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YEMAYA
Roberto Occhipinti - 2005 Alma Records
Produced and arranged by Roberto Occhipinti for Modica Music Ltd.
Recorded by Todd Fraracci, CBC Studio 211, Toronto. Strings recorded
in Moscow Radio Studio, Russia, Alexander Volkov.
Percussion recorded by Jeff McCullough at Wellesley Sound.
Yambu percussion and Vocals recorded at EGREM Studios, Havana.
Mixed by Jeff Wolpert at Desert Fish.
Mastered by Peter J. Moore at the "E" Room, Toronto.
Cover Art "Revelation" by Miré Albornoz www.mire-albornoz.com
Design by José Ortega
Liner Notes by Nicholas Jennings.
Dedicated to my late friend, Pancho Quinto.
REVIEWS
LINER NOTES
Rare is the bassist who steps forward to lead his own ensemble.
Rarer still is the bandleader who successfully bridges the worlds of
jazz and classical music. Roberto Occhipinti clearly belongs to that
rare breed. On his first album, 2001's Trinacria, Occhipinti
explored the range of Latin jazz through works by Thelonious Monk,
Cuban piano virtuoso Hilario Durán and his own compositions. His
follow up album, 2003's The Cusp, expanded on the concept,
adding violin, flutes, reeds and horns while tackling composers as
diverse as Wayne Shorter, Jimi Hendrix and Giacomo Puccini.
Now, with Yemaya, Occhipinti has given full flight to his musical
vision, employing horns, a string quartet and a full string symphony
orchestra on classical arrangements of Cuban, Brazilian and
original jazz pieces. It’s an inspired synthesis.
The album opens with "Maracatres" by Brazilian pianist Jovino Santos-Neto, in which saxophonist
Phil Dwyer's fluttering solo floats over a swelling ocean of horns and strings. The breezy title track
has bata drummer Pedro Martinez singing a warm homage to the goddess of sea and nature in
the Afro-Cuban religion while Moscow's Globalis Symphony lend rich orchestral accompaniment.
Equally striking is the sumptuous string arrangement of the gentle ballad "A Ilha" (The Island), by
popular Brazilian singer-songwriter Djavan, to which Kevin Turcotte adds an achingly sweet
flugelhorn solo. The next three compositions come from two of Occhipinti's most talented and
trusted collaborators: Durán provides "The Shadow" and "Herbie's Mood", a playful piece inspired
by Herbie Hancock, while Dwyer contributes "Bernardo's Tango," a sensuous tribute to Italian film
director Bernardo Bertolucci.
Occhipinti pays a few tributes of his own—all of them to drummers. Having previously dedicated
numbers to percussionists Horacio Hernandez (on Trinacria's "El Negro") and Dafnis Prieto (on The
Cusp's "Prieto Azul"), here Occhipinti gives his respectful nod to drummers Mark McLean on the
percolating "Mank", to Ernesto Simpson on the moody "El Otro Tipo" and to the late Pancho Quinto
on the spiritual "Yambu". The latter, in particular, is deeply moving, as the bassist bids a heartfelt
farewell to the legendary Cuban musician whom he called a friend, colleague and teacher. On all
three numbers, Occhipinti's gifts as a writer, arranger and soloist are on full display.
Born in Toronto of Sicilian ancestry, Occhipinti has long straddled the worlds of jazz and classical music. As a classical bassist, he
has been a member of the Winnipeg Symphony, Hamilton Philharmonic and Canadian Opera Company orchestras. Meanwhile,
Occhipinti has toured and recorded with Blue Note recording artist Jane Bunett on three of her albums, including the Juno Award
winning Ritmo and Soul and the Grammy nominated Alma de Santiago. At the same time, he has recorded a trio of albums with
Hilario Durán, including the Juno Award winning New Danzon, which the bassist also produced. Two other ventures saw him tour
with experimental hip-hop stars Gorillaz and perform with Damon Albarn, front man of British rockers Blur, on the critically
acclaimed Mali Music project.
With the ambitious Yemaya, Occhipinti has skillfully brought those worlds together, marrying his classical training with his abiding
passion for Latin jazz and world music. In doing so, he has set himself apart as an innovator, as well as one of Canada's most
versatile and adventurous musicians. - Nicholas Jennings
 CREDITS
Roberto
Occhipinti - Bass
Hilario Durán - Piano
Phil Dwyer - Tenor Sax
Kevin Turcotte - Trumpet & Flugelhorn
Les Allt - Flute
Al Kay - Trombone
John Johnson - Bass Clarinet & Alto Sax (6,7)
Dafnis Prieto - Drums (2,5,6,7,8)
Ernesto Simpson - Drums (1,3,4)
James MacDonald - French Horn (5,6,7)
Pedro Martinez - Batá, Congas and Vocals (2,3,7)
Manino Costa - Batá and Percussion (1,3)
Chendy Leon - Percussion (7)
Pancho Quinto - Batá and Cajón (9)
Lucumi - Conga and Batá (9)
Maximinio - Percussion and Vocal (9)
Ernesto Gatell - Vocals and Clave (9)
Lazaro Rizo - Batá, Palitos, Vocal (9)
Maximinio Duquesne - Conga and Batá (9)
Marcos Diaz Scull - Conga and Batá (9)
Amado Dedeu - Vocal (9)
Music Toronto String Quartet
Annalee Patipatanakoon - Violin (1)
Carol Fujino - Violin (1)
Douglas Perry - Viola (1)
Roman Borys - Cello (1)
Globalis Symphony Orchestra (3,4,5)
Konstantin Krimetz - Conductor |
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