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Giovanni Hidalgo, congas, percussion.; Humberto Ramirez, trumpet; Papo Lucca, piano; Oskar Cartaya, baja; Horacio "El Negro" Hernandez, drums; plus guests.
As if the title were not perfectly clear, Best Friends is an album of heavyweights playing among peers, and is possibly a classic. Speaking of that title, indeed the spirit of friendship pervades this album. The camaraderie and sharing are to such an extent that no clear leader emerges. Even the tone of Humberto Ramirez' trumpet is soft and accommodating, never jumping out and taking over. That spoken, Ramirez is capable of muscular solos when the heat is up - for example, the call and answer section in the song "Celebrando".
The only word to describe Giovanni Hidalgo's contribution is stunning. He has become such a favorite on the clinic circuit that we tend to forget his calling as a band member... remember the Puerto Rican group Batacumbele? On Best Friends, Giovanni's lines are varied, highly syncopated and, despite the lure of traditional song forms, he never succumbs to stock phrasing.
All CD's ought to be recorded as cleanly as Best Friends, and with such respect for the way percussion timbres - bells, congas, and timbales, in particular - blend into the ensemble. The possible exception is the drumming of "El Negro" Hernandez, who gets short shrift in the mix: you have to strain to hear him at times. On the other hand, if you play by the book, this music does not require drumset. Besides, if he were any louder, it might taint the prevailing equality and wash out someone else's part.
In "A Puerto Rico", Giovanni and El Negro work hand in glove. It's a deceiving clever performance, in which master hand and stick drummers venture freely into the each other's territory, shadowing every move. The song gives Ramirez room to stretch out. Then he draws pianist Paco Lucca into a dynamic solo, and then a montuno (vamp) that builds in waves. Hernandez solos, then Hidalgo, and it's back to the head (melody).
At this point, any other CD would draw to a close, satisfied with a job well done, but another four songs follow, equally strong. Listen for a guest appearance by Tito Puente on timbales.
Part traditional, as in the quirky cha cha penned by Hidalgo, "La Perla", and part contemporary-hip, Best Friends never lets up. This poses a real hazard: the kettle will be boiling, the smoke alarm will go off, and you'll be lingering in the living room, waiting to hear the whole record.
AJ Records: http://www.ajrecords.com.
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