Tuesday, 4/22/97 Carribean jazz group breaks stereotypes Diverse
cultural, musical backgrounds foster a unique sound
By Nerissa Pacio Daily Bruin Contributor The Caribbean. A
magical oasis of coconut bras and palm trees, beaded hair and
bare-footed steel drummers. The sandy islands of bungalows, "the
limbo," street vendors, and fiery summer escapades. But to the
musicians of the Caribbean Jazz Project, a cross-cultural jazz
group playing at the Veterans Wadsworth Theater on Saturday,
Caribbean culture goes beyond a stop on a vacationer’s cruise. "The
Caribbean definitely comes with its own stereotypes," says Dave
Samuels, the group’s marimba and vibes player. "And while it’s fun
to play the music of people’s fantasies, we’re not about Carmen
Miranda and wearing bananas on our heads!" Samuels says. In fact,
The Project isn’t always playing in the warm tropical breezes or
under the blazing sun. They have played venues stretching from New
York’s Central Park Zoo, where the group first began four years ago
on a whim, to Alaska’s arctic tundra. "We’ve played where we
thought we wouldn’t necessarily be popular. And even in the harsh
environment of Alaska, people are still receptive to our music,"
Samuels says. Leading the group are three big names in contemporary
jazz: saxophone and clarinet player Paquito D’Rivera, who Latin
Beat magazine calls "The Cuban Jazz Legend," Andy Narell on steel
drums, and Samuels. The musicians use the stark contrast of their
cultural and musical backgrounds to create a sound that is uniquely
their own. This international sound is supported by Argentinean
Dario Eskenazi on piano, Peruvian bassist Oscar Stagnaro, Cuban
percussionist Luis Conte and Chicago native, Mark Walker on drums.
"As far as I know, we are the only group on the planet to have this
combination of instruments," Samuels says. "With the steel pan
originating in the Caribbean (Trinidad), the marimba in South
America, and the other instruments of European origins, we combine
Caribbean influences with jazz, like a melting pot of the world’s
influences." Their eclectic instrumentation isn’t the only thing
that makes The Project the harmonious mix that it is. From
D’Rivera’s roots in jazz, Latin and classical, to Samuels’
progressive rock collaboration with Pink Floyd, to Narell’s mesh of
new age and Afro-Caribbean, The Project is anything but typical.
"The differences in our influences don’t get in our way," Samuels
says. "They serve as our strengths, not our clashes. If we were to
have conflict, I think it would arise in the differences in our
personalities, which we have managed to work out on stage. I’ve
seen other groups who have all the same influences and listen to
the same music, but their personalities clash and it’s all over."
With original compositions written by the three lead musicians,
these artists are known for their "rhythmic acrobatics," according
to Live magazine. Although The Project’s music has distinctly
Caribbean overtones, Samuels says that listening to their music may
also reveal surprises. "While we play a lot of rhythm-oriented
dance music and upbeat calypso, our sound is intense," Samuels
says. "For example, the sounds of the tango are very dark and
brooding. Very ‘machismo.’" For a group with such a complex melding
of sounds, instruments, backgrounds and cultural influences, the
Caribbean Jazz Project just seems too simple of a name. After all,
with three leaders in the jazz world summing up a monstrous
Brazilian Latin jazz sound, the title for this world music doesn’t
seem to be enough. Samuels chuckles. He alludes to people’s
tropical expectations, saying, "Well, what do you want us to do?
Call ourselves something like, I don’t know, The Orange Peels?"
CONCERT: The Caribbean Jazz Project plays Saturday at UCLA’s
Veterans Wadsworth Theater. A CenterStage lecture will precede the
show at 7 p.m. with Narell and Samuels. Tickets are $28, $25 and $9
with student I.D. For more info, call (310) 825-2101. UCLA CENTER
FOR PERFORMING ARTS l. to r. Paquito D’Rivera, Andy Narell and Dave
Samuels of the Caribbean Jazz Project offer an explosive night of
latin rhythms and hot island grooves at the Veterans Wadsworth
Theater on Saturday, April 26 at 8 p.m. For tickets call (310)
825-2101. These artists are known for their "rhythmic acrobatics,"
according to Live magazine.