Aires Tropicales. Release date: May 26, Paquito D’Rivera and Quinteto Cimarron. Sunnyside Records/Paquito Records.
Hear Two Tracks from Aires Tropicales
D’Rivera’s proficiency in all genres has made it possible for him to collaborate in musical projects of all types. It was at a symposium in Galicia, Spain that D’Rivera was introduced to Quinteto Cimarron, a classical string quintet made up of Cubans based in the north of Spain. Their connection was immediate and led to their collaboration on Aires Tropicales, a collection of originals from members of the ensemble and arrangements of music by Cuban composers, both classic and contemporary.
For the recording, D’Rivera brought his “Aires Tropicales”, which he had originally composed for a wind quintet. His friend and leuthier Luis Rossi had arranged the pieces for clarinet and string quartet. Violist Eduardo Cana added a contrabass part that was recorded here along with a variety of pieces by Cuban composers, ranging from some dating from the early 20th Century to contemporary composers active today.
Paquito D’Rivera’s collaboration with Quinteto Cimmaron was a special occasion for all involved. It provided a return to the musical roots of a cadre of Cubans and a way to highlight Cuban composers, new and old, with the resulting recording Aires Tropicales left as a testament to their excellence.
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