so what groove

Los Van Van, 10 years later

2009-10-12T08:27:00.001-07:00

Los Van VanA los que van, aplausoBy DAVID CÁZARESMiami | 10.12.09As they entered Miami’s sparking new performing arts center, they concert-goers braved no gauntlet of angry protesters. They heard no shouts of denunciation, outrage or insult.Instead, a soft murmur rose from the crowd that night, an anticipatory and nervous rumble of patrons anxious to see a show by some of Cuba’s finest musicians,

Maria Rita sings divinely

2009-09-08T08:33:00.000-07:00

Maria Rita's alluring presenceBy DAVID CÁZARESMiami | 09.08.09I find myself frequently turning to Brazilian performers whose strong musicianship, storied traditions and vocal artistry stir the soul. Among those I listen to most is Maria Rita, who has released three impeccable albums in the last several years.The daughter of acclaimed singer Ellis Regina and pianist/arranger César Camargo Mariano,

So What Groove on Facebook

2009-09-04T13:31:00.000-07:00

Social GrooveBy DAVID CÁZARESMiami | 08.04.09So What Groove is now on Facebook, where its users will be able to find the latest posts on music and culture at their fingertips. Check out the page here. |♫|

WDNA, serious music

2009-09-04T08:08:00.001-07:00

Superb radioBy DAVID CÁZARESMiami | 09.04.09A friend of mine is wondering where there is any Miami-area radio station remotely worth checking out. Tired of talk radio and bored with the typical pop and Latin stations, he’s searching for something good. I have just the ticket: WDNA 88.9 FM, my favorite station and the best place to go for serious jazz. The station, which unfortunately is one of

Shakira, songs and sex

2009-09-02T07:43:00.000-07:00

ShakiraToo sexy for herselfBy DAVID CÁZARESMiami | 09.02.09It must be hard for a pop singer to sell music these days.Competition is fierce with fickle fans jumping from one sensation to the next. And with so many now used to buying individual tunes &mdash or downloading music for free &mdash even well known performers likely want to push the boundaries sometimes.So it comes as no surprise that

Miguel Zenon shines on Awake

2009-09-01T10:47:00.000-07:00

A bright voiceBy DAVID CÁZARESMiami | 09.01.09If you listen to a lot of jazz saxophonists as I do, you can’t help but notice that unmistakable search for the precision, improvisational prowess and lyricism of John Coltrane.Over the years, I’ve heard a lot of jazz saxophonists who tried to sound like Coltrane, the most remarkable phenomenon to ever touch the instrument. That’s understandable,

The soul of gospel

2009-08-31T07:01:00.000-07:00

Mahalia JacksonA joyful noiseBy DAVID CÁZARESMiami | 08.31.09I’ve been thinking a lot about gospel of late, the soulful music I loved listening to at my parent’s Pentecostal church years ago.Far removed from the stiff original hymns, the best gospel music stirs the soul with rhythm and a sense of swing without losing its dignified essence. I’m talking about the gospel that predates the modern

Lester Young, "The Prez"

2009-08-28T12:39:00.000-07:00

"The Prez" could blowBy DAVID CÁZARESMiami | 08.28.09It is said that the saxophone is the closest instrument to the human voice. But it takes a true master to make it sing, particularly in jazz.Lester young was one such player, a virtuoso musician who created art with the instrument in ways none had before him. The storied tenor player made such a name for himself in Count Basie’s band and later

Kenny Burrell

2009-08-27T08:35:00.001-07:00

A classy pickBy DAVID CÁZARESMiami | 08.27.09I usually start my days listening to virtuoso jazz guitarist Kenny Burrell, one of my favorites, even if I don’t intend to.It’s my daughter’s routine. A budding guitarist, she’s raided my music collection and claimed as her own a great Burrell compilation &mdash Kenny Burrell on Prestige Profiles, Vol 7. Not that I mind. I can think of few better

Juanes and the Cuba question

2009-08-26T10:02:00.000-07:00

The pop diplomatBy DAVID CÁZARESMiami | 08.26.09A decade or so ago, when I first saw Juanes, the now-world famous pop star and humanitarian was a shy and unassuming singer and guitarist in jeans and tennis shoes who was only starting to attract attention with a groundbreaking new album.Fíjate Bien was an excellent recording, one in which the then-budding international sensation fused rock with

