# CD review: Adriano Clemente – Cuban Fires 2018: Video

- Link: https://jazzblues.eu/2018/12/25/cd-review-adriano-clemente-cuban-fires-2018-video/
- Published: 2018-12-25T21:14:39+01:00
- Author: https://JazzBlues.EU

**Continuing from where he left off in his journey through the ritual magic of the
Afro-Cuban musical experience some two years ago Adriano Clemente has surfaced from
his deep dive with the music of _Cuban Fires_. **

The music is brought to fruition by what sounds like a substantially-enhanced Akashmani
Ensemble that is considerably inspired by Mr Clemente’s music. The ensemble certainly
lives up to its name – which is created ostensibly from a Sanskrit amalgam that 
means “celestial” (Akash) “jewel” (mani) – and it also fulfills its prime directive,
which is to pierce the ornate fabric of Afro-Cuban music in a meaningful, spiritual
way.

Invoking the deity Obatalà right out of the gates the group burns its way through“
Cuban Fires” having been led into the main body of the music by a Yoruba chant to“
the father of all humanity”. Clearly His blessings are bestowed upon Mr Clemente
and the Akashmani Ensemble. The former, a composer certainly seems to have been 
granted honorary Cuban status as this music suggests. The repertoire traverses through
the various forms of highly combustible Afro-Cuban music. A visceral energy exudes
throughout and much of this has to do with the mastery of percussionists led by 
Degnis Bofill on batá drums and other percussion, the conguero Eduardo Silveira 
and Deivys Rubalcaba who together with bassist Roberto “El Chino” Vásquez have succeeded
in creating a mighty wall of rhythm.

But far from being impenetrable this mighty edifice is bent and shaped into all 
things wonderfully harmonic by the horn ensemble which performs with great fire 
from “Cuban Fires” to “Mambo House”, but can also be heard to be extraordinarily
tender on the beautiful bolero “Con Alma”, a requiem for the composer’s friend Enrico
Dell’Angelo. The virtuoso pianism of Alejandro Falcón is the magical glue that holds
all of the music together and may be listened to with great admiration as Falcón
weaves his enchanting web of music with varying moods and emotion through the effervescent“
Mango Cha” and “Nueva Alegría” and the mesmerising “Olvidado”.

The surprises, when they come, are effective and discreet: raw African rhythms collide
with Thommy Lowry’s trumpet soli which brings a rippling jazzy groove that gently
builds in heat and momentum often spurred on by the horns of the trombonist Eduardo
Sandoval, as well as Michel Herrera and Emir Santa Cruz who alternate on various
saxophones, the latter alternating on clarinet as well. The ensemble parlays like
old friends creating a mellifluous mélange throughout this repertoire launching 
into the music with a broodingly tumbling percussive groove from beginning to end.
Whether blowing hot or spacey and cool, this ensemble is transformative and utterly
memorable.

All in all _Cuban Fires_ has definitely been worth the wait from Mr Clemente’s earlier
Afro-Cuban sojourn which he (then) entitled Havana Blue. Both recordings are touching
and toe-tapping in equal measure.

**Track list:**

1: Cuban Fires;

2: Con Alma (For Enrico);

3: Mango Cha;

4: Nueva Alegria;

5: Mambo House;

6: G Son;

7: Olvidado;

8: Cuban Fires (Reprise)

**Personnel:**

**Adriano Clemente:** compositions and arrangements;

**Akashmani Ensemble – Thommy Lowry:** trumpet and flugelhorn;

**Eduardo Sandoval: **trombone;

**Michel Herrera:** alto and baritone saxophones, and tenor saxophone (8);

**Emir Santa Cruz:** tenor saxophone and clarinet;

**Alejandro Falcòn:** piano;

**Roberto “El Chino” Vàsquez:** bass;

**Eduardo Silveira:** congas, bongò, güiro and cowbell;

**Deivys Rubalcaba:** timbales, güiro, cowbell and maracas;

**Degnis Bofill: **batà drums and percussion

![Картинки по запросу Adriano Clemente: Cuban Fires](https://i0.
wp.com/www.napolitoday.it/~media/horizontal-hi/61089881955377/cuban-fires-3.jpg?
w=640)

### _Related_