.
Grupo Los Santos possesses many of the qualities that define some of the best
ensembles, including unspoken communication and plain unadulterated fun.
While each musician may not as yet be at the very top level of musicianship,
the whole in this case is certainly greater than the sum of its parts. This is still a
young band; as the musicians mature, the group will almost certainly develop
into a force to be reckoned with. In the meantime, it offers a refreshing take
on what music should really be all about.
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GRUPO LOS SANTOS
HOLLY COLE
Lo Que Somos Lo Que Sea
Holly Cole
DEEP TONE RECORDS
KOCH RECORDS
On their second CD, this New York City-based band
formed in 1998 delivers a session of 10 original compositions, performed by tenor saxophonist Paul Carlon, guitarist Pete Smith, bassist Dave Ambrosio and drummer
William “Beaver” Bausch. Rumbatap pioneer Max Pollack
joins the band on two tunes. Translated, the title means
“What We Are What Will Be.”
Playing an array of Latin roots music, melded to jazz,
funk, and more, this novel quartet serves up a satisfying
mix of tunes, with each musician getting his moment in
the spotlight. Solos are superb; teamwork is solid and no
musician tries to outdo the others. Their equitable group
effect, without all the expected instrumentation of Latin
bands, is a softening of approach but not energy, tempo
or creativity. The music, written by Bausch (six tunes) and
Carlon (four tunes) is intricate, lively, well-arranged and
melodious. Each tune is a small ear-candy masterpiece
differing from all that comes before and after it. Carlon
has a nice tone and a silky style and blends harmoniously
with Smith on many of the tunes. Bausch, a true artist on
drums and percussion, is the driving force on each tune.
Ambrosio provides excellent support and proves himself
in solos.
This is one of those discs that urges you to seek out
the band to catch a live performance. Hopefully, these
young musicians will do some touring in the near future
to gain wider notice, because this is the kind of innovative
music that makes you want to stick around for a second
or third set
Nancy Ann Lee
Canadian vocalist Holly Cole serves up a seductive
set of 11 tunes in settings from a piano-voice duet to a
10-musician ensemble.
Cole assembled a group of mostly New York-based
instrumentalists including Marty Erlich (alto sax), Lenny
Pickett ( tenor sax), Scott Robinson (bass sax), John Allred
(trombone), Robert DeBellis (bass clarinet, baritone sax),
Vincent Chancey and Mark Taylor (French horn), Matt
Munisteri (guitar), Gil Goldstein (piano), Greg Cohen
(bass) and Steven Wolf (drums). Aaron Davis (piano),
David Piltch (bass) and Kevin Breit (guitar) also contribute. Most arrangements are by Gil Goldstein, with additional arranging by Cole.
Highlights include a subtle, velvety rendition of the
Gimbel/Legrand tune, “I Will Wait For You,” a sultry take
on the Haren/Bjorn “Alley Cat Song” with nonet backing,
and a racing version of Cole Porter’s “It’s Alright With Me”
with the nonet and Goldstein on accordion.
Cole, born and raised in the Maritimes, grew up amidst
music. Her parents are classical musicians, her brother is
a composer/jazz artist, her uncle was a Broadway performer and her grandfather played country/western music on the accordion. Cole has received numerous awards
in Canada for her recordings.
Cole’s recognizable voice is the attraction but
Goldstein’s arranging is superb and this disc that Koch is
calling a “classic noir valentine,” is truly a listening treat—
smoky, mysterious and reminiscent of the 1940s.
Nancy Ann Lee
ANDREW BROWN
THE BLIND BOYS OF ALABAMA
BLACK MAGIC RECORDS
TIME-LIFE
There have been so many examples of blues artists
who produced a small number of recordings whose recordings were highly prized by those who heard them but
never reach the more general acclaim that their music
deserves. It’s been over twenty years since singer-guitarist Andrew Brown passed away after recording some excellent 45s, several tracks for Alligator’s Living Chicago
Blues series and two superb albums for Dutch Labels that
I do not believe have been issued on CD. The Dutch Black
Magic label has made almost all of Brown’s recordings
available (the issued Alligator tracks excluded) on a wonderful limited edition reissue titled Big Brown Blues.
Packed in a book sized package, the contents of the
two discs include his issued 45s for the U.S.A, 4 Brothers
and Brave labels and a pair of unissued titles from Brave;
two unissued songs from the sessions used for the Living
Chicago Blues selections; the contents of his Black Magic
and Double Trouble CDs and three demos recorded at
Andrew’s basement. The booklet contains a bio from Bill
Dahl and producer Dick Shurman’s recollections of Andrew and his music. As Shurman observes, “Musically,
Andrew was accomplished, powerful, soulful and versatile.”
Influences on Brown include B.B. King, Lowell Fulson
and T-Bone Walker, but in listening to these his music
This new release by The Blind Boys of Alabama has
the legendary gospel singers in the Crescent City where
they are backed by a terrific trio of David Torkanowsky
on piano, Roland Guerin on bass and Shannon Powell on
drums along with guest appearances by the Hot 8 Brass
Band, Allen Toussaint and The Preservation Hall Jazz
Band.
Mixing in gospel classics like Free at Last, You Got to
Move, and I’ll Fly Away with secular positive message
songs like the late Earl King’s Make a Better World, the
group continues to move the heart with the sheer conviction with awe-inspiring vocals of Clarence Fountain,
Jimmy Carter and the others.
Certainly even if their voices have some raspiness from
age, it is not rust and in delivering How I Got Over, the
vocals send chills through the listener. The Preservation
Hall Jazz Band can be heard backing them on Across the
Bridge, Uncloudy Day and Down By the Riverside, on
which Allen Toussaint adds some gospel funk piano.
Toussaint also is heard on the fine If I Could Help Somebody, while the Hot 8 enliven Make a Better World as well
as the exhilarating rendition of I’ll Fly Away, that closes
this CD that is another marvelous addition to the Blind
Boys extensive discography.
Ron Weinstock
PAGE FOURTEEN
Big Brown’s Blues
Down In New Orleans
February 2008 • Issue 301
Grupo los Santos - Press Kit
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Grupo los Santos - Press Kit
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Grupo los Santos - Press Kit
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