Luis Valle and Tropicante

Crocodile, Shibuya
September 19, 2005

Luis Valle - trumpet, vocal, dance
Masaru Okuyama - piano
Kazutoshi Shibuya - guitar
Hitoshi Kashio - alto saxophone
Yoshitaka Kuratomi - tenor saxophone
Yoshiki Minesaki - trumpet
Hiroshi Ikei - trumpet
Akihiro Tsuzuki - percussion
Takashi Ono - drums
Satomi Kosezawa - chorus, dance
Professor TOGO - rap, chorus, dance

The large variations of rhythmic styles overwhelm anyone who enters the world of Latin music. Taking just one part of what Luis Valle, tonight's leader said, Cuban music alone has a very complicated background. North American Indians lived in then Caribbean Islands, and they had their own rhythms, but then Europeans came to make colonies and various kinds of other music mixed in many complex ways.

Valle went on to explain how in Cuba, under Spain's rule, elegant Spanish dance music was mixed with heart-throbbing rhythms from the Congo to produce "habanera." Then as habanera improved its sense of rhythm, it absorbed the lyricism of Spanish folk songs, producing another new style-- "son." "Son" started to absorb other influences and began developing on its own. Son clave's 2-3 rhythm, now imported to Japan has produced many styles familiar to jazz fans: "son montuno," which introduces brass instruments and percussions; "danzon," a very European like dance music; "rumba," in which African-style percussion produces call and response; "boogaloo," which mixed with R&B, lyrical "bolero"; "chachacha," the slow dance music; "mambo," which introduces a quick brass riff; and finally, "salsa," a mix by immigrants in New York of mambo with American Jazz.

Valle came to Japan from Cuba eight years ago, and now he takes part in creating another new Cuban music as he encounters many foreign musicians. The concert was presented by Tropicante, a salsa orchestra composed of Japanese musicians. At first, they pleasantly confused the audience with a lecture on rhythms (like the one above), but then the opening salsa-funk number got burning hot like a scorching sun. Percussion, chorus, piano riffs and horns were all repetitive, but as they all got mutually entangled, they resonated with each other deeply. On the second song, "Me Gusta La P," the brass ensemble started to move, and the air shook intensely. The high notes that came out of Valle's trumpet were especially strong and lively, not the kind of sound any Japanese musician could make. Later, I asked him, "How high can you go?" He smiled and answered "Anywhere!" I'd say maybe a little higher than the high B flat.

The audience began to dance with original steps to the son montuno song, "Paseo Del Prado," a slow, yet powerful music like that of the Buena Vista Social Club. The hall turned into a dance floor, as the band shifted into "guaracha." Valle put mute on his trumpet and began to play a bolero which took us all to dusk in a southern country. Kosezawa's vocal was also very beautiful. Her voice has a sadness that goes way beyond the theme, assuring everyone that it is no lie that she frequently gets nominated by pop bands, going by the nickname of "a Cuban in Japan."

In a speedy and modern timba song, "Ven Pa' Ca," there was a comical pause (the introduction of TOGO's modern rap was special too!). In front of my eyes was a magical feast where a repetition of only four measures fascinated the listeners. I must have fell into a trance. When I recovered my consciousness, the group was already getting off the stage. Needless to say, that in the end, the confusion about rhythmic styles in the beginning disappeared completely.