Latin Brothers

Pucho and his Latin Soul Brothers - Groovin' High (1997) {Cannonball Records CBD 27103}
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© 1997 Cannonball Records | CBD 27103
Jazz / Jazz Funk / Latin Jazz / Soul Jazz / Groove

If anyone has successfully bridged the gap between Latin jazz and soul-jazz, it's Pucho, whose very accessible blend of hard bop, R&B and Afro-Cuban music took its share of knocks from jazz critics but was consistently swinging and could always liven up a party. The New York percussionist was 59 when Groovin' High came out on the small Cannonball label in 1997, but except for some experiments with rap, the CD isn't much different from his Prestige dates of the 1960s and early 1970s.

Born in Martinique, these three talented brothers, Chris, Patrick, and Alex Gibson, began performing together in 1976. Their sound has been called disco-salsa by some, simply hot by others. The single, "Come to America," was recorded that first year, 1976. It landed on many European music charts, becoming a number one hit on some. In 1977, the Gibson Brothers' tune, "Non Stop Dance," was a million seller.

Few musical marriages can seem more oddly matched than a German classical/chamber trio with an Afro-Cuban percussion ensemble. Yet Mozart Meets Cuba presents astonishing work: Latin explorations of Mozart's timeless melodies that are true to the fire and passion, and to the almost mathematic precision, of Afro-Cuban and classical perspectives. Mozart's compositions remain refined and austerely beautiful (such as his Clarinet Concerto, for example, here presented as "Poema Con Cohiba ), but they rhythmically move forward with a smile and bounce.

Pucho & The Latin Soul Brothers - Super Freak (1972) {CuBop CBCD006 rel 1996}
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© 1972, 1996 Zanzee / CuBop | CBCD 006
Jazz / Jazz Funk / Latin Jazz / Soul Jazz / Groove

The opening track on 1972's Super Freak is a brilliant, nearly side-long medley of three tracks from Curtis Mayfield's Superfly: the title track, "Pusherman," and, of course, "Freddie's Dead." Heavy, druggy, and psychedelic, with thick organ and wah-wah guitars, the medley sounds more like the psychedelic soul of War or even Funkadelic than the sparkling Latin jazz of Pucho's earlier albums.