Danzon by Six: the first Danzon

1. Las Alturas de Simpson

2. Osiris

3. Linda Melodia

4. Meditiacion de Thais

5. Vivan Flavia de las mercedes

6. Sigio XX

7. El Jilguero Bohemio

8. La Chacucha

9. Castigando al Bajo

10. Fefita

11. Angoa

12. Triptico

Editorial Reviews

Andy Garcia Los Angeles, Ca.
..marvelous! It fills me with great nostalgia and emotion...the Cuban Danzon swings in all its glory!

Product Description
Havana is a long way from Montevideo, but at the beginning of the sixties, violinist Federico Britos left home for one of the most vibrant music capitals on the American Continent There, he fell in love with VIvian (his wife of 35 years) and Cuban music. I'm happy to report that both affairs continue, uninterrupted, to this day More recently, Federico has been Concertmaster for the Miami Symphony in South Florida, where he now makes his home. He founded, with guitarist Frank Vignola, the Hot Club USA, a homegrown descendant of France's fabled Grappelli & Reinhardt jazz quintet. He's a featured artist in Cachao's Cuba Linda album, and a major revelation in Nocturne, Charlie Haden's sparkling collection of boleros. For his present undertaking, the mutifaceted Britos has chosen to update one of Cuba's most enduring musical genres, the danzon, a direct descendant of the French contredanse and itself the forerunner of the mambo. Tho vehicie is The First Danzon, debut album of Danzon by 6, Federico's working charanga The charanga, of course, is the traditionai violin & flute ensemble that perorms danzones. The music this charanga plays points towards the future without betraying the past This is most evident in" LBs Alluras de Simpson", where Britos adds a baroque touch with the use of a harpsichord in the intro to this danzon -the first ever -that harks beck to 1879. At the same time, Federico contributes a third part, grounded in Miguel Failde's original composition but harmonically advanced, as though the piece had just been conceived. "Osiris" is a 1956 danzon with Vocals that bursts into a cha.cha-cha at the finale As wall it should, since the tune belongs to Enrique Jorrin, creator of the infectious rhythm, with whose orchestra Federico performed for many yaars "Linda Melodia" is a nod to its composer, Rubeun Jiminez, Son of the traditional trombone in Cuban music. In the fifties, Generoso Jimenez was arranger and musical di9Ctor for betoved singer Bony More. In this composition, timbalara Ruben "Tutti" Jimenez cuts loose on his tune with a spirited solo Danzonas are also Cuba's most flexible musicai genre Consisting of three to five parts (with an introduction), occasional Vocals and/or chorus, the natural state of the danzon is constant flux. For a spell, danzones adopted melodies fmm sources as varied as American standards and other Cuben genres Cheo Belen Puig's mystical "Meditacion de Thais" takes its title and wne fmm the classic violin piece by Massenet

The lopez brothers (nicknemed "Mecho" end "Cachao") were responsible for one of the key turning points in the distinguished history of the danzon. In deference to dancers seeking additional zip in their danzones, the brothers concocted a syncopated montuno to Iiven things up on the dance floor. This "nuevo ritmo" became known as the "danzon manbo". The rest, as they say, is history. Vivian Flavia de las Mercedes", dedicated by Britos to his wife, is a Cachao- styie danzon, and comes complete with a Cachao bass solo, providing ample evidence as to why the octogenarian master is revered by the world's greatest upright bass players. Brito's talent as an arranger shines with his adaptation for string quartet of Jose Urfe's classic danzon "Fefita". Britos proudly states that his charts have the blessings of title composer's son, Orestes, an aca bassist in his own right. Gustevo Cruz performs admirably on the traditional wooden 5-key flute, and provides two of the album's liveliest numbers, "El Jiguero Bohenio" and "Castigando al Bejo" The former is a showcase lor his performing skiils. The latter showcases bassist Ranses Colon's versatility The Venezuelan musician impresses as he quotes from Mendelssohn one of his songs and raises the temperature with an incendiary solo. "La Chaucha" (old Cuban slang lor "the grub") is a danzon of the old school adapted from a son montuno. "Siglo XX" was penned by a master of t

Danzon by Six: the first Danzon

Tracks:

Las Alturas de Simpson
Osiris
Linda Melodia
Meditiacion de Thais
Vivan Flavia de las mercedes
Sigio XX
El Jilguero Bohemio
La Chacucha
Castigando al Bajo
Fefita
Angoa
Triptico

Album Description

Havana is a long way from Montevideo, but at the beginning of the sixties, violinist Federico Britos left home for one of the most vibrant music capitals on the American Continent There, he fell in love with VIvian (his wife of 35 years) and Cuban music. I'm happy to report that both affairs continue, uninterrupted, to this day More recently, Federico has been Concertmaster for the Miami Symphony in South Florida, where he now makes his home. He founded, with guitarist Frank Vignola, the Hot Club USA, a homegrown descendant of France's fabled Grappelli & Reinhardt jazz quintet. He's a featured artist in Cachao's Cuba Linda album, and a major revelation in Nocturne, Charlie Haden's sparkling collection of boleros. For his present undertaking, the mutifaceted Britos has chosen to update one of Cuba's most enduring musical genres, the danzon, a direct descendant of the French contredanse and itself the forerunner of the mambo. Tho vehicie is The First Danzon, debut album of Danzon by 6, Federico's working charanga The charanga, of course, is the traditionai violin & flute ensemble that perorms danzones. The music this charanga plays points towards the future without betraying the past This is most evident in" LBs Alluras de Simpson", where Britos adds a baroque touch with the use of a harpsichord in the intro to this danzon -the first ever -that harks beck to 1879. At the same time, Federico contributes a third part, grounded in Miguel Failde's original composition but harmonically advanced, as though the piece had just been conceived. "Osiris" is a 1956 danzon with Vocals that bursts into a cha.cha-cha at the finale As wall it should, since the tune belongs to Enrique Jorrin, creator of the infectious rhythm, with whose orchestra Federico performed for many yaars "Linda Melodia" is a nod to its composer, Rubeun Jiminez, Son of the traditional trombone in Cuban music. In the fifties, Generoso Jimenez was arranger and musical di9Ctor for betoved singer Bony More. In this composition, timbalara Ruben "Tutti" Jimenez cuts loose on his tune with a spirited solo Danzonas are also Cuba's most flexible musicai genre Consisting of three to five parts (with an introduction), occasional Vocals and/or chorus, the natural state of the danzon is constant flux. For a spell, danzones adopted melodies fmm sources as varied as American standards and other Cuben genres Cheo Belen Puig's mystical "Meditacion de Thais" takes its title and wne fmm the classic violin piece by Massenet

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