Willie Rodriguez Jazz Quartet - Flatjacks (1963)
Year: 1963 (CD 2003)
Label: Milestone Records (US), MCD-9331-2
Style: Jazz, International, Latin JazzCountry: Coamo, Puerto Rico (March 18, 1935)
Time: 39:09
Format: Flac Tracks 16/44,1 kHz
Size: 234 Mb
Recording Location: New York, NY. Plaza Sound Studios, New York, NY.
Willie Rodriguez real name was Jose William Rodriguez De Jesus Escalante, was born in Coamo, Puerto Rico, on March 18, 1935. After school, his parents sent him to New York and according to teacher Willie Rosario (also from Coamo) after being in two or three Orchestras, in 1957 he formed his own ensemble, debuting at the Los Panchos club, then moving to the Monte Carlo on Broadway. At first his repertoire was based on themes of other groups like the Sonora Matancera, soon to begin a brief but interesting own discography like soloist.
He is hired by Carmelo Fonseca to make his first recordings on the same label that would make Richie Ray known (Fonseca Records). Even Richie, like Bobby Cruz and Chivirico Davila, are involved in some of the albums that Rodriguez recorded since the early 1960s.
Willie was already retired from music for many years, but had his "golden" era in the 60s, especially with his recordings for the labels Fonseca and Mary Lou, which are a good example of the "hard sound" of the burgeoning Salsa In New York. Rodriguez had among its singers Leo Casino and the great Adalberto Santiago.
Titles like At the Happenin 'and, especially, Heat Wave, belong to that time of Fonseca. In his discography there is also a live recording titled Willie Rodriguez Swings, taken from a performance in Club Cabo Rojeno and edited by Man Records.
Before the end of the 60s, Ismael Maisonave signed him for his record label Mary Lou Records, with whom he recorded the track "Soogie", also releasing the albums '71 and Puerto Rican Kid. In this last one, the social connotation of the theme "I am Puerto Rican" is remembered a lot, in the time of The Young Lords and the Latin and black activists of the time.
It is in the early 70's when Willie decided to dissolve his orchestra, weary of the environment surrounding the Latin musical environment, and for a time was musical director of the Silver Star group.
(last.fm/music/Willie+Rodriguez/+wiki)
Flatjacks by Latin perscussionist Willie Rodriguez is one of the few dates to feature his name as a leader. Rarer still is that this is one of the few sessions where Rodriguez is the actual drummer in a quartet. This does not mean he left his arsenal of percussion instruments at home, but rather they complement his drumming in a straight jazz quartet setting. Featuring the great George Duvivier on bass, melodic genius Barry Galbraith on guitar, and saxophone wunderkind Seldon Powell, Flatjacks was recorded in New York in 1963, was released on Milestone, and quickly disappeared without a trace -- with the exception of being revered by jazz musicians of the day. Featuring tunes by everyone in the band -- including the smoking bossa nova of the tile track by Duvivier and the funky "Tasty" by Powell -- this set also features unlikely tomes from Clark Terry ("One Foot in the Gutter") and Ed Michel ("After Words"). But it is Rodriguez's compositions such as "Mr. Yosso," "Nanigo Soul," "Seafood Wally," and the legendary "Brasileira" that are the standouts here. Rodriguez's ability to walk the three lines that matter -- namely swing, Latin styles, and the blues -- with equal precision and grace as well as passion give his material a deeply textured soulful feel that is tough to match, let alone beat. This record swings on the post-bop and contemporary bossa level, yet it's always a surprise to hear the blues spoken and referred to so constantly and prominently. This is one of those reissues that should have happened years ago. Flatjacks is brilliant, sunny, and masterful.
(allmusic.com/album/flatjacks-mw0000035300)
01. Moliendo Caf (03:52)
02. Serenata (03:05)
03. aigo Soul (02:16)
04. Mr. Yosso (04:38)
05. Brasileira (02:22)
06. One Foot In the gutter (04:52)
07. It Happened In Monterey (03:32)
08. Flatjacks (Just a Minor Bass - A Nova) (03:00)
09. Seafood Wally (03:08)
10. After Words (02:42)
11. Tasty (02:47)
12. El Sueo de Frances (02:49)
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