Bele Bele en la Habana
Studio album by
Chucho Valdés
Released1998
LabelBlue Note[1]
ProducerRéne López
Chucho Valdés chronology
Solo Piano
(1991)		 Bele Bele en la Habana
(1998)		 Briyumba Palo Congo
(1999)

Bele Bele en la Habana is an album by the Cuban pianist Chucho Valdés, released in 1998.[2][3] Valdés supported the album with a North American tour.[4]

The album peaked at No. 22 on Billboard's Jazz Albums chart.[5] It was nominated for a Grammy Award, in the "Best Latin Jazz Performance" category.[6]

Production

The album was produced by Réne López.[7] It was recorded in Toronto, with Valdés leading a trio.[8][9] "Con Poco Coco" was written by Bebo Valdés, Chucho's father.[10] "Los Caminos" was written by Pablo Milanés.[7] "Lorraine" is dedicated to the owner of the Village Vanguard.[11] "But Not For Me" is a cover of the Gershwin song.[12] "Son Montuno" was written by Valdés in the 1960s.[13]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[14]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music[15]
Los Angeles Daily News[9]
Los Angeles Times[8]
MusicHound World: The Essential Album Guide[7]

The Philadelphia Inquirer noted that several pieces "contain references to the suitelike Cuban danzon and the agitated high-speed-chase lines associated with Dizzy Gillespie's bebop-era Afro-Cuban hybrid."[16] The Los Angeles Times stated that "the music ranges from a son to a mambo, from a danzon to a guaguanco."[8]

The Hartford Courant thought that Valdés's piano "sounds like a giant modern orchestra powered by a dynamo percussion section."[17] The Globe and Mail opined that Valdés's "playing is impressive enough in its power and technical facility, but his showy improvisations have an off-handed glibness that leaves them less than compelling and sometimes even less than fully coherent."[18]

AllMusic wrote that "Valdés more often than not is all over the keyboard, comfortable with everything from Ravel-ian classical complexity to Bill Evans' introspection to Cecil Taylor-like crunches."[14]

Track listing

No.TitleLength
1."Son Montuno" 
2."Lorraine" 
3."But Not for Me" 
4."Con Poco Coco" 
5."El Cumbanchero" 
6."Tres Lindas Cubanas" 
7."La Sitiera" 
8."Los Caminos" 

References

  1. ↑ Kirchner, Bill (October 19, 2000). "The Oxford Companion to Jazz". Oxford University Press. Archived from the original on November 13, 2023. Retrieved June 2, 2022 – via Google Books.
  2. ↑ "Chucho Valdés Biography, Songs, & Albums". AllMusic. Archived from the original on 2022-06-02. Retrieved 2022-06-02.
  3. ↑ "Jesús 'Chucho' Valdés". bombmagazine.org. Archived from the original on 2022-06-02. Retrieved 2022-06-02.
  4. ↑ Surowicz, Tom (21 June 1998). "A giant unleashed". Star Tribune. p. 1F.
  5. ↑ "Chucho Valdés". Billboard. Archived from the original on 2022-06-02. Retrieved 2022-06-02.
  6. ↑ "Chucho Valdés". Recording Academy. Archived from the original on 2 June 2022. Retrieved 2 June 2022.
  7. 1 2 3 MusicHound World: The Essential Album Guide. Visible Ink Press. 2000. p. 787.
  8. 1 2 3 Heckman, Don (28 June 1998). "Versatility and Passion From Cuba". Calendar. Los Angeles Times. p. 66.
  9. 1 2 Shuster, Fred (3 July 1998). "SOUND CHECK". Los Angeles Daily News. p. L20.
  10. ↑ Cantor, Judy. "The Year of Chucho". Miami New Times. Archived from the original on 2023-11-13. Retrieved 2022-06-02.
  11. ↑ Torres, Richard (14 June 1998). "1 Piano Passion, 2 Cuban Styles". Newsday. p. D27.
  12. ↑ Byers, Jim (21 Oct 1998). "Havana Nirvana: Classics From Cuba". The Washington Post. p. D7.
  13. ↑ Steinberg, David (25 Oct 1998). "Jazz musician rides wave of Cubans playing in U.S.". Albuquerque Journal. p. D2.
  14. 1 2 "Chucho Valdés Bele Bele en La Habana Album Reviews, Songs & More | AllMusic". Archived from the original on 2022-06-02. Retrieved 2022-06-02 – via www.allmusic.com.
  15. ↑ Larkin, Colin (2006). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Vol. 8. MUZE. p. 372.
  16. ↑ Moon, Tom (15 June 1998). "CUBAN MUSICIANS PLAY THE STATES". The Philadelphia Inquirer. p. F5.
  17. ↑ McNally, Owen (9 July 1998). "BELE BELE EN LA HABANA — CHUCHO VALDES". Calendar. Hartford Courant. p. 7.
  18. ↑ Miller, Mark (30 July 1998). "BELE BELE EN LA HABANA". The Globe and Mail. p. C4.
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