Leonel O. Zuñiga – Latimbeando

01 Opening Havana Street.mp3
02 Te Encontraré.mp3
03 Madre.mp3
04 Romance.mp3
05 Entre La Luna Y Tú.mp3
06 Cha Cha In The Street.mp3
07 Lo Que Te Gusta.mp3
08 Mi Gente.mp3

Born in Havana, Leonel O Zúñiga, saxophonist, flautist and composer, begins his musical journey with the guitar. The first group to form, at the age of 12, was “Onda Cha” with charanga formation performing themes of Cuban music in boga at the time. He begins his academic training at the prestigious Amadeo Roldán school in Havana but moves to Ignacio Cervantes, where in addition to his guitar studies, he begins to study the flute, under the supervision of the prestigious Alfredo Portela.
He later took an interest in the cello, and later also in the saxophone. Simultaneously his studies with his collaborations in different orchestras including “Iresón”, “Roberto Faz” and “El Muso and his orchestra”, with which he performs different tours, both in Cuba and abroad. A few years ago he moved to Spain, where he forms his own group “Havana Street Band”, with which he performs various tours, sharing the stage with some of the most prestigious Cuban groups, such as Jose Luis Cortes and “NG La Banda”…
If from Goethe we learned that good would often be so close, or at least, closer than we think and that in search of luck would not have to go very far, the flautist, saxophonist, composer and arranger Leonel Oduardo Zúñiga re the opposite spells out.
To reap the desired result in the recording of his second album, the habanero based since 1997 in Barcelona, it seems that he had to leave many kilometers behind. Going away, in his case, meant coming home, finding yourself again in your hometown with all its surroundings and familiar people. There she locked herself in the studios of Pablo Milanés to give birth to these eight (and more! ) topics. Must have been a sparkly and creative sessions, as they usually are among the island’s musicians (worth the cliche…! ). Those who are used to formal needs manage – with as much discipline as swing, that energy as Cuban – record in no time a record like this.
The master mind of the project, leader of Havana Street Band, brought together a well selected musical staff: instrumentalist and gifted singers, such as pianists Rolando Luna and Jorge Luis Pacheco who mostly represent the young scene hab anera of (latin) jazz and timba. The two musical genres not only generate in their playful ensemble the title of the album, but also the sound and spiritual essence of the songs.
All composed by the same Zúñiga, except “Romance”, the only slow-paced theme, with boleristic air of the butcher (today miamero) Jorge Luis Piloto and the good timber “Lo que te gusta” by Joaquín Betancourt. For those who follow and love Cuban contemporary music in its great breadth, there is not much to say about this violinist, composer and professor who spends a lot of his life with orchestral work.
As a co-arranger and producer, along with his friend and colleague from Barcelona-Habanero, he has shaped this work, born among Cubans, but also born between the New and the Old World. The last one has practically nothing, its airs and stylistics take us to Cuba itself: we dance “Cha Cha in the street”, we take the rumbo route of Guaguancó to celebrate the “Mother”. The strong dish is undoubtedly the timba, the one less ”plastic” than the one that sounds in many corners of the island, more nourished by jazzist elegance. And many chefs, in this case three different singers, don’t necessarily damage the food either. Amaray de Manolito and his Trabuco were commissioned three songs, among them the energetic “I will find you” and “Intre la luna tu” that will easily hook the dancers.
NG La Banda-man Toni Calá has also been tasked with, on two occasions. The one who opens and closes the dancefloor of ”Latimbeando” with a good dose of picardiness, is Norisley “El Noro” Valladares, drummer well profiled in experiences with Pupy and Los Que Son Son. From some of the bands mentioned Leonel Oduardo Zúñiga has chosen with good feeling to members of his excellent metal section that should not be missed and that also knows how to shine in this meeting. An artistic and human family meeting where there are no short musical quotes! you wink so common and dear, not to say indispensable in fa Cuban popular music and all over “Cubania”. That the “key that the Cerro has” *, neighborhood of origin of Zúñiga, is a sports relay for the world: Havana – Barcelona, round and round. _Katrin Wilke (Musical Journalist, Berlin)

It is quoted in the topic “My people” the famous phrase “El Cerro has the key” that historically comes from the fact that in this neighborhood of Havana, the water entry to the city was found and the cederation of the aqueduct that exists to this day.
Musicians:
Leonel Oduardo Zúñiga: Flute, Tenor Sax, Production, Arrangements
Jorge Luis Pacheco: Piano
Roberto Vázquez Law “El Chino”: Bass
Adel Gonzalez – Congas, percussion minor
Roysel Riveron – Drums
Elpidio Chapotín: Trumpet
José Luis Hernandez “Chewy”: Tenor Sax
Yoandry Argudin: Thunderstorm
Noro Valladares: Voice, vocals
Tony Calla – Voice
Ricardo Fernandez (Amaray): Voice, vocals
Elaine Perez : Colors
Joaquín Betancourt: Arrangements, Production
Recorded at PM Records Studios (Havana)
Information done (September 4, 2020)