La Fleur de Cayenne

Interesting how life brings you full circle, as I return to Madrid again to create the Madrid-NY Connection Band 2025. It all starts in New Jersey, 1996 on one of those warm August nights where the silence, a full moon and the breeze gently scented by the flowers in the garden, invited me to sit on the cool granite steps in front of my house, in the tender company of Mimi our loving house cat who never left my side.

Shortly after, from a car that was slowly passing by the deserted street, I saw 4 or 5 young men get off, and as they approached where I was, one of them said my name and explained to me that they were part of a group of Cuban Musicians who had been accompanying a singer from the Island, and they had passed by there, attracted by the curiosity of seeing where I lived. The first to speak was the talented pianist, composer and arranger from Manzanillo, Pepe Rivero, who at that time I would never have imaged would become one of my most appreciated collaborators.

Through Pepe, I met and worked extensively with drumer Georvis Pico, percussionist Yuvisney Aguilar, and bassist Reinier “El Negrón” Elizarde, and through them and my long relationship with beautiful Spain, I have had the opportunity to make music – among many others – with Columbian vibraphonist Sebastián Laverde and Madrid harmonica player Antonio Serrano, who over the years have graced my life and career with their affection, exquisite musicality, and sense of humor.

They now form our newly launched Madrid-New York Connection band, where Serrano is frequently our favorite guest on special projects, such as the present recording entitled “La Fluer de Cayenne,” which is the result of that relationship, and the love of all the participants: instrumentalists, composers, arrangers, producers, designers, and technical staff for the most diverse musical styles, some of which figure in the eclectic collection of pieces included here.

Without further ado, we hope you enjoy this album as much as we enjoyed recording it.

Sincerely, THE PAQ-MAN