I’m just glad there is some respite from listening to another jazz album! Actually I had been highly anticipating Sabu’s ‘Palo Congo’. Not only does it contain percussion as the propelling and dominant force; it also fuses African and Cuban influences. I have always found it rather amusing how Western society, with its pop bands lip-syncing their way through an auto-tuned computer-composed version of some cheesy pop classic, has the audacity to refer to African music as primitive. The beats and rhythms of African music are anything but, being both intricate and highly complex. This album therefore, on paper at least, contains the necessary elements for something quite amazing.
Born Louis Martinez in 1930, he was one of the most prolific conga players in Afro-Cuban music. The door had been opened for him by Chano Pozo who put Afro-Cuban drums firmly into jazz recordings during the 1940s. Martinez was himself inspired by some of the early jazz greats which culminated with him playing in Gillespie’s band in 1948. It was he who gave Martinez the nickname ‘Sabu’ which he was to use henceforth. Sabu remained a high-in-demand session player throughout the 1940s ad 1950s but faded into a drug induced haze in the late 1950s. Fortunately, he bounced back in 1957 with a run of three classic albums, Palo Congo was one of them. It is hailed as an Afro-Cuban masterpiece, a link between jazz, traditional African beats, and modern Cuban music.
‘Palo Congo’ was Sabu’s debut offering as leader and melded together what is essentially a percussionists album except for bass (Evaristo Baro) and Cuban Tres (Arsenio Rodriguez). Add to that some singing and chanting and we have the entire ingredients for the entire eight songs on this album.
Right from the outset it is obvious that this really needs to be listened to on one of those steaming hot summer days, a Mojito lightly cupped in one hand while the other gently cradles a Havana cigar with the smoke slowly rising into the afternoon sky. Instead I am listening to this on a cold and damp autumn morning frantically making my way to the train station. Anyway, this album can really be split into two sections. The first of which is the more fast paced Latin orientated sound. Tracks such as the fantastic opener ‘El Cumbanchero’ contains a simple, yet catchy, melody which gets the toes tapping and instantly brings a smile to the face. ‘Choferito’ showcases the great guitar work and a nice shuffling beat driven by tight harmonizing vocals. Similarly, ‘Tribilin Cantore’ appears perfect for driving along the coast on a hot summers day in an old 1950s Cadillac .
The second part of the album is certainly more African orientated with a more raw and wild feel to it. Indeed, it would not be too out of place to say that it feels like one has stumbled upon a tribe of elders in the African plains chanting and dancing happily around a campfire. Tracks such as Billumba’ and ‘Asabache’ and Aggo Eleuga’ demonstrate this perfectly. If nothing else, the musicians are clearly having the time of their life playing these songs, the passion is admirable. The best two tracks on this album have to be ‘Simba’ and ‘Rhapsodia Del Maravilloso’. The interplay between the percussion, cowbells, and guitar are awesome and the latter tracks fast and exciting pace are great highlights here.
In conclusion there is certainly nothing inherently bad about this album, indeed there are some pleasant moments here. Yet, there is nothing which is particularly inspiring here. May of the tracks go on for rather longer than they really should do; maybe that has something to do with the simple phrases being constantly repeated. I have certainly heard a lot more Latin music which commands more attention than 'Palo Congo'. I almost get the feeling of, ‘Is that it?’ after finishing this album. Why it appears on an essential listening list remains a mystery to me; there is obviously something I am missing. In 1967, Sabu emigrated to Sweden with his wife never to return to the USA again. I fear a similar fate for this album in 2010, it will emigrate to the doldrums of my hard drive never to heard from again.
Stand-out Tracks: 'El Cumbanchero', 'Simba', 'Rhapsodia Del Maravilloso'
Rating: 5/10
No comments:
Post a Comment