Marco Tamayo : Guitar Music from Cuba : CD

EDWARD SIMON : El Manicero ( The Peanut Seller): NICO ROJAS : Guyun – El Maestro; En El Abra Del Yumurí (In Yumuri Bay) ; Francito Y Alfonsito ; Lilliam ; Guajira A Mi Madre (Guajira For My Mother): CARLOS FARINAS : Preludio ; Canción Triste (Sad Song): ALDO RODRIGUEZ: Cancion ; Danza: HAROLD GRAMATGEZ : Suite Breve (Preludio; Alemanda;Siciliana, Sarabanda; Minuetto):LEO BROUWER: Cancion de Cuna ( Berceuse);Zapateo; Ojos Brujos: HECTOR ANGULO: Cantos Yoruba de Cuba : (Asokere1;Suayo;Iya Mi Ile;Borotiti; Asokere II;Iya Mo Dupe; Yeye Bi Obi Toauo;E Lekua; Asokere III .

Marco Tamayo

Naxos 8.555887

Here is a very exciting repertoire of (mostly) relatively unknown Cuban guitar pieces by a player who very quickly shows himself to be a brilliant player. The recording is very close and clear throughout by the way.

The opening piece by Edward Simon I instantly knew but not as a guitar piece, so I imagine that it has been played in other genres and that’s where I have heard it. From then on, much of the music has that slightly jazz- harmonied sound that much of the Latin music has. Nico Rojas is a new name to me but most of his five works are very rhythmic and melodic and could be songs, if they had words. (Maybe they do!) The exception is Lilliam which is slow and sad but still full of exotic chords. I’m not going to mention every single piece or composer, but Aldo Rodriguez’s Cancion and Danza are a lot of fun with the Danza really going at a pace and full of unexpected little touches. Also the 5 movements of Harold Gramatgez’ Suite Breve, really are short as the whole Suite is over in eight minutes!Of course perhaps the most famous Cuban guitarist/composer is Leo Brouwer, whose works here you may well have come across. The beautiful Cancion de Cuna (Berceuse)   is the first, which is a wonderful piece of writing. The following Zapateo is jumpy with plenty of ‘wrong note’ chords and the well known Ojos Brujos finishes his little section off delightfully. The final bunch of pieces by Hector Angulo, Cantos Yoruba de Cuba are very varied, and always great to hear, and a fine conclusion to this album, which is beautifully played from start to finish and very clearly recorded, and full of pieces you probably won’t know but will love getting to know.

Chris Dumigan