Jazz Made in Australia – Program for Monday, the 24th of August 2015

Gai Bryant is not only a great soprano saxophone and flute player, but also a great composer and arranger. Her latest project recorded in 2014 and released in early 2015 is as a result of her brother’s love of Cuban music and dance inspiring Gai to visit Cuba herself where she also fell in love with the music and culture of the Spanish speaking island. It’s an independently released CD called PALACIO DE LA RUMBA, ‘Talking In Cuban’ and played by 13 top of the line jazz musicians plus Cuban rumbero, master drummer, Justo Palladito brought to Sydney especially for the recording.

The recording has received an amazing and long revue by the Latin Jazz Network and as I can’t read it all to you I’ve selected a few impressive passages.

“This is not merely a Cuban record, it is a deep dive into Cuban musical topography, into Rumba, Danzon and Son, and into the very Heart of Cuban culture…. There have been many recordings like this one, but none, in my [Raul da Gama] memory, stands out as this album does; something so wonderful because it has Cuban ‘Alma’.”

He does in to place this recording favourably with one of the Dizzy Gillespie forays into Cuban Jazz and also the Dutch composer Nils Fischer.

The release opens with the infectious composition PALACIO DE LA RUMBA, followed by the more tradiitonal LAMINOSO. See below for full track listing.

Track List

1. Palacio de la Rumba – Gai Bryant Palaciode la Rumba – ‘Talking in Cuban’ (2015, Independent)

2. Laminoso – Gai Bryant Palaciode la Rumba – ‘Talking in Cuban’ (2015, Independent)

3. 12 New Moons – Gai Bryant Ensemble – ‘2 degrees East’ (2004 Independent)

4. Transits -Gai Bryant Ensemble – ‘2 degrees East’ (2004 Independent)

5. Trains – Daniel Hunter – ‘The Twentieth’ (2015 Independent)

6. Talking in Cuban -Gai Bryant Palaciode la Rumba – ‘Talking in Cuban’ (2015, Independent)

7. Alone Together – Mike Kenny Lab Band – ‘Live at Colbourne Ave’ (2015 Independent)