Jesse Varela

I love it when drummers become pianists because they bring a propulsive charge to the instrument. Just listen to how Eddie Palmieri, Omar Sosa and … Read More “Roberto Carcasses: Invitation”

This remote recording at New York City’s Blue Note club captures a unique moment in the career of Paquito D’Rivera, one of the premier reed … Read More “Paquito D’Rivera: Live at the Blue Note”

Ever since Miles Davis did “Concierto de Aranjuez,” with those gorgeous Gil Evans tapestries, aficionados have come to know the shared harmonic feeling between flamenco … Read More “Michel Camilo/Tomatito: Spain”

In 1975 percussionist-bandleader- Latin music scholar John Santos was cited along with his friend Raul Rekow (Santana) for playing conga drums at Dolores Park in … Read More “John Santos and Machete: Tribute to the Masters”

Cubanismo mingles New Orleans brass bands with its Caribbean heritage. The links between Afro-Cubans and black Crescent City culture goes back to colonial times, but … Read More “Cubanismo: Mardi Gras Mambo”