Crooked Cha by Papa Mambo

The original material, contributed by just about every one in the band, sounds more “realized”; there’s a sense of completeness to the work on this recording, like you might

expect from a band that stays together and keeps honing its material.

And that’s what you’ll get that from excellent players who dig what they’re doing. They’re the “la crème de la crème” in Winnipeg, as players and writers. All conversant with many different styles of music, they bring great “ears” and an openness to their projects. Even the guest performances from talents like vocalist Mira Black and former-German-former Winnipegger-now-Brooklynite vibist Stefan Bauer fit seamlessly into the Papa Mambo groove.

Members of Papa Mambo are the leader Rodrigo Munoz on

percussion, Jeff Presslaff on trombone and electric keys,

Ken Gold on saxophones, David Lawton on trumpet, Will Bonness on piano and organ, Gilles Fournier on bass, Jaimie Carasco on drums and Victor Lopez on Cuban tres and percussion and Jordan Friesen on percussion. The singers are Hyalmar Gonzalez and Marcello Hinojosa.

If you want to dance to this music, you can and you will; if you want to sit back and groove to great solos and tight ensemble playing, you can do that too. Crooked Cha has it goin’ on!

REVIEW

Nick McMahon The Manitoban July 18, 2007

♥♥♥♥ Drawing from Winnipeg’s enormous jazz talent pool, Papa Mambo features some of the best jazz musicians that our city has to offer. Their latest project, Crooked Cha, has something for everyone; balancing experimental jazz intellect, accessible jazz and infectious Latin styling, percussionist band-leader, Rodrigo Munoz, unifies the diverse group of songs together with his smoking rhythms. He beats his congas and bongos with energetic precision like a shaman entering a trance, adjusting the groove to suit the song. The opening track, Blue Barron, kicks off with some of Munoz’s most electrifying drumming, while displaying the exceptional compositional skills of trombonist/pianist Jeff Presslaff. Dave Lawton (trumpet and fugelhorn) and Ken Gold (saxophones) complete the horn section, providing tight, dynamic melodies and complex harmony throughout the album. “Crooked Cha” and “Convidame’ force listeners to loosen their hips and commence salsa dancing, as lead vocalist Hyalmar Gonzales belts out catchy Spanish lyrics.

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