José Rizo to od lat ceniony popularyzator i animator latynoskiego jazzu za Oceanem. Prowadzi wiele audycji radiowych prezentując rozmaite nagrania jazzowe, oraz jest organizatorem festiwali.
W roku 2000 założył 16-osobową grupę Jazz on the Latin Side All-Stars, która doczekała się czterech gorąco przyjętych przez odbiorców albumów, a w roku 2011 powołał do życia projekt José Rizo's Mongorama tworzony przez grupę znakomitych muzyków, oraz zespół tancerzy salsa.
Grupa prowadzona przez flecistę Danilo Lozano preferuje muzykę zainspirowaną istniejącym w latach 60-tych zespołem Mongo Santamaria.
We wrześniu br. ukazała się trzecia (po "Mongorama" i "Baila Que Baila") płyta zespołu zatytułowana "Mariposas Cantan".
Płyta zawiera ostatnie nagrania zmarłego w maju 2019 roku, jednego z najwybitniejszych wirtuozów bębnów timbales Ramona Bandy, który poza działalnością w ramach José Rizo's Mongorama, znany był z wspólnych nagrań z takimi artystami jak m.in. Poncho Sanchez, Joey DeFrancesco czy Cal Tjader. Jemu też zadedykowany jest cały album, na którym poza kompozycjami Jose Rizo i Francisco Torresa, znajdziemy ciekawe wersje m.in. "Watermelon Man" Herbiego Hancocka i "Mambo Mindoro" Cala Tjadera.
Album ukazał się 18 września.
Robert Ratajczak
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Jose Rizo's Mongorama: Mariposas Cantan
CD 2020, Saungu Records SR005
program:
1. Mambo Mindoro
2. Mariposas Cantan
3. Helen of Jazz
4. Fiesta de Charangueros
5. A Little Dab’ll Do Ya
6. Quiero Menudo
7. Mongorama
8. Quindimbia
9. Watermelon Man
10. Descagra Ramon Banda
11. Como Fue
12. East L.A. Meets Napa
personel:
Justo Almario - saksofon, flet
Danilo Lozano - flet
Ramon Banda, George Ortiz - timbalesy
Dayren Santamaria - skrzypce
Joey De Leon - congas
James Zavaleta - wokal
Joe Rotondi - fortepian
Alfredo Ortiz - guiro, bongo, bell, chekere, wokal
Ross Schodek - bass
gościnnie:
Darynn Dean, Yoshigei Rizo, Alexis De La Rocha - wokal
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materiały prasowe:
Jose Rizo’s all-star nonet Mongorama performs an exhilarating brand of Latin jazz on "Mariposas Cantan".
José Rizo, the popular and influential disc jockey who hosts the long-running Jazz On The Latin Side on KKJZ (KJazz 88.1 FM) in Los Angeles is also notable as a bandleader and songwriter. In 2011 he founded Mongorama, a nonet inspired by conguero Mongo Santamaria’s early 1960s band. Their third album, following "Mongorama" and "Baila Que Baila", features flutist Danilo Lozano (the group’s musical director), tenor-saxophonist Justo Almario, violinist Dayren Santamaria, pianist Joe Rotondi, bassist Ross Schodek, Joey De Leon on congas, Alfredo Ortiz on bongo, guiro and chekere, the late timbale master Ramon Banda (whose place is taken by George Ortiz on half of the set), singer James Zavaleta, conguero Joey De Leon, and a few guests including trombonist Francisco Torres who wrote nine of the arrangements and co-wrote five songs with Rizo.
Ramon Banda was one of the greatest timbale players in Latin jazz. "Mariposas Cantan" is his final recording. Banda, who played with Poncho Sanchez for years, recorded with Cal Tjader, and was also a jazz drummer with organist Joey DeFrancesco, recorded six of the selections of "Mariposas Cantan" before becoming very ill and passing away. His last recorded solo is on the track “Mongorama”. This CD is dedicated to him and it includes Rizo’s “Descarga Ramon Banda”, an exuberant piece performed by the full group plus Francisco Torres as a final farewell. There are many highlights to "Mariposas Cantan". Cal Tjader’s “Mambo Mindoro” (which is a little reminiscent of “Afro Blue”) features violinist Santamaria in fine form. Singer James Zavaleta is in the spotlight on the joyful love song “Mariposas Cantan” while “Helen Of Jazz” (a tribute to the late disc jockey Helen Borgers who requested flutist Lozano on this piece) has infectious work from the percussionists and features Lozano’s flute. Zavaleta and flutist Lozano interact on several of the numbers including the playful “Quindimbia” and “East L.A. Meets Napa”. The ever-popular “Watermelon Man” has a strong Almario tenor solo and “A Little Dab’ll Do Ya” finds the group inspired by the warm melody. Add in the excellent singing of Alfredo Ortiz on “Fiesta De Charangueros” and Yoshigei Rizo (the leader’s daughter-in-law) during the ballad “Como Fue” and one has a thoroughly enjoyable set of modern Latin jazz. José Rizo worked for KCSB-FM, and KIST-AM before debuting his long-running (now 30 years) Jazz on the Latin Side program on KKJZ-FM in 1990. Always very interested in Latin music (particularly jazz), Rizo has produced jazz and Latin music festivals, co-founded the Saungu Record label with his wife Leticia V. Rizo, and in 2000 put together the Jazz on the Latin Side All-Stars, a 16-piece star-filled Latin jazz band that has recorded four albums. Nine years later he also began leading Mongorama. The release of "Mariposas Cantan", Mongorama’s third and arguably most rewarding recording, is the latest accomplishment in José Rizo’s busy career. It will be enjoyed by Latin jazz fans and salsa dancers.