Wayne Shorter

2009-08-25T07:32:00.001-07:00

Wayne ShorterAn enduring jazz footprintBy DAVID CÁZARESMiami | 08.25.09Here’s wishing a happy birthday to saxophonist Wayne Shorter, the virtuoso composer and musician who not only has played with jazz masters but is one. From his days playing with the mid-1960s quintet of Miles Davis to his extraordinary collaboration with Joe Zawinul in the jazz fusion group Weather Report in the 1970s and

A new look for So What Groove

2009-08-24T06:17:00.000-07:00

Stylin’By DAVID CÁZARESMiami | 08.24.09Today brings a new look for So What Groove, courtesy of my friend and mentor Eliseo Cardona, whose BlueMonkMoods is a critical treasure of insight and perspective. His fresh design will allow us to more vigorously explore music and culture. Pa’ lante. Gracias hermano. |♫|

Totó la Momposina

2009-08-20T09:20:00.000-07:00

Black Colombia to the WorldBy DAVID CÁZARESMiami | 08.20.2009I used to listen to a lot to Miami’s Spanish-language pop and tropical music stations. But increasingly I find it all sounds the same, as programmers aim for the lowest common denominator.Instead of celebrating Latin America’s rich and varied genres, the Latin music industry and its purveyors on the radio opt for the formulas and pretty

Federico Britos and the art of danzón

2009-08-13T08:27:00.000-07:00

Swinging With DanzónBy DAVID CÁZARESMiami | 08.13.2009It’s rare to find a musician with command of both classical music and jazz. It’s extraordinary when a virtuoso performer seamlessly moves between both with style and grace, as does Federico Britos, a master violinist who performs Friday at the Manuel Aritme Theater in Miami.For half a century, the Uruguayan-born Britos has performed in

Sammy's Third Take

2009-08-13T07:56:00.000-07:00

And Sammy Walked In...By DAVID CÁZARESMiami | 08.13.2009Master percussionist Sammy Figueroa, one of South Florida’s most versatile performers, has been working on a new album, his third. Figueroa and the Latin Jazz Explosion will debut tunes from it when they take the stage Friday night at The Van Dyke on Lincoln Road in Miami Beach. The band will play new tunes that include selections by Silvano

Weather Report

2009-07-28T08:23:00.000-07:00

Weather ReportA Creative StormBy DAVID CÁZARESMiami | 07.28.09 My friend and colleague Eliseo Carona &mdash music writer and blogger extraordinaire &mdash has reminded me of Weather Report, the incredible band that was a defining influence on anyone who loved the jazz fusion of the 1970s as I did and still do, with apologies to the jazz purists among us.The group led by pianist Joe Zawinul and

Adriana Calcanhotto in concert

2009-07-17T06:26:00.000-07:00

Sin remedio, el marBy DAVID CÁZARESMiami | 07.17.2009Listening to music can be an exploration, a trip in which we discover new voices and sounds. Our best journeys bring us in touch with stellar talents we might not have noticed before, the kind of performers who build upon their musical heritage by creating new art.Singer and songwriter Adriana Calcanhotto is one such artist, a performer who

Concert review: Buika

2009-07-10T08:45:00.000-07:00

Sultry and divineBy DAVID CÁZARESMiami | 07.10.09 It takes a great voice to fill a concert hall with little or no accompaniment. It takes a tremendous heart to create art. Concha Buika has both.The Spanish singer and songwriter mesmerized her audience at Miami’s Gusman Center on Thursday with powerful songs of love and desire, heartbreak and longing. Accompanied by Cuban pianist Ivan “Melon”

Buika, in concert

2009-07-09T13:47:00.000-07:00

Baring her soulBy DAVID CÁZARESMiami | 07.09.09 Concha Buika refuses to hide behind a false veneer of personality. She needs no carefully crafted persona, media image or handlers.Instead, the singer who has won a devoted following in Spain and beyond with a powerful blend of flamenco, jazz, African and Latin American music prefers to reveal all – from her emotional reflections on her life to a

2009-06-25T07:22:00.000-07:00

A group shot after a successful tour of a San Juan barrio during a photo workshop. That's me up front. My friend and photographer Angel Valentin is on the left.

2009-06-25T06:39:00.000-07:00

I'm in San Juan attending a journalists' session on blogging. I'm doing it.