Concerto Latino Featuring Malaguena

Concerto Latino is a collection of thirteen original compositions and arrangements by master pianist and composer Franko Richmond, reflecting a powerful fusion best described as world-beat Latin jazz. World-beat is a broad term encompassing a wide variety of planetary rhythms, particularly of the indigenous cultures. Concerto Latino explores world-beat rhythms in various combinations and juxtapositions which result in empowered innovative grooves. At the root of these rhythmic grooves is the Latin feel whose source is found in the Mediterranean (Italy, Spain, Portugal) and Africa (West and North). These influences blossomed in the so-called 'new world' as the potent musical expression of the Americas. Franko's roots go back to Naples in southern Italy where as a young boy he experienced the passionate and haunting Neapolitan songs which had a heavy influence on the Argentinean tango. Added to this mix is the primarily North American Jazz influence, a combination of African Rhythm and Western European harmony, driven by a highly developed sense of improvisation (the art of 'improving'). Concerto Latino celebrates Franko's lifelong love of the unifying and empowering effect of fusion in music. The whole becomes greater because of it's concerted parts. Concerted, is in fact the musical concept of orchestra and soloist (s) performing in concert...together...a 'concerted' effort. The great variety of musical ideas expressed on this CD sound at once both orchestral and soloistic. The realization of Concerto Latino is a tribute to the great musicians who have concerted together here as 'The KI' (KO is an ancient Hawaiian word which means 'realization of the dream'). 'The KO' is : Franko, a world-class pianist/composer who is the protege of two legendary pianists, classical concert pianist Earl Wild and jazz artist Ahmad Jamal; James Cammack brilliant bassist who has toured extensively with Ahmad Jamal; Paul Beretta, innovative world-beat rock drummer, New York studio pro and veteran of touring with American rock legend Leslie West (Mountain) ; and Guilherme Franco, native Brazilian percussionist, voted by Downbeat magazine as one of the top world percussionists and a veteran of touring with Keith Jarrett and McCoy Tyner. This truly great quarter has lots of experience performing together and brings to the music an eclectic and vibrant sensibility. Get ready to enjoy fresh, new interpretations of salsa, mambo, samba with some Tunisian funk, reggae, rock, and a Motown samba-shuffle thrown in to spice up the mix. In the hands of these master musicians, concerto latino promises to both fuel and soothe your music soul...Ciao!