http://www.franciscoaguabella.com

http://www.myspace.com/franciscoaguabella

Origine du Groupe : Cuba , North America
Style : World Music , Instrumental
Sortie : 1999

By  Ezra Gale  from http://www.amazon.com

Francisco Aguabella's H2O, originally released on the Olm label in 1986 and long out of print, is the kind of forgotten gem that all too often stays that way. So Latin-jazz fans should thank their lucky stars that Cubop has seen fit to reissue it in all its fiery glory. H2O is a white-hot recording that showcases precisely why Aguabella, a master percussionist who was born in Matanzas, Cuba, and who has been a driving force in Latin jazz and Afro-Cuban music since his U.S. arrival in 1957, is a certified living legend. Bristling with tight salsa arrangements that spotlight Aguabella's topnotch ensemble (including Nengue Hernandez on timbales and vocals and trombonist Dan Weinstein, who's also appeared with Aguabella to great effect on 1999's Agua de Cuba), H2O still leaves plenty of room for Aguabella to shine. "Wood Place" intertwines a delicious piano montuno with some thrilling interplay between Aguabella's congas and the horn section, "Nena" boasts some tricky unison vocal work from Hernandez, Aguabella, and Orlando Lopez, and "Danzonette" presents Aguabella's riveting take on the classic Cuban danzon style. About the only quibble with H2O is its woeful lack of information in the packaging--surely not Cubop's fault, as the album was licensed from a small, fly-by-night label, but missed nonetheless. Still, as anyone who hears this will agree, that's a minor point: the music here is enough.

Musicians:
Francisco Aguabella / Leader, Conga, Bata, Other Percussion
Joe Rotondi Jr / Piano
Jonathan Pintoff / Bass
Luis Gonzalez / Trumpet
Charles Owens / Sax
Dan Weinstein / Trombone
Nengue Hernandez / Lead Vocals, Timbales
David Romero / Bongo
Ed Smith / Drums
Orlando Lopez, Francisco Aguabella, Nengue Hernandez / Chorus

Tracklist :       
1. Short Story 3:30 (Kenny Dorham)
2. Quien Eres Tu 5:12 (Francisco Aguabella)
3. Wood Place 4:24 (Francisco Aguabella)
4. Nena 4:57 (Francisco Aguabella)
5. Cavalie 3:19 (D.R.)
6. Son To Any Kid 4:56 (D.R.)
7. Intensity 4:02 (D.R.)
8. Vencido 4:32 (Francisco Aguabella, Eduardo Reyes)
9. Caito 4:46 (D.R.)
10. Danzonete 4:57 (D.R.)