Nachito Herrera & Puro Cubano Live at the Dakota [Live]

About the Artist
Ignacio "Nachito" Herrera is the the former music director and pianist of Cubanismo. Nachito's music is deeply informed by his extensive knowledge of cuban rhythms and styles of music as well as his extensive classical training.

As a 12-year old he performed Rachmaninoff’s Concerto No. 2 with the Havana Symphony Orchestra and as a 16-year old he was invited on stage to perform by famed Cuban pianist Ruben Gonzalez (who was later to become famous world-wide as a member of the Buena Vista Social Club). Later, he toured the world with Cubanismo and has been featured on a number of that bands recordings. Live at the Dakota is Nachito's debut album as a solo artist.

Product Description
Hotter than the burning tip of a contraband Cuban cigar. Stronger than a straight shot of Havana rum. As exciting as a World Series game, with "El Duque" on the mound. And tastier than a big platter of black beans, rice, sweet plantains and ropa vieja -- that's shredded beef, folks. Welcome to the scintillating sounds of Nachito Herrera and his band, Puro Cubano! Explosive. Crowd-pleasing. Rhythmically intense. Romantic. Dynamic. Jaw-droppingly good. That's the glowing rap on the piano playing of Ignacio "Nachito" Herrera. One word suits Senor Herrera best of all -- virtuoso.

It's apparent throughout "Live At The Dakota" that Nachito Herrera has no limits as a pianist. He can play what he wants and what he feels, exactly, with energy and power and directness and contagious charm. Herrera's a piledriver, a barnburner, a wizard. Nachito's ample classical music training shines through on every track. As do his powers of jazz improvisation, and his rich background in the music of his island homeland, Cuba. Cha-cha-cha, bolero, salsa, rumba, son, mambo, meringue, guaracha, plena, guajira -- name the beatt, and Herrera delivers it with mastery.

The all-star band Cubanismo was Nachito's ticket off the island, his passport to the world's concert halls and outdoor festivals. In Cubanismo, he ably followed star pianist Alfredo Rodriguez, who went on to a solo career. From 1997-2000, Herrera doubled as an arranger and musical director for the Jesus Alemany-led band. He appears on the Cubanismo CDs, Reencarnacion and Mardi Gras Mambo: Cubanismo in New Orleans.

Soon after leaving Cubanismo, Herrera wound up living and working in one of the U.S. metro areas that he'd visited with the band -- namely, the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul. Why Minnesota? "I liked it immediately because it seemed like one of the more calm, stable, safe big cities in the U.S.A." Herrera told a reporter from the Minneapolis Star-Tribune newspaper. "And I loved it that even if there are 30 inches of snow on the ground, people will still go out and see live music." Though the U.S. embargo with Cuba was still in full flower, Nachito managed to gain "artist of special merit" status, thanks to the backing of a nonprofit organization.

Herrera was permitted to work in the Land of Lakes for up to three years, and he immediately got down to business, assembling the great group that you hear here -- Puro Cubano. A combo tailor-made to deliver heritage sounds, with incomparable fire. Puro Cubano is the natural culmination of Herrera's years spent in academia, from the Superior Institute of Art in Havana and the Cuban Naval Academy band, to the MacPhail Center for the Arts in Minneapolis, where Nachito teaches today. More to the musical point, Live At The Dakota is the end product of time logged with such fabled mentors as the ageless Ruben Gonzalez, the superstar Chucho Valdes, and with his own very skilled piano-playing padre, Ignacio Herrera, Sr. All the nonstop training, from Rachmaninoff to rumba, and all the global touring, getting his feet wet with the popular Tropicana Orquestra, then becoming a serious road warrior in Cubanismo, pays off grandly on Live At the Dakota.

Every single track of this CD delivers fire and finesse, verve and variety. Wanna be overwhelmed? Then check out, "Rumba Africana," a tour-de-force of brilliant, elastic piano artistry, with more tempo and mood shifts than two Fellini flicks. Looking for pure entertainment? Join the happy chorus on "Cha-Cha-Cha 1-2." Or spend "Un Dia en la Habana" -- a rollicking, careening day in Havana. No day in Cuba's hub would be complete without some beisbol, right? Just ask Tony Oliva, another singularly talented Cuban who's made a happy home for himself in Minnesota. So it's fitting that the Puro Cubano all-star team launches into a few singalong bars of the hoary yet always satisfying, "Take Me Out to the Ballgame." Every single member of the Dakota Bar & Grill audience sings bette

Nachito Herrera & Puro Cubano Live at the Dakota,Nachito Herrera,Dakota Live!,Latin Jazz, Cuban with Classical Influences

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Average customer rating: This CD is HOT!

Bembé en Mi Casa Nachito Herrera Manufacturer: Fs Music ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Latin Music | Styles | Music Latin Pop | Latin Music | Styles | Music Salsa | Latin Music | Styles | Music Bebop General | Bebop | Jazz | Styles | Music General | Jazz | Styles | Music Latin Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music Modern Postbebop | Jazz | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Afro-Cuban | Caribbean & Cuba | International | Styles | Music Similar Items: Metamorphosis Descarga en California Conclave ASIN: B000ACZX9Q Release Date: 2005-09-06

Tracks:

1. Song In F
2. Nacho's Pilon
3. Big News
4. Nostalgia
5. Bembe En Mi Casa
6. Capullito De Aleli
7. Llegaron Los Millonarios
8. Cuaguanco Para Ochun
9. Potpourri De Cha-Cha-Cha
10. Estas En Mi Corazon
11. Ritmo Caliente

Amazon.com

Lovely piano melodies anchor Bembe En Mi Casa, the collaborative compilation presided over by--breathe deep--composer, pianist, arranger and bandleader Ignacio "Nachito" Herrera. The Cuban music man has played with the Buena Vista Social Club, directed shows for son sister Albita and toured the world with the all-star Cubanismo! band. Bembe En Mi Casa finds Herrera tickling the ivories alongside daughter Mirdalys, trumpeter Adalberto Lara, saxophonist Nardy Castellini and Jesus Diaz. There are luscious, sweeping moments, to be sure, but much of the disc feels oddly muted and understated. After awhile, the instrumental runs seem to, well, run together, making it hard to figure out where one song ends and another begins. It creates a coherent atmosphere, but one that may lull you to sleep when it should be putting some swivel into your hips. Only the title track seems to snap the dance floor to life, and daughter Mirdalys commands attention with her confident, booming voice on album closer Ritmo Caliente. Maybe Herrera's next collaboration should be a wholly familial affair. --Joey Guerra

Customer Reviews:

This CD is HOT!.......2007-04-14

I heard a cut from this CD on college radio (WRUV-FM Burlington VT), called at once to find out what it was - and ordered a copy. It's just that great! Good energy, crisp sound, great rhythms, and lots of originality. Now whenever I put it on everyone who hears it stops and asks me what it is - pretty soon, all my friends will own it. My advice is to ignore the lukewarm editorial review and order a copy - I do not think you will be disappointed!

Average customer rating:

Live at the Dakota, Vol. 2 Nachito Herrera Manufacturer: Dakota Live ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Latin Music | Styles | Music Latin Pop | Latin Music | Styles | Music General | Jazz | Styles | Music Latin Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music General | Live Albums | Jazz | Styles | Music Similar Items: Bembé en Mi Casa ASIN: B000EWBMQK Release Date: 2006-04-25

Tracks:

1. Introduction
2. Spain In The Twins
3. Speak No Evil
4. Yes Or No
5. Afro 6/8
6. Tulipan
7. Danzon Para Aurora
8. Bab Fururu
9. West Side Latin Jazz

Product Description

1. Introduction
2. Spain in the Twins (N. Herrera)
3. Speak No Evil (Wayne Shorter, arr. by N. Herrera)
4. Yes or No (Wayne Shorter, arr. by N. Herrera)
5. Afro 6/8 (N. Herrera)
6. Tulip?n (N. Herrera/Jorge Bringa)
7. Danzan para Aurora (N. Herrera)
8. Ob?tala Baba Fururu (Mercedita Valdes/N. Herrera)
9. West Side Latin Jazz (N. Herrera)

Format: VHS

Average customer rating: Most amazing virtuoso pianist I have ever seen live!

Nachito Herrera & Puro Cubano Live at the Dakota Manufacturer: Dakota Live! ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Jazz | Styles | Music Latin Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music International Jazz | Jazz | Indie Music | Stores | Music ASIN: B000083GLG Release Date: 2002-12-17

Tracks:

1. Rumba Africana
2. A Puerto Padre
3. De Aremisa Para Nuevo York
4. Con Sentimiento Cubano
5. Cha-Cha-Cha-1-2
6. Night in Tunisia
7. Como Fue
8. Un Dia en la Habana
9. Tribute to Lecuona
10. My Funny Valentine

Album Description

Hotter than the burning tip of a contraband Cuban cigar. Stronger than a straight shot of Havana rum. As exciting as a World Series game, with "El Duque" on the mound. And tastier than a big platter of black beans, rice, sweet plantains and ropa vieja -- that's shredded beef, folks. Welcome to the scintillating sounds of Nachito Herrera and his band, Puro Cubano! Explosive. Crowd-pleasing. Rhythmically intense. Romantic. Dynamic. Jaw-droppingly good. That's the glowing rap on the piano playing of Ignacio "Nachito" Herrera. One word suits Senor Herrera best of all -- virtuoso.

It's apparent throughout "Live At The Dakota" that Nachito Herrera has no limits as a pianist. He can play what he wants and what he feels, exactly, with energy and power and directness and contagious charm. Herrera's a piledriver, a barnburner, a wizard. Nachito's ample classical music training shines through on every track. As do his powers of jazz improvisation, and his rich background in the music of his island homeland, Cuba. Cha-cha-cha, bolero, salsa, rumba, son, mambo, meringue, guaracha, plena, guajira -- name the beatt, and Herrera delivers it with mastery.

The all-star band Cubanismo was Nachito's ticket off the island, his passport to the world's concert halls and outdoor festivals. In Cubanismo, he ably followed star pianist Alfredo Rodriguez, who went on to a solo career. From 1997-2000, Herrera doubled as an arranger and musical director for the Jesus Alemany-led band. He appears on the Cubanismo CDs, Reencarnacion and Mardi Gras Mambo: Cubanismo in New Orleans.

Soon after leaving Cubanismo, Herrera wound up living and working in one of the U.S. metro areas that he'd visited with the band -- namely, the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul. Why Minnesota? "I liked it immediately because it seemed like one of the more calm, stable, safe big cities in the U.S.A." Herrera told a reporter from the Minneapolis Star-Tribune newspaper. "And I loved it that even if there are 30 inches of snow on the ground, people will still go out and see live music." Though the U.S. embargo with Cuba was still in full flower, Nachito managed to gain "artist of special merit" status, thanks to the backing of a nonprofit organization.

Herrera was permitted to work in the Land of Lakes for up to three years, and he immediately got down to business, assembling the great group that you hear here -- Puro Cubano. A combo tailor-made to deliver heritage sounds, with incomparable fire. Puro Cubano is the natural culmination of Herrera's years spent in academia, from the Superior Institute of Art in Havana and the Cuban Naval Academy band, to the MacPhail Center for the Arts in Minneapolis, where Nachito teaches today. More to the musical point, Live At The Dakota is the end product of time logged with such fabled mentors as the ageless Ruben Gonzalez, the superstar Chucho Valdes, and with his own very skilled piano-playing padre, Ignacio Herrera, Sr. All the nonstop training, from Rachmaninoff to rumba, and all the global touring, getting his feet wet with the popular Tropicana Orquestra, then becoming a serious road warrior in Cubanismo, pays off grandly on Live At the Dakota.

Every single track of this CD delivers fire and finesse, verve and variety. Wanna be overwhelmed? Then check out, "Rumba Africana," a tour-de-force of brilliant, elastic piano artistry, with more tempo and mood shifts than two Fellini flicks. Looking for pure entertainment? Join the happy chorus on "Cha-Cha-Cha 1-2." Or spend "Un Dia en la Habana" -- a rollicking, careening day in Havana. No day in Cuba's hub would be complete without some beisbol, right? Just ask Tony Oliva, another singularly talented Cuban who's made a happy home for himself in Minnesota. So it's fitting that the Puro Cubano all-star team launches into a few singalong bars of the hoary yet always satisfying, "Take Me Out to the Ballgame." Every single member of the Dakota Bar & Grill audience sings bette

Customer Reviews:

Most amazing virtuoso pianist I have ever seen live!.......2003-04-10

Nachito Herrera's solo debut was undeniably the most remarkable recording made in Minneapolis in the year 2002. Recorded live at the Dakota Bar and Grill, one of the Midwest's best known jazz venues, this performance left audience member's jaws scraping the floor.
I have never seen a musician like Nachito. He effortlessly blends his classical training (listen for allusions to Rachmaninoff and Gershwin) with his extraordinary background in the Cuban musical tradition (he is a protege of the great Ruben Gonzales).
More remarkable yet, is extraordinary comfort playing "American" jazz (you won't hear this much on the album, w/ the exception of his breathtaking rendition of "Night In Tunisia")...
His band, Puro Cubano, is equally incredible. Leann Lindgren display's remarkable versatility, playing flute, clarinet, soprano, alto, AND lead vocals. Jorge Bringas (sp?) is a native of Miami with phenomenal electric bass chops. He mostly lays low on this record-- it's best to see him live in Minneapolis if you can. Last of all Shay Haio (sp?), a native of Jerusalem, plays all forms of latin percussion as well as some interesting traditional W. African drums. The man grooves hard! This music WILL move you.
My favorite cuts:

"Con Sentimiento Cubano" -- Puro Cubano's interpretation of the 2nd Rachmaninoff piano concerto. Extraordinary!

"Night in Tunisia" -- Nachito's virtuoso take on the classic Dizzy Gilespie tune. Listen for the break where he plays the fastest quick-repetition chords I've ever heard.

"Tribute to Lecuona" -- Nachito's tribute to one of the greatest Cuban pianist/composers of all time. "Malaguena" roars!

"My Funny Valentine" -- The best piano recording of this ubiquitous classic. Ever.

The recording quality is exceptional. The piano tone is bright and crystal clear-- listen to how full-bodied the tone is in the lower register. The piano tech who prep'd the piano during this October (?) performance did excellent work.

CONCLUSION: If you have any interest in latin music or any background in classical piano, you will most likely love this recording. Buy it.

Jazz Music:

1. Nuestras Consentidas
2. Nuestros 30 Mejores Boleros, Vol. 1 [Import]
3. Perez Prado: Doble Contenldo
4. Planeta Paulina
5. Puro Sentimiento
6. Quimbo Quimbumbia
7. Raices
8. Reggaeton Super Hits [Enhanced]
9. Reggeton en la Parada Puertorriqueña [Explicit Lyrics]
10. Remezclados y Remasterizados [Original recording remastered]

Jazz Music

jazz music